There are no easy answers to the question of which size, shape and type of pool construction best meets your needs. Many factors will influence your decisions – personal taste, pool use, the conditions of the site, the type of construction available in your area and, of course, your budget.
Fitting swimming pool to your budget
Though your budget may impose limitations, begin by planning the pool and surroundings you would most like to have. Then obtain bids and you will know exactly what your dream will cost. That’s the time for you and your contractor to concentrate on bringing your pool project within the limits of your budget.
Often, the solution is to defer parts of the project. Because you planned both the pool and the surroundings, you can eliminate those parts of the project that can be added later with the least amount of increased cost.
A gazebo or an outdoor shower, for instance, can be added any time – the only increased cost will be that due to inflation. On the other hand, underwater lighting, easily installed when the pool is being built, is a costly and involved project if added a few years later.
The only absolute about the costs of the various pool types is that the portable above-ground pool with a vinyl liner is a considerably less expensive than any type of permanent pool construction.
The cost of a permanent swimming pool varies widely, depending on a number of factors – pool size, shape, type and the quality of construction, location, and the competitive situation among local pool builders.
These are two most popular types of swimming pools built in the United States – the air-sprayed concrete pool and the vinyl lined pool. Out of those two, the concrete pool is more expensive. Though the difference is not great in the sunbelt states, it is in the colder northern climes, where more steel reinforcing rods and a thicker concrete shell are needed to withstand frost pressure. In addition, builders of concrete pools must contend with a shorter building season in the colder areas.