Trying to restore pool that was filled with dirt for 10 years.

[Mike481]

I just got done digging out an in ground pool that was filled in by the previous owners. They didn't punch any holes in the bottom for drainage. They just removed the equipment, filled the pool with dirt and put astroturf over the top like it's a putting green. My plans are to have the coping, tile, plaster, and portions of the decking removed. Then I want to get the stairs redone (older parents won't be able to use the steep steps) as well as the plumbing roughed in. My wife wants to add a waterfall but that is up for debate.

My questions are too many to list but here are a few.

Is pebbletek that much better than regular plaster for a southern california pool?

What should I look out for when getting bids for the work I mentioned above?

Is salt water the best option if I don't like the overpowering smell of chlorine?

The only plumbing in the pool I see is the main drain(still need to move the dirt that collected so I can examine it) one small line that looks like maybe a return and one line that is threaded for maybe a suction/cleaning line. Does this sound right for a pool that is at least twenty years old?

The skimmer was filled with concrete but nothing else was. I was going to bust out this section of decking and at least replace the skimmer but should I consider having all the plumbing replaced even if I can get flow through the pipes?

I would post pictures if I could but I don't think I can yet.

Thanks a lot

Mike

[PoolDoc]

Is pebbletek that much better than regular plaster for a southern California pool?

I've never seen any evidence, one way or the other, on Pebbletek life. I think with BOTH surfaces contractor skill and integrity is the MOST important component of a high quality finish. Pool buyers usually focus on the product quality when, at least in this area, they should focus on contractor quality!

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What should I look out for when getting bids for the work I mentioned above?

1. Successful prior history. Look at pools that are 3+ years old, and not 1 year old pools.

2. BBB rating. BBB records won't tell you if they are good, but they may weed out some of the bad.

3. Trade skill, rather than sales skill. They are totally separate. There are very few companies that have both . . . and they tend to be the very top companies in the area IF there is such a company. Many times, the better pool companies will be a bit rough around the edges.

4. Taking care of business. Being rough around the edges is NOT the same as having a bunch of fully paid for, and almost finished work, behind you. To some degree, timeliness in keeping appointments is a useful indicator.

5. Basic business documents. Make sure that your contractor has all required licenses and coverage, as well as contractor liability insurance. Don't expect them to have optional certifications -- some of the best tradesmen from Vermont ("Don't tread on me!") so to speak.

6. Ignore fluff. Most pool industry related certifications are designed to promote sales, not to inform you about a contractor's quality.

7. Ask for recommendations from the local pool wholesaler. They won't tell you who's bad, and they may throw a bone to a friend. But wholesalers tend to be at least partially on the hook when pools go bad, and don't want that to happen.

8. Look for signs of financial problems. Even good companies get into trouble. A successful contractor may drive an old truck, but it will have decent tires and run OK. Look for evidence that needed repairs on THEIR equipment are going unfixed. (Keep in mind, that looking bad does not constitute a needed repair in many guy's minds: the question is, does it work well?)

9 Responsiveness to your desires. On higher end work -- I can't give a dollar range, because it varies by region -- you should expect a contractor to respond to your desires. But remember a good contractor will tell you if you are asking for something stupid, which happens pretty often. At the lower end of things, contractors make a living by getting it done quickly, cheaply and reasonably well. Customizing a pools is neither cheaper nor quick, so it's entirely reasonable for them to balk.

10. Investigate YOUR market. Especially, if you've had a pool elsewhere and then moved, your pool expectations may be completely off. In S. Florida a majority of high end, and many medium pools, have screen enclosures. Elsewhere, contractors don't even know what those things are! In California, where there's little water or wind-blown vegetation, DE or cartridge filters dominate. In my area (Southeast) where there's lots of water AND thunderstorms dumping leaves, bugs and more into pools, sand filters dominate. Prices vary widely too. In S. Florida, where excavation is easy and labor comparatively inexpensive, concrete pools are built for less than vinyl pools here. In California, concrete pools cost a multiple of what they do in S. Florida. In the NorthEast, high-end AG pools, costing more than IG pools in Florida, are common.

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Is salt water the best option if I don't like the overpowering smell of chlorine?

Salt water is "Salt Water Chlorine Generation"; I have called the devices SWCG's to eliminate the common confusion caused by unscrupulous industry sales tactics.

Anyhow, the "overpowering smell of chlorine" is actually the smell of a mismanaged pool; hardly anyone who follows the BBB method has a pool that smells like that.

The only plumbing in the pool I see is the main drain(still need to move the dirt that collected so I can examine it) one small line that looks like maybe a return and one line that is threaded for maybe a suction/cleaning line. Does this sound right for a pool that is at least twenty years old?

Old pools are often under-plumbed. You want to fix that, if you can. You probably don't have any choice: pipes that old are untrustworthy.

I would post pictures if I could but I don't think I can yet.

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