Converting a Vinyl pool to Fiberglass or gunite?
Sorry if there is a thread on this already, but I can't find one.
I currently have a in-ground vinyl pool 14x32 about 6ft deep and about 14000 gallons. I am in need of a new liner pretty soon. Before I spend $3k to get a new liner put in, I want to see my options as far as converting to a fiberglass or concrete/gunite pool. I live in Fort Worth TX.
I have seen a couple of sites that remove the liner and pour concrete in the bottom of the pool and then lay fiberglass resin and sheets creating a fiberglass shell in your current hole. I can't find any feedback online about how people like this, how the quality is, and how much something like this costs. This option interests me the most.
The other thing is that it seems like people think it is impossible to put a concrete pool in your current hole without starting all over with costs over 30k. It seems to me I could pull out the liner and the walls of the vinyl pool and lay rebar and start spraying gunite. Cut about a 1 ft border around the pool and lay your new coping. Use your current pluming for drain and skimmers and electrical for light. Tell me what I'm missing here?
Thank you
Re: Converting a Vinyl pool to Fiberglass or gunite?
Re: Converting a Vinyl pool to Fiberglass or gunite?
Membership upgraded; sorry it took so long.
My involvement with residential pool construction has been minimal, but I see a bunch of issues with any conversion attempt, compared to simply replacing the liner:
- Access is terrible, for a major construction project (which conversion is), but is fine for liner replacement.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Q.../s640/gmap.jpg
(I look up addresses on Gmap, as a method of excluding spammers -- but nobody but me has access to that info, and I made sure there's no ID info in the Gmap photo)
- You have a small deck and small yard, making any conversion yet more difficult.
- Elevations and levels are such, that your entire deck would have to be removed. For most gunite construction techniques, your pool walls would have to be cut down to allow the installation of the bond beam.
It's not clear to me why you'd want to convert -- you're not going to gain much, given the restrictions and location. You can't really change pool shapes, add depth or much anything else. Neither gunite nor fiberglass necessarily last longer than vinyl. Also, gunite / concrete pools have more complex chemistry, and maintenance costs tend to be higher.
