Homeowners across Texas are facing repair bills of $200,000 to $400,000 as concrete pools built during the COVID-19 construction boom begin to fail, according to pool builders Jeff and Kelley Turner. The Turners, owners of Staycation Fiberglass Pools, discussed the crisis on a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, hosted by Justin McKenzie, recorded live at the San Antonio Home and Garden Show. The episode, titled “San Antonio Homeowners Are Choosing Fiberglass, Here's Why,” was released on September 14, 2026.
The Turners attribute many of these failures to alkali-silica reaction (ASR), commonly called “concrete cancer,” a condition that causes concrete to crack and disintegrate. They say the problem is exacerbated by a lack of regulation in Texas, where pool builders are not required to hold state certification. “In Texas, you need more certifications to do hair than you do to build a pool,” Jeff Turner 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 voluntary certification exists through the Pool and Hot Tub Association (PHTA), homeowners must specifically ask for it. The Turners emphasize that many low-bid contracts cut corners on critical items like engineering plans, proper bonding, correctly sized pump equipment, and full deck scope. They also highlight the importance of manufacturer warranties, pointing to San Juan, with over 70 years in business, and Australia-based Aqua Technics as benchmarks. “You're dating us as a builder,” Kelley Turner said, explaining the warranty relationship.
The episode also features a case study of a hybrid negative-edge rebuild in Dripping Springs, where the Turners rescued a one-year-old pool that looked thirty years old after the original installer left. The full build sequence, including a 30-foot infinity edge over the Hill Country, is available on the show's YouTube channel. The Turners credit training from Jason Hughes and River Pools for shaping their client education approach.
For homeowners, the implications are significant: choosing a pool builder without proper credentials can lead to catastrophic financial losses. The Turners advise asking builders about PHTA certification, warranty terms, and the full scope of work before signing any contract. As concrete pools continue to fail, fiberglass alternatives are gaining traction for their durability and lower long-term costs. More information on the Turners' projects is available at staycationfiberglasspools.com. The full episode can be found on The Building Texas Show.
