# swimming pools plastic or concrete



## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

We are planning for next year installing a larger pool and wondering which would be best and or cheapest.


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

Sucks teeth and looks into distance......
Well Guv, it all depends on your site. If you have good access and firm land a plastic one will be the cheapest, about 12K minimum for an 8x4 and you will need to be able to get a small crane onto the site for off loading and positioning, and a digger to take out the hole and backfill with sand after unloding. We looked at plastic when we made our decision and were very tempted but as I can build things myself the Concrete option was cheaper for us, about 18k if you have it done by somebody else using the Gunnite method, slightly cheaper if you go for blocks and concrete fill. Maintenance wise I think GRP is much simpler but I have to query the longevity of GRP, will it last as long as concrete? The jury seems to be out on that one. GRP is very nice to swim in and you can get some cracking designs. Do consider using a saltwater system whichever you choose, you will never regret it.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Fibreglass pools are best. They are easy to install, fewer problems than concrete tiled pools and more resilient than liners. 
They are suitable for salt water systems too.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

thanks for the quick reply CB, yes we have good access ,via our neighbours land, who has very nicely said that any of the excavation spoil can be spread over his land (after the excavation has been back filled). We have a contact with both a digger(wheeled version of a poclain ty90) and medium sized crane. The new site for the pool is closer to both the electric and water supply


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

One tip we were given by an Australian friend who does this for a living was to backfill around the sides of the GRP Pool with a weak concrete mix rather than gravel, this will stop the pool spreading and possibly cracking in future years as ground shrinkage would allow the gravel to wax and wane over the years and create voids. He did add that you need a good digger driver to accurately shape the hole during excavation otherwise you can use an awful lot of Concrete


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

country boy said:


> One tip we were given by an Australian friend who does this for a living was to backfill around the sides of the GRP Pool with a weak concrete mix rather than gravel, this will stop the pool spreading and possibly cracking in future years as ground shrinkage would allow the gravel to wax and wane over the years and create voids. He did add that you need a good digger driver to accurately shape the hole during excavation otherwise you can use an awful lot of Concrete


cheers for the tip


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

I've been looking back through our records and this was one firm we talked to:

Glassfibre One Piece Swimming Pools


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

country boy said:


> I've been looking back through our records and this was one firm we talked to:
> 
> Glassfibre One Piece Swimming Pools


Thanks for the link. will have a look . it will be good to get an idea of prices


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