What Does an Automatic Pool Cover Installation or Recover Cost?

There isn’t one meaningful price that applies to every automatic pool cover installation. The cost depends heavily on the pool, the existing equipment and the type of installation.

Factors include:

• Pool size
• Pool shape
• New construction versus an existing pool
• Under-track versus top-track installation
• Cover vault requirements
• Coping and deck construction
• Electrical requirements
• Cover mechanism and manufacturer
• Custom fabrication
• Site accessibility
• Existing equipment that can or cannot be reused

What Does an Automatic Pool Cover Recover Cost?

For an existing automatic pool cover system that needs a new cover, the average cost of a recover, including the applicable wearable parts that should be addressed at the time of the recover, is approximately $6,000–$9,000.

The exact price depends on the size of the pool, the cover system, the condition of the existing mechanism and tracks, and which components need to be replaced.

A Recover Is More Than Just Replacing the Vinyl

An automatic pool cover is an entire operating system. When the vinyl has reached the end of its useful life, many of the components that have been operating that cover have also accumulated years of wear.

Depending on the system and its condition, a recover may include replacement or servicing of items such as:

• New custom-manufactured cover fabric
• Ropes or cables
• Pulleys
• Sliders
• Leading-edge components
• Hardware and other wearable parts
• Inspection and adjustment of the tracks
• Inspection and adjustment of the operating mechanism
• Cleaning of the cover box or vault
• Installation and adjustment of the new cover

Pacific Pool Covers generally recommends addressing worn components during the recover rather than installing a new cover while leaving significantly worn components in the system.

This helps protect the investment in the new cover and gives the entire system a better starting point for its next service cycle.

Why the Lowest Recover Price May Not Be the Lowest Long-Term Cost

When comparing recover estimates, homeowners should understand exactly what is included.

An estimate for replacement fabric alone may initially appear less expensive than an estimate that includes the wearable components needed to properly service the system.

If worn ropes, pulleys, sliders or other components are left in place, those parts may fail after the new cover has been installed, resulting in another service call and additional labor and repair costs.

For this reason, it is important to compare the complete scope of work and not simply the price of the replacement vinyl.

New Construction vs. Retrofit

Installing an automatic cover during construction of a new pool is generally different from adding one to an existing pool.

With new construction, the cover system, tracks, vault, drainage and electrical requirements can be incorporated into the pool design.

Retrofitting an existing pool may require a different track configuration and additional work depending on the existing deck, coping and pool geometry.

Look Beyond the Initial Price

An automatic pool cover is not simply an aesthetic upgrade.

EPA reports that solid pool covers can reduce evaporation by more than 90%. For heated pools, EPA estimates that covers can save approximately 50–70% of pool heating costs.

The U.S. Department of Energy has also identified evaporation as a major source of swimming-pool energy loss and reports substantial energy-saving potential from regularly used pool covers.

That means the economics of an automatic cover can include:

Water savings + heating-energy savings + reduced chemical use + reduced cleaning + safety + convenience.

For an accurate installation or recover price, the pool and existing cover system should be evaluated individually.

For Pacific Pool Covers customers, a typical automatic pool cover recover with the applicable wearable parts generally ranges from approximately $6,000 to $9,000. Actual pricing depends on the individual system, pool size, condition and required components.

Pacific Pool Covers provides automatic pool cover installation, recovers, maintenance and repair throughout Northern California.