Gunite pools vs Vinyl pools?

Question

which pools is better and also for resale of your home is gunite better?

Answer 1

I'd have to say gunite.

When we were house-hunting, I never knew in-ground vinyl pools existed, and the ones we saw looked awfully cheap. It was an instant turn-off for me, an avid pool-lover. I think I'd rather have an above-ground pool than an in-ground vinyl.

Answer 2

robbievic -

boy if that isn't a loaded question! People ask that all the time - outside of a few things I'll mention, for most people it just boils down to preference.

Gunite pools have a concrete-like coating instead of a vinyl liner - if you've ever been to a hotel pool where they have one and pushed off the wall, you know that it hurts - ALOT! My folks down in Florida have a gunite pool and when I used to swim every day it tore up my feet - never to the bleeding point, but the skin was ripping, tearing and flaking off...and it hurt quite a bit. Gunite pools, being made from concrete, are susceptible to ground movements - if you are in an earthquake-prone area, it might not be in your best interest to consider a gunite pool.

Vinyl-lined pools can be one of the following three - plastic (polymer), steel or wood. The differences in vinyl lined pools deal mostly with how much you are willing to spend. Most of the wood-walled vinyl pools are made from cheap plywood - since any wall is basically a dirt-retention system, you want it to be as strong as possible.
Steel walls are very strong, but depending on your location and soil composition, might be a poor choice - galvanized steel will MOSTLY protect you from rusting problems, but over time most steel pools will corrode.
Polymer walls are very strong - almost (some are stronger!) as strong as steel. These are bolted together (using plastic bolts) and set into place. The vinyl liner is then stretched over the pool and pressed into a track. Once you bury the polymer panel, it will last longer than you live - seriously.

Some things to think about in the gunite/vinyl debate - you have to resurface your gunite pool every 2-3 years (that may be debated by some) at a cost of $3,000 - you only need to replace your vinyl liner every 8-10 years at a cost of (roughly - it depends on the size of your pool) $1,000 for the liner and (if you want it professionally installed) $1,000 for installation.

Resale value? Don't get a pool! I'm serious - unless the person who wants your house is looking for a pool, it will be a turn-off. Get a pool if you want it, not because you think it will increase the resale value.

As for which one looks better - look at some pictures out on the internet and come to that conclusion for yourself. You can tile a gunite pool or put in a nice liner for your vinyl pool. Both will look good - of course, upkeep is everything and if you don't take care of it then it will naturally look bad.

Give us a call if you have any more questions!
Ted

Answer 3

is gunite better?
YUP!