You wanted an inground pool. You got some quotes. The numbers started at $65,000 and climbed from there. Maybe they hit $80K. Maybe $100K. Your jaw hit the floor, and you started Googling alternatives. How do I know? That’s what I hear from about 80% of my semi-inground customers that find me. They wanted inground, […]
By Mike Kern | MGK Pools Inc | 30+ Years Experience | CPO Certified | MA Contractor License #191300 I am your DIY inground above ground pool specialist. I’ve been installing pools for over 30 years, and over the last 10 years I’ve carved out a niche doing exactly this. Here’s what most pool companies […]
My Grandmother Threatened to Blow Up Her Pool Every Year True story. Every spring, it took her three to four weeks to get that pool clear. She’d dump in clarifier, shock it to death, run the filter around the clock – nothing worked. She was ready to dynamite the thing. What I know now, after […]
I need to tell you something that most pool dealers won’t. The above ground pool industry has a dirty secret: most pools are designed to fail. Not in a dramatic, wall-bursts-and-floods-your-yard way (although I’ve seen that too). They fail slowly. A little rust here. A cracked top rail there. A liner that gives up after […]
Fiberglass inground swimming pools cost about 30k less than gunite (cement) pools, and about 5-15k more than a vinyl inground pool. The best is definitely gunite if you have the budget, then fiberglass, then vinyl. Why do I say this? I say it because I don’t have an agenda. I sell them all, and I […]
If you’ve been told your sloped yard “isn’t ideal for a pool,” I need you to hear something from a guy who’s been installing pools for 30+ years: A sloped yard isn’t a problem. It’s an opportunity. I’ve installed pools on flat suburban lots, gentle grades, and hills steep enough to make a mountain goat […]
I’m going to do something that drives other pool dealers crazy. Because I don’t price by zip code! I’m going to tell you exactly what a semi-inground pool costs. Not a range. Not “call for pricing.” Not “$7,000 to $25,000 depending on factors.” Actual numbers, from actual pools I’ve sold and installed. Every cost article […]
This is probably the most common question I get from pool shoppers: “Should I get a steel wall or an aluminum wall?” After 30+ years of installing, repairing, replacing, and selling above ground pools, I have a strong opinion on this. But I’m going to give you the full picture first so you can make […]
Plunge pools are small and provide the advantages of a great place to cool off and splash about, while not taking up to much room in your backyard. They are made up of all kinds of materials and come in a variety of depths. To sum it up a plunge pool is just a small […]
Table of Contents Introduction Pool pump reviews around the web do little to educate you. Most are written by people who’ve never held a wrench, pushing whatever product pays them the highest commission. I’m offering an opinion based on 30 years of service work. My goal is to inform you and give you the straight […]