Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlevel

Jump to latest Follow Reply
J

jjerles

0
May 29, 2012
7
Can anyone give me any advice? Our fiberglass pool was installed last October. We had some trouble getting the water balanced and this forum has been invaluable. Finally, we started using the pool in June. While floating in the pool mid-June, I realized that there was more pool showing on one side of the pool than the other. My husband and I measured it and felt it was off 1 inch in 16 feet. I contacted Pools of Fun in Indianapolis, IN, the company that installed the pool, and also Trilogy Pools to see what our options were. A rep from Trilogy and the builder met at our house and determined that there was a deviation of 7/8" from one side of the pool to the other and that the "industry standard" was 1 inch. In other words, "sorry 'bout that!" I am just sick about it.

When I first contacted Trilogy pools, the gal who represented them told me the industry standard was 1 inch, but that Pools of Fun's standards were higher than that. Guess not. . . .

Julia
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Welcome to the forum!

I wouldn't be happy, but you are probably getting the straight story and there is no easy fix anyway.

Be glad you aren't having nightmares that a couple of members have had recently with fiberglass pools being dropped or installed without sufficient support.
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

The Trilogy rep told me he would feel the same way I do, very disappointed. I realize that there is not an easy fix, but why am I expected to just "buck up" and take it? I paid good money, just like the guy with the perfectly level pool. Thanks for your comments, though. Makes me feel better just getting it off my chest.
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

FYI, the APSP Builder's Manual says that when the pool is being set in the hole, levelness measurements should be within 1" before the crane is disconnected and dismissed.

However... it then describes procedures for further leveling the shell (raising the low corners, then washing in sand underneath), and goes on to say, "For one-piece fiberglass and vinyl-liner pools/spas, the distance between the actual waterline and the uppermost surface of the structure shall have a tolerance of +/- 1/2". This is the performance standard for judging whether a one-piece fiberglass or vinyl-lined pool/spa has been installed level."

So, according to this publication, the industry standard is 1/2", not 1".

--Michael
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Thank you, Michael! I appreciate the information. I want Pools of Fun to address it in some manner. Does anyone know of a fix besides tearing up the cement and doing it over?

Julia
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Hmmm. I guess I am "hung up" on the gap. If one looks at the skimmers on both sides, it's very noticeable. The deviation is in the width of the pool, not the length. If it were the long way, it would be less noticeable.
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

mcaswell said:
FYI, the APSP Builder's Manual says that when the pool is being set in the hole, levelness measurements should be within 1" before the crane is disconnected and dismissed.

However... it then describes procedures for further leveling the shell (raising the low corners, then washing in sand underneath), and goes on to say, "For one-piece fiberglass and vinyl-liner pools/spas, the distance between the actual waterline and the uppermost surface of the structure shall have a tolerance of +/- 1/2". This is the performance standard for judging whether a one-piece fiberglass or vinyl-lined pool/spa has been installed level."

So, according to this publication, the industry standard is 1/2", not 1".

--Michael
Click to expand...

+/- 1/2"=1" from the lowest to the highest point on the shell. My newly installed pool (6/12/12) is 1-2" out of level in 2 corners on the same side which the builder has assured me is "aesthetic" and per the contract, they will install waterline tile prior to pouring the concrete. The tile we chose was out of stock and then the tile installer was on vacation so the tile will not be installed until 7/11/12. I decided on a fiberglass pool as it was supposed to be low maintenance, now with the tile it will be high maintenance. I think that there is a reason most of the pools on this site are concrete and if I had to do it over, so would mine!!
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Electron Mover said:
+/- 1/2"=1" from the lowest to the highest point on the shell.
Click to expand...

Ah, I'm no engineer, but I thought that this meant that the level at any given point had to be within 1/2" of any other point (so a 7/8" difference between the low spot and high spot would exceed this plus or minus 1/2" spec).

Or does it not work that way, instead measuring from the midpoint of the extremes (so, the high spot is less than 1/2" higher than the middle, and the low spot is less than 1/2" lower than the middle)?

--Michael
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

The industry standard is + or - 1/2 inch from the midpoint. So that does equal 1 inch.

The out of level problem can be rectified if you have a cantilever deck. I've performed this type of install at least 400 times. If you don't have a cantilever deck, tile won't solve the problem.

Tile, if installed properly and with the right materials, will reduce maintenance. The tile should be installed with silicone rubber adhesive and silicone rubber grout. Any other products will result in a failure.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Thanks for the clarification... I stand corrected (twice)!

Interesting about tile adhesive and grout... ours was installed with silicone adhesive, but I think the grout is just regular grout (it is hard / concrete-like, not rubbery), and indeed is starting to crack and crumble in a few places. Actually, the person who installed the tile indicated that he had not planned to grout it at all.

--Michael
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Flextile said:
The industry standard is + or - 1/2 inch from the midpoint. So that does equal 1 inch.

The out of level problem can be rectified if you have a cantilever deck. I've performed this type of install at least 400 times. If you don't have a cantilever deck, tile won't solve the problem.

Tile, if installed properly and with the right materials, will reduce maintenance. The tile should be installed with silicone rubber adhesive and silicone rubber grout. Any other products will result in a failure.
Click to expand...

I will have cantilever decking. I thought all tile fell off at around 8-10 years and grout had to be cleaned every season.....this is not correct?

Thanks,

Bill
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

I use a grout called spectralok, it is an epoxy grout. We have used it for about seven years and have yet to have any issues with it. I buy mine from Lowes. Spectralok when you read the container says not for that use, but the company that we build recommends only it.
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

swimcmp said:
I use a grout called spectralok, it is an epoxy grout. We have used it for about seven years and have yet to have any issues with it. I buy mine from Lowes. Spectralok when you read the container says not for that use, but the company that we build recommends only it.
Click to expand...

Actually, the data sheet on the company's website does specify "swimming pools, fountains and other wet area applications" as among its acceptable uses.

In contrast, the grout used on my pool's tile is a pre-mixed "ready to use" product that specifically says "do not use in...areas exposed to prolonged water exposure or underwater." :( Doesn't really matter much at this point, as it's all coming out anyway, but it's yet another on a long list of things done improperly.

--Michael
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

This may be a dumb question, buy I can't figure out how tile will disguise the fact that my pool is unlevel. We have put a thermal bluestone patio around the pool and Pools of Fun has just offered to put bluestone tile around our pool to disguise the fact that it's unlevel. Can someone explain how that will fix it, please?
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

jjerles said:
This may be a dumb question, buy I can't figure out how tile will disguise the fact that my pool is unlevel. We have put a thermal bluestone patio around the pool and Pools of Fun has just offered to put bluestone tile around our pool to disguise the fact that it's unlevel. Can someone explain how that will fix it, please?
Click to expand...

Putting tile around the pool can hide unlevelness by starting at the highest spot of the shell and maintaining the tile at that level all the way around (so the tile actually sticks up past the top of the shell in the lower areas). Once coping/decking (or cantilevered decking) is installed to the top level of the tile, you can no longer see the unlevelness of the shell.

However, this only works if the deck has not yet been poured... perhaps there's some alternative method that can be used if the deck is already there, but I can't imagine how this would help, as no matter what you do with the tile, the waterline is still going to be closer to the deck in the low areas.

--Michael
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

Thanks, Michael. The decking has already been installed so it really doesn't make sense to me. We also have an automatic cover so one can't put tile up too far. I wish I had caught it before the decking was installed last fall; the Trilogy person thought that it was unlevel at the time of installation. One would think before the decking had been applied, it would have been someone's job (besides mine) to make sure the pool was level.

Julia
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

The sad part of it all is it boils down to each individual builder and what they are willing to tolerate as to level. Everything we build we do to within a 1/4" not plus or minus but a 1/4". If a builder doesn't mind it being that far off that is all the closer they will get. I install Trilogy and their handbook when you first become a dealer shows how to install waterline tile to hide the imperfection of being out of level. Fortunately for me I have never had to do that since we watch grade a little closer.
 
Re: Trilogy Regulus fiberglass pool installed Oct 2011 unlev

swimcmp--

When I told the construction manager at Pools of Fun that you build your pools to within a 1/4", he told me that that was "ludicrous." I can only think that means that 1 inch is "good enough" for him. I haven't given up; I'm still fighting.

Julia
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply