Get matched with top above ground pool installation pros in Marion, MT

Generally, you do not need to drain your pool to convert it to a saltwater system. The main exception is if you have used an antibacterial agent containing polyhexamethylene biguanide to sanitize your pool, as these sanitation products do not mix well with saltwater systems. If this is the case, you will need to start fresh. You can either drain the pool or treat the existing water with a high dose of chlorine to remove the antibacterial agent. If you choose the chlorine treatment, wait several days to allow the chlorine to work before proceeding with the conversion. If you are unsure whether this applies to your pool, consult a pool technician.

Your contractor will need several days to several weeks as far as a timeline to install your semi-inground pool goes. Adapting an aboveground pool to be semi-inground by excavating and partially burying the liner, for example, will only take three to five days, while installing an in-ground pool with a poured concrete liner and building up the land around it will require several weeks. Keep in mind that the process of hiring a pool contractor and applying for permits can add several additional weeks to the total timeline.

Vinyl pools are the least expensive for installation thanks to the relatively low cost of vinyl pool liners. However, vinyl liners do not last as long as fiberglass or concrete designs, which could balance out the cost of the pool overall depending on its size.

You cannot DIY a gunite pool—unless, of course, you’re a homeowner who happens to also be a professional pool installer. And even pros need to have experience with gunite pools, in particular, before installing one. Only a skilled gunite pool technician can install this type of pool—it’s not a project you can do yourself.