San Antonio Homeowners Turn to Fiberglass Pools as Concrete Failures Mount

At the San Antonio Home and Garden Show, Jeff and Kelley Turner of Staycation Fiberglass Pools joined host Justin McKenzie on The Building Texas Show to expose a growing crisis in the Texas pool industry: a wave of concrete pools built during the COVID-era construction boom are now failing, with repair bills reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. The episode, titled "San Antonio Homeowners Are Choosing Fiberglass, Here's Why," was recorded live at the show and released September 14, 2026, as part of the show's San Antonio Home and Garden Series.

Jeff and Kelley explained that many pools constructed during the pandemic rush are now showing signs of alkali-silica reaction (ASR), commonly called "concrete cancer," which causes the concrete shell to disintegrate. The Turners described fielding calls from homeowners facing $200,000 to $400,000 tear-outs, costs that most builders carry no insurance to cover. "In Texas, you need more certifications to do hair than you do to build a pool," Jeff said. "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."

The lack of state certification for pool builders in Texas means anyone can build a pool without proving competency. While PHTA (Pool and Hot Tub Association) certification exists, it is voluntary. The Turners stressed that homeowners must ask about certification, as well as bonding, pump sizing, and deck scope, before signing a contract. They also highlighted the importance of manufacturer warranties, pointing to San Juan, with over 70 years in business, and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks.

Fiberglass pools, by contrast, offer a more durable and predictable alternative. The Turners shared a recent hybrid negative-edge rebuild in Dripping Springs, where they rescued a client whose 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 detailed in the episode. Homeowners can view the Turners' completed projects at staycationfiberglasspools.com.

The Turners credit training from Jason Hughes and River Pools for shaping their client education approach. They also discussed renovation options like EcoFinish flame-applied polymer resurfacing, which can extend the life of failing pools. The episode is part of an ongoing series profiling the builders, tradespeople, and entrepreneurs shaping the Texas economy.

For Texas homeowners, the implications are clear: the pool you choose and the builder you hire matter more than ever. With no state licensing requirement, due diligence is the only protection. As concrete failures continue to surface, fiberglass pools are emerging as a reliable, cost-effective solution. The Turners' message is simple: ask the right questions, demand certification, and understand what a warranty is truly worth.