Major trouble with the Doughboy and the dealer who sold it.

[harry5170]

Everything was going great til I noticed a buckle on the side of my above ground Doughboy pool. This caused the side to misalign. I called the pool store and they said they would send out the installer to check it. The next day I had standing water around the supports. I then found a split on a seam that was about 3/4" long. I sent pics and comments to the dealer and they sent out the installer with a new liner. I emptied the pool with vacuum trucks as I am on a septic in a rural area. I did this as soon as I found the leak. I could not just drain the pool as I am above a vineyard and walnut grove and on a steep slope. It cost me 1K to have five loads trucked out. The installer came today with a new liner, but the supports have to be rebuilt and releveled.
This pool had been in less than one week and we didn't even get to go in it. The pool store is saying that the insurance i purchased for the labor to replace a defective liner would take care of it. Since I think the pool was installed with a leaking liner less than a week before, I think I should be reimbursed for approx $1200 extra that this has cost me. I can tell the pool store has no intention of making it right.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should try to get this straightened out or is it just my bad luck?
The installer will recieve the reimbursement for his labor to replace the liner, but he is going to rebuild the supports and probably will have to eat the labor.

 

[NWMNMom]

So they installed a new liner and it was covered or gratis on the The $1200 was for the second fill of water or ???? Do you have a contract or some sort of paperwork from the pool store with info on coverage of damages, etc? The merchant is required to sell and provide a product which is suitable for the purpose for which it is intended at the price he quoted you, however the cost of incidentals (water or additional items) may not be covered by that. Your contract should spell that out.

 

[harry5170]

The $1200 I spoke about was $1000 to empty the water out, $150 to refill the pool, and about $50 worth of chemicals I lost when the pool was drained.
There was no real contract, just purchased the pool and paid the contractor she recommended to install it. I'm sure the pool was probably leaking as soon as it was put in, and it took several days for the small leak to manifest itself outside the pool.

 

[zea3]

I guess more research would need to be done. Was the pool defective or was the installation incorrect? Is the installer employed by the pool seller or are they an independent contractor whom the pool store recommended? You could talk to the installer and say improper installation caused you x amount in damages and see if they are willing to do anything for you.

 

[JasonLion]

If there was insurance, as you mentioned, there will be paperwork somewhere. That paperwork will spell out exactly what you are entitled to. Most such insurance will be very specific and cover only what it says it covers, most likely the labor to replace the defective components and nothing else. It is very common for water and chemicals to be the home owners responsibility.

To get compensation for the water and chemicals, they either need to be listed as covered in the insurance or you need to prove negligence. Nothing you have said so far suggests negligence to me, though obviously I don't have all the facts.

 

[harry5170]

If there was insurance, as you mentioned, there will be paperwork somewhere. That paperwork will spell out exactly what you are entitled to. Most such insurance will be very specific and cover only what it says it covers, most likely the labor to replace the defective components and nothing else. It is very common for water and chemicals to be the home owners responsibility.

To get compensation for the water and chemicals, they either need to be listed as covered in the insurance or you need to prove negligence. Nothing you have said so far suggests negligence to me, though obviously I don't have all the facts.

I understand this is the way it is. It just frosts me that I have to pay extra for the pool without even getting in it before it messed up.