I hope to achieve a few things with this article. First and foremost I want to make sure you know the best time to change your swimming pool liner. But I also want to tell you how to secure the best deal. I will share a secret with you that will give you some leverage when you’re ready to hire.
The best time to buy a boat or a motorcycle is during the winter. The best time to purchase a truck with four-wheel drive is during the summer. The idea is that things are cheaper while they are not in demand.
The best time to hire an inground pool liner installer is now in February and March. It is obviously not the best time to do the work, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Most people who work in the pool trade, live off the previous year’s earnings. So by the time February rolls around, their bank accounts are getting short. Some are empty.
Even the wealthiest pool store owners who sold pool tables and hot tubs all winter, like to start filling up their calendar with installs. If you are lucky enough to be sitting across the table from the installer, and not some middleman. You can ask him to give you free water storage, and or, to take a few hundred dollars off the cost of the job, in exchange for a partial deposit now, and a signed contract. Your potential installer wants to bank a few jobs as insurance. Approached at this time, and even into the month of March, he will be able to oblige you these concessions.
We have a saying amongst us, that a 10 dollar bill earned during the winter is equivalent to a 50 dollar bill earned during the summer. You are not supposed to know this, and this is why you can ask for a little more now.
Once the season is upon us, we are straight out busy, and many people will have trouble getting a date for installation. We know there are not enough installers to meet the demand. We can almost name our own price (within reason) just before July fourth weekend. So it all balances out for us. But as we move into April the tide turns in our favor, and inground pool liner installation costs go up.
Massachusetts Swimming Pool Season
Our season is pretty short when you think about it, three to six months at best. If you are going to extend your season, you’ll need a pool heater. The best time to open your swimming pool is in and around mid-May. The best time to close your pool is roughly mid-August. That’s only three months.
The Best Time To Change A Vinyl Inground Pool Liner
This answer is different for each customer, depending on their circumstances. Of course, no one wants to miss out on any of our short swimming season. But pool liners go in easiest when the sun is out, and it is over 70 degrees.
People with empty pools should get the earliest install date possible. If you have a pool that’s still holding water, you may do better to get a late install appointment for reasons that will become clear shortly.
We start installing liners in April. If we pick the right backyards with sunlight on the pool, and we get the temp up to 70 degrees, we can set our vacuums. With a properly sealed pool frame, our vacuums will nail that liner in place thru the coolest night temps.
Groundwater Table Issues
The groundwater table naturally rises with the snowmelt and spring runoff. This can cause the hopper (deep-end) of your pool to flood when the swimming pool is drained to enable the replacement of your pool liner. Many pools have underground drainage systems that were installed when the pool was built. But we have seen these systems get overpowered by a high spring groundwater table.
What I am saying is that if you have a high groundwater table, the best time to replace your inground pools vinyl liner maybe in the fall.
Early Installation Weather Factors
The warmer days make for an easier liner installation, and it is thought by some to make the pool liner last longer. The spring weather is not very predictable and can cause us to lose up to 20 days in April and even May. These lost days throw our schedule out the door and increase the pressure on our crews.
Another concern is cold fill syndrome. This happens when your installer doesn’t seal the pool frame or does not use enough vacuum to hold the liner in place overnight when filling the pool with a hose. The rising cold water shrinks the vinyl and causes the liner to fit too tight in the corners.
Early May Installations
When early installations are not viable, the next best option is to replace it just before that start of the pool season. The best timing would involve the pool company finishing, just a few days before you would normally start to use the pool.
This happens quite often, but every rainy day, or an extra day spent on another job, puts your timing in jeopardy.
To Recap and Summarize
If your pool is totally full in the spring, then your liner is holding water, we advise a later installation date. The weather will be warmer, and the groundwater will be lower. This does not mean you can not secure a great price in February and March.
The inground pool liner manufacturers will be humming along, and most of all, your pool crew will be able to pick the best days for your job. Everyone is happier when you pick the right time to change your pool liner. But, if your pool is empty, get an installer with the first available time slot. The pool liner will take 3-7 days to get made early in the spring and up to three weeks once the season is humming along.
Book early, and take advantage of any special concessions you’re entitled to:
- A: Providing some early work to your hungry installer
- B: Allowing the installer to pick the best time for all parties involved
I hope you found this article helpful. If you are in our service area, we hope you will give us a chance to bid your job. Thanks for your kind attention (978) 710-8667
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