Closed Pool, now empty

[sande005]

Heard back from a company today. They won't be able to get a new liner in this year (I'm in MN and it will be very cold soon), but they offered to put in a temporary liner for free if I put a 50% deposit down on getting a new one installed in the spring. They quoted me ~$6500 for a new liner installed, no idea if that is a good price or not, no one else has been getting back to me. Pool is 16x36. The place has good reviews online if that means anything.

What company? I paid $3,000 for my 18x36 back in 2004, and $2,600 at a now-out-of-business company in 2019. So even accounting for a big covid/inflation increase...it still seems pretty high....
I'm in the Twin Cities metro area...
Try All Poolside, they can be a bit expensive, but generally do good work.
Performance Pool bought out the cheap guy I used before, no idea how they stack up but they advertise heavily that they are the leading area liner replacement company.
Pat Henry Prestige Pool built my pool for prior owners, but always tell me they are not taking new customers when I try to get a liner or other new equipment quote. They did a pool this summer just down the street, and it did not seem to go all that well - took a very long time.

You might have to go with the one you have - I'm not sure that 2x4's could withstand the potential frost heave we get in our climate......

 

[Newdude]

Never heard of a temporary liner

This would just be something they have in stock,

I bet it's a plastic sheet / sheathing of sorts that will more or less make the pool a pond for the winter.

 

[Mdragger88]

I bet it's a plastic sheet / sheathing of sorts that will more or less make the pool a pond for the winter.

Ahhh… makes more sense

 

[Newdude]

makes more sense

I mean. I was home alone all day today and I was *still* wrong 52 times. But I see them using a waterproof tarp or sheet for a $50 temporary fix.

 

[Sllabed]

What company? I paid $3,000 for my 18x36 back in 2004, and $2,600 at a now-out-of-business company in 2019. So even accounting for a big covid/inflation increase...it still seems pretty high....
I'm in the Twin Cities metro area...
Try All Poolside, they can be a bit expensive, but generally do good work.
Performance Pool bought out the cheap guy I used before, no idea how they stack up but they advertise heavily that they are the leading area liner replacement company.
Pat Henry Prestige Pool built my pool for prior owners, but always tell me they are not taking new customers when I try to get a liner or other new equipment quote. They did a pool this summer just down the street, and it did not seem to go all that well - took a very long time.

You might have to go with the one you have - I'm not sure that 2x4's could withstand the potential frost heave we get in our climate......

Custom pools.

 

[Sllabed]

I bet it's a plastic sheet / sheathing of sorts that will more or less make the pool a pond for the winter.

they said it was a liner where their supplier sent them the wrong one. Does this sound like a weird thing from a company trying to rip me off?

 

[wireform]

Why wouldn't they sell the liner to someone at a discount rather then just waste it here and they just happen to have what fits your pool...but maybe.

 

[Newdude]

+1. It seems odd to use something worth a couple thousand to the right customer.

Unless it's a useless shape/size for their clients, or already several years old and they're looking to get some kind of use out if it before it dry rots.

 

[Sllabed]

I'm heading over there today to look at liner options. I'll ask them some questions about what exactly they mean

 

[sande005]

I can't speak to how precise a fit a liner has to be, but I know the prior replacements always involved at lot of measuring....
So perhaps it "sorta fits", good enough to get some water in it for support and get through the winter. Although it seems like the OP might be being charged for it...rather than an unuseable item they have in storage given to him as "good will" against the future order. If he could get an estimate from another company, that would tell the tail. But he may not have many other options to prevent damage.....

 

[Newdude]

So perhaps it "sorta fits", good enough to get some water in it for support and get through the winter

So long as it's bigger than the hole, nobody will care about wrinkles. Lol.

 

[Bill1974]

If they have a liner that did not fit someone elses pool correctly, I doubt they could sell it to anyone else. Not worth the risk and the chance that it would fit someone elses pool correctly is slim at best. I doubt there are many people who would be will to pay for a liner that was not measured and made for their pool, even if it was at a deep discount. In your case I would think this would be an acceptable temporary solution. $6500 does seem a little high, but they also need to come out an extra time or two for the temporary liner install and removal. You are also in between a rock and hard place this time of year. I see your options as either the temporary liner or slap a large patch over your leak. The later has the risk it will fail over the winter too. Compared to the cost and hassel to brace the walls, I think the temporary liner is a good option.

 

[Sllabed]

I went and talked to them today, the liner was ordered for someone else's pool their supplier sent the wrong design. The liner is bigger than the one needed for my pool so they're just going to put it in for now as a good enough to hold water over the winter solution and replace it with the one I ordered once it warms up.

They're installing the temporary liner for free (or they just rolled it into the cost of the one I'll eventually get). Time is important here with winter coming soon. Normally I'd get a few quotes and shop around, but I think I'm just going to eat the cost of this so I can get this temp liner in before winter really hits.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[wireform]

I went and talked to them today, the liner was ordered for someone else's pool their supplier sent the wrong design. The liner is bigger than the one needed for my pool so they're just going to put it in for now as a good enough to hold water over the winter solution and replace it with the one I ordered once it warms up.

They're installing the temporary liner for free (or they just rolled it into the cost of the one I'll eventually get). Time is important here with winter coming soon. Normally I'd get a few quotes and shop around, but I think I'm just going to eat the cost of this so I can get this temp liner in before winter really hits.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

So I guess besides an upcharge buried in the liner cost for this service you'll also pay an extra water bill to fill for the winter but it's still a win win knowing you have a usable pool come next season.

 

[sande005]

Looks like we've got about a week until the water even thinks about getting hard. Which is very not typical. Should be OK, even if they can't get to it until right after Thanksgiving. Also, our water costs are really cheap, so that part of the bill won't be too much. So a bit of good news in a bad situation.

 

[Sllabed]

Yeah the extra water bill will be very cheap compared to the cost of the liner/installs. Probably getting out of this about as good as I can given the situation I'm in, at least I won't have to worry about a new liner for a while.

 

[sande005]

Just hope they can get it filled before Dec., then you will only pay about $110 for the water. In Dec-March., they assume all water also goes into the sewer, so $260 with the added sewer fee.
At least we aren't in LA, it looks like just for the water it would be over $300.

 

[Sllabed]

It's getting put in on Thursday

 

[Sllabed]

Here is my beautiful temporary liner. Being filled with water now, they left a mark with tape on the wall for when to stop.

https://imgur.com/aJ07OYu

 

[Sllabed]

Ope nevermind, just got a call saying they're not done yet. They just kinda left without saying anything. Have a little bit more to do apparently