Is It Normal For New New Ig Vinyl Pool To Be Slightly Unlevel?

[webfeet]

Pool is full. Close inspection of the water line on the liner border and the skimmers reveal that the water is about 1" higher on the deep end. I noticed it because the tile border pattern has a part of the pattern that is above the water line on the shallow end, but begans to get beneath the waterline near the middle of the pool, and finally disappearing at the end of the deep end. is this acceptable? The new pool is 40'6" long. It bugs me because I am paying a PC to install the pool, and I think the water should be even along the border.

[bobyoe]

That is not acceptable. Either the pools was put in un-level, or the liner was installed wrong. Is the liner in the track the same amount all the way around? If so, your pool is off, and I'd be very mad. Heck, I'd be mad either way!
Boby

[Waterworks]

Measure from your coping (where the liner actually beads into the track) down to the water level. If it is even all the way around, your liner has just stretched in a bad way and the tile border is just stretched more in some places than others. This is easy to fix.
If the measurement is not even all the way around the pool is off level. This could be very difficult to fix, depending on how far along the PB is.

Brad
www.waterworkspools.com

[webfeet]

I really think the pool walls are unlevel. The skimmers look the same distant below the coping, and I measured the waterline from the coping and it is about 3/4" different at each end. The deck has not been poured, but the PC has started the backfill. He plans on washing it in tomorrow and rebackfilling before he levels and builds the forms for the deck. He gave us permission to swim in it this holiday week end. The skimmers and filter are not working yet, but the pump is circulating the water. When ever I mention a concern to the PC he says that I worry too much. I have some other issues to address with him, but it is uncomfortable, and I feel like I am being hard to please. For example, I have been disturbed that the poolcrete surface is rough in several places, which I mentioned to him, and at his and Waste's advice I rubbed over the rough spots with my thumb, many of the rough areas do not flatten out, but remain. I have also found some small low areas, about the size of half dollars or a little bigger, under the liner. I mention the rough spots on a separate post, but if you have any advice on how to handle these issues, please tell me. I want to be fair, but I want what I paid for- a professional installation. Any input is more than appreciated.

[South_Texas_Sun]

I really think the pool walls are unlevel. The skimmers look the same distant below the coping, and I measured the waterline from the coping and it is about 3/4" different at each end. The deck has not been poured, but the PC has started the backfill. He plans on washing it in tomorrow and rebackfilling before he levels and builds the forms for the deck. He gave us permission to swim in it this holiday week end. The skimmers and filter are not working yet, but the pump is circulating the water. When ever I mention a concern to the PC he says that I worry too much. I have some other issues to address with him, but it is uncomfortable, and I feel like I am being hard to please. For example, I have been disturbed that the poolcrete surface is rough in several places, which I mentioned to him, and at his and Waste's advice I rubbed over the rough spots with my thumb, many of the rough areas do not flatten out, but remain. I have also found some small low areas, about the size of half dollars or a little bigger, under the liner. I mention the rough spots on a separate post, but if you have any advice on how to handle these issues, please tell me. I want to be fair, but I want what I paid for- a professional installation. Any input is more than appreciated.

Hi Webfeet, (love the screename

When it comes to pool contractors, we're all pretty much in the same boat. We are ALL at the mercy of the PB until the job is done, at which time we're either pleased with the ability to swim and enjoy the beautiful addition to our homes, OR.......ready to hire a "junkyard dog" lawyer and go for the PB's (usually non-existent) assets.

My wife.......(and I'm saying this tongue-in-cheek...honey ) is a pretty good "junkyard dog" when she doesn't get her way, and ......what I'm suggesting is:

Get a 3rd party to offer criticism about your objections, so that the PB has to offer the explanation to THEM while you look at him questioningly.. This could also be a neighbor, pool shop salesman, off duty building inspector, etc.

If this has no effect, your PB has the "siege mentality" that so many of them do, because they're fairly LOUSY at their profession and constantly get complaints.

In other words, do a "good cop, bad cop" on em......apologies to Mel Gibson, et. al.

STS

[webfeet]

STexas,
Thanks for advice. Please explain your last two statements. I don't know what you mean.

Also, I am convinced my walls are not level. EDIT: DH shot pool with optical level and says the walls are 1/2" to 5/8" out of level- not quite 3/4". However, it will be a very difficult and expensive job ( if possible) to correct, since the walls are cemented into the ground. I guess what I want to know is - Will I have any mechanical or funtional problems because the pool is about 5/8" lower l on the deep end than the shallow end? I expect my PB to try to get me to accept it the way it is, and if the only problem with the slight unlevelness is with the appearance ( like looking at a crooked picture) then I will probably settle for an appearance damage concession from him. It really bugs me that part of the border pattern disappears underwater for the last 20 or so feet of the length of this 40'6" long pool. But if it may cause me problems in the future, then I want to have it fixed before I let him do anything else.
On the other hand, If it is an appearance problem only, what is a reasonable finanical concession that the PC should allow me? I am thinking $1000.00. I am paying about $27,000.00 bucks and I think I deserve a level pool. I could have put it in unlevel pool myself, and saved myself thousands of dollars. I bolded my main questions - hope this does not mean I am yelling, mad, or being rude. I need this specific info asap. Thanks for your help!