Texas Pool Crisis: Fiberglass Offers Lifeline as Concrete Pools Fail
A wave of concrete pools built during the COVID-19 boom are now failing, with repair bills reaching hundreds of thousands. In this episode of The Building Texas Show, Jeff and Kelley Turner of Staycation Fiberglass Pools explain why fiberglass is gaining popularity, the lack of pool builder certification in Texas, and what homeowners should ask before signing a contract.
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A surge of concrete pools constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic is now causing major headaches for Texas homeowners. Many of these pools are deteriorating due to a condition known as ASR, or 'concrete cancer,' leading to repair costs that can reach $200,000 to $400,000. In the latest episode of The Building Texas Show, recorded live at the San Antonio Home and Garden Show, host Justin McKenzie sits down with Jeff and Kelley Turner, owners of Staycation Fiberglass Pools, to discuss why fiberglass pools are becoming the smarter choice for many homeowners.
The Turners, who are featured in the show's San Antonio Home and Garden Series, pull no punches when describing the current state of the pool industry. Jeff Turner highlights a startling regulatory gap: "In Texas, you need more certifications to do hair than you do to build a pool. It's wild. And you need to be a chemist to be a hairdresser, and you don't need to be a chemist to build a pool." Indeed, Texas has no state certification requirement for pool builders. While PHTA (Pool and Hot Tub Association) certification exists, it is voluntary, and homeowners must specifically ask for it.
This lack of oversight often leads to cut-rate contracts that quietly cut corners. The Turners explain that a genuine turnkey fiberglass quote should include engineering plans, proper bonding, correctly sized pump equipment, and full deck scope. These are the areas where low bids often fail, leaving homeowners with costly problems down the line. They also emphasize the importance of manufacturer warranties, pointing to San Juan (with more than 70 years in business) and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks. As Kelley Turner puts it, "You're dating us as a builder..." – a metaphor she uses to explain the ongoing relationship and warranty support homeowners should expect.
The episode also delves into renovation options for failing pools, including EcoFinish flame-applied polymer resurfacing. The Turners share a case study of a hybrid negative-edge rebuild they completed in Dripping Springs, rescuing a client whose one-year-old pool looked thirty years old due to a poor original installation. The full build sequence, featuring a 30-foot infinity edge over the Hill Country, is available in the video.
Crediting training from Jason Hughes and River Pools, the Turners stress the importance of educating clients before they sign a contract. Homeowners can see the Turners' completed projects at staycationfiberglasspools.com. For more information on Aqua Technics, visit aquatechnicspools.com.
This episode is part of The Building Texas Show's ongoing series profiling the builders, tradespeople, and entrepreneurs shaping the Texas economy. New episodes post 2-3 times a week.
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