MINOR

I did a report on gunite back in my college days a few years ago and I believe shotcrete is a trademark name and basicly the same as gunite. Gunite gets its great p.s.i rating from the speed it is shot on to the surface and the resulting rebound effect. The resulting tight compaction of the concrete is quite more dense and therefore, stronger. Also the dryer the mix the stronger the concrete. The amount of air that is entrained into the concrete along with sand type, ash, etc.. all add into the strength calculation. Back when I did the report, gunite could reach around 7800 p.s.i., close to double that of a six sack placed mix. I think truthfully rebar or added glass fiber along with acrylic admixtures to the mix is the largest contributor to the success of your project along with stable soil and its compaction. There are also six types of cement that can be used. Can your contractor tell you anything except portland and maybe type II. If not. I wouldn't value the opinion between shotc.. and gunite. I not in the concrete or pool business but if I were you I would research a whole bunch for the amount of money your about to spend. Good Luck!

Contractors are here today gone tomorrow, lucky if you ever see them again. You should be leary! Sounds like a mortgage broker to me, "your rate going up next week if you don't act now" good luck!

I don't think it is so much of a manufacturing decision as much as it is a contractor installation concern. I am not real bright with fiberglass pools, since I just emptied mine and it cracked like a lobster shell. It is still shooting water after 48hrs. Contractors are everything, if it is installed wrong you are going to have problems like me and your insurance will more than likely not cover it because of so called ground water caused. Warrantees are promoted as lifetime for structual shell. Good luck, read the exclusions. Remember when they dig the hole they backfill with sand which will wick water like a sponge. If there is not drainage away from the pool for this sand to drain to, you are floating a big boat. The drainage on mine was evidently not properly done. My advice is to educate yourself about the insulation and make sure the contractor adheres to such. Now pick out the pool from either company. Warrantees are a joke, and lawyers are the only one who get a dime.