Where do I begin.... New owner of a terribly Neglected pool...

Hi all... New to your amazing forum... I've been lurking and reading a ton.

We've just bought a house with a pool through foreclosure. The pool has been empty and neglected for at least 5 yrs. The automatic cover tracks have pulled from the cement deck and the cover has ripped from the tracks. The pool itself is a 20 yr old gunite. It's got a few inches of algae and tadpole filled rainwater in the bottom. We have no idea of the condition of the pipes, pump, etc.

Where do we begin? We'd like to do as much as reasonable ourselves before calling in a pool company.

I'm assuming we should first remove as much of the water and algae by hand as possible. Then to clean it... Should we acid wash it or first hit it with a pressure washer? There are a few places at the bottom where the top layer of the smooth plaster is chipping off.

Then what?

Thanks in advance for all advice... I'll keep everyone posted on our progress..

-Teresa

If the plaster is already coming off, you might need to refinish the interior of the pool.

Thx. Does that mean replastering?

What ,order should I attack this pool? Clean out existing water, algae and tadpoles? Figuring out the plumbing? The electrical and pump etc? Plaster?

Or should I just call a pool company to assess?

Correct. If the existing plaster is chipping away you will need to fix that area. It's also a pretty safe bet that if it's happening at one area, there are other areas as well. Of course a spot treatment might be possible. A lot of factors involved with the finish alone.

Regarding the order... I'd address the finish first since that has to be done while the pool is drained. You can further drain it and look into cleaning it but that all might be a waste of time if a complete refinish is needed. Items like plumbing, electrical can only be checked and tested so much without water in the pool. I'd personally contact a local pool builder or company that works with remodels. Get some quotes an compare.

'wired' is mostly correct. You need to drain and check it.

But, FIRST, you need to make sure the ground is dry enough: if you drain a pool in wet ground, it can float out of the ground. Concrete pools, like yours, can usually be drained if the ground is not absolutely saturated. Fiberglass and vinyl pools can usually NOT be drained safely. If your pool has a deep end, the risk of draining is greater than if the pool is all shallow.

If you are on a hillside, you can probably drain without worries. But if you are in a low lying area, you may have to have a professional drain it.

If you want to check things out, *most* (not all!) concrete pools can be drained, if a freshly dug 4' deep post hole next to the pool stays dry overnight.

Thx for your reply.

The pool is already empty, except for an inch or two that's still in there (the cover has ripped and fallen in covering the drain).

It looks like it had been winterized (probably 4-7 yrs ago) and the water has since leaked? out.which means there could be a crack in the main drain.

We live in a very arid climate. So the ground is very dry (the sprinklers haven't been run for a long time too). And, fortunately the pool is situated about 30+ ft from a hillside, several acres, no buildings. So I think we can use a hose or something to direct the runoff down the hill.

Also, looks like there is a sand filter and the existing cover exipment is a Sate-T Cover.

First thing, we'll get the vinyl cover out of there and clean out the bottom. Then we can check out the drain situation. And get bit on resurfacing. I'm sure the equipment will need a complete overhaul.

- Teresa

I would recommend checking things in this order:

1. Pool structure.

2. Deck structure.

3. Pool piping.

4. Pool finish.

5. Deck finish.

6. Equipment.

7. Cover.

If there are serious problems with any of the first three items, they can blow your $10K budget all by themselves. And, you can't operate without fixing the first two. Generally, equipment problems are the easiest and cheapest problems to fix on an inground pool.

So, I'm recommending you checkout the 'show-stoppers' before you worry about needing to replace some 'actors'. If the lights in the theater are out, it doesn't matter whether you have actors or not!

Good advice from Ben.

We recently finished a rennovation similar to yours (bullfrogs, tadpoles and black water). Pool had sat for several years. It involved a cracked pool, busted in ground pipes, shot pump/motor, sandblasting paint, and some previous shoddy work. All said & done they're bill from us was close to $14k. That doesn't include whatever their electrician charged them to bring the wiring up to code from panel to switches/transformers. In their case, the wiring, plumbing, and equipment had to be done prior to the plaster and tile work. You can't replaster if you can't get the pool up & running right away.
Definitely take your time to get quotes, opinions and advice. A LOT of the prep work you can do and save serious money.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Marin.

We'll be going through it piece by piece. I'm wondering what we should try to get done between now and our first freeze, probably mid to late October.

Unfortunately, we're having to spend a lot of time on the landscaping and inside the house as well. I'm thinking getting it cleaned out and checking the plumbing and electrical now and then deal with the plastering and cover replacement in the spring keeping it empty over the winter. (Remember, it's been empty for several years already)

-Teresa



Btw, Marin... Are you in Marin county, CA?

Depending on your water table, keep it as empty & dry as possible. Open up the main drain and check the hydrostatic valve or unscrew the plug. This will help alleviate any upward force that could float your pool (very rare).

Ask as you go and we can help. A lot of "piddly" jobs you can do a bit at a time.

No CA for us, we're over in Okla. and we pronounce it different (mare-in).