Years ago, when we first established ourselves as a leading northeastern Massachusetts fiberglass pool installer, we started to notice a trend. Each spring we would meet with a handful of new customers who would follow a similar path. It looked something like the following…

 

First, a homeowner would start thinking about having a fiberglass pool installed. It could be that they were thinking ahead to warmer weather. Or, the idea might be spurred on by a healthy tax refund. Maybe the customer would be making other changes around the property, or realize they had a big event (like a graduation party) coming up in a few months.

 

Regardless of the specific reason, the homeowner would start looking around for an established fiberglass pool installer with good reviews. They would contact us, meet with a member of our team, and begin to explore options having to do with size, color, shape, etc.

 

In seeing our portfolio of finished patios and fiberglass options, they would start to get new ideas. They would decide that, along with the pool, they would want a new deck. Or they could think about an outdoor kitchen, some ground-level lighting, or an extra like a tennis court. They could fall in love with some premium materials or come across a safety feature that would feel like a “must-have” item.

 

You can probably guess what comes next: a little bit of sticker shock. What began as a relatively straightforward fiberglass pool installation project has become something bigger and more extensive.

 

A lot of homeowners – and some patio contractors – seem to get stuck at this point. But because the situation is so common, we wanted to lay out two smart options for plugging ahead when you discover that your dreams are bigger than your savings account.

 

Let’s look at the two paths you can take to getting the patio and fiberglass pool you want this year.

 

Approach #1: Scale Back Your Fiberglass Pool Installation Plans

The first and most obvious approach is to simply scale back your thinking a little bit. It’s easy, especially when you’re looking at shining photos of new patio arrangements, to decide you want everything. But that might not be practical, either for your budget or your lifestyle.

 

For one thing, lots of homeowners find that they don’t actually have the space for everything they think they want on a property. Pools, patios, outdoor kitchens, and features like basketball courts take up a lot of real estate. That’s especially true when you consider they need to be spread apart for reasons of safety and comfort. It’s better to have fewer pieces that feel comfortable than it is to cram too much into a limited space.

 

Also, it’s important to ask yourself what you and your family will actually use. Some of the items you have on your wish list might sit idle for most of the year. The last thing you want is to pay a lot of money, in both construction and upkeep, for an area of your backyard to be taken up by something no one really wants.

 

For these reasons, it’s almost always smart to pull back a little bit if your dreams start to outpace your budget. You’ll save money and can end up with a backyard that is more practical and comfortable.

 

Approach #2: Finish Your Fiberglass Pool Installation in Stages

What happens, though, if you really do love everything on your dream patio list? Or, what if you pare your plans back and find that it’s still a stretch financially? In that case my best advice would be to tackle the fiberglass pool installation and patio renovation in stages.

 

In practice, this means identifying the elements you want most (usually a fiberglass pool and patio), along with the ones that have to be installed first (which tend to be the same). Then, you spend to put those in place and take a “wait-and-see” attitude with the rest of your list.

 

This works wonderfully, and not just for the reason you expect. Yes, it allows you to spread the expense of your home improvements out over time while simultaneously increasing the value of your property. But just as importantly, it lets you get a sense of how you will actually use your outdoor space once the new elements have been installed.

 

To put this another way, putting in a pool might make you realize you want a grill area to be bigger or smaller. You could decide you want a sauna instead of a shed, or that a shaded seating area has to take preference over an outdoor kitchen. These are examples, but the point is that it’s easier to work with the space you are living in than it is to figure out what you might want in the future.

 

Of course, it’s worth pointing out again that you can combine these two approaches together. In fact, that’s what the majority of our new customers do.

 

How Do You Find the Right Fit Between Your Dreams and Budget?

As you might have guessed, there isn’t a perfect choice between either of these approaches. You could even find elements of both that you like.

 

The best way forward, especially if you’re at the beginning of the process, is to meet with a fiberglass pool installer and see what your options are. You can learn a lot from photos, brochures, and websites, but until you see what’s possible in your specific property, you aren’t going to be able to construct realistic ideas or budgets.

 

If you happen to live in the Saugus, Massachusetts, area and want to work with the best, then let the team at Stefano’s help. It doesn’t cost anything to schedule a free consultation at your home. During that time you get a chance to ask any questions you might have, get a free quote, and even hear a few suggestions from one of our top-rated design professionals.

 

What do you have to lose? Contact us today to schedule your at-home visit.