Concrete swimming pools built during the COVID-era construction boom are now failing at alarming rates, leading to repair bills that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a recent episode of The Building Texas Show. The episode, recorded live at the San Antonio Home and Garden Show and released on September 14, 2026, features Jeff and Kelley Turner, owners of Staycation Fiberglass Pools, who explain why homeowners are increasingly choosing fiberglass over concrete.
The Turners, in the second installment of the show’s San Antonio Home and Garden Series, discuss the rise of alkali-silica reaction (ASR), commonly known as “concrete cancer,” in pools built during and after the pandemic. They note that many of these pools are disintegrating, forcing tear-outs that cost between $200,000 and $400,000, and most builders carry no insurance to cover such repairs.
A key issue highlighted is that Texas requires no certification to build a pool. Jeff Turner pointed out the disparity: “In Texas, you need more certifications to do hair than you do to build a pool. 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 PHTA (Pool and Hot Tub Association) certification exists, it is voluntary, leaving homeowners to verify a builder’s qualifications on their own.
The episode also covers what separates a genuine turnkey fiberglass quote from a low bid. According to the Turners, engineering plans, proper bonding, correctly sized pump equipment, and full deck scope are critical components that cut-rate contracts often omit. They emphasize the importance of manufacturer warranties, pointing to San Juan, with over 70 years in business, and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks for warranty coverage.
Kelley Turner offered a memorable analogy for the builder-manufacturer relationship: “You’re dating us as a builder…” She explained that the warranty’s value depends on the manufacturer’s stability and the builder’s adherence to proper installation practices.
The Turners also described a recent hybrid negative-edge rebuild in Dripping Springs, where they rescued a one-year-old pool that looked thirty years old after the original fiberglass installer left it in poor condition. The full build sequence, including a 30-foot infinity edge over the Hill Country, is available in the video.
They 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 entrepreneurs shaping the Texas economy, with new episodes posted two to three times a week.
