Can concrete coping around a fiberglass pool be removed/replaced?

[bobspryn]

Our concrete contractor ended up doing some amateurish work while installing the concrete around our new fiberglass pool. They didn’t secure the form right on one edge and the middle bowed in like 3 inches, creating a curved edge on a rectangular pool. They also messed up the corners and didn’t align them quite right.

They claimed they could fix the live edge by chiseling it back, which they did, but then they added a whole bunch of concrete patching, using the silicon form to shape it. It looks like utter garbage, and of course the color doesn’t match.

In addition, they pressure washed the concrete, apparently too early or with too much force and put a bunch of squiggly scars in the concrete, which they then filled with the same darker concrete patch, and then tried to use the antiquing powder to make it not so obvious. Spoiler alert, it’s super noticeable and awful.

I really want them to rip it up and re-do it. At least that patched up edge, which I’m sure is going to start cracking and flaking in a year or so, but ideally the rest as well. I’m not sure if this can be done without damaging the pool.

Suggestions welcome. I’m losing sleep over it.

Original edge issue:


The “fix”:






The scarring with patching:

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning and welcome to TFP! Well, it seems like each season we see a handful of hack-jobs from a sub-par contractor, and that certainly is one of them. My heart goes out to you on this one. Ideally, shoring that FG shell (to prevent pop-out) and ripping up the concrete to start over would be best. Not an easy chore and certainly inconvenient for you, but that's probably the only way you'll receive true satisfaction with the decking mess and shell bowing. Speaking of bowing, once the decking is removed, they will also have to remove some dirt on that side of the pool to allow the shell to bow outwards 2-3 inches before repacking it. Just a terrible scenario I'm afraid. Bad part is I wouldn't want the same goofballs doing the repeat work, but it's probably paid for so you may not have much of a choice unless this whole thing turns into a legal issue which no one wants.

Could you leave the shell bowed to avoid that part? Perhaps. Not sure what the long-term consequences might be if any. You might contact the shell manufacture to get their advice. If the shell is okay as-is, there may be some decking surface options like etching, grinding, and/or coloring to make it appear more uniform. Let's see what other members think. Hopefully you'll find a resolution that helps you sleep better at night. Try to have a nice weekend.

 

[bobspryn]

Good morning and welcome to TFP! Well, it seems like each season we see a handful of hack-jobs from a sub-par contractor, and that certainly is one of them. My heart goes out to you on this one. Ideally, shoring that FG shell (to prevent pop-out) and ripping up the concrete to start over would be best. Not an easy chore and certainly inconvenient for you, but that's probably the only way you'll receive true satisfaction with the decking mess and shell bowing. Speaking of bowing, once the decking is removed, they will also have to remove some dirt on that side of the pool to allow the shell to bow outwards 2-3 inches before repacking it. Just a terrible scenario I'm afraid. Bad part is I wouldn't want the same goofballs doing the repeat work, but it's probably paid for so you may not have much of a choice unless this whole thing turns into a legal issue which no one wants.

Could you leave the shell bowed to avoid that part? Perhaps. Not sure what the long-term consequences might be if any. You might contact the shell manufacture to get their advice. If the shell is okay as-is, there may be some decking surface options like etching, grinding, and/or coloring to make it appear more uniform. Let's see what other members think. Hopefully you'll find a resolution that helps you sleep better at night. Try to have a nice weekend.

Luckily the pool shell itself isn’t bowed, and never was. The contractor just lied and tried to convince me that he was just following the edge of the pool.

I told the pool company that we need to rip it out, and they agreed. They were also frustrated with this concrete sub contractor.

Instead of just pouring it again, they will rip it out in the spring and pour a sub deck for us just to run the patio right up to the edge of the pool. No way I was letting the same group have another go, especially after lying on multiple occasions. They were paid a down payment, but not the remainder.

The main thing I was concerned about was damaging the shell when they remove the concrete. The pool company seems to be comfortable with the idea of removing the concrete though, so I guess that must be a thing people do.

Thanks!

 

[Newdude]

After building this year, sloppy work still hits me hard. It's too soon.

I can only hope that the people who let work like this slide, get given the same at their own homes by anyone they hire. Maybe they get a nice big dent in their brand new refrigerator and they have to look at it 52 times a day for the next decade.

 

[Texas Splash]

Nice to hear the pool company is supporting you.

 

[bobspryn]

Nice to hear the pool company is supporting you.

They certainly aren’t thrilled, but they like to leave customers happy. They will be losing some money due to remedying the issue.