Pool from the 50s or 60s

Bowen0525

Member
Feb 5, 2025
9
west Virginia
I am purchasing a very old home that has a pool that was probably built around the 1950s or 60s? Looks to be in pretty bad shape. What’s everyone’s opinion. Hard to believe it still holds water!
 

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How much would it even cost to get it back in shape $10 to $15 thousand
You going to DIY or hire someone?

Any equipment connected to it now?

You know if the underground pipes are good?
 
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Is it a vinyl liner or plaster
The bench and skimmer area look like fiberglass, with what we can speculate at the moment at least. Lol. Maybe a hybrid pool with fiber walls and a concrete bottom.

Screenshot_20250206_073811_Chrome.jpg


Dropping a liner in there so long as the structure is fine (it would need to be imspected) would limit the pool surface refinishing / spending between $5k and $7500.
 
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It was a beauty in the pic from the past! I hope you do fix it back up. The cost will really depend if you do the work or use your wallet to have the work done aka hire it out.

Keep us in the loop and we can/will help you out to get the beauty back up and running!
 
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Pool looks like painted concrete.

The water being at a consistent point makes me wonder if there is a plumbing line at that elevation that leaks. Do you see anything in the pool at the level of the water?

Step 1: Drain and clean out pool, visually inspect the surface/shell/fittings. If there are no catastrophic failures (giant cracks/holes/etc) then go to step 2.

Step 2: Have a professional leak location done on all the lines. The black piping coming into the equipment room does not look like 50's-60's vintage. If the plumbing holds pressure, go to step 3.

Step 3: Determine if any equipment needs serviced/replaced. You might need a new pump motor and filter sand, but with the equipment being indoor and in VA it may just work.

If the shell doesn't leak, the plumbing doesn't leak, and the equipment can be made operable then it is a question of what you want the pool to look like and the cost to get it there - which could be $5k or it could be $100k.

You might just have a diamond there after you clean it up a bit.
 
In addition if I don not plan to complete the pool the first year I live there, is it better to drain it, clean it, patch concrete, paint it, and let it sit? Or is it better to let it sit as is?
Let it sit as is until you are ready to put it in service.

It has been doing fine that way.
 
BTW, painting pools does not work anymore. The EPA banned the chemicals that made pool paints last. Current formulations may last one to three years before they begin chalking.

Plaster or a vinyl liner are the way to go.
 
Just FYI - and costs vary wildly, but the quote to fill in my 18x36 rectangular pool, including hauling of parts away and code required compaction of the fill, was about $30,000. I kept the pool, and am gambling that I do not have to invest that much for the amount of years I continue to live next to it.....

So there is that factor, depending of course on how compliant to local codes you will be, and how much heavy equip. work you can do DIY if you decide to not keep it.
 

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