If you plan on living in your home and using your in-ground swimming pool for a long time, fiberglass swimming pools are a better value than poured concrete pools. Although the prefabricated fiberglass material is more expensive than concrete or vinyl liners in upfront installation, over time they can save you money in chemical treatments, cleaning, energy costs, and repair. After considering patterns of usage, weather, soil type, and design requirements, many consumers are pleased with fiberglass swimming pools.

Unlike traditional poured concrete, fiberglass swimming pools are a pre-formed shell, similar to a backyard pond, and set in an excavated site. They have the benefit of a quicker installation. The interior fiberglass is sealed at the manufacturer to create a smooth, nonporous surface unlike the plaster on concrete. The surface doesn't interact with the water or affect your pool's chemistry. It uses less harsh chemicals and requires less frequent cleaning This is important for people who don't want to scrub a pool or have allergies to strong acids like chlorine.

Fiberglass swimming pools save money in other kinds of maintenance as well. Their structure doesn't develop cracks as easily as concrete, therefore they don't need to be resurfaced, replastered, or grouted. Even vinyl liners that don't crack, eventually wear down and must be replaced. Fiberglass swimming pools are particularly popular on the west coast where earthquakes are a frequent occurrence because they bend with the ground instead of splitting or popping. They even withstand stray tree roots better than vinyl-lined pools.

Fiberglass swimming pools aren't the right choice for everyone. They come in prefabricated styles. While there are a wide variety of depths, shapes, seat and stair options, and colors, they cannot be fully customized like concrete or vinyl. Certain cold-temperature climates, where you would "weather" your pool by emptying it for several months, might not be ideal. Fiberglass swimming pools are designed to be filled to a minimum level at all times to keep the pressure inside and outside the wall even. However, they are not susceptible to damage from ground frost.

If you are concerned about affecting the resale value of your home, it is even possible to dig up fiberglass swimming pools and move them to a new house or sell them. However, most buyers are delighted with a backyard that comes with a pool, especially a fiberglass swimming pool that has such low maintenance.