TL;DR: Fiberglass pools install faster, require fewer chemicals, and carry lower lifetime maintenance costs. Gunite (concrete) pools offer unlimited custom shapes and a premium look for complex designs. For most Lake County and Central Florida homeowners, the right choice comes down to how much customization you need versus how low you want your long-term upkeep to be.
When you start planning an inground pool in Central Florida, the first real fork in the road is this: fiberglass or gunite? Both are durable, both hold value, and both are popular throughout Lake County and The Villages area. But they work very differently — and the Florida climate makes those differences matter more than they would anywhere else.
This guide breaks down how each pool type is built, what owning one actually costs over time, and which situations favor each option. No sales pitch — just the facts you need to make a confident decision.
How Each Pool Type Is Built
Fiberglass Pools
A fiberglass pool arrives at your property as a single, factory-molded shell. Fiberglass pools are manufactured in controlled factory environments as single-piece shells — layers of fiberglass fabric bonded with polyester resin and coated with a smooth gel coat finish. This monolithic construction eliminates seams and potential leak points.
Because fiberglass pool shells are manufactured off-site and ready to install, you can start enjoying your pool sooner. By contrast, concrete pools must be poured on-site, taking longer to cure and complete.
As an authorized Latham Pool Products dealer, R & R Swimming Pools installs factory-built Latham fiberglass shells in a range of models — each backed by Latham’s industry-leading limited lifetime warranty on fiberglass pools. Proprietary innovations like Latham’s Advanced Composite construction and Crystite Gel Coat are exclusive to Latham fiberglass pools, working to resist fading, staining, and scratches for a pool that’s as durable as it is beautiful.
Gunite (Concrete) Pools
A gunite pool is an inground swimming pool made of a type of concrete — a mixture of sand, cement, and water sprayed through a high-pressure hose onto the walls and floor of the pool. The gunite must cure for several days, but once it has cured it will be extremely strong and durable.
Because gunite is built entirely on-site, there are virtually no limits on shape, depth, or size. R & R Swimming Pools’ in-house gunite crew builds fully custom concrete pools with shells 6 to 12 inches thick — a level of structural mass that supports almost any design vision.
Installation Timeline
Timeline is one of the starkest differences between the two pool types — and it matters a lot if you want to be swimming before summer ends.
- Fiberglass: R & R typically completes fiberglass projects in 2 to 4 months, with the shell itself setting in just days once excavation is complete.
- Gunite: Custom concrete projects typically run 4 to 6 months because the shell is built on-site, must cure, and then receives a finish coat — all weather-dependent steps.
If you’re building during peak season in Lake County or planning around a milestone (a grandchild’s summer visit, a housewarming), fiberglass’s faster track is a real advantage.
Maintenance: The Florida Factor
Florida’s year-round heat, high humidity, and intense UV create a 12-month pool season — which means maintenance costs add up faster here than in colder climates. This is where fiberglass and gunite diverge most sharply over time.
Fiberglass Maintenance
The gel coat creates an extremely smooth, non-porous surface. Algae struggles to attach to this slick finish, dramatically reducing algae problems — critical in Florida’s warm, humid environment.
Fiberglass demands the least maintenance of any pool type. The non-porous surface resists algae and staining, requiring fewer chemicals than concrete. Weekly brushing is unnecessary — just skim and vacuum. Chemical costs run 30–50% less than concrete pools.
Fiberglass also naturally insulates better than concrete. The composite structure holds heat more effectively, so during cooler months when you want a little warmth, your heater runs less to maintain comfortable temperatures.
Gunite Maintenance
Concrete pools generally require more active maintenance, including stricter chemical control, more frequent brushing, and periodic resurfacing. The porous nature of concrete finishes — such as plaster — makes them more prone to algae growth in Florida’s warm, humid climate, necessitating more diligent brushing and precise water chemistry management.
Concrete pools also require acid washing every few years to remove mineral buildup and staining, and a full resurfacing — replacing the plaster or pebble finish — is typically needed every 8 to 15 years, depending on use and water chemistry.
In Florida specifically, a gunite pool usually needs resurfacing every 10 to 15 years, and in Florida that timeline can be shorter because the heat, rain, and year-round use wear down the surface faster.
Long-Term Cost of Ownership
Upfront prices for fiberglass and gunite pools are often comparable, but the lifetime cost picture looks different. For a deeper side-by-side cost breakdown, see our guide: Fiberglass vs. Concrete Pool Cost in Florida.
Resurfacing: Gunite’s Biggest Ongoing Expense
A concrete (gunite) pool lasts 10–15 years before it needs to be resurfaced. In addition to redoing the interior finish, you’ll usually need to replace the waterline tile at the same time. The average cost for this is $10,000–$20,000.
Most concrete and gunite pools need resurfacing every 10 to 15 years, depending on the finish type and maintenance quality. Plaster finishes typically last 10–12 years, while premium options like quartz or pebble can last 15–20 years.
Fiberglass pools skip this cost entirely. Fiberglass inground pools are easier to care for and cost less in terms of upkeep over time. Fiberglass’s smooth surface is algae-resistant, requiring fewer chemicals to balance your water chemistry and pH. Concrete pools require costly resurfacing approximately once every 10 years.
Lifetime Chemical Savings
While initial costs are comparable, fiberglass eliminates the need for expensive resurfacing and requires fewer chemicals due to its algae-resistant gelcoat. Fiberglass also maintains chemical balance more consistently than concrete, which continuously reacts with sanitizers.
Lifespan
Both pool types are long-term investments when properly maintained.
- Fiberglass: On average, fiberglass pools can last anywhere from 25 to 50 years, and possibly even longer, as they are made from a durable, long-lasting material.
- Gunite: With regular care and periodic resurfacing, gunite pools can remain serviceable for decades — many builders cite lifespans of 30–50 years or more for the structure, with surface refreshes required along the way.
The key distinction: the gunite structure is long-lived, but its surface is not. Fiberglass shells are designed to go decades without a major resurfacing event.
Design Flexibility
This is gunite’s clearest advantage — and for the right homeowner, it’s decisive.
Gunite (concrete) pools are built on site from steel rebar and sprayed concrete. They’re ultra-customizable in shape, size, depth, and finish. Want a freeform lagoon, a 60-foot lap lane, an attached hot tub, a beach-entry shelf that slopes to zero depth, or a pool built around an existing tree? Gunite can do it.
Fiberglass pools come in factory-set shapes and sizes. The range has expanded significantly — modern shells include rectangular lap pools, freeform designs, plunge pools, and models with built-in tanning ledges or spas — but you are choosing from a catalog, not designing from a blank page.
Bottom line: If your design vision fits within the available fiberglass model lineup, you gain all the maintenance and cost advantages without sacrificing much. If your design requires something truly custom — an unusual footprint, an oversized depth profile, integration with complex landscaping — gunite is the right tool.
Florida-Specific Considerations
Sandy Soils and High Water Table
Concrete pools are rigid and can crack under soil movement or settling. Fiberglass shells are engineered to flex slightly — ideal for Florida’s sandy soils and high water table. That said, proper bedding and backfill are critical for fiberglass installations. In Florida’s sandy, often saturated soils, this requires meticulous site preparation and ongoing monitoring. An experienced local builder who understands Lake County’s soil profiles makes all the difference.
Storm and Hurricane Resilience
Fiberglass pools offer genuine advantages during storm events. The one-piece shell construction eliminates seams that could separate under ground pressure or water intrusion, and the composite structure adapts to ground movement that comes with heavy rainfall and potential storm surge.
Gunite pools, being rigid structures, rely on excellent engineering and drainage design to handle the same pressures. Properly engineered drainage and coping are important due to high water tables in parts of Florida.
Year-Round Use
In Florida’s unique climate — with year-round use, intense UV exposure, high humidity, and occasional hurricanes — the choice of pool material dramatically impacts your long-term satisfaction, maintenance requirements, and overall investment value. Florida’s 12-month swim season magnifies every maintenance cost difference between the two pool types.
Which Pool Type Is Right for You?
Neither pool type is universally “better” — they suit different priorities. Here’s a simple framework:
- Choose fiberglass if you want a faster build timeline, the lowest possible long-term maintenance costs, algae resistance in Florida’s heat, and a shell backed by a manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty.
- Choose gunite if you need a fully custom shape or size that no fiberglass mold can match, want premium stone or tile finishes throughout, or are building a large, complex pool-and-spa environment where design is the top priority.
At R & R Swimming Pools, we’ve been building both fiberglass and custom gunite pools in Lake County and Central Florida since 1985 — over 1,000 pools and spas completed. We install Latham fiberglass shells and run an in-house gunite crew, so we have no preference: we’ll recommend the type that genuinely fits your property, your lifestyle, and your budget.
Wondering what your project might cost? Start with our guide: How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost in Central Florida? And if you’re thinking about financing, Lyon Financial and Viking Capital financing options are available — details in our pool financing guide for Florida homeowners.
Ready to talk specifics? Contact R & R Swimming Pools to schedule a consultation for your Lake County or Central Florida property.
Recommended Reads
- Fiberglass vs. Concrete Pool Cost in Florida: A Side-by-Side Breakdown
- How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost in Central Florida? (2025 Pricing Guide)
- How to Finance a Pool in Florida: Loan Options, Lenders, and What to Expect
