The Ann Arbor Family Vinyl

A 16×32 polymer-wall vinyl liner pool — the most affordable honest inground build in the Midwest.

A two-income family with three kids and a 2,100 sq ft colonial budgeted $60K maximum for the pool itself. Vinyl with polymer walls was the only way to get an inground pool with a diving depth under that cap in Southeast Michigan.

The couple got bids from three Southeast Michigan builders — vinyl at $52K, fiberglass at $74K, and gunite at $102K. Every dollar over the vinyl bid would have come out of the landscaping budget, so vinyl won on pragmatism.

Polymer walls were specified (not galvanized steel) specifically to preserve the option to add a saltwater system later. The builder also upgraded the liner to 28-mil from the 20-mil standard — roughly a $450 add, generally expected to buy 2–3 extra years of liner life.

The pool opened Memorial Day weekend, twelve days after the liner drop. Total all-in spend including fence, concrete deck, and a simple heat pump: $54,200. They're planning to budget $5,500 every eighth year for a liner replacement as routine maintenance.