Massive new build failure, what else can go wrong?

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malamute
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Massive new build failure, what else can go wrong?

Postby malamute » Sun 19 Apr, 2020 15:08

We had a pool built in Fall of 2018 in Northern California. It immediately started leaking and we began a long back and forth with the contractor. They thought they fixed the "minor" leak in the pebble tec, it kept leaking, they sent divers, etc. and said the "pinhole" leak in the pebble tec was no big deal...

Last spring, the 2000 sq ft. pool deck which the contractor also poured started swelling----contractor blamed it on lots of rain last Spring---and the coping separated from the pool deck. The swelling cracked most of the expansion joints and also a corner joint/wall in the pool. The pool deck in a 20x20 area is totally uneven now. They came in and fixed the pool coping and corner joint crack last Summer.

We had much less rain this year and we started to observe ground swelling again, but the auto-fill seemed to be running around the clock. The pool is dark bottomed and we hadn't been in it. So contractor sends a diver and identifies several MASSIVE cracks in the pebble tech all over the pool. Including one that goes directly across it and is 8-10 feet long. Some of the gaps in the pebble tech are 1-2 CM wide. To make matters worse, it appears the sump pump they installed never worked. We had installed two feet of base rock beneath the pool and over-engineered it specifically to prevent this kind of scenario. Now we have a pool which has been leaking 1.5 years, dumped untold amount of water in the ground (our math says the equivalent of 9-10 pools or more) and created all the swelling that damaged the pool deck.

The pool has now been patched. The contractor wants to come in and pull back the pebble tec, look at the gunite and then "fix". He thinks there may be damage with the gunite based on what's happening. Can anyone with pool building knowledge tell me what I should be asking the contractor? Is it even possible to repair something on this scale? I am worried this pool will never be truly leak free or will continue to develop problems over 5-15 years. We built a brand new house along with this pool, so the whole situation makes us question our overall property value. Am thinking about filling the pool in and taking a lega stance or trying to get some or all of our money back after whatever their fix is. Some pics below, any thoughts or insight greatly appreciated...

https://imageshack.com/a/WA3n7/1


Denniswiseman
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My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
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Re: Massive new build failure, what else can go wrong?

Postby Denniswiseman » Mon 20 Apr, 2020 02:15

I really feel for you, a new home and pool should be trouble free
I suspect you'll never fill confident in the structural future of the pool as obviously the leaking has caused the clay expansion and deck damage
The thing that bothers me is the shell, was the correct amount of rebar there to prevent cracking
The only alternative is to get a liner or fibreglass it
The only good thing about this is the contractor seems concerned enough to spend time and money trying to rectify it and hasn't just abandoned you and your pool
jeyles83
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Re: Massive new build failure, what else can go wrong?

Postby jeyles83 » Fri 15 Apr, 2022 18:24

Hi there,
I was just wondering what ended up happening with your pool? I realize this post was a LONG time ago. But I'm having a similar problem myself and wanted to see what ended up happening with your pool.
Thank you,
nyleakpros
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Re: Massive new build failure, what else can go wrong?

Postby nyleakpros » Tue 02 Aug, 2022 22:11

The pool was "patched" lol, ok. If there's that much structural damage everywhere the epoxy is on a brand new pool then yes I would be concerned about the integrity of the pool.

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