The base
The shell only sits as flat as what's under it. We set on compacted crushed stone, laser-checked, not on native clay smoothed by an excavator bucket.
Fast installation
Fiberglass:
Fiberglass:
swimming in weeks.
A factory-built shell, set in a day, finished in two to four weeks. You give up the freedom to draw any shape you want. In exchange you get a lower price, a much shorter build, and a surface that doesn't need replastering every decade.
Straight comparison
Gunite or fiberglass?
| Fiberglass | Gunite | |
| Timeline | 2–4 weeks | 8–14 weeks |
| Typical installed cost | $48K–$85K | $65K–$120K+ |
| Shape | Manufacturer catalog | Anything you can draw |
| Max depth | Usually 8′ | No practical limit |
| Surface upkeep | Gelcoat, 20–30 yrs | Replaster 10–15 yrs |
| Chemical demand | Lower — non-porous surface | Higher |
| Tight-access lots | Needs crane clearance for the shell | Easier — no shell to deliver |
| Best for | Speed and budget | Custom design and spas |
The honest version: if your yard fits a catalog shape and you want to swim this season, fiberglass is the better buy. If you want a raised spa, a beach entry, an unusual footprint or a depth past eight feet, build gunite and don't look back.
Installation
Where fiberglass jobs go wrong.
The backfill
Clean gravel, placed in lifts, with the pool filling at the same rate. Backfilling with dirt is the number one cause of a bulged wall.
The water table
Parts of Katy sit high. Where it matters we set a hydrostatic relief valve so groundwater can't float the shell if you ever drain it.
FAQ
Fiberglass questions
How long does a fiberglass pool take to install?
Two to four weeks in most cases, versus 8 to 14 for gunite. The shell itself is set in a single day. What takes the remaining time is excavation, plumbing, backfill, decking and the electrical inspection.
Do fiberglass pools crack in Texas clay?
A properly installed one doesn't. The failures we get called out to fix almost always come down to the same two things: a base that wasn't compacted correctly, or the shell being backfilled with dirt instead of clean gravel. Both are installation shortcuts, not a flaw in the product.
Are fiberglass pools cheaper than gunite?
Usually, yes — most of ours land between $48,000 and $85,000 installed with decking. You're trading design freedom for speed and cost. You pick from manufactured shapes rather than drawing your own.
How long does a fiberglass pool last?
The gelcoat surface typically goes 20 to 30 years before it needs refinishing, which compares well to replastering a gunite pool every 10 to 15 years. The structure itself will outlast that.
Not sure which fits your yard?
Send us your address and a rough idea of what you want. We'll tell you straight which way we'd go and why.