Design Decisions That Affect Maintenance
Pre-construction planning guide: how design choices today impact your maintenance burden for the next 30 years.
Surface Choice: Your 30-Year Chemistry Commitment
Pool surface determines scale management difficulty, longevity, and maintenance burden forever.
Plaster (marcite): $4-6/sq ft, lasts 15-20 years with perfect chemistry, requires careful CSI balance to prevent etching/scaling
Aggregate (pebble/quartz): $8-12/sq ft, lasts 20-25 years, more forgiving of CSI swings, hides stains better
Vinyl liner: $3-5/sq ft initially, replace every 8-12 years ($4-8k), eliminates scale concerns entirely, tears from sharp objects
Fiberglass shell: $25-35k for shell, lasts 30+ years, smoothest surface (algae has nowhere to grip), limits design options
Tile: $15-30/sq ft, lasts forever, zero maintenance if chemistry good, but shows scale/staining instantly
Dark vs light surfaces: Dark plaster heats water 5-10°F warmer (nice in cool climates, problematic in hot climates)
• Plaster requires discipline - CSI must stay -0.3 to +0.3 or you'll etch (negative) or scale (positive)
• Aggregate is most popular - slight premium over plaster, much more forgiving chemistry-wise
• Vinyl liner pools are DIY-friendly and cheapest upfront, but liner replacement every decade
• Black/dark plaster in Phoenix = water at 95°F by July, impossible to swim, algae loves heat
• Cheap plaster fails in 5-7 years if contractor skimps on mix - verify contractor reputation
• Vinyl liners puncture easily - not recommended if you have large dogs or sharp landscaping
Checklist
- 1Surface choice impacts scale management: plaster requires careful CSI balance, aggregate more forgiving, vinyl eliminates scale concerns entirely.
- 2Dark surfaces heat water 5-10°F warmer - increases evaporation, chemical consumption, and algae pressure in hot climates.
- 3Pool shape affects circulation: minimize dead zones, avoid tight corners and ledges where debris accumulates.
- 4Baja shelf/tanning ledge: beautiful but doubles your surface area for algae growth, increases heat load, harder to maintain chemistry.
- 5Infinity edge/perimeter overflow: stunning but adds 50-100% to equipment cost, weekly maintenance time, and water loss from wind.
- 6Water features (spillway, waterfall, jets): each one adds surface area, evaporation, and scale potential - plan for extra chemical use.
- 7Equipment pad location: closer to pool = better (shorter plumbing runs, better prime, less heat loss), but balance with noise/aesthetics.
- 8Plumbing diameter: 2.5" minimum for mains, 3" preferred for runs over 50 ft - undersized plumbing wastes pump efficiency forever.
- 9Skimmer positioning: windward side of pool, two skimmers for pools over 20k gallons - inadequate skimming = constant manual labor.
- 10Deck material affects pool: porous surfaces (exposed aggregate, pavers) shed debris, painted concrete chips into pool, salt-resistant crucial for SWG.
- 11Landscaping: keep plants 10+ ft away, avoid deciduous trees upwind, use hardscape perimeter to reduce organic load.
- 12Automation-ready plumbing: add valves and conduit runs even if not automating now - retrofitting costs 3x as much later.
Related Playbooks
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Make an informed decision between manual chlorine, salt water generator, or other sanitizers based on your situation, not marketing hype.
Understand the WHY behind every chemical adjustment. The foundation of pool care.