skimmer basket

[matt4x4]

Yes, changing to a through the wall skimmer is as easy as cutting a hole, however, due to having to lower your water level, I would wait until you are ready to close this year or ready to open it up again next year. I would actually wait until next spring, this way, your water level is allready low enough, you'd need to fill anyways, you can then do any leak troubleshooting immediately instead of letting it all winter before you refill your pool.
If the pool company used the return hole that came with the pool, I would hazzard to guess that the knockout is close enough to the equipment in order to be used.
I have absolutely no idea why the pool store would tell you you're asking for trouble changing the skimmer.....

[cinbia12]

They didn't even use the return hole, that also goes over the top.But I think I know where they are, under the deck. So maybe my 10 year old granddaughter is good with tools. The pump isn[t to far from that point. personally I think through the wall would be much easier. We've been fighting green for three weeks now. Dh thinks he got all the crap off the bottom today, so I'll cross my fingers.

[cinbia12]

Dennis or Matt- Is $100.00 a reasonable price to have it installed if we supply the skimmer? It's getting to the point that if we don't do something I'm about ready to throw in the towel. We've been keeping chlorine sky high and we've got everything else good (according to the pool store) but no matter what we do the green isn't going. I'm assuming that switching to thru the wall, more water will be going through the filter and won't just becoming from the side. Good news though it's not under the deck. Right beside the filter.
Thanks

[hrsdennis]

Hi, a hundred is a fair price. This eve I will post some diy instructions that might help also.

Dennis

[matt4x4]

$100 doesn't sound too bad, it's about a 2 hr job at most, easily undertaken yourself, but if you don't mind parting with the money and don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, it's definitely not robbery.
Personally, I would do it myself, but then again, I pretty much do everything I possibly can myself, just the way it is. Leaves me with more play money that way!

[cinbia12]

The only thing i worry about is that the liner is about 5 years old. Is it going to be too brittle

[matt4x4]

Not an issue - because you're only dropping your water about 1 foot, it won't shrink etc, so all that needs to be done is to cut a hole the size of the skimmer knockout and a smaller hole the size of the return knockout, both will have gaskets on them to seal them, the liner does not need to move, twist, pull etc, so it won't get harmed in any way.