My Spa Headache

[TProc]

Well........ We wanted a pool and Spa, our first pool, reputable PB, and this is how our spa with a normal bench height turned out to be. A 6 inch raised coping, and no step to aid in entering the spa.
To step in to the spa is a 26 inch step to the bench.
Needless to say, the spa went unused all last season after completion in June.

(Edit by Jim R..) I have no idea how this will be fixed. Anyone have any ideas???

 

[Jimrahbe]

tp,

Welcome to TFP... A great place to find the answers to all your new pool questions...

You seem to have the standard looking spa that we see all the time... I would suggest adding an additional step, in place of one of the seating areas, and adding a railing..

Let's see if some of our other members can chime in with better ideas...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[TProc]

Hey Jim, thanks for the welcome.....

Issue I am hearing from other PB's is chopping into the plaster and adding a concrete step or steps, is the issue of a separate structure being added to the existing, and expansion and contraction tendicies will be at different rates creating separation of the two structures and plaster.
Same issue if the spa is filled in and lifted......

The more we look in to this the more complicated it seems to be getting for the original PB.

Fact is per code, as soon as the spa coping is not at seat height a step should have been added.
And our contract and renderings/drawings called for a 18" bench height coping.

And know, we have not made the final 20% remaining balance.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Hey Jim, thanks for the welcome.....

Issue I am hearing from other PB's is chopping into the plaster and adding a concrete step or steps, is the issue of a separate structure being added to the existing, and expansion and contraction tendicies will be at different rates creating separation of the two structures and plaster.
Same issue if the spa is filled in and lifted......

The more we look in to this the more complicated it seems to be getting for the original PB.

Fact is per code, as soon as the spa coping is not at seat height a step should have been added.
And our contract and renderings/drawings called for a 18" bench height coping.

And know, we have not made the final 20% remaining balance.

tp,

I am not sure how valid the expansion thing is, but I see pools and spas being modified and renovated all the time in our construction forum... It does not seem to be an issue for most pool builders.

But if your contract and drawings show a 18" bench high coping, I'm surprised that your pool builder has just not fixed it...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

A 26” bench depth?? When you sit in it, is the waterline up to your neck?

There’s no easy or cheap solution. Any fix will require the plaster to be chipped out, and the gunite shell to be modified. New rebar will need to be tied into the exiting structure and then new concrete poured.

Hold that last 20% until remediation is complete. Sounds like when the shell was shot, someone did not follow the plan.

 

[TProc]

26 inch top of coping to bench......so the actual step down to get in

 

[JoyfulNoise]

26 inch top of coping to bench......so the actual step down to get in

So assuming about 6” from the top of the coping to the waterline, you’ve got about a 20” water depth. An 18” water depth is what you want on the bench. So they could add 2” to the bench height but then your feet would dangle more towards the bottom. They could also add a 12” step in. This is what mine looks like -





They basically need to rework the interior.

 

[TProc]

yeah......just reworking the interior will be suffice, and will bring the pool into code.
But still, this will not be what we contracted our pool/spa to be, and I will not be willing to pay the remaining due balance due to his negligence in adhering to the contract and plans.

Too add the far wall was not built to design, there was to be a bump out "snowman design" rather than a kidney shape, and the deep end bench was placed on the wrong side.

This contractor basically built what he wanted to build that day of forming and pouring in my yard that couple of days.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

What you describe sounds like a major miscommunication/listening problem. Those are not small mistakes and they should have been corrected after the excavation since that would have been the point where sizes and shapes can be corrected. It sounds like the PB just did not follow the plan.

At this point there’s little recourse. Are you sure you want this PB “fixing” things? Have you called in other PBs to get quotes. Perhaps of you can find someone else to do the correction you might just cut the original PBs loose. With that list of mistakes it would be unlikely that a mechanics lien could be upheld although that will cost you a lot in lawyer fees.

Did you sign off on any changes to your contract or plans after these mistakes were made?

 

[TProc]

talked to another PB and to demo and raise the spa, yes.....is a major job. This PB is not even considering less than 16k, and with the added decking repair/replacement, zoysia lawn repair, fence removal and reinstall this project will be over $20k.

To add, the original PB never finished the exterior wall coping and stone work once we began to debate construction mistakes. Pic attached

Instead, he filed a suit against me for non payment on an unfinished pool. Know, he has not returned to my property since June 30, 2017 and I have been encouraging him to return......

Due to the length of time of the last visit to my property, a lien is not possible. The max is 120 days since last visit.

At this point, my atty is preparing a contest on payment due, which is easy......and a counter suit for the spa.

 

[TProc]

my pool contract rendering/cad design

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Ok. That’s a more clear picture of what transpired. You should definitely work through your attorney on this and collect quotes from other builders on what it will take to reasonably finish the job. That’s the expert guidance your lawsuit needs. Nothing anyone says here will really matter all that much.

Good luck in recovering your funds, getting the pool finished and being able to enjoy it. Please keep us posted on what happens.

 

[TProc]

yeah, I am up on the legal, and not really looking for advice here. But it is a good lesson to others of how even the best known PB in your area can have an "off" month of two.....LOL!!!!!

I am pretty relaxed on the whole thing and hoping the original PB just fixes his mistake, I pay him what's owed, and we move on hoping for no warranty issues.