Posted by
Jim Oliver on Tue, Dec 27, 2011 @ 02:23 PM
Brick pavers vs stamped concrete is a decision many homeowners are faced with when installing a swimming pool or replacing an old deck that has out lived it's usefulness. There are pros and cons of both and much of the time it simply comes down to ones own personal preference. That being said, lets take a look at your options and see if we can't help you make the best choice for your patio project.
Stamped Concrete:
If you want to add color and texture to plain old white concrete, stamped concrete may be right for you. If you want your patio to imitate the look of Seamless Stone, Flagstone, Cobblestone, Brick or Mexican Tile to name a few, you can accomplish that with stamped concrete.
There are many color options to chose from and each stamped concrete deck is composed of two colors, a base color that is mixed in the concrete and a release color that is applied on top of the concrete before it hardens and prior to stamping. It is then sealed to protect it from the elements and make it less slippery. Stamped concrete will usually cost from $10-$12 per square foot.
Stamped Concrete example
Brick Pavers:
Some people like the natural look of pavers and therefore are willing to put up with some of the disadvantages such as settling/heaving or weeds growing in between the individual bricks. They are also a little more expensive than stamped concrete, about $12-$15 per square foot depending on the contractor.
The good news is the possibility of cracking is slim as the natural joints between each brick allow for expansion and contraction. If repair does becomes necessary pavers can be easily replaced or added on too.
Other Options:
Although stamped concrete or pavers are the most common choices there are other options: White Concrete: with either a broom or sponge finish. This is the cheapest option and can be found on most driveways across the country.
Integral Colored Concrete: white concrete with a color of your choice mixed in right in the truck. By adding a colored border around your pool or doing your whole deck in a color other than white you have spruced up your plain deck at a fraction of the cost.
Integral Colored Concrete example
Kool Deck: If you want something a little easier on the feet you can try Kool Deck which lowers the temperature of concrete by about 20 degrees.
Decorative Overlay: Can be applied to new or old concrete in many different colors, shapes or designs.
Decorative Overlay example
Acid Stains: Can also be applied to new or old concrete. Mix and match various colors to create a unique marbleized finish that does not chip, peel or fade.
I hope this has helped or at least given you something to think about when you are ready to plan your new deck. Happy swimming!
Posted by
Jim Oliver on Tue, Nov 29, 2011 @ 08:31 AM
Swimming Pool Covers: What You Need To Know!
People cover or do not cover their pools for many different reasons. I for one do not cover my pool during the winter but I live in Coastal Carolina, which is an area not prone to harsh winters. Also I don’t have small children at home or a significant amount of trees close to my pool, which are two of the major reasons people choose to cover their pools in the offseason.
Here are a few options to consider if you’re thinking of covering your pool.
Standard Winter Covers
This kind of cover is basically a tarp that is held down with water bags. It does not hold much weight and if a child or large pet walked on this cover they would definitely get wet and possibly fall into the pool.
It does a good job of keeping leaves and other debris out of the pool but will need to have rainwater and melted snow periodically pumped off to ensure it does not collapse into the pool.
Safety Covers
Safety Covers are the most popular type of cover for in-ground pools. They are made of a strong mesh material that lets water seep through so that it doesn’t accumulate on top of the cover or with a reinforced solid material that requires the use of small pump periodically to remove the accumulated water from the surface of the cover. These cover are built with spring-loaded straps that are connected to anchors that have been drilled into the deck.
This cover can bear a good amount of weight and does a great job of keeping debris out of your pool. It requires little to no maintenance once it’s on. The one drawback is that since it is made of mesh, dirt particles can pass through along with rainwater and melted snow, which will result in dirty water when you remove the cover. You can usually count on this cover to last 12 to 15 years.
Automatic Covers
There are a few things to think about when considering an automatic cover for your in-ground pool. Motorized or crank? Exposed tracks or hidden tracks? What you decide will greatly influence the price of this cover, which can range from $8,000 to over $15,000 depending on the size of the pool and design of the cover.
Automatic covers can be used on demand and only require a few minutes to open and close. A built-in safety feature for automatic covers is that the switch to open/close the cover must be turned and held in place the entire time the cover is moving. You cannot simply flip a switch and walk away from the cover, this insures that children and pets will not be trapped under a closed automatic cover.
The upside is they do a great job of keeping your pool clean, they keep unwanted swimmers (human & critter) out of your pool and they act as a great solar cover.
The down side is that because they are mechanical they may require some maintenance down the road. Also the vinyl material the cover is made of is not as strong as the mesh security cover and may wear out sooner than the mesh material as well as not support as much weight as a security cover.
I hope we have given you some insight into swimming pool covers so that you can make a more informed decision when making your purchase. If you have any other questions or comments feel free to fill out the comment box below.
Happy Swimming!
Posted by
Jim Oliver on Mon, Nov 07, 2011 @ 01:18 PM
What You Need To Know About Fiberglass Pools!
Although fiberglass pools have been around for quite a few years now they are still a very misunderstood bunch. To some people they still take a back seat to vinyl liner and gunite (concrete) pools.
We’ll try to clear up some of the mystery today so that you can better understand what a fiberglass pool is all about. It’s to your advantage to have as much information about your swimming pool options as possible when you are ready to add a pool to your backyard.
Are Fiberglass Pools To Small?
A common misconception is that because fiberglass pools are constructed as one big shell, that they are much smaller than vinyl or concrete pools. There is a bit of truth to this, as vinyl liner & concrete pools don’t have many limits when it comes to size. But how big do you need your pool? How much room do you have in your back yard?
Is 16’ x 40’ big enough? It sure is and if you can fit a pool that big in your yard you’re probably one happy camper. Fiberglass pools can range in size from as small as 8’x14’ and as large as 16’x40’ and come in all kinds of beautiful shapes and colors. There’s something for everyone to be sure.
Will My Fiberglass Pool Pop Out Of The Ground?
If you’ve been listening to your neighbor with the vinyl liner pool, I’m sure you’ve heard this one. The simple answer is no it won’t!
As long as your pool has been properly installed by a factory qualified pool builder and remains full of water your pool is not going anywhere!
How Much Will My Fiberglass Pool Cost?
Obviously there is no hard and fast answer to this one as it depends on the size of the pool, which company you buy from and what options you include in your pool package.
For a more detailed report on this subject feel free to check out our blog article:
How Much Will My Fiberglass Pool Cost?
How Long Will it Take To Install My Fiberglass Pool?
This can vary for each and every pool installation depending on backyard conditions and especially weather. The average installation is two to three weeks.
For more information on this subject please read our blog article:
How Long Will It Take To Install My Inground Swimming Pool?
Will My Fiberglass Pool Freeze Or Crack In The Winter?
Another misconception is that a fiberglass pool will freeze or crack in the frigid cold of winter. The reality is that that a fiberglass shell is very flexible and can adapt to it’s surroundings making it the perfect material for both the heat of summer and the cold of winter.
I hope this has helped answer some questions you may have had and aids you in shopping for your new pool. If you have any other questions or comments feel free to fill out the comment box below. Happy swimming!
Posted by
Jim Oliver on Tue, Jul 19, 2011 @ 06:35 AM
Do I Want A Salt Water System For My Pool?
Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!
Ok, that was easy. I guess you’re getting a salt system now right?
No? What do you mean no?
It costs too much?
Ok, I’ll admit that it does cost a bit more than a regular chlorine system. The average salt system will cost you about $1500. So why would you want one you say? One reason is that it is much, much cheaper to sanitize your pool using a Salt to Chlorine System than a conventional chlorine tabs or chlorine granules. A Salt to Chlorine System requires only pool salt (usually less than $12.00 / 40lb. bag) as the “fuel for the engine”. In general salt will cost well less than $100.00 per year while purchasing 3“ chlorine tabs can easily cost in excess of $500.00 per pool season. At that rate you’ve paid for the system in less than three (3) years!
Easy To Maintain
Another reason is that you want to spend your time swimming in your pool not wasting it by doing your best impersonation of a chemist. Low maintenance. Say it again slowly…low maintenance. Check your water balance once a week and check that your salt level is ok by looking at the green light and you’re good to go. If you do happen to get low on salt simply add a 40 lb. bag of pool salt and get back to swimming. During the summer months you may need to do this every 6 weeks or so.
Is It Like Swimming In The Ocean?
Many people are afraid that swimming in a saltwater pool will be like swimming in the ocean. You know, burning eyes and a mouth full of salt. Not true. Saltwater pools have an average salt content of 3,500 ppm which is 1/10 the level of salt in the Atlantic Ocean or Intracoastal Waterway (average of 35,000 ppm). The majority of swimmers do not experience any problems when opening their eyes under water. In fact most first time swimmers in my pool have to be told that they are swimming in salt water and only then do they say “oh yeah, I can taste the salt if I lick my lips”. The comments I hear the most are that the water feels silky on your body and that your skin doesn’t dry up like it does when you get out of a regular chlorine pool.
Easy Call
My feeling is that this article is mostly for the benefit of the people who already have a pool and haven’t yet switched over to a salt system. I say this because I can’t remember the last time we installed a new pool with a regular chlorine system instead of a Salt to Chlorine System. New pool shoppers are definitely doing their homework and invariably ask, “Do you do Salt water pools?” Of course we do as that is now the standard on the Southeastern coast of North Carolina. Happy swimming!
Posted by
Jim Oliver on Wed, Jun 22, 2011 @ 08:29 AM
How Much Will My Fiberglass Pool Cost?
How much will my pool cost? One hundred dollars? One thousand dollars? One hundred thousand dollars? It’s the great mystery and most common question on every homeowner’s mind from the moment they start thinking about installing a new swimming pool. The reason for this is obvious, in many cases it’s the make or break factor that will determine if they will actually purchase a new swimming pool for their home.
Just the other day I was sitting at a red light after leaving the home of a client for whom we were currently installing a pool. A man in the lane next to me, after seeing the company logo on the back of my truck, motioned for me to roll down my window. In the time it took for the light to change from red to green he had asked me to give him a price on an above ground pool, an in-ground vinyl liner pool and a fiberglass pool. Never mind that there wasn’t even time to discuss what size pool he wanted, he still wanted to know what it would cost!
There are so many factors that go into the cost of pool. As I just mentioned, above ground, in-ground vinyl liner, fiberglass or concrete just to start. For the purpose of this exercise we’ll just focus on fiberglass since it is the fastest growing pool type in the US today.
People who aren’t familiar with fiberglass pools tend to think that they are limited in what they can choose from but fiberglass pool manufactures have made amazing strides in the last few years in regards to sizes, shapes and colors. Barrier Reef Pools for instance now produce shells in seven different colors and over twenty models. Most fiberglass pool companies charge extra for any shell color (gel coat) other than white but Barrier Reef does not add an up-charge for it’s colored shells.
Breakin’ It On Down!
To make it easier let’s break the pools down into three groups; small, medium and large.
Small: pools can range in size from 14’ in length, up to 26’. These pools can usually be installed for $18,000 to $25,000.
Medium: size pools range in size from 26’ in length up to 32’ and can usually be installed for $25,000 to $32,000.
Large: pools range in size from 32’ in length to 40’ and can cost from $32,000 to $40,000.
It’s important to keep in mind this is just a guide, there are so many options involved and every pool install is different.
Options, Options, Options!
Here are some of the variables that can drive a price up or down depending on if you include them or not:
• Salt Chlorine Generator: Like the fiberglass pool, Salt Chlorine Generators have become very popular over the last few years. A higher upfront cost but much lower yearly chemical costs. Usual cost is $1,000 - $2000 depending upon pool size.
• Concrete Deck: At Port City Pools we include 4’ of concrete deck all around your pool with a cantilevered edge. If more decking is required there is an additional charge per square foot of concrete. Kool Deck, decorative stamped concrete, integral colored concrete, and pavers are all deck options that can dramatically enhance the beauty of your pool deck and the cost as well.
• LED Lights: Port City Pools typically includes one or two low voltage LED lights in its standard pool package. Additional lights can be added for about $ 600 per light.
• Waterline Tile: Will make a pool look stunning, especially on a white shell. Could cost from $1500- $2500 depending on the tile chosen and the size of your pool.
• Water Features: Deck Jets, Spa Jets, Sheer Decents, Waterfalls, etc. The price depends on what you do and varies greatly.
• Automatic Pool Cover: From $8,000 - $13,000 depending on the size of the pool.
• Safety Cover: $1,500 - $3,000
• Heat Pumps or Gas Heaters: $2,000 - $5,000 plus electrical and/or gas connections.
• 2 Speed or Variable Speed pump – These are a great energy saver and offer a 1-2 season pay back on the initial investment. $350 - $1,200 (above base pump price)
These prices are by no means written in stone but it should give you an idea of what a new fiberglass pool installation will cost you as you begin the pool buying process. Happy Swimming!
Posted by
Jim Oliver on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 @ 06:36 PM
How Long Will It Take To Install My Inground Swimming Pool?
How long will it take to install my pool? This is the number two most asked question we get, right after “how much will it cost?’ of course. Once a homeowner finally makes the decision, I mean really makes the decision to have a pool installed; the next thing they want to know is how long is it going to take. And usually any answer other than “How’s yesterday? Is yesterday good for you?” will disappoint.
There are several factors that determine how long your pool installation will take. Once the contract is signed the first thing that needs to be done is the acquisition of the proper building permits. No work can begin until all the necessary permits have been filed and approved. Depending on where you live and your particular county’s Zoning and Inspection departments this could take any where from four days to four weeks. This is an unfortunate but true fact.
What Kind Of Pool?
The next factor is what kind of pool are you building? There are a few different options. I will list them from longest to shortest installation times.
• Gunite/Concrete: A gunite pool will generally take 8-12 weeks under the best of circumstances. Throw in a day or two of rain and you could be looking at 14-16 weeks depending on site conditions.
• Inground Vinyl Liner: This type of pool usually takes about 3-4 weeks. It takes a little longer than a fiberglass pool simply because it needs to be constructed on sight.
• Inground Fiberglass: A fiberglass pool in most cases shouldn’t take more than 3 weeks unless weather becomes a factor or a large stamped deck is part of the project. Because it comes in one piece (a large shell) it gets dropped in the hole by a crane thus eliminating the building process.
• Above Ground Vinyl: This should only take about 2-3 days. Adding a deck around part of the above ground pool can increase the construction time, but you can be swimming while the deck is being built.
Every Project Is Unique!
Please understand that these time lines do not include permitting, no work starts until all permits have been approved. Nor does it include delays due to the weather. Depending on each individual site’s soil conditions, rain can add several days and sometimes a week or more to the installation time. Other items that could lengthen the installation time could be an automatic cover installation or a large Kool Deck application or stamped concrete deck.
To give you an idea, here are the steps for a typical fiberglass pool installation: excavation, placement (or drop) of pool, plumbing, water fill & back fill of pool, electric, form concrete, pour concrete, remove forms, clean & detailing of pool, fence installation (if required), irrigation systems and landscaping of yard.
Our goals and your goals are one in the same!
It’s important to know that no pool builder wants to take a long time installing a pool as most pool companies have many projects in the queue during the busy season and cannot afford to be “bogged down” by any one project.
Many homeowners feel like the project is never moving along fast enough because they can’t wait to have a finished back yard and start swimming and enjoying there pool. We want the same thing but it’s important to keep in mind that installation takes only a few weeks where the pool will provide a lifetime of enjoyment!
Most homeowners understand this and when the project is over they couldn’t be happier! It will serve you well to educate your self as much as possible while researching your pool and pool builder. The more you know the happier we are and the smoother the installation. Happy swimming!
