Why Most Memphis Homeowners Choose Gunite — A Pool Builder’s Honest Comparison
A straight answer from our team’s 50 years of combined pool-building experience on what actually lasts in MidSouth clay, heat, and freeze-thaw winters.
I get asked the same question in almost every consultation: “Jonas, what’s the best kind of pool?” Between myself and my team at American Pool Techs, we bring 50 years of combined experience and hundreds of builds across Shelby and Tipton County, and I’ll give you the same answer I give every homeowner standing in their backyard: if you want a pool that’s built for your exact space, holds up the longest against our MidSouth clay, and is still worth the most when you sell the house — it’s gunite, and it’s not close.
That said, I build vinyl liner and fiberglass pools too, and I’ll tell you honestly where each one makes sense. But let’s start with why gunite is the pool most of my clients land on once they understand what they’re actually comparing — and why it’s the foundation of how I approach every project as a pool builder in Memphis.
The Four Real Categories of Swimming Pools
Underneath the marketing language, every residential pool in the MidSouth falls into one of four construction types: gunite (concrete), vinyl liner, fiberglass, and plunge pools (which we typically build in gunite for the same reasons outlined below). Let’s break down what each one actually is, starting with the one I’d build in my own backyard.
1. Gunite (Shotcrete) Concrete Pools — The Gold Standard for Memphis Soil
Gunite is what I build for clients who want a pool that’s designed around their yard instead of the other way around. We spray a structural concrete mix over an engineered rebar grid, then finish it with plaster, pebble, or quartz. It’s more labor-intensive than the alternatives — and that’s exactly the point. That extra engineering is what makes it the only pool type I’ll stand behind as a true 30-40 year investment in our clay-heavy soil.
Why Gunite Wins
- Built for MidSouth clay. The rebar-reinforced structure is engineered to handle the expansion and contraction our soil goes through every wet winter and dry summer — something pre-fab shells and liner walls simply aren’t designed to flex with the same way
- Completely custom. No mold, no size cap — tanning ledges, sheer descents, raised spas, any shape your lot allows
- Highest resale value of any pool type, and appraisers and buyers both recognize it
- Built once, built right. No liner replacement cycle, no shell to crack or shift out of a mold-limited shape
- Can be built to any depth for real diving, laps, or a true entertaining pool
What to Weigh
- Longer build time — typically 6-8 weeks, because we’re not just dropping in a pre-made shape
- Plaster surface benefits from resurfacing roughly every 10-15 years — routine maintenance on what’s still your original structure
- Higher upfront investment, though most clients tell me the long-term value and lower total cost of ownership makes it the better financial decision
This is exactly why gunite is the foundation of everything we do — you can see our full construction process, from permit to plaster, on our pool builder page. Ready to get a crew scheduled? Our pool installer team handles everything from excavation to final walkthrough.
2. Vinyl Liner Pools
Vinyl liner pools use a steel or polymer wall structure with a custom-fit vinyl liner stretched over a sand or vermiculite base. This has been a workhorse option in the MidSouth for decades because it’s budget-friendly without sacrificing shape flexibility — we can still build free-form designs, just with a liner instead of poured concrete.
Where Vinyl Wins
- Lower upfront cost than gunite
- Smooth, algae-resistant surface
- Faster install — often 3-6 weeks
- Custom shapes and features still possible (we built a wedding cake step vinyl liner pool in Collierville — linked below)
What to Weigh
- Liner replacement needed roughly every 7-12 years
- More susceptible to punctures than concrete or fiberglass
- Slightly less design rigidity than gunite for extreme depth changes
We recently finished a vinyl liner build in Collierville with stamped concrete decking and a raised stone water feature — see how far vinyl has come from the “plain rectangle” reputation it used to have on our Collierville pool builder project page. If you already have a liner pool, proper seasonal care from our pool opening and closing team goes a long way toward getting the full 7-12 years out of it.
3. Fiberglass Pools
Fiberglass pools arrive as a single pre-manufactured shell that we crane into an excavated hole, level, and backfill. The appeal is speed and consistency — the gelcoat surface is smooth, non-porous, and resists algae better than either gunite or vinyl.
Where Fiberglass Wins
- Fastest install of the three — often installed in days, ready for water in a few weeks
- Smooth gelcoat surface, lower chemical/algae maintenance
- No liner replacement, no resurfacing cycle
What to Weigh
- Shape and size are limited to manufacturer molds
- Transport logistics matter — not every shell fits every access point
- In MidSouth clay, proper engineering and hydrostatic relief matter more than people realize; this is where I’ve seen other companies cut corners
Fiberglass gets a lot of national marketing hype, but I’ll be straight with you: it’s not automatically the “low-maintenance winner” everywhere. In our clay-heavy soil around Brighton and Bartlett, a poorly engineered fiberglass install can shift over time. Ask any builder — including us — how they handle hydrostatic pressure and backfill material before you sign anything; you can see how we approach that engineering on our pool construction page.
4. Plunge Pools
Plunge pools have become one of our most requested builds over the last few years, especially on smaller Memphis and Bartlett lots. They’re compact — typically 10-16 feet long — deep enough to submerge and cool off in, but built for relaxing and swim-in-place exercise rather than laps or diving. We build these in gunite for the same soil-engineering reasons outlined above.
Where Plunge Pools Win
- Fits tight or oddly-shaped urban and suburban lots
- Lower water volume means lower ongoing chemical and heating costs
- Faster build and lower investment than a full-size pool
- Pairs beautifully with a spa or swim jet system for exercise
What to Weigh
- Not built for laps, diving, or larger family gatherings
- Smaller footprint means design details (tile, water features) carry more visual weight
You can browse real plunge pool and gunite projects like these in our pool gallery.
Quick Comparison: Which Pool Type Fits Your Situation
| Priority | Best Fit |
|---|---|
| Total custom shape & features | Gunite |
| Lower upfront budget, custom shape | Vinyl Liner |
| Fastest install, lowest maintenance surface | Fiberglass |
| Small lot, cooling off & exercise | Plunge Pool |
| Highest long-term resale value | Gunite |
| MidSouth clay soil stability (properly engineered) | Gunite |
What 50 Years of Combined Memphis Soil Experience Has Taught Our Team
Here’s something a lot of out-of-town pool companies won’t tell you: the clay soil across Shelby and Tipton County expands and contracts with our wet winters and hot, dry summers more than people expect. I’ve been called out more than once to repair pools — of every type — that another builder installed without accounting for that movement. It’s exactly why gunite has become our default recommendation: a properly engineered concrete shell handles that movement in a way a liner or pre-fab shell just isn’t designed to. If you do go with vinyl or fiberglass, ask your builder directly how they handle soil engineering, drainage, and hydrostatic relief before you sign anything. That’s not me selling you something — that’s 50 years of combined team experience watching what happens when it’s skipped. As a licensed pool contractor, that’s the exact conversation I have with every homeowner before a shovel goes in the ground.
Ready to Talk Through the Right Pool for Your Yard?
As your local pool builder, I’ll walk your property myself, talk through soil conditions and how your family plans to use the pool — and tell you honestly whether gunite, vinyl, or fiberglass is the right call for your specific site.
See Our Pool Building ProcessFrequently Asked Questions
Is gunite really better than fiberglass or vinyl for a Memphis pool?
For most homeowners in our area, yes. Gunite’s engineered concrete structure is built to handle the clay soil movement we see every year across Shelby and Tipton County, offers unlimited design flexibility, and holds its value better over time. Vinyl and fiberglass are legitimate options with lower upfront costs, but they come with more long-term tradeoffs on our specific soil.
Why do you recommend gunite over fiberglass, since fiberglass installs faster?
Speed is fiberglass’s real advantage, and for the right client that matters. But in our clay, a fiberglass shell needs very precise hydrostatic relief and backfill work to avoid shifting over time — it’s the most common issue I get called out to fix. Gunite’s engineered structure handles that soil movement from day one, which is why I lead with it for most builds.
Is a gunite pool worth the higher upfront cost?
Most of my clients think so once they run the numbers over 15-20 years. Vinyl liners need replacement roughly every 7-12 years, and gunite pools consistently hold higher resale value — so the total cost of ownership often favors gunite even though the upfront number is higher.
Do you still build vinyl and fiberglass pools?
Yes — we build all three, and I’ll give you an honest read on which one fits your budget and lot. I just believe in telling clients upfront which option tends to perform best long-term in our specific soil, and that’s gunite for the majority of builds.
What’s a plunge pool, and why do you build those in gunite too?
A plunge pool is a smaller, deep-water pool — usually 10 to 16 feet — built for cooling off rather than swimming laps. We build these in gunite for the same clay-soil engineering reasons that make it the recommended material for full-size pools.