Frustration and Anxiety are getting to me

[webfeet]

PB is threatening to tear pool out and file a lien on our house. He has never paid the $1700.00 he owes the concrete co. We contacted an attorney and he assures us that our complaints are justified. We haven't been able to do our acid stain test yet. We are getting bids from different companies to fix the deck. I can't seem to post any pictures, but if I can, I will post some of unlevel liner and stains on deck. I had some of the stains on another thread, but I have some that are better.

[waste]

Web, congrats on becoming a "senior member" with your last post !
We've 'discussed' your pool in many threads, and I've given you my honest oppinion of what's happened. You know that I know the 'ins and outs' of pool construction, if a notarised letter from me would help your case, let me know (my brother is a lawyer and can help me with the wording, and my boss' wife is a notary public) - however, since I hav'nt personally inspected the pool, I don't know if it would be admissable or helpful.
Please know that I am TRUELY sorry that it's gotten to the point that the legal system is involved. (BTW, PB can not come onto your property and remove anything - I've suggested to 2 of my bosses to just go and take the multiport [on folks that won't pay] and have been told by both that 'it's not legal')
Know that I will continue to help you in any way I can (have you shown your attorny the threads from here?)

Best of luck!!!!!!! - Ted

[No Need]

Post a couple of pics of the concrete and pool. I'd like to see the color.

[webfeet]

here is a link to some pictures. (I hope) Thanks to everyone for their support. At this time, I have not mentioned the poolforum to the attorney. What I need now are quotes for applying something like sundek or another suitable coating, but I am having problems finding contractors in our area.

http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r237/kjt89/

[CarlD]

I couldn't see where the concrete is separating. If I were you that would be my BIG point. The liner having a few wrinkles, well, that's hard to avoid. The wrong liner? That's either his cost replacement or a big discount.

The stains on the concrete may well fade--they almost look like red clay. It's possible a chlorine wash may clear them, but I don't recommend it at this point.

Concrete separation says to me that a) the ground wasn't prep'ed correctly and will get worse b) the re-bar or wire wasn't done correctly c) the concrete was too wet or too dry and not properly floated in to get out all the air or d) the concrete had the wrong formula. Or all of the above. The concrete specialist was a great idea.

As for tearing out your pool and putting a lien on your house, that's a threat. He CAN put a lien on it but if you've documented everything, and, more importantly, have started the legal process, it won't stand.

Also, if you have decided that he is NOT competent to continue, then you can forbid him to step on your property . Then if he tries to tear out the pool it may be trespassing or even criminal trespassing.

I HATE a contractor who screws up and tries to slime his way out of responsibility. I've had it with a kitchen designer/installer--I held back the last payment, but I had it SO well documented that I was within my contractual rights that I never heard from him. I also had it with a roofer whose brand new install leaked. After a while they wouldn't take my calls.

I'm sorry you are going through this...when a dream becomes a nightmare.

[webfeet]

I hope several of you view the pictures, and let me know what you think. The stains do not show up as well on the computer screen as they do in real life. It does kind of look like red clay, but no clay here, just sand. We've tried power washing, and several concrete cleaners to no avail.
I am sorry if I gave the impression that the concrete is seperating and/or that I have the wrong liner or wrinkles. I do have a few hair line cracks-but everyone seems to think that they are just surface cracks.
On the other hand, I have a stained deck, and an a slightly unlevel pool, just enough to cause part of the liner border on the deep end to be under water, while the same section is above water on the shallow end. At first inspection,it looks like there is a flaw in the border. Upon close inspection, ( see waterline in the closeup pictures of the border) you can see that part of the border is submerged.

I also received a topmount instead of a sidemount filter,which costs quite a bit more than the sidemount..

[Katybug92]

I paid for a color to be added to mine and didn't get it to show. They did add the color, and it looked great when pouring. But the temperature was to be very cold that night and they put heated tarps on it. This was to prevent it from drying and freezing to quickly. What happened was that the heated tarps drawed all the calcium in the concrete to the top. It is very white now. No power washing or scrubbing has helped. We did try a small area of diluted Muratic acid on it to remove the calcium. It worked too good. The area has a peachy color now. The PB refunded my concrete money.

Time has helped somewhat. There are a few places in the high traffic areas that the color is starting to show better.

Yours looks very similiar to what mine does on most of the decking. Did they goof and add some color?

[Sardian]

an a slightly unlevel pool, just enough to cause part of the liner border on the deep end to be under water, while the same section is above water on the shallow end. At first inspection,it looks like there is a flaw in the border. Upon close inspection, ( see waterline in the closeup pictures of the border) you can see that part of the border is submerged.

..

Looking at your photos I would say your liner has stretched more on the deep end than the shallow, which is quite common. My pool is actually worse than the photos you posted, it doesn't bother me at all and I expected it from other pools I have seen. My pool is level though.

As far as the red streaks, that I wouldn't have, but I don't think I would have him tear it all up and start over. I'd try to work out some sort of coating on the concrete. I actually plan doing some sort of coating to mine anyway.

Russell

[topnotch]

As a GC for many years Ive been in this stomach turning situation too many times...someone turns out a so-so job and asks for all his money. Usually I am in the middle between him and you and frankly at the end you have to look at what you got and whether it is servicable and what the imperfections are worth to you....29 years I have been negotiating these things and (touch wood) never had to be in court or pay ten cents to a lawyer...no contractor or customer is perfect and no pools are perfect.....you just want to maintain a good relationship with all parties if its possible. If he's talking about coming back to spray epoxy over the deck he sounds like a guy who takes responsibility. He needs to be given every opportunity to remedy his work. You are really not allowed to break the contract and hire someone else to fix it unless he has been negligent and refuses to discuss remedies.

I hope you and he are people of good faith and the couple of things at the end can be worked out. I can really be an SOB on the job when I need to be but building my own pool has been a humbling experience and I am living with some imperfections and still really enjoying my pool. I have to be honest....as a contractor there are so many, so many ways to cheat a customer with poor workmanship that the color of the sand sounds minor if he did an excellent job on everything else. BTW I wonder if down the road you would use cool paint on the concrete anyway? Also it makes me wonder if the references he gave you had any problems or do they still have a cordial relationship with him and continue to refer him? The serviceable life of the pool and the cost of ownership over time are significant issues here.

Best of Luck