We've had torrential rain the past 24 hours. Excavation was Tuesday and Wednesday of this past week. Rebar was Thursday. They laid tarps in advance of an expected rain, but it likely didn't do much good. After 7-8 inches of rain last night and the gutter draining precariously near the pool, we woke up to a muddy and completely filled pool. They are draining the pool as I type so I'm not sure if the walls, steps, or benches caved in at all. Moving forward, what do I need to ask and look for to make sure that we have minimized any structural integrity? How dry will it have to be before it makes sense for them to plumb and spray gunite? Is there anything else I should ask our builder?
DFW New Build Flooded
- Thread starter klduncan
- Start date
They can fix it all. It IS going to be hard work. You just need to keep an eye on them getting enough dirt from under the rebar on the floor so there is plenty of gunite to make a good, solid shell. I would have good drinks and snacks out there for them. No you don't have to but a little good will goes a long way to happy workers which means better work. It has worked for me many times!
Kim
Kim
They can fix it all. It IS going to be hard work. You just need to keep an eye on them getting enough dirt from under the rebar on the floor so there is plenty of gunite to make a good, solid shell. I would have good drinks and snacks out there for them. No you don't have to but a little good will goes a long way to happy workers which means better work. It has worked for me many times!
Kim
i agree with Kim, during my build some which many dates were 95+ degrees, I put out a cooler with water throughout the day, even ordered them pizza once and they helped a lot setting rock along a dry creek and positioning large boulders for me. They really appreciated it and did a great job paying attention to detail and asking our opinion constantly if their work.
Are they charging YOU to re-dig? I found that is common with some pool builders in DFW. I'm having it put in my contract, I happened to ask a builder and he danced around it.
I don't think so. At least no one mentioned that they were. There is nothing in my contract that says we'd be charged for digging out. They dug out the cave ins from the walls today. the bottom still needs the dirt removed since the rebar is either flush with the dirt or in some areas mud is on top of the rebar. I'll try to post some pics.
I'm sure everything will be fixed. Our builder and supervisor have been out on site and working to fix the issue. As long as the dimensions are the same, and there won't be an issue with encasing the rebar, then I am ok with where we're at. I agree with the previous poster. I think breakfast burritos are in order for tomorrow. My husband works from home and said they had about 10 guys here today digging out the mud. The goal is to move forward with plumbing, bonding, and later gunite as quickly as possible. I can only guess that it's because the rebar was submerged. How do you remove the mud underneath the rebar on the floor?
We could definitely host a mud wrestling contest in the backyard!
RoyR
Bronze Supporter
Those tarps probably made it worse...a pump would have been a better option. That would make me cry....lot of digging ahead.
To get that mud up and out from under the rebar will be a hard job using small shovels and hands to get that mud from under the wire. They have to make sure to get enough from under the wire to make a thick enough shell there. It will not be easy but needs to be done for the future of your pool. Have your husband pop out to offer to get more drinks aka check on the progress. There should be enough space under the rebar to sit one of these all over: 911 Hercules Rod Chairs 11/2 in. - Rebar - Amazon.com There are different brands but I grabbed this one to show you what they can look like and the size.
Kim
Kim
Thank you Kim! Headed out to Walmart to fill a cooler of water and gatorade. Going to be 89 degrees today so hopefully it dries things out a bit more.
My builder has 4 cave ins, all with steel in the hole. Best part he said each one is 50 miles apart.
That would be tough! It must be difficult to have crews going in four directions since this is such a labor intensive fix.
They're sending crews out for plumbing and bonding starting tomorrow. The floor is partially dug out. My understanding is that code is for 3" of clearance for rebar. My husband is going to make sure he's here for inspection. I think we're going to breathe a big sigh of relief once we are cleared and have gunite.
To get that mud up and out from under the rebar will be a hard job using small shovels and hands to get that mud from under the wire. They have to make sure to get enough from under the wire to make a thick enough shell there. It will not be easy but needs to be done for the future of your pool. Have your husband pop out to offer to get more drinks aka check on the progress. There should be enough space under the rebar to sit one of these all over: 911 Hercules Rod Chairs 11/2 in. - Rebar - Amazon.com There are different brands but I grabbed this one to show you what they can look like and the size.
Kim
Plastic chairs are not acceptable. They create gaps in the shotcrete.
Chairs should be steel wire.
Ray I have seen the gray blocking looking chairs as well as the ones linked to above but am not sure I noticed any made of wire. Are you saying the steel guys make the chairs as they lay the wire? Or are there some already made they use? If so could you please link to them.
They come from the place we buy steel. I will snap or link a photo, when I catch my breathe.
Yes - prefab.
Those are neat looking and I can see how they would work best as there is less surface area that could cause voids in the gunite. Thanks!
Thanks for posting a picture of the steel chairs. Before the rain, I remember seeing something like pieces of brick that it was sitting on. I'll show this to my husband. He works from home and is able to check in as the guys are here working.
Yesterday, electrical came out to do the bonding wire before a light rain began. They tarped the pool so it didn't get wet. Hopefully today work on digging out the bottom will resume and the plumbers also should be here today or tomorrow.
Yesterday, electrical came out to do the bonding wire before a light rain began. They tarped the pool so it didn't get wet. Hopefully today work on digging out the bottom will resume and the plumbers also should be here today or tomorrow.