Recent content by MAPR-Austin

It's hard for me to judge evaporation and how much water loss to expect, I think a bucket test will give you the answer you want. The pool isn't heated, correct?

You can do a bucket test to check for leaks, but what you are describing sounds normal. That is a really nice setting and a good looking pool. https://www.americanleakdetection.com/diy-leak-tests/bucket-test/

Aside from glass tiles on exposed walls I haven't seen any soft joints used.

Pictures are needed to really give any specific advice. If there is no rebar tying the coping to the pool shell, it should be easy to chop the coping up and pop it loose with a chipping hammer. If it is tied to the pool shell then there is a lot more labor involved.

I'd give Miracote tech support a call and see if they can answer on if the whitish areas are a concern. Tech sheet says don't apply when rain is expected within 24 hours. https://miracote.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Miracote-BC-Pro-PTDS_-Rev-4-26-2023.pdf

Any reason you can't just have a service company come check things over, fill it up and see if it runs/operates? Looks like an electric heater in the equipment picture, is that correct?

Efflorescence like that can mean water migrating from the pool side of the wall. Check the pool side closely for cracks.

The efflorescence/calcium makes me worry that water is coming through from the pool side of the wall. Are there any cracks at all on the pool side? You will probably have to look really closely.

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...

Hard to judge from a photo but it looks like it was applied a bit thin and the pebbles washed out, or they didn't expose that one spot enough. Have you asked the contractor about it?

The lines in that pool look like they are just for appearance, but it also looks like the pool is being constructed differently from what you described. Most skimmers have a second port for an equalizer line, which allows the skimmer to stay full even if the water drops below the skimmer mouth.

That is a really nice pool and pool room/area. If it get's 1/10th the use it looks like it does then I would have a hard time getting rid of it. 50k for that scope of work seems reasonable. I don't know that the whole scope is needed, it depends on what you want: -The waterline tile looks...

Yep, frost heave is soil expansion due to ice forming. See what it looks like once you're into Spring.

This looks like frost heave to me, especially if you have had unusually or extreme cold. Can you think of any reason the ground under the deck there would be saturated? Different grade/fill, plumbing trench, existing backfill from house construction? If it is frost heave there is a good...

I can only imagine that we would be out of your budget, but this is another option for hybrid pools. We have done hundreds of them with great success. https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/need-refurbish-hybrid-pool-help.222743/ We have done projects from Guam to Alaska, and I have looked...