Concrete Pool Excavating (NF)

[FLEX ROD]

Good Day folks,

 

Here is my situation and I know that some one here will be able to shed some light on this.

 

I bought my house 11 years ago and I was told that their is a concrete pool that is buried in the yard, when I was bulding the deck I had them search for the pool and we found it it is 20 x 40 and the vintage of the pool is from the 60's maybe 70's. When we excavated the perimiter we saw that the pool was back filled with soil and general construction junk we now want to put a pool in the yard but the exsiting pool is in the way so I have some opptions

 

1. Excavate the exsiting pool and drop a new one in, or

2. Remove part / all of the old pool and go net new

 

Any body ever been faced with a situation like this before? The cost is an issue and finding some one to do this is also an issue.

I would lean to rip the old one out but I am scared of what cost I will encure as the age of this pool one would think that beside the concrete the metal would be a big issue, heck I have no problem as I have time on my hands to try to dig this thing out but the demolishing part has me thinking.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

FLEX

[canadianboy]

hey i have no idea what id do but if your going to put in a new pool i would recomend jones pools based out of stouffville i believe but in two pools for me and they are great both were built in under two weeks and the company stands behind there product my pool isnt even under warranty anymore and they still came and fixed holes my dog put in the liner for free

[Gerritt]

Be VERY careful if demo'ing the pool... be sure you have some sort of shoring to prevent collapse of the earth surrounding the structure.. numerous deaths are caused each year by collapsing soil.

 

G

[FLEX ROD]

Thanks canadianboy, I have not heard of them before and will give them a call today to get them to give me a quote.

 

Thanks once again.

 

FLEX

[FLEX ROD]

Thanks Gerrit, if I go the excavation route will definetly do that.

 

FLEX

[FLEX ROD]

canadianboy, thats for the lead on Jones pools, spoke with them and they will call me later to schedule a visit.

 

How long ago did they install your pools for you and did you shop around for quotes prior to going with them?

 

Just wondering how their price compares to others.

 

Thanks,

 

FLEX

[canadianboy]

well i made the mistake on of taking the cheapest company one time and jones then had to fix they come in normally right around the average not the lowest not the highest

[canadianboy]

they installed them just with a back hoe theres a walkway next to my house so they went through there but im leaving for balsam lake in about 15 minutes but one recomendation get a digital pool heater they are awseome but i didnt get one becuase they were really expensive then but they are cheaper now

[FLEX ROD]

Thanks for the feed back canadianboy , and have fun at Balsam

[blaque]

Just a little comment on the topic. I watched my uncles inground go in and it is amazing watching those guys work a bucket with such precision. The guy running the excavator was an artist with this machine lol

[Headhunter]

As a pool owner, a couple of things come to mind...

1. BE sure that your municipality is made aware of your plans... here, I believe you need a permit to fill in a pool and may require one to "re-open one".

2. It seems to me anyway, that it would be cheaper to try and re-open the existing pool as you will only have to excavate the filler. Should you be looking at a complete build out, you will also have to remove the existing concrete, before you can start pinning a new one!

HH

[FLEX ROD]

Thanks HH, that is one of the questions what kind of condition woud it be in cosidering that it has been buried 30+ years?

 

Sure if all I had to do was excavate the fill and either drop a liner or re tile that would be the way I would go even if the exact location is not where I would put it today.

 

And yes the pipes and all would be replaced as I also want to make it a salt water pool.

 

FLEX

[Headhunter]

Hey Flexrod... I don't know how much research you have done on the saltwater systems, but if the pool is as big as you say it is at 20 x40, you may want to consider getting a price on the system first. My pool is 18 x36, one of the biggest residential sized pools available, your would be bigger.

I went through many considerations this spring as I had to replace my pump and filter system and did consider very seriously, a salt water system. Wow, the price difference was enormous! Plus, what many won't tell you is that there is a shelf life for those systems, they last for about 5 years, give or take, so ... consider that before you make the change.

Good luck!

HH

[Headhunter]

Also, sorry for the double post, I would suspect that the frame of the pool will be intact, at least most of it as breaking up the concrete, just to bury it would seem to me to be too much un-required work and I know that I would be inclined to do a little as possible to it, in order to bury it. But unfortunately, you won't know until you dig.

Perhaps another consideration is to hire help yourself to do the excavating as from my experience, pool dudes don't like to dig and will charge you tons to do it... maybe you could find some students to dig it out and then have the pool dudes in.

HH

[JohnF]

Can't help you much with the decision on what to do with the old pool - but do it the right way, whatever you do.

 

As for the new one, think seriously about salt. It's a little more money but loads better. Also, plan the layout so the filter lines (both ways) are easily accessible for replacement should they start to leak air (or water). IOW, keep the filter setup as close to the pool as you can. Also plan where the backwash is gonna go. Some municipalities frown on dumping it in the storm drains but it can be a nuisance with the hose etc out on yer lawn. The backwash water (at least with chlorine) is fine on grass, contrary to what a lot of folks will say. I'm not sure about salt backwash.

 

I say this about the lines because I'm dealing with a small amount of bubbling in mine right now. The pool guys have done sonic pressure testing and can't find the problem, but if it turns out to be the lines I'll have to bust up a lot of concrete decking to deal with the lines. Think about putting interlocking brick or something similar in the area of the lines and keep the lines as short as possible from the pool to the filter and back.

 

I also would hold off on a pool heater for now. Try a solar blanket first. They keep the temps right up there with a minimum of bother if you plan things properly and have a roller mounted under the diving board, away from the stairs.

 

These are things I'd do differently if I was putting in another pool. Have fun.

 

JF

[FLEX ROD]

Thanks for the feed back folks, HH, do you have any info or #'s for some able bodies that would be willing to do some digging?

 

Thanks again,

 

FLEX