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Backyard Pool (fiberglass vs gunnite) and Outdoor Kitchen

2,299 Views | 19 Replies | Last: 3 mo ago by Keeper of The Spirits
HouseDivided06
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1:31p, 7/3/24
AG
Looking at doing some back yard renovations and would love some input as well as company recs. Really have been on the fence about a pool, but young kids and a big backyard and this Texas heat has us really wanting to look at options. Would love some feedback on fiberglass vs gunnite: pros and cons of both, if you did fiberglass why you did, if you didn't why you didn't, etc. I have read good things on fiberglass and very interested because allegedly less expensive, faster install time, less maintenance, and less costly in the long run.

For the outdoor kitchen, we have a great spot for it and I know exactly how I want it laid out. I have natural gas out to my Weber now, so looking to extend that line a little and build in the gas grill, a griddle, an regular gas burner, and then put my BGE in as well. Would likely cover with either a pergola or just roof it and put in a fan and lights.

Am I best served having one outdoor company do it all, or piece mealing out the kitchen portion and then the pool on its own? What are questions I need to be asking or that I'm not thinking of because I don't know what I don't know? Located in North Dallas. Appreciate any info and insight! Thanks!
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Spaceship
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1:37p, 7/3/24
AG
We just finished up a similar project this month. We opted for gunnite and happy thus far. I would recommend one builder do it all - much easier from an integration perspective (drainage, permitting, elevations, lighting, electrical, etc).
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Greener Acres
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4:39p, 7/3/24
AG
I was hesitant but made the decision a few years back and the addition of a pool has really impacted our enjoyment of our outdoor space. We went with gunnite and have no complaints about that decision. We also spent some extra money to finish out the space between the house and the pool and it has added hundreds of square feet of usable space. We have lights, fans and heaters to extend the use. I didn't do a kitchen and my neighbor who did, said he really just needs the grille and counter space. His little fridge doesn't keep drinks cold and since the kitchen is right inside most of the dirty work of cooking/prepping happens inside.

As to pool contractors. Do not use Pulliam Pools. They came highly recommended but an ownership change has lead to a complete cluster and lack of responsibility from the top to the customer. Our lead guy lied, failed to follow up and then argued that the mistakes weren't the companies fault. They tried to dig our pool two feet too short, they built a wall (decorative) that cracked before they left because they built it wrong, they didn't fix broken coping and cracked waterline tile during the construction which caused repairs to occur later and delayed the final processes, they cut an electrical line to a sump pump that I marked and warmed them about and refused to fix it, they broke my gate and refused to fix it and they sprayed the pebble tech on my decking and house and said I was being picky by wanting them to clear it up.

I threatened to sue them and finally got almost everything resolved, but I had brought these issues up repeatedly with their mgmt and leadership all to no avail. It is my mission to educate everybody on the service they provided because their level of incompetence and gaslighting was infuriating.
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Shooter McGavin
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9:33a, 7/4/24
AG
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
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DallasAg03
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 1:34p, 7/5/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
I would helpful if you explained. If the fiberglass pool cost less then it's natural for the appraisal to be different from a gunite pool
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Teslag
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In reply to Greener Acres • 9:26p, 7/5/24
AG
Weird. We used Pulliam a year ago and they were fantastic. Not one single issue. They even called us to let us know they used way less topsoil than they estimated and offered $2k cash back but we just went to a higher level of pool finish instead.

With that said, go with the Primera Stone if you can swing it. Looks like pebble but is diamond polished smooth. It's great.
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Shooter McGavin
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In reply to DallasAg03 • 10:37p, 7/5/24
AG
DallasAg03 said:
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
I would helpful if you explained. If the fiberglass pool cost less then it's natural for the appraisal to be different from a gunite pool


Honestly I consider fiberglass to be a temporary pool with little to no contributory value.
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HouseDivided06
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 10:52p, 7/5/24
AG
Interesting. I haven't heard that. Everything I have seen and read is that fiberglass pools are just as durable if not more so than gunnite because they don't require resurfacing or have crack issues like gunnite pools. When you say temporary, how long are you seeing/thinking a fiberglass pool is good for? This is likely our forever home so appraisal is less of an issue, but interested in it from a logistics perspective.
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Centex99
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 10:57p, 7/5/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.


When I bought my house 3 years ago, y'all appraisers only valued my 100k travertine surrounded gunite pool/hot tub/fire pit at like 20k lol
What's a fiberglass pool appraiser for, 5?
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MattAg06
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8:28a, 7/6/24
AG
We had our existing gunnite pool renovated earlier this year by Integrity Pools. Replaced decking, water line tile and plaster with pebble tec. We're in North Dallas also and I liked that these guys were based in Richardson. They did a good job and were relatively cheap compared to others. Had to stay on them a little about schedule, but that was mainly due to wanting it done by Memorial Day. Not exactly the same as a new build, but I'd recommend them. The house next to us recently sold and the new owners are putting in a new pool with Blue Haven. That thing has sat for months with zero work done to it. I'd have had a stroke by now if it were my house, but these people don't seem to care about anything, so whatever.
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Shooter McGavin
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In reply to Centex99 • 12:00p, 7/6/24
AG
Centex99 said:
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.


When I bought my house 3 years ago, y'all appraisers only valued my 100k travertine surrounded gunite pool/hot tub/fire pit at like 20k lol
What's a fiberglass pool appraiser for, 5?


Appraisers valued it? As in multiple?
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Centex99
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 12:59p, 7/6/24
AG
I guess technically one, but it was a frustrating appraisal for sure… all 3 comps were without pools and two of three were one year old at down of covid with a 10% adjustment for market….
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Yesterday
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 1:25p, 7/7/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
DallasAg03 said:
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
I would helpful if you explained. If the fiberglass pool cost less then it's natural for the appraisal to be different from a gunite pool


Honestly I consider fiberglass to be a temporary pool with little to no contributory value.


That's a pretty ignorant statement. I grew up with a fiberglass in ground pool. 40 years later it's still there, looks great and added a lot of value when my parents sold the house.

I currently have gunnite which I'm happy with but it is harder to clean than the smooth fiberglass.

Fiberglass is usually cheaper and faster but you have limited options and at least one appraiser will value it less.

Gunnite has multiple options, is more expensive and takes longer. It does have a custom look.
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bqce
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4:43p, 7/7/24
AG
This is an opinion from someone who was in the ready-mix concrete business for 50 years and supplied gunite mixes for hundreds of pools and also owned 2 fiberglass pools, one for 40 years as Yesterday mentioned.

The main advantage to gunite pools is custom shapes. Since most pools aren't diving pools anymore, you could probably find a fiberglass pool pretty close to what you want. Assuming your gunite contractor is decent, and that's almost always a crap-shoot, you'll get a product that you'll have to maintain constantly. The plaster is always a concern, and the extra wear on your feet can be problematic. Biological growths can do damage to the plaster and concrete, but not so much on fiberglass.

Based on all the trouble calls I had to make after a gunite contractor jacked up a concrete pour, I'd never have a gunite pool. And when asked, I've always recommended fiberglass over gunite.

Good luck with the gunite pool.
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Shooter McGavin
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In reply to Yesterday • 10:05a, 7/8/24
AG
Yesterday said:
Shooter McGavin said:
DallasAg03 said:
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
I would helpful if you explained. If the fiberglass pool cost less then it's natural for the appraisal to be different from a gunite pool


Honestly I consider fiberglass to be a temporary pool with little to no contributory value.


That's a pretty ignorant statement. I grew up with a fiberglass in ground pool. 40 years later it's still there, looks great and added a lot of value when my parents sold the house.

I currently have gunnite which I'm happy with but it is harder to clean than the smooth fiberglass.

Fiberglass is usually cheaper and faster but you have limited options and at least one appraiser will value it less.

Gunnite has multiple options, is more expensive and takes longer. It does have a custom look.
Congrats on your anecdotal example - and look at me I had a pool growing up. We barely had air conditioning.

Anyhoo, I've been analyzing real estate, values, trends, and the contributory value of improvements for 40 years as an appraiser and real estate broker.

Go ahead and get your fiberglass pools IDGAF.

I tried to warn you.
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Yesterday
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 10:36a, 7/8/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
Yesterday said:
Shooter McGavin said:
DallasAg03 said:
Shooter McGavin said:
From a value perspective, don't do fiberglass.

As an appraiser, I don't give much value at all to those.
I would helpful if you explained. If the fiberglass pool cost less then it's natural for the appraisal to be different from a gunite pool


Honestly I consider fiberglass to be a temporary pool with little to no contributory value.


That's a pretty ignorant statement. I grew up with a fiberglass in ground pool. 40 years later it's still there, looks great and added a lot of value when my parents sold the house.

I currently have gunnite which I'm happy with but it is harder to clean than the smooth fiberglass.

Fiberglass is usually cheaper and faster but you have limited options and at least one appraiser will value it less.

Gunnite has multiple options, is more expensive and takes longer. It does have a custom look.
Congrats on your anecdotal example - and look at me I had a pool growing up. We barely had air conditioning.

Anyhoo, I've been analyzing real estate, values, trends, and the contributory value of improvements for 40 years as an appraiser and real estate broker.

Go ahead and get your fiberglass pools IDGAF.

I tried to warn you.


Appraisers really make it hard to like….appraisers.
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Shooter McGavin
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10:37a, 7/8/24
AG
We are the truth tellers. Generally people don't like it.

They just want us to rubberstamp their opinions. It doesn't work like that.
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DallasAg03
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 5:29p, 7/8/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
We are the truth tellers. Generally people don't like it.

They just want us to rubberstamp their opinions. It doesn't work like that.
We live in a post-truth world, so providing something other than your opinion doesn't give us a lot to go on. Are you saying the market places no value on fiberglass pools? Has this changed at all in your 40 years of experience?
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Coates
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 7:06p, 7/8/24
How does someone barely have air conditioning?
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Keeper of The Spirits
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In reply to Shooter McGavin • 9:49p, 7/8/24
AG
Shooter McGavin said:
We are the truth tellers. Generally people don't like it.

They just want us to rubberstamp their opinions. It doesn't work like that.
Appraisers are never wrong and should never be questioned
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