New pool with leak somewhere under the concrete

[JonnyG]

I am having a Carlton cement pool installed and when they tested the airlines they found a leak under the poool decking or inside the pool itself. We were about 2 weeks away from swimming. I am having a hard time getting a hold of someone at Carlton to give me an answer on when they will come to fix it. The Carlton plumber was out last Friday and told me he wanted to come out on Monday to start ripping up some of the concrete around the skimmer to find the problem. I have about 1500 sqft of exposed aggregate decking poured around the pool and the leak was definitely traced to where the pipes go under the decking. Any advice on how to deal with Carlton or on what they should be doing to find the location of the leak would be appreciated.

Thanks
John

[markphin]

I guess my first question would be why didn't they pressure test the line prior to pouring the concrete. The leak was surely there then.

aside fromm that, I woiuld encourage them to pinpoint, so to tear up a minimum amount of concrete. Also, make sure they replace joint to joint , don't let then try to rip up half a block and add another joint unless, in your opinion it will look OK with the extra joint. Make sure they saw cut. Make sure they use the same concrete plant as the original pour. It won't be a perfect match, but will be close, and after a couple years, it will match.
I understand Carlton is a PITA to get back for service. Best of Luck.

[JonnyG]

Markphin -

Thank you for the advice. So far Carlton seems to a PITA about anything that doesn't go according to plan. The plumber from Carlton seems pretty good and he insists that he pressure tested prior to the deck being poured (and I think hes right). We checked where the pipes go under the decking and no stake through the pipes so the decking guys did not break a pipe there. THere is a good chance the broke a pipe when the poured around the skimmer. I recollect a pipe sticking out the ground in the area that had been moved by the guys pouring the cement shell of the pool. Well nobody showed up again today and no one is returning my calls so I guess I will keep leaving messages.

Thanks
John

[jrouse1]

Markphin -

Well nobody showed up again today and no one is returning my calls so I guess I will keep leaving messages.

Thanks
John

I feel your pain. We have a leak under our 3 month old deck. Not sure how long it's been there, but water is trickling up through the mastic. We only have water on the deck when the pump is running, so we suspect a crack of some kind in the pipe to the return jet that's right by where we're seeing water. Right now I'm trying to run the pump just enough that we don't develop an algae problem.

The real problem is that we can't get anybody from the pool company to return our calls or take an interest in the problem. We're not even saying it's their fault, and we'll pay the full amount to get the leak repaired and restore the deck. We just want it fixed before it causes more damage. We thought we were choosing a reputable company, and the deck looks beautiful, but I've never encountered such pathetic communication or customer service in my life. It seems like the customer service problems started right after they had our first check, before the work even started, and have continued throughout the entire process. We haven't even had a final walk-through on the original construction, and we already have a leak that's going to result in part of the deck being torn up.

I'm so frustrated trying to get some communication from the pool company I even considered finding somebody else to do the work, but that would void the warranty on the entire deck. FWIW, we chose what we thought was a reputable company in west Houston with a reasonably good track record...satisfactory rating from the BBB...been in business since the 80's. We thought that going with the bigger company would help us avoid these types of problems, but I guess we were sorely mistaken. The only thing I can think that would explain the shabby treatment we're getting is that we're small potatoes compared to the complicated, expensive pools they're building.


Thanks for letting me vent!!!

[ehorn]

I'm sorry to hear about your pain but I do sympathize with you about a pool builder who doesn't communicate after you give them your first check. I'm in Tucson, AZ and I have a builder who dug my pool and it took them 8 weeks to get a plumber out. Right now I'm waiting on the steel people, so we'll see how long it takes for that. Good luck with your leak.

Eric

[JonnyG]

Pool leak fixed. It was under the decking and they used acoustic sound detector to find it. Had to rip up a 10 X 4 section of concrete on the outer edge to get at the leak and make the repair. The decking company rollwed over a pipe with a wheel barrel is what they tell me.

Well one problem solved and then another arises! This one related to pool payments. Boy they are quick to call back when the realize they over paid a subcontractor and need me to repay them. I swear it wasn't 15 minutes after I spoke to someone about getting the plastering done and he had to check my payment status. I spoke to a live Carlton person more that day then in the past 2 months. So I challenged what they wanted to charge me (or should I say overcharge me) and now its back to silence (I think they know that I am right).

Oh well, hope I will be swimming this year, they only started the pool last September.

JonnyG

[jrouse1]

JonnyG -- Glad you got your leak repaired. Sadly I haven't been as lucky, and I'm still beating my head against the wall trying to get somebody from the pool company to return a phone call. Gosh, returning a phone call seems like such a simple concept, doesn't it?

[JonnyG]

Good luck Jrouse! My leak is repaired but the cement in one section is all torn up so now I must wait for the contractor to come back and replace. Something that they need to eat the cost on. When do you think they will be back? Some time this year maybe?

Thanks everyone for there help/suggestions.

J