New Pool installed too deep?

[kcalabr440]

Hi everyone

I'm hoping someone can help me determine if my pool was installed too low and what i can do to make the deck drain.

my yard slopes up from the house to the fence about 8" in about 30 feet. The pool was backfilled about 2 weeks ago, thats when i noticed something didn't look right to me. 3 walls (the back wall by fence and each short side) appear to be very low. I asked the installer why they were so low he said it has to be that way because he cant go above the concrete path at the back of the house. So now i have 3 sides of my pool anywhere from 5 to 8 inches below grade and the forth side about 4 inches below which seems to be good after the deck is installed.

My question is was this pool put in correct or should it have gone in so 3 sides after the deck is in will be flush or slightly higher than the ground and maybe a small slope on the front side. It seems this way all sides would drain properly. I'm not sure what to do with the deck when it comes time for that. Should i try to get installer to pay for any additional deck work that needs to be done to get them to drain.

Any thoughts, suggestions and comments would help me understand what happened here, if anything, and what could be done now to make this pool safe and work like it should.

thanks
ken

 

[257WbyMag]

Welcome to TFP!

Is there any way that you can post some pictures? We can better advise you once we are able to see what is going on.

 

[kcalabr440]

I have some pictures how do i post them

thanks
ken

 

[kcalabr440]

attached please find the pictures of the pool. we can take new pictures in the morning if necessary.

 

[8corneflakes]

Im not a pro but it would seem that the PB should have chosen a grade that would ensure water shed away from the pool. Most homes are built on an elevated grade for that reason. If i understand correctly your pool was built into the side of a hill but unfortunately at the bottom. Where does you water shed now? Is your pool literally in a hole or does the grade continue to fall towards or around your home?

 

[kcalabr440]

There is a slight slope that goes towards the house, never really had any drainage issues. the yard slopes all the way to the street, the water flows along each side of the house.

 

[8corneflakes]

You cannot stop water. The only thing you can do is control where it goes. Water seeks the lowest level. create a route for it to go away from your pool and deck. Install a perimeter drain at the edges of your pool deck. the deck should be poured with fall away from the pool to route the water to the perforated drain tile. You could route the drain into your existing storm sewer that your downspouts empty into if available or find a nice inconspicuous place to just let it empty onto the hillside. You have created a way for the water to get lower than the pool deck and away from the pool. If you need help with how to in stall the drain just ask. Its really simple. Hope this helps

 

[duraleigh]

You cannot stop water. The only thing you can do is control where it goes. Water seeks the lowest level. create a route for it to go away from your pool and deck.

Absolutely rock solid advice. You must create a path for the water to go away from your pool.

Correcting the pics upright may help but it may also be very difficult to demonstrate an 8" fall with a pic.

 

[kcalabr440]

i understand that i need to get the water away from the pool, but this is a situation that i didnt create. I paid a lot of money to have a company install it since i know nothing about installing pools. My feeling is if this pool was installed at the height of the patio all sides would drain properly.

Is there any reason why the installer would put the pool in so low, or as the installer said he needed to "respect this" as he pointed to the concrete slab next to the house, he said he cant go above that. I got one estimate so far for the deck and it is almost $4000 more because he says I need to put french drain around 3 sides.

Can anyone who knows about installing pools say that this pool was installed at the right height. I feel i should not be responsible for extra costs because i now need to get the water away from the pool. Also the fact now that coming off the patio you would have to step down to the pool, that is something i didnt want.

thanks to all
Ken

 

[8corneflakes]

I would say that all pools should be built slightly above grade but I am not a professional pool builder. I can safely say nobody builds their pool with the intent that it be a retention pond to collect the runoff from the surrounding area. My impression is that you did not discuss the drainage situation prior to the build and you are responsible for the concrete work not the PB. If that is the case. You are up the creek. My opinion for what its worth is no pro PB would purposely build a pool that would naturally fill up with water unless the location left no choice. Elevation is the best drain in the world and cheap. The Patio thing makes absolutely no sense to me but, i cant see the whole picture. Sorry, not really sure how you are going to get the PB to fess up and fix it. Drains will work fine but 5 inches of elevation would have been better and cheaper

 

[JamesW]

Is there any reason why the installer would put the pool in so low, or as the installer said he needed to "respect this" as he pointed to the concrete slab next to the house, he said he cant go above that.

Ask him to explain why he couldn't go above the concrete slab next to the house. The pool looks too low to me. However, it's hard to tell from the pictures.

You might want to consider getting a landscaping contractor to advise you on what your options are. The landscaping contractor should be able to do a full site survey, including elevation.

Unless the contract specified the elevation, you would need an expert opinion that said that the current elevation was somehow unquestionably incorrect.