Crooked Drain - Should we have it fixed????

[Sprstr13]

Question for everyone...I decided to bring it here b/c I'm getting two completely different sides from the Project Manager of my pool build and the contractor who is responsible for the crooked drain and would be required to fix it.

The drain on the bottom of my pool was is crooked. It is about an 1.5 inches from being parallel with the edges of the pool so it is noticeable to the naked eye. I'm sure it is extremely noticeable now, but might be less so once the pebblesheen is shot.

We talked to the project manager and he said they could jack hammer the shotcrete around it and straighten it out with no problem. When we expressed concern about future leaks/issues with that area he stated they would fill in that area w/5000 psi concrete and he said it should be bond with no problems. He assured us we should not be worried about a leak and they do things like this everyday.

The contractor approached us separately and said he would straighten it out if that was what we wanted, but it would potentially compromise the integrity of the shell structure and that we would be seeing a lot of him after the pool was complete to fix issues. He mentioned that it was a big issue b/c we would be changing a "cold joint". I'm not sure exactly what that is...

At this point there have been several snags in the road so I'm really not sure who to believe. Can anyone please help me out here???

Thanks in advance for all advice.

 

[zea3]

In a way they are both right. How much of an issue the repair would be is hard to tell at this point. Drains are repaired and replaced all the time, but there is a procedure to follow so that the repair bonds correctly to the body of the shell. Here is a thread on a similar subject: how to replace a main drain.
I'm sure some of the guy with pool building experience will be along to comment in the next couple of days. Any pictures you can post of the problem area will be very helpful.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If it's something you could live with I would. If it's something that's really gonna bother you, I'd have them fix it.
It probably won't be as noticable once the plaster is in but at that point it's too late to have it fixed.
The argument about affecting the integrity of the shell is a non issue. And if you're ever going to have it fixed, now is the time to do it.

 

[poolvibe]

The pipe itself has nothing to do with the "drain cover". A crooked pipe will not show if the cover is plastered in straight.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I agree, a picture would help. Cold joints are not an issue in pool construction, according to a builder who used to hang around here. The really big pools can't possibly be shot all in one day, so they have cold joints by necessity. It shouldn't be an issue, as long as nothing else is damaged by the jackhammer.

 

[waste]

If I may, let me put in my $.02.

I agree that now is the time to correct the issue. If the folks doing the fix have any expertise with this, they'll bevel the cut area, make a 'keyway' and use 'Laticrete' (or similar. They've already said that the patch will be 5000 psi crete, (which is heartier than the 3200 they originally installed)