6’ inground pool build nightmare

[Vwsunangel]

We have been dealing with a company for over 3 months to build an inground vinyl lined pool. Long story short, it’s been an awful ride! The incompetence and lack of customer service is ridiculous. While I could bring up many issues that I’ve had along the way, I have two questions currently I need advice on please.
1. They sold us a 6’ deep end pool. We originally wanted an 8’ because of diving but told us days before the dig we didn’t have the room for a 36’ pool so we did a 31’ pool instead. They knew I was concerned about the depth but agreed to the 6’ since the tallest in our family was 6’ and at least his head would be covered. Now that there is water in it, it is NOT 6’ at all. Closer to 5.5’! One of the construction workers said its 6’ to the coping, not the depth of the water. Is this normal practice to be this deceptive?? This was something we talked about in great lengths and this wasn’t mentioned once!!!!
2. Now that we have filled with water (still no electricity, waiting on electrician!) the vinyl sides next to the stairs are not touching in the corners. This is a Grecian style pool and everywhere else is completely flush except for this area on either side. It probably sticks out from the pool a good 3-4”. Is this normal and acceptable? It looks like the shape of the liner just didn’t match up with the corner. I have FOUR kids and fear someone is going to puncture it as it’s mighty flexible!
Any advice appreciated!!
Top pic kind of shows the corner I’m referring to next to the stairs.

 

[Gladius Nova]

From my understanding, 6' would be to the coping, but the actual water depth would be to the middle of the water line tile, so 5.5' sounds about right. I don't think of it as being deceptive because it is a "known" industry standard.

 

[PoolGate]

I made sure to specify water depth on my 9 foot deep pool. I think you are not going to win this battle with the builder. For the liner issue I suggest you call the manufacturer and ask about it. I got nothing from my builder about any of my equipment I had to call the maker for all my questions.

 

[DorsalSpine]

I have a Grecian that looks just like yours. My liner is flush in the corner near the stairs. Mine is also about the same depth as yours in the deep end. That's not a diving pool, that's a jumping pool. My pool rule is if you enter the water head first and survive the experience you are done for the day. No exceptions.

I have a second cousin who is spending his adult life in a wheel chair because of diving into shallow water. In my opinion your deep end is not deep enough to dive in.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Specifying exact depth is only applicable in a concrete pool. With a liner pool they are kits and difficult to sway from standard depths. A 6ft pool is about 5 and a half feet that's normal. Its plenty deep for jumping and cannonball but obviously not diving. The pic you show doesn't show the liner. If you are saying the stairs stick into the pool that's kind of normal depending on the stair brand. If you are saying the liner isn't sitting tight in the corner that's the install. The clipped corners on a grecian make a harder fit but it ends up with how they set the liner. If the pool had water in it then the stairs were cut wet it sits tighter and is the right way to do it. If they just used a vacuum and dry cut the liner it wont be as tight. Need a pic from other angle to see what's going on

 

[JamesW]

Whenever depth is specified on a pool, it's water depth.

 

[bmoreswim]

I agree (that at least it should be). And certainly any mentions here on TFP need to be water depth (unless otherwise mentioned) or we all go nuts.

For the OP, what's ordinary and customary vary by industry and even within segments of those industries. Bottom line is unless the "depth" term was defined as water depth, you have little to no standing against the PB.

It's a good thing PB's don't put signs up for highway overpasses. "Oh, that measurement is to the TOP of the steel beam".

 

[JamesW]

In my opinion, depth always means water depth unless otherwise specified.

All safety rules related to diving or other safety concerns are always water depth.

It's a pool. When someone asks how deep it is, they mean how deep is the water, not the depth to some random or arbitrary reference point.

 

[BMK]

Liner pools can be almost any shape, size and depth that the owner wishes. I would think when depth was first discussed with the PB, he would assume you were talking water depth since he knows that would be your concern as a client. I wonder how many of his previous clients considered the height of the wall more important to them than the depth of the water.

 

[jimmythegreek]

I can tell you that in the world of building the depth of pool by PBs is to the top of the wall underside of coping. The true water depth can change with the amount of water in the pool. When we reference water depth then we are talking height to the middle of the skimmer opening. Take a look at any engineered prints of a pool the #s are the frame or shell not water depth. I get the angle people are coming from and PBs should explain it both ways

 

[JamesW]

Pool water depth is one of the most basic fundamental concepts in pool building that any builder who doesn't clearly reach an understanding with the customer is being irresponsible.

It's unacceptable to come back and say that there was a misunderstanding.

 

[newpoolbuild]

Sorry to hear about the depth problem. We had the same problem. Water depth is less, we caught it while they finished digging. They came back and dug to 8’ deep, 7’ water depth. However, our shallow end is still 36” deep and 30” water depth, we can’t do anything about it. So we had to get rid of the sun shelf cuz 8’ deep pool need more leeway.