Pool unused for a decade...and never emptied

[johnboyuk]

Hi All

New poster here.

We've just bought a property at auction. The house has been laying empty for around a decade and needs an awful lot of work doing on it. So much so, Homes Under The Hammer are coming to see us before the builders move in a couple of weeks time.

When we viewed the house, we assumed we had a rather large pond in the garden. It was so overgrown, thick green soupy water with algae, reeds, the lot. The garden is so overgrown we couldn't really go and have a look properly. However, when we invited a gardener round to quote us for clearing the garden, he realised it wasn't a pond, it was actually a swimming pool. 9x5m. It has been so long since it has been used, it appears that water has filled the cover and created a massive puddle. We've since discovered we have a pool house at the end of the garden for the pumps etc. Yes, the garden is that bad!

So, my initial thought was to go hire a dirty water pump from a hire company and just pump the water out to the nearest drain. My wife suggested we get a pool professional in. So we got a fella round and he told us that it couldn't be pumped because the pool is a liner as opposed to tiled and would have to be treated with chemicals and it would cost in the region of £5,000 and would take 9-12 weeks.

Is that normal?
I have no idea and would appreciate some advice as to where to start!
Can I use a dirty water pump with a lined pool?
Is £5k around the right ball park to get the pool emptied?

The house is based in Kent if that helps.

[Teapot1]

The fella is wrong! Pumped out plenty of liner pools.
I have never charged £5 k to pump out a pool either. Unless that is to clean it out completely and debris removal.

[Denniswiseman]

At least you know the liner holds water
I think the biggest problem is clearing out all the debris
Was he going to replace the liner

[johnboyuk]

No, he wasn't going to change the liner.

The £5k was just to treat the water. He said the pool couldn't be drained because the liner would likely damage when he done it. A liner would be extra on top if it was damaged.

[Denniswiseman]

I would be inclined to find out what the cost of a new liner would be from another source, then just drain down and remove old liner with debris
Or clear out all the debris and start cleaning the water yourself
I think 5K to just treat water is exorbitant

[KellyP]

I suggest that you hire a professional but if that means you having to pay 5K is definitely a "NO"

fiber glass pools