San Antonio homeowners are increasingly turning to fiberglass pools as a wave of concrete pools built during the COVID-19 construction boom begins to fail, according to a recent episode of The Building Texas Show. The episode, titled “San Antonio Homeowners Are Choosing Fiberglass, Here’s Why,” was recorded live at the San Antonio Home and Garden Show and released on September 14, 2026. It features Jeff and Kelley Turner, owners of Staycation Fiberglass Pools, who explain the pitfalls of concrete pool construction and the advantages of fiberglass.
The Turners, who have become leading voices in the fiberglass pool industry, discuss the rise of alkali-silica reaction (ASR), often called “concrete cancer,” in pools built during and after the pandemic. This condition causes concrete to crack and disintegrate, leading to repair bills that can reach $200,000 to $400,000. Many of these failing pools were constructed when demand outpaced skilled labor and proper oversight. “In Texas, you need more certifications to do hair than you do to build a pool,” Jeff Turner says in the episode. “It’s wild. And you need to be a chemist to be a hairdresser, and you don’t need to be a chemist to build a pool.” Texas currently has no state certification requirement for pool builders, though voluntary PHTA certification exists. The Turners emphasize that homeowners must ask about credentials and understand what warranties actually cover.
The episode also delves into the true cost of a low bid. According to the Turners, a genuine turnkey fiberglass price should include engineering plans, proper bonding, correctly sized pump equipment, and full deck scope. Cut-rate contracts often quietly cut corners in these areas, leading to problems down the line. They point to manufacturers like San Juan, with over 70 years in the business, and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks for warranty coverage. Kelley Turner frames the builder-manufacturer relationship as a kind of “dating” period, explaining that a warranty is only as good as the company standing behind it.
For homeowners facing failed concrete pools, the Turners discuss renovation options, including EcoFinish flame-applied polymer resurfacing. They also share a recent hybrid negative-edge rebuild in Dripping Springs, where a client’s one-year-old fiberglass pool looked thirty years old due to a poor original installation. The full build sequence, from shell to a 30-foot infinity edge over the Hill Country, is available in the video. Viewers can watch the full episode on YouTube to see the rebuild and learn more about the Turners’ approach. The Turners credit training from Jason Hughes and River Pools for shaping their client education process.
The implications of this shift are significant for Texas homeowners. With concrete pools failing at alarming rates and no state oversight, the choice between concrete and fiberglass becomes a matter of long-term cost and reliability. Fiberglass pools, when properly installed, offer lower maintenance and greater durability. The Turners’ message is clear: homeowners should educate themselves before signing a contract. As the construction boom’s legacy continues to unfold, the move toward fiberglass may well become the new standard in San Antonio and beyond.
