Anyone care to ballpark??

[JulieS1007]

So our pool is over 40 years old and is in need of some tlc. But we've got a really tight budget right now and so are trying to prioritize our repairs. Here's what we're hoping to have done: replace coping, paint pool (replaster later when we have more cash), and replace the concrete deck (hoping to go with a stamped concrete from pool to fence). Haven't gotten any quotes yet so was wondering if anyone would care to wager a ballpark estimate for work like this? And would it be best to have one company come do it all or have a pool place do the coping and paint and a different concrete place do the deck? Never owned a pool before (just bought this house last year) so we have no idea the best route when it comes to any kind of pool repair work.

 

[glitter&guns]

I am in about the same boat as you - just closed on a house with a pool that needs updated/repairs and have never had a pool. The one thing I feel comfy saying is REALLY think about that painting solution. Before we closed on house seller was to have had the pool re-plastered. Instead he painted it. We could have refused to close based on that, but I really wanted the house, so we went ahead. Things to consider - our plaster was pitting/flaking in places and it continues to do so with the paint on - I can't see that it has done anything to slow that down. If the pool is a different color than the paint, then you have speckles of different color peeking through (my pool plaster was white, it was painted blue). The paint is just adding more stuff that is ending up in my filter. In order to have the pool plastered correctly, I now need to spend about $2400 MORE dollars to have all of the paint removed. THEN start the plaster process.

My pool has had water in it for just over a month since the painting happened, and there are lots of speckles. Lots. I am sure someone here has had a great paint experience, but I am not at all happy with the paint on my pool or the extra money to get rid of it in order to do it right.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Yeah, paint is a waste of money...it won't look good for more than a few months, so you might as well just keep saving for a replaster. Ugly plaster won't hurt the pool in any way.

Regarding the coping and deck, you'll probably get a better deal doing it together, but you never know till you actually get quotes. Ballpark estimate: between 5-10 thousand. Don't count on me being right Have you considered having someone install new coping and then doing pavers for the deck? It's a pretty simple (but time-consuming) DIY job that looks great when done, and it may be cheaper than stamped concrete.

 

[JulieS1007]

I knew it was a good idea to ask y'all before we definitively nailed down what we wanted to do! So what you're saying is, even if our plaster is in rough shape, it's better to leave it be until we can afford to replaster? We know we need new coping, for sure. One thing I'm wondering is if we should retile or not. Or if the issues we have would be fixed by the new coping. Here are a few pics of the really bad areas:

Now this, I have no idea what this hole is for, but it's obviously intentional as they cut the tile around it. Any ideas?

We actually have considered pavers, but we just can't decide. We're also redoing the whole patio area at the same time to connect to the pool area and trying to make it all cohesive while still economical. But also considering what is worth the time to do it too. We already have several major projects around the house that my husband barely has time to do already so if we want a new patio and pool surround by swimming season...not sure that can get done with DIY.

I'll come back with some rough square footage areas and some different ideas we're throwing around.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I'd budget for the tile too...looks like it's seen a few rough years. It's very common to do plaster and tile together. I think that cutout is probably an overflow drain.

 

[JulieS1007]

Okay, so would it be okay to redo coping now then redo tile and plaster later? Or should we do coping and tile now and then only plaster later?

 

[JulieS1007]

Our budget for all this work we are trying to do was based on the bonus my husband just got. Turns out it was close to $1000 less than we were anticipating. Gotta love taxes! So now we're really trying to narrow down what is absolutely necessary and the most cost effective way to get it all done. We already know that our 666sf patio area will be 330sf of brick paver border (done by ourselves) with 336sf of stamped concrete in the middle. Now, our options for around the pool:
1) do a full stamped concrete deck from pool to fence almost all the way around ~ 1122sf of stamped concrete (obviously most expensive option)
2) replace existing 3' wide concrete deck with new stamped concrete ~ 423sf then do pavers from concrete to fence ~ 699sf
3) replace existing concrete deck with new 4' wide stamped concrete ~ 642sf then do paver from concrete to fence ~ 480sf

 

[BoDarville]

Now this, I have no idea what this hole is for, but it's obviously intentional as they cut the tile around it. Any ideas?

It could also be a dedicated fill pipe for filling the pool quicker than using a garden hose connected to a spigot. I have both a fill pipe and an overflow drain in my pool. To find out whether it is a fill pipe, check for an in-ground valve near that part of the pool. If you do not find the valve and there is no other drain-type hole just above the water level anywhere else around the pool, then it is most likely an overflow drain.

 

[bigdav160]

Do you know if the equipment works?

My priorities would be to make sure the the pool was in good mechanical condition with no leaks. New plaster will not last long if you cannot maintain water chemistry.

If budget is a concern, that pool tile and coping can be cleaned and resealed to function like new. You may not like the style but a clean bright pool can still be a joy to use.

 

[JulieS1007]

All our equipment is in good working condition. All our green water issues thus far have been due to lack of maintenance on our part. We actually really like the coping we have, but since there are a few cracked pieces and also some loose piece and the mortar is falling apart in various places, we thought we had no choice but to replace it. It doesn't appear that the coping has ever been replaced. Does it have a life expectancy? Is all of this repairable rather than needing replacement?

 

[glitter&guns]

I have been seeing ads for white plaster for 80 foot pool at $2140. I am sure that is the base price before much prep work or anything like that. I am in DFW - that gives you some idea what to expect on the plaster (and colored costs more as do product upgrades). Again, I know very little about pools, but I refurbished a 100 year old house up north, and the tiles that you have in the pics actually don't look bad. The grouting is a mess, but the tiles themselves look like they aren't in bad condition - and with white plaster, I think they would be pretty in a clean retro-ish sort of way. Someone that knows more about pools than me may have a different thought, but I don't see why the grout couldn't be cleaned up and redone - scrub everything up, pick out the loose grout, re-grout. Seems like it wouldn't be too tough (again, only speaking from house redo, not pool redo). I mean, if money was no object, sure - redo the tiles! But if the idea is to get a nice cool wet place before Texas summer kicks in, salvaging what you got may be the key to making it happen. I got a bid yesterday to replace my tile and coping/deck (one piece for me) and it was well over $10,000. I decided that maybe skim coating my deck to deal with the age of it, a nice new color, and cleaning everything up is probably a better way to go. If I were building a pool, I would want to run slate all the way to the edge. Is it worth $10,000 to do so? Not to me. But I have kids that are going to want to go to college some day... dang kids.

 

[Killer95Stang]

Here in CA, we pay about $7 -$10 a sq ft for colored and stamped concrete decking. I'm in middle of a build and I paid $7, which works out to $6300.00 for my 900 sq ft deck. Every other cost I have won't really work for you, since none my cost require demo.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

With working equipment and a good test kit, there's nothing that you absolutely have to do now. It may not look as nice at you'd like, but the water will feel just as good!

 

[JulieS1007]

Oh, I just remembered. We do have to replace the light fixture. It technically still works/is getting power, but the bulb burnt out and apparently you can't find the same kind of light bulbs anymore. I've found a few similar ones online, but none that are weatherproof or for pool light use. The fixture requires a mogul base bulb. If anyone knows anyway to use a regular bulb in the fixture, please, let me know!! Or even, are you able to use a regular, non-weatherproof bulb in a pool light?

Looks like this:

 

[duraleigh]

I can't help with the bulb...sorry. Are any of the coping blocks broken or big chunks broken out?

This is probably a completely dumb idea but I like that old concrete coping.....it has a sort of gracefulness to it......the weathering even adds a bit. I'm wondering if you could salvage it and patch it up a little and PAINT IT and reinstall it?

I haven't thought that idea through but just thought I would throw it out there.

 

[JulieS1007]

I'm wondering if you could salvage it and patch it up a little and PAINT IT and reinstall it?.

That's not a bad idea. We actually really like that curved edge it has for holding onto. Only two of the coping tiles are cracked/broken so we could just replace those, I suppose. I only wonder if someone would charge the same to take it up and clean it up and reinstall as they would to install the same thing brand new, you know? Guess it's something we'll just have to ask about when we start getting quotes.

Any suggestions as to how to go about deciding who to call for quotes? I don't want to have to call like 15 companies. None of our friends or family have pools so no recommendations there. I asked our realtor but she didn't really have any either. I think my husband knows a guy at work with a pool who lives in the area, I guess he could ask if he's used anyone. Warehouse Pool Supply gave me a list of recommended companies when I was in there asking about the light bulb once. Is it okay to just start with those?

 

[duraleigh]

Well, I was sorta' thinking of that as a DIY project.....if y'all would want to tackle it.

An angle grinder to cut out the grout and some chisels, etc to break the coping loose, etc. It's a ton of manual labor but there is no special skill involved that would preclude you trying it.

What kinda' appeals to me is the look of that coping painted in a nice color to go with maybe some pavers that you like.

As always, it is very easy to tell other people how easy things might be but, typically things aren't as easy as they may seem. Still, I like the idea of salvaging that coping.

 

[JulieS1007]

I brought up the idea with my husband and he was like, oh yeah, we could totally do the coping ourselves! There are a few pieces we'd have to replace that are either broken or just too worn and rough, but it would be a much cheaper job! And we just borrowed my dad's pressure washer and got it running again so we can easily clean up the tiles and have them looking like new! He actually likes the idea of waiting to replaster since he thinks we should add a bench along the front wall and makes the steps bigger and add a handrail. So we'll save up for that down the road a bit. Looks like we're leaning towards refurbishing the coping ourselves and just having someone come redo the concrete deck in the same size it is now and we'll finish out the rest of the area with pavers. Now to get it all started!