Inground Ladder Mount Redo

[chris.bell]

When the construction company that I hired came out to do the concrete around my pool there was a miscommunication that led to the ladder mount not being set in the correct location. By the time anyone realized it, it was hardened to the point that it could not be moved much. For years I have had my ladder somewhat crooked, but solid. Last year when I was removing the ladder during closing, one of the eye hooks broke. I am sure that I could probably get away with using a few washers. However, I am wondering if this is my opportunity to fix this correctly.

I have read a few of the articles about core drilling, but I do think that this applies because the socket for the ladder is not really in the correct location. I could try the surface mount but I think that it would look worse.

I "think" that my only option here is to use a wet concrete saw and cut out a rectangle surrounding the bad mount and the area when it should be. I would then put a new mount in the correct location, connect the bonding wire, and repour the concrete. Does anyone have any experience with this? I am assuming that I have to put a bonding agent on the existing concrete so that the new pour bonds. Also I am wondering if it would be smart to drill some holes into the existing to extend some of the wire mesh?

 

[Pool Tool]

Sawing a rectangle is your best option i think. You will have to chip some concrete out either way to expose the wire mesh to bond back to. You can try to leave the "top half" of the concrete intact then chip the bottom out to find the mesh and bond. Rather than extend the wire mesh, I would use a hammer drill to drill a 5/8" hole into the existing concrete about 4-6" then push a 10-12" piece of 1/2" rebar into the hole in 4 places or so. You can overlap the rebar to support the new ladder supports while you pour concrete and to bond to. The repair will be obvious unless you paint it.

A core drill might be a good option to remove the old ladder supports. If you hire a company with a drill (drills/bits are expensive) they could take 2 cores out of the area that you will move the ladder too. After they core out the existing supports, they can usually salvage the two original cores and grout them into the place of the old supports and it looks pretty good.

 

[chris.bell]

So in regards to the core drilling, can they drill large enough to get the current ladder mounts out and still have the new ones remounted in the correct location?

 

[dw9000]

Some core saws have a pilot bit, and that would be hard to use with what you have above. I used a 2 inch diamond grit hole saw to drill through cinder blocks for my returns. Concrete deck with wire mesh would be harder, but not impossible.
I think if you had a good hammer drill and the bit below 4" (guessing at the dimensions in your diagram above), you might be able to do what you want.

https://www.zoro.com/morse-carbide-hole-saw-4-in-dia-atcg64/i/G1267174/

or

https://www.zoro.com/morse-carbide-hole-saw-5-12-in-dia-atcg88/i/G0634681/

You might be able to rent something similar from your local tool rental shop, drill and bit. It isn't that uncommon to drill through a foundation for sewer etc,
The bits above would be to shallow for your deck, but you could drill in as far is it would go and use a chiesel to knock out the plug, then continue drilling. The existing holes would make that piece of it easier.