Summer weekends look different once a pool sits in the backyard. Neighborhood kids show up uninvited, weeknight dinners move outside, and the yard finally earns its keep.
Still, picking the right material is a bigger decision than most families expect.
Ontario homeowners now wait anywhere from two weeks to three months for a finished pool, depending on the material they pick.
Budget, upkeep and how quickly you want to swim all shape which option fits your household best, and the wrong choice can mean years of extra upkeep for a family that just wanted a simple summer routine.
This guide breaks down the main pool types, GTA pricing, how construction unfolds, how to size the space for your household and the safety habits every pool family needs before diving in.
Jump to:
- Choosing the Right Pool Type for Your Family
- What a Backyard Pool Really Costs in the GTA
- Matching Pool Size and Layout to Your Family
- Why More Families Are Adding a Pool This Year
- What Fiberglass Pool Construction Looks Like
- Typical build timeline
- Keeping Everyone Safe Around the Pool
- Long-Term Care and Maintenance
- Did you know
- FAQ’S
- Final Thoughts
- References
Choosing the Right Pool Type for Your Family
Every inground pool falls into one of three categories: fiberglass, vinyl liner or concrete.
Each material behaves differently once it sits in your yard, so it helps to weigh the trade-offs before a shovel touches the ground.
Fiberglass Pools
A fiberglass shell arrives pre-molded and gets lowered into the excavation as a single piece.
This is why fiberglass pool construction moves faster than the alternatives, often wrapping up within two to four weeks.
The gel-coat surface resists algae, so families spend less time scrubbing and balancing chemicals during peak swim season.
Ontario winters are hard on backyard structures, and fiberglass flexes with the ground through freeze-thaw cycles instead of cracking the way rigid materials sometimes do.
Vinyl Liner Pools
Vinyl liner pools use a steel or polymer frame fitted with a custom-cut vinyl sheet. They usually cost less upfront than fiberglass or concrete and allow a wide range of shapes.
The trade-off shows up later: the liner itself typically needs replacing every ten to fifteen years, an expense of roughly $5,000 to $12,000 that fiberglass owners rarely face.
Concrete Pools
Concrete, sometimes called gunite or shotcrete, offers the most design freedom of the three. Builders shape it on-site to almost any depth or contour a family wants.
That flexibility comes with a longer build, often six to twelve weeks, plus periodic acid washing and resurfacing to keep the finish smooth.
| Pool Type | Typical Build Time | Estimated GTA Budget (CAD) | Ongoing Maintenance |
| Vinyl Liner | Several weeks, shape dependent | $80,000 to $130,000 | Moderate, liner swap every 10 to 15 years |
| Fiberglass | 2 to 4 weeks | $100,000 to $150,000 | Low, non-porous surface resists algae |
| Concrete | 6 to 12 weeks | $150,000 to $220,000+ | High, needs regular resurfacing and acid washes |
What a Backyard Pool Really Costs in the GTA
Cost is usually the deciding factor once a family narrows down a shape and material. Size, site access and finishing choices swing the total more than the pool shell itself.
A tight lot that needs extra excavation or a retaining wall can add tens of thousands to any of the three options.
Permits, electrical hookups and a basic patio are typically part of a contractor's quoted range, while landscaping, heating, automation and fencing usually sit outside it.
Ontario also applies HST to the full project, so it pays to ask whether a quote includes tax before comparing bids between builders.
Matching Pool Size and Layout to Your Family
A pool that suits a young family with toddlers looks different from one built for teenagers who want to swim laps or host friends.
A shallow tanning ledge near the steps gives little ones a safe spot to splash while parents relax close by.
Built-in benches and a defined shallow end keep swimmers of different ages comfortable in the same pool.
Larger households often benefit more from extra deck space than from a larger pool footprint, since that's where most family time actually happens between swims.
Smaller yards can still fit a plunge pool or compact fiberglass shape without sacrificing the built-in seating and lighting that make a pool feel finished rather than functional.
Why More Families Are Adding a Pool This Year
Backyard pools once felt like a luxury reserved for warmer climates. That has shifted as more families treat outdoor space as an extension of the home.
A pool turns an ordinary yard into the default spot for birthdays, weekend barbecues and quiet evening swims once the sun finally sets.
A pool can also support a home's resale story, though the payoff depends heavily on location.
Redfin reports that in warmer regions, a well-designed inground pool can raise a property's value by roughly seven percent, while colder climate markets typically see a smaller bump.
For most GTA families, the bigger return is the summer itself rather than the eventual sale price.
What Fiberglass Pool Construction Looks Like
Typical build timeline
Most fibreglass builds in the GTA move through the same core stages:
1. Site assessment and design, including 3D renderings of the finished space.
2. Permitting and municipal approvals.
3. Excavation matched precisely to the shell's dimensions.
4. Crane placement of the pre-molded shell into the hole.
5. Plumbing, electrical hookups and equipment installation.
6. Backfilling, decking and final inspection
Because the shell arrives finished from the factory, crews skip the weeks of curing that concrete needs. Most homeowners go from groundbreaking to their first swim in about a month or less, weather permitting.
Video: "This Is What Really Goes Into a Pool Installation: The Full Build Process in 15 Minutes" — watch on YouTube
Watching a full build compressed into minutes makes the process far easier to picture, from the first excavation cut to the finished deck.
Keeping Everyone Safe Around the Pool
A pool changes how a backyard needs to work, especially with young children in the house. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends layering multiple safeguards rather than relying on any single one: constant adult supervision, a four-sided fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate, and rescue equipment kept within reach.
Enclosing a pool on all four sides, fully separate from the house, is widely regarded as the strongest single safeguard against unsupervised access.
Planning the fence line alongside the pool design, rather than adding it afterward, tends to produce a cleaner layout. Our backyard upgrades guide walks through fencing and privacy options that pair naturally with a new pool.
Long-Term Care and Maintenance
Did you know
Fiberglass owners typically spend 30 to 50 percent less on chemicals and cleaning supplies over a decade compared with vinyl liner owners, thanks to the gel-coat's smooth, non-porous surface.
Every pool still needs a maintenance rhythm regardless of material:
• Test and balance water chemistry weekly during swim season
• Skim debris and brush walls to prevent buildup
• Run the filtration system on a consistent daily schedule
• Schedule professional opening and closing each season
• Inspect fencing, gates and covers for wear before summer begins
Concrete pools need resurfacing on a similar decade-plus cycle to the vinyl liner replacement noted above.
Fiberglass shells, backed by long structural warranties from most manufacturers, rarely need either.
FAQ’S
Vinyl liner pools usually carry the lowest upfront cost in the GTA, typically starting around $80,000 all-in, though the liner needs replacing every decade or so.
Most fiberglass installations in Ontario are swim-ready within 14 to 28 days of excavation, weather and site access permitting.
Yes. The shell has enough give to move with frozen, shifting ground rather than splitting, which is why fiberglass has become popular across the GTA's colder months.
It depends on your market. Pools tend to add more value in warmer regions, while colder-climate homes see a smaller or sometimes negligible bump.
Fencing that encloses the pool on every side, fitted with a gate that closes and latches itself, paired with constant adult supervision.
Final Thoughts
Picking a pool material is really a decision about how you want to spend the next twenty summers.
Fiberglass suits families who want a fast build and a low-maintenance routine.
Vinyl liner keeps upfront costs down. Concrete rewards those chasing a fully custom shape.
Whichever direction you lean, plan the fencing, decking and landscaping alongside the pool itself so the whole backyard comes together at once.
The team at Orange Pools can walk you through layouts, materials and timelines suited to your own yard before you commit to a design.
References
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Drowning Prevention, 2026 — https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/neighborhood-safety-network/toolkits/drowning-prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Summer Swim Safety, 2026 — https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/summer-swim-safety.html
Redfin, Does a Pool Increase Home Value?, 2025 — https://www.redfin.com/blog/does-a-pool-increase-home-value/
Swimpool 360, Inground Pool Cost Toronto 2026: Price Guide, 2026 — https://www.swimpool360.ca/blog/inground-pool-cost-toronto/
Swimpool 360, Fiberglass Pool Installation Toronto GTA, 2026 — https://www.swimpool360.ca/services/pool-installation/fiberglass-pool-installation/
Fact Check: All statistics and data points in this article were verified against original sources as of August 21, 2026. Sources are listed in the References section.
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