I would look into this as a viable option at least, otherwise your pretty much dead in the water at this point (excuse the pun)
My new pool slab has a 5" slope - ugh
- Thread starter zirconx
- Start date
I would look into this as a viable option at least, otherwise your pretty much dead in the water at this point (excuse the pun)
Yes I meant under the pool floor. I would use bricks or wood under the legs. I realize I can't just raise the legs, I also have to raise the floor under the liner, or else I'll be stressing the liner.
So if I have a 4" piece of foam board under the lowest point, then a 3" a after that, then a 2", then nothing (1/8" pad actually)? Will that be ok or would that stress the liner? I'd cut a "ramp" on the edge of the boards so the change would not be so abrupt.
Unfortunately I don't think this would work, because the new slab (on one side) is level with my existing patio. So unless I want this new patio section (remember it's only a pool for 4 months out of the year, the rest of the time it's a patio) to have a big step up, I can't do this.
I'll talk to the contractor this afternoon.
What they'll do is taper the new concrete from zero thickness at the existing slab to whatever it takes at the lowest point to make it level, so there won't be any step up. The thin edge will be pretty thin, but it'll last if they use bonding agent correctly.
I talked to the contractor, he didn't really have any ideas. I'm going to try to make it work with brick under the posts and foam under the pool. If that doesn't work I might have it torn out and repoured. This $125 Intex pool has already cost me over $1000, whats a few more $$$$.
The contractor argued with me about slope, said I always need slope, that is probably not true for a dedicated pool slab but what would you do if you wanted a slab to be a patio and a spot for a pool? Slope it very very little?
The contractor argued with me about slope, said I always need slope, that is probably not true for a dedicated pool slab but what would you do if you wanted a slab to be a patio and a spot for a pool? Slope it very very little?
...arguing fine points of engineering and installation with your customers just isn't a good marketing or retention strategy. Did he say when he'd be coming back to fix the slab?
jtburf
0
He said "I wish you would have been more clear about what you wanted".
And you should have, why does everyone want to blame the contractor for doing what he should have done. Pitch water AWAY from the home!
I'm sorry, I have had a lot of cement poured in the last 5 years and every time, my contractor and I both know before the first form is set what the expected outcome is.
Zirconx, this is on you.
He said "I wish you would have been more clear about what you wanted".
Qualifying your customer is job #1, job #2 is execution. Were the words "pool" and "slab" near eachother anywhere on the document? I'd even go as far as to say that you believe you're in a contract law actionable position if there were enough specifics in the bid.
I didn't hire him to build a pool slab, I hired him to extend my patio so I had room for a pool on it. I should have been more specific.
I think that warranted a follow up question or two on his part. For example, what may be code compliant for a patio (slope) is downright dangerous for a pool (unlevel pool could lead to collapsing pool/dangerous situation for anyone anywhere near it).
Has he done pool work before?
The OP is trying to work with what they have. Sometimes things like this just happen. The takeaway lesson is that whoever is writing the check really needs to get out a string and level and check forms before concrete is poured. I built houses for 20 years and learned that lesson all too well.
I don't know the "right" answer on any of this, but here is what I've had for three years now:
1. huge slab (24 x 40) we put our pool on. told contractor it was primarily for a pool but that the pool would be stored in the garage for nine months each year. so he said i do not want it totally flat. we went round and round on it a bit, and ultimately I caved since the sprinkler guy, plumber guy, and cement guy all said i'd regret totally flat. so i left it to him to slope as little as reasonable balancing my starting point of wanting flat and his for wanting drainage. I do not know how much slope i have, but i do know that the first year i noticed that in all four corners there was a "bowl" effect in that rain water collected into large puddles there. this freaked me out! but we have put a 20' round and now a 16 x 32 rectangular pool on it for three seasons now and never had a problem. we do try to center the pool on it because i think it crowns so that middle is highest and i figured if we centered it, the pool would be on a similar slope all the way around. We've never had a structural problem or really any problem. I think in year one, with the round pool, we lucked out and the side with the skimmer was a little closer to the edge of the pad and as such it was a bit lower on that side. Again, no structural problems at all. Caveat - my kids are weans and do not create tidal waves or rough-house.
2. we put foam on top of the concrete for feel and I suppose a it probably protects the bottom of the pool a bit as well. we just put the pool legs right on the foam. with the round pools there was barely any indentation even on the less-than-level concrete pad (when on perfectly level crushed rock in years prior I don't think where was any indentation). With the rectangular pool, since the walls are not upright like on a round, there are fairly deep grooves made where the legs hit.
3. I would try it for a season and see what happens - or if it is really bad, empty it after the first fill reveals a problem. Be sure to put the skimmer on the low side before you fill. I just don't know that it would be that big a deal as is, really. Also, I think some people do dig out a bit under an intex (search to confirm) so I'm not so sure you couldn't raise the feet to make up maybe 1/2 the drop and then the water would not look so uneven.
1. huge slab (24 x 40) we put our pool on. told contractor it was primarily for a pool but that the pool would be stored in the garage for nine months each year. so he said i do not want it totally flat. we went round and round on it a bit, and ultimately I caved since the sprinkler guy, plumber guy, and cement guy all said i'd regret totally flat. so i left it to him to slope as little as reasonable balancing my starting point of wanting flat and his for wanting drainage. I do not know how much slope i have, but i do know that the first year i noticed that in all four corners there was a "bowl" effect in that rain water collected into large puddles there. this freaked me out! but we have put a 20' round and now a 16 x 32 rectangular pool on it for three seasons now and never had a problem. we do try to center the pool on it because i think it crowns so that middle is highest and i figured if we centered it, the pool would be on a similar slope all the way around. We've never had a structural problem or really any problem. I think in year one, with the round pool, we lucked out and the side with the skimmer was a little closer to the edge of the pad and as such it was a bit lower on that side. Again, no structural problems at all. Caveat - my kids are weans and do not create tidal waves or rough-house.
2. we put foam on top of the concrete for feel and I suppose a it probably protects the bottom of the pool a bit as well. we just put the pool legs right on the foam. with the round pools there was barely any indentation even on the less-than-level concrete pad (when on perfectly level crushed rock in years prior I don't think where was any indentation). With the rectangular pool, since the walls are not upright like on a round, there are fairly deep grooves made where the legs hit.
3. I would try it for a season and see what happens - or if it is really bad, empty it after the first fill reveals a problem. Be sure to put the skimmer on the low side before you fill. I just don't know that it would be that big a deal as is, really. Also, I think some people do dig out a bit under an intex (search to confirm) so I'm not so sure you couldn't raise the feet to make up maybe 1/2 the drop and then the water would not look so uneven.
It's worse than I thought. 4-1/4 inches over the 12 foot diameter of my pool. Thats over 1/3 inch slope per foot. Crazy. Maybe I'll sell all my pool stuff and get a trampoline instead.
Re: My new pool slab has a 5" slope - ugh
Well, I still say build it and fill it and see what it does -- but that is based a lot on the fact that my neighbor puts his pool up on very uneven ground and it looks, by the water line, to be three to four inches out of level. They have never had a problem as far as I know - and they do rough-house!
If you were serious about tearing it out and starting over, you might want to review with him that it is for a pool -- I still don't think that means it must be totally level (mine has slope that allows drainage although it pools in the corners), but maybe less of a slope would work. ALSO discuss bonding with him -- if he is using rebar in the concrete and you want to do it "right" I think you need to have him do a bonding grid you can tie the pool and water to -- OR see if he can use a nonmetallic mesh (my guy offered this but he did not love it given the size of mine and I was okay with paying an electrician to bond it) and then maybe you don't need to bond -- double check in a new thread if that is the route you are going.
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Would it work to build a frame around the low part of the patio and build it up with crushed rock (screenings) and put the foam on that, and the pool on the foam? I think that would be easier than trying to sculpt the foam to level the concrete. When the pool comes down in the off-season just push the screenings off the slab and let the kids dig around in it (based on the size of the starter pool I am assuming you have young kids). Also, if you can still return the small pool, you could save that money and put it in the re-level project (however you decide to do it) and buy the bigger/final pool now -- I successfully under filled round intex pools for years waiting for my kids to get tall enough to fill the pool to normal height. Good luck - and while I am all for adding a trampoline, don't give up on the pool just yet -- it is going to be heatwave next week!
Well, I still say build it and fill it and see what it does -- but that is based a lot on the fact that my neighbor puts his pool up on very uneven ground and it looks, by the water line, to be three to four inches out of level. They have never had a problem as far as I know - and they do rough-house!
If you were serious about tearing it out and starting over, you might want to review with him that it is for a pool -- I still don't think that means it must be totally level (mine has slope that allows drainage although it pools in the corners), but maybe less of a slope would work. ALSO discuss bonding with him -- if he is using rebar in the concrete and you want to do it "right" I think you need to have him do a bonding grid you can tie the pool and water to -- OR see if he can use a nonmetallic mesh (my guy offered this but he did not love it given the size of mine and I was okay with paying an electrician to bond it) and then maybe you don't need to bond -- double check in a new thread if that is the route you are going.
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Would it work to build a frame around the low part of the patio and build it up with crushed rock (screenings) and put the foam on that, and the pool on the foam? I think that would be easier than trying to sculpt the foam to level the concrete. When the pool comes down in the off-season just push the screenings off the slab and let the kids dig around in it (based on the size of the starter pool I am assuming you have young kids). Also, if you can still return the small pool, you could save that money and put it in the re-level project (however you decide to do it) and buy the bigger/final pool now -- I successfully under filled round intex pools for years waiting for my kids to get tall enough to fill the pool to normal height. Good luck - and while I am all for adding a trampoline, don't give up on the pool just yet -- it is going to be heatwave next week!
Re: My new pool slab has a 5" slope - ugh
Yea a frame with rock would probably work fine, but thats more work than I want to do right now. Mainly the setup & tear down every year.
I built a foam cutter today and cut enough foam to rise 4 inches over an 8 foot span. I hope to lay them out tomorrow and see how it looks.
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Yea a frame with rock would probably work fine, but thats more work than I want to do right now. Mainly the setup & tear down every year.
I built a foam cutter today and cut enough foam to rise 4 inches over an 8 foot span. I hope to lay them out tomorrow and see how it looks.
Yea a frame with rock would probably work fine, but thats more work than I want to do right now. Mainly the setup & tear down every year.
I built a foam cutter today and cut enough foam to rise 4 inches over an 8 foot span. I hope to lay them out tomorrow and see how it looks.
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Yea a frame with rock would probably work fine, but thats more work than I want to do right now. Mainly the setup & tear down every year.
I built a foam cutter today and cut enough foam to rise 4 inches over an 8 foot span. I hope to lay them out tomorrow and see how it looks.
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Re: My new pool slab has a 5" slope - ugh
Pool is only 1/3 full, I am waiting for the concrete to cure before filling it more. But it looks good so far. Seems within an inch all the way around.
Sorry I don't know why it's double posting the images, I try to edit it and fix it but then it says my message is too short, so I'm adding some copy to see if it helps.
Pool is only 1/3 full, I am waiting for the concrete to cure before filling it more. But it looks good so far. Seems within an inch all the way around.
Sorry I don't know why it's double posting the images, I try to edit it and fix it but then it says my message is too short, so I'm adding some copy to see if it helps.
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Even if the foam doesn't compress under the spread out weight of the liner I'd be worried about the legs sinking/pressing down the foam. How about wood blocks of the same height as the foam for the feet to test on? You would have to cut a square out of the foam for each foot that is on it and replace it with a square of wood of the same height.
Just a thought...
Just a thought...