Vinyl Liner Pool Cost

How much does a vinyl liner pool cost?

A vinyl liner inground pool costs about $25,000 to $65,000 installed, according to HomeGuide. Fixr reports $35,000 to $65,000 with a $45,000 national average, and This Old House lists a 12 × 24 ft vinyl pool at $38,000 to $70,000, or about $130 to $240 per square foot.

That makes vinyl the lowest-cost inground pool to build in every guide we reviewed. The low end is a simple rectangle with basic equipment; the high end adds size, a custom shape, upgraded liner patterns, heating, lighting and a larger deck. To compare vinyl with fiberglass and concrete using your own add-ons, use the inground pool cost calculator.

What is included in a vinyl liner pool?

A vinyl liner pool is a wall panel system set in an excavated hole, with a shaped floor and a custom-fitted vinyl liner that holds the water. A complete quote should cover each of these parts.

1. Excavation and soil haul-off.
2. Wall panels (steel or polymer) with braces, set on footings.
3. Floor base, usually a troweled cement-and-sand or grout mix shaped into shallow and deep ends.
4. Liner, measured for your pool and set with a vacuum so it seats tightly.
5. Steps and features, such as built-in steps or benches.
6. Plumbing, equipment and electrical, including pump, filter and sanitizer.
7. Coping and deck around the pool edge.

Lighting is cheapest to add at this stage. Fixr notes that in-wall lights cost the most and must be installed when the pool is built or relined, and puts the average cost of pool lighting at $450 to $1,200.

How long does a vinyl liner pool take to install?

HomeGuide says a vinyl liner inground pool takes two to three weeks to install, while HomeAdvisor says vinyl projects complete in four to eight weeks. The shorter figure reflects the build itself; the longer one leaves room for permits, weather and finishing the deck.

Either way, vinyl is faster than concrete, which HomeAdvisor puts at three to six months, and a little slower than fiberglass, which it puts at two to four weeks.

How often does a vinyl pool liner need replacing?

Expect to replace an inground vinyl liner roughly every 5 to 12 years, but published intervals vary widely. Sun exposure, water balance and wear decide where your liner falls.

For budgeting, plan on a new liner around the middle of the range, about every 8 to 10 years, and treat anything longer as a bonus.

How much does liner replacement cost?

Replacing an inground vinyl liner costs about $3,000 to $7,500 installed, according to HomeGuide, including site prep, draining, sizing and fittings. Fixr puts the average at $4,000 to $6,000.

HomeAdvisor gives a lower $1,245 to $3,977 range, with most homeowners paying about $2,588, but that figure is not split between inground and above-ground pools. HomeAdvisor also puts liners at about $5 per square foot and says draining and refilling adds $560 to $1,000.

Worked example, 20 years. At HomeGuide’s 6–12 year interval, a vinyl pool needs one to three new liners in 20 years. At HomeGuide’s $3,000–$7,500 per liner, that adds $3,000 to $22,500. Add HomeGuide’s estimate of about $400 a year in chemicals and the 20-year total for those two items is $11,000 to $30,500.

What shortens the life of a pool liner?

Most liners fail from sun, chemistry or physical damage, and all three are partly in your control.

• Unbalanced water. Low pH and very high chlorine can fade and weaken vinyl. Test regularly and keep levels in the normal ranges.
• Undissolved chemicals. Granular chlorine or other products resting on the liner can bleach it. Pre-dissolve or broadcast them while the pump runs, following the label.
• Sun at the waterline. UV exposure stiffens the vinyl over time, which is why liners often crack along the waterline first.
• Sharp objects. Pool toys, pets’ claws and the wrong cleaning tools can puncture a liner.
• Draining the pool. A drained liner can shrink or shift, and groundwater can push it up. Have a professional handle any draining.

Never mix pool chemicals, always add chemicals to water rather than water to chemicals, and wear gloves and eye protection.

Which extras are cheapest to add during the build?

Anything that cuts into the walls or the liner is cheapest to add while the pool is being built or relined. That includes in-wall lights, built-in steps and benches, and the tracks for an automatic cover.

A safety cover does double duty on a vinyl pool: it keeps people and pets out, and it keeps sticks and debris off the liner over the off-season. If an automatic cover is in your future, plan it with the builder now, since retrofitting tracks later means more work around a finished pool.

Is a vinyl liner pool cheaper in the long run?

Vinyl usually stays the cheapest inground option over 10 years, but liner replacements eat into its head start. This Old House puts 10-year maintenance at $11,000 to $17,000 for vinyl, compared with $27,000 to $40,000 for concrete and $5,000 to $15,000 in long-term upkeep for fiberglass.

So vinyl typically beats concrete on lifetime cost, while fiberglass can catch up with it over a long ownership period, because fiberglass costs more upfront but has no liner to replace and uses fewer chemicals.

Whatever pool you choose, budget for safety from the start. The CPSC’s Pool Safely campaign calls for a fence at least four feet high on all sides with a self-closing, self-latching gate, plus compliant drain covers.

To estimate how many gallons your pool holds, which drives both refill cost after a liner change and chemical doses, use the pool volume calculator.