San Antonio homeowners are increasingly choosing fiberglass pools over traditional concrete, 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. Host Justin McKenzie interviewed Jeff and Kelley Turner, owners of Staycation Fiberglass Pools, in the second installment of the show's San Antonio Home and Garden Series. The full episode is available on YouTube.
The Turners explained that many concrete pools built during the COVID-19 construction boom are now failing due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR), commonly known as "concrete cancer." Repair bills for these failing pools can reach $200,000 to $400,000, forcing homeowners to consider complete tear-outs. Jeff Turner noted that most builders carry no insurance to cover such failures, leaving homeowners financially exposed.
A key issue is the lack of regulation in Texas. "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." While the Pool and Hot Tub Association (PHTA) offers voluntary certification, homeowners must specifically ask for it. This gap means many pool builders operate without proper credentials, leading to subpar construction.
The Turners emphasized the importance of understanding what a true turnkey fiberglass quote includes: engineering plans, proper bonding, correctly sized pump equipment, and full deck scope. They warned that low bids often cut corners in these areas, resulting in problems later. They also highlighted the value of manufacturer warranties, pointing to San Juan Pools, with over 70 years in business, and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks. Kelley Turner compared the builder-manufacturer relationship to dating, explaining that a warranty is only as good as the company backing it.
The episode also featured a hybrid negative-edge rebuild in Dripping Springs, where the Turners rescued a one-year-old fiberglass pool that looked thirty years old. The full build sequence, including a 30-foot infinity edge over the Hill Country, is shown in the video. Those interested can see how they rebuilt it by watching on YouTube.
The Turners credit training from Jason Hughes and River Pools, based in Virginia and Illinois, for shaping their client education approach. Homeowners can view completed projects at staycationfiberglasspools.com. The episode is part of an ongoing series profiling builders and tradespeople shaping the Texas economy, with new episodes posting two to three times a week. This story matters because it sheds light on a growing consumer issue in Texas: the hidden risks of concrete pools and the lack of oversight in the pool construction industry. As more homeowners face exorbitant repair costs, the shift to fiberglass pools could signal a broader change in construction practices, emphasizing the need for certification and informed decision-making.
