wow, girl. I am glad your ex is going to help you. If you have the money, now is the time to change out the tiles around the pool if you are going to drain it. Does it need to be replastered? BY the cost, it sounds like that's what the pool company was thinking. how old is this pool? If you said it, I missed it. Personally, I would drain that nasty, nasty water. Ugh! BTW, we had our pool replastered and it was drained for days and didn't pop....Wishing you great luck!
Frog habitat
- Thread starter FrogParadise75
- Start date
We aren't 100% sure when the pool was built. The investor we bought it from said it was there when he bought the house in a foreclosure sale. He had it re tiled and painted in 2009. When it's clean you can see places that the white paint is peeling and showing a previous blue paint underneath. I emailed him yesterday because my financing is through him and he confirmed that at the time he had the work done the deep end light worked. After they refilled it stopped turning on so maybe it just needs a bulb replaced. He didn't have the pool company back out because at that point he started maintaining the pool in prep for sale.
Being a project manager by trade I've already broken out the project into days and tasks, including estimated time of completion and estimated cost. We are going to have a meeting today to discuss what weekend we want to do this that is open for everyone, it's sounding like June 1st. I'm going out of town next weekend and the ex suffers from really bad ADHD...if I'm not there to supervise it won't get done.
Being a project manager by trade I've already broken out the project into days and tasks, including estimated time of completion and estimated cost. We are going to have a meeting today to discuss what weekend we want to do this that is open for everyone, it's sounding like June 1st. I'm going out of town next weekend and the ex suffers from really bad ADHD...if I'm not there to supervise it won't get done.
Looking forward to updates! Please take pics as it progresses!
You'll be enjoying that pool before you know it!
You'll be enjoying that pool before you know it!
Sound advice and good link.....you can do it and you will be able to say I DID THAT! The paint may come off but that should be no big deal for a while.I am betting it was painted to cover up stains so no big deal in the short run. Save all of the money you are saving doing it on your own to put towards a new plaster job down the road.
There was a new pool to TFP that tried to do the SLAM to get their pool clean........after 5 days of NO change he decided to drain, clean, and refill..........good thing he did........he found what caused the hole in the cover....a deer
He was not going to get that water clean any time soon. Not saying you will find anything like that but sometimes it is just time to NOPE and move to the next thing!Kim
There was a new pool to TFP that tried to do the SLAM to get their pool clean........after 5 days of NO change he decided to drain, clean, and refill..........good thing he did........he found what caused the hole in the cover....a deer
ale: 
Frogparadise, sounds like you’re well in hand. I’m just adding my vote for a trash pump...you can rent the big ones at Home Depot for about $65.
Kim, I missed the deer thread entirely but during my blackwater foreclosure stint I literally had nightmares that while scooping I’d find a deer since there are so many round my yard. Every time I’d hit a big bump in my blind scooping I’d get a little chill.
Kim, I missed the deer thread entirely but during my blackwater foreclosure stint I literally had nightmares that while scooping I’d find a deer since there are so many round my yard. Every time I’d hit a big bump in my blind scooping I’d get a little chill.
We will be starting the process of draining, cleaning and refilling this weekend. I'm renting a pump from home depot. We will either pump into our grass in the backyard or into the driveway since the water is chemical free right now. I received my test kit from Amazon but sisn't want to waste regents when we decided to do the drain/refill. I will post my starting results after we refill. Going to post lots of pictures during the process!
You can and should test your fill water (except CYA as that has to be added). That will give us a base line on what you will need to do with your water to get it balanced.
Kim
Kim
Your thread has been very interesting to follow. I am so excited for you that you will feel such a sense of accomplishment once this project is complete, and you and your children are enjoying pool time once again. All the best!
I’m starting to get worried about the process. Since I’m unable to get the leaves out pre draining I’m worried the pump will just get clogged constantly.
What is the best way to drain when you have debris? Should I start the pump in the shallow end and move it as I clean out leaves?
What is the best way to drain when you have debris? Should I start the pump in the shallow end and move it as I clean out leaves?
Howdy neighbor!
Sort of, DFW area here also!
Good call on cleaning it out. I inherited a similar mess when I bought my house some 20+ years ago, although not to the extent you are dealing with. I did not have to do a drain but have since had a full drain done when I finally had the pool refinished 16 years ago and then a partial drain several years ago and I too worried about draining the pool and floating it. It is always a risk, of course on the full drain, the company doing the remodel did it and pulled the plug at the bottom of the drain to discharge any water under the pool.
My two cents on it, for what it is worth and some may disagree:
--yes, get that $65 a day sump pump from HDepot and start in the shallow end (or a step to get started) to avoid sucking in debris...those things work pretty fast although my pool is not as big as yours...and then just keep moving it lower and lower as more water is drained
--you should have a sewer main/clean-out out front somewhere...usually will be near front outside faucet/water shut-off box...maybe previous owner knows if it is not clearly identifiable (mine has rubber cap on it, 5 or 6" diameter PVC that leads directly to sewer)...this will keep you from flooding your yard, neighbors yard, and from staining the streets and sidewalks with that nasty water...if you do not have or cannot find the clean-out, ask HDepot for a couple extra of the hoses (they never charge me for extras and always ask how many I need--50 ft each I think) that attach to the pump so you can hopefully reach (or get close) to a curb/storm drain and push the water down there with minimal running through the yards and streets
--as you drain more of the water, it will expose and make it easier to clear the large debris from the lowest points in the pool, so kind of work in levels if you will to make the job less strenuous pulling the leaves, frogs, and whatever through less water depth
--I too fear the horror stories of the pool float and even though it has (and looks to be for a while) awfully dry around here weather-wise and since most of us do not have high water tables, you never know...maybe what you or someone earlier suggested is to take it to about a foot/foot and a half deep and then refill...that will allow you to easily get all the junk out, power wash the sides for the most part and then refill...replacing 4/5 or so of your water will be enough to take it from "creature of the black lagoon" to just "murky", which is very manageable with shock at that point
--you will want your pump and filter in good shape to facilitate things once you have refilled, so if you know either is truly bad (they look pretty old, my original pump was that one in the picture and my original filter was a sand version that looks like picture also), you will probably want to replace so you can get right to circulating the water once you drain and refill...this is one of the disagree points many may have, but if you replace the filter, my vote is sand...I know people with DE and cartridge and mine is by far less maintenance and it keeps my pool sparkly...but don't replace what doesn't need to be until you have to
--kudos on former spouse helping out, if we all only had as considerate one of those lol...if he is electrically handy, he can do the light and the pump (actually if he is reasonably handy, the filter too--PVC is just tinker toys for adults!!!)--when I had my pool remodeled, I completely rebuilt my entire pool pad...I am reasonably handy but no expert, so having free labor on that stuff is a big money saver
--in time you may want to replaster and retile, but I would see where you are after getting it cleaned up...sure it may not be perfect with odd paint in different areas but that was how my pool was until I could save up to have it redone correctly...believe me, the difference will be so night and day with it cleaned and chemically treated that it will take you a few summers before having it done right will seem like that big of a deal...plus, you might be surprised at how good it looks once you get it done, it may be good to go for much longer than you think...you were going to have to do this cleanup no matter (or pay someone to do it) before plaster and tile, so the only thing you are spending extra for is new water by not remodeling right now and that really isn't that much in the grand scheme--just look at a bill or online at your water provider and see what your per 1000 gallon cost is and that will give you a good idea of the refill cost
--I do agree with those that said replace the light with an LED model...less electricity and far longer bulb life makes it the best cost in the long run...I sprang for the color changing one and it was only $90 on sale more than the white and really cool to have many color options!!! plus old halogen lights, once you break the seal (even with new gasket which is must), sometimes they never get water tight again...but for initial cost savings, you do not have to replace light before you clean and refill pool--they are easily replaceable with pool full, they have long cord to bring them to the top
--finally and most important if you are doing this weekend, SUNBLOCK and HYDRATE!!! It is supposed to be 107 and 104 degrees saturday and sunday...geez, cannot believe it...we usually get to July before we get triple digits! This may be a loooooong hot summer...and one you will be glad to have working pool for!!!
I will keep an eye on this thread so keep us posted how it is going. Definitely shout with any questions...lots of good, knowledgeable folks around here who always glad to help (as you can already see). Of course, you know, when you get it all up and running and have that first pool party/BBQ, everyone that posted to your thread gets an automatic invite! HAHAHA! Good luck, it will be so worth it in the long run...and if we have a hot dry summer, the amount you will NOT spend on mosquito repellent will go a long way to paying for pool chemicals!
Sort of, DFW area here also!
Good call on cleaning it out. I inherited a similar mess when I bought my house some 20+ years ago, although not to the extent you are dealing with. I did not have to do a drain but have since had a full drain done when I finally had the pool refinished 16 years ago and then a partial drain several years ago and I too worried about draining the pool and floating it. It is always a risk, of course on the full drain, the company doing the remodel did it and pulled the plug at the bottom of the drain to discharge any water under the pool.
My two cents on it, for what it is worth and some may disagree:
--yes, get that $65 a day sump pump from HDepot and start in the shallow end (or a step to get started) to avoid sucking in debris...those things work pretty fast although my pool is not as big as yours...and then just keep moving it lower and lower as more water is drained
--you should have a sewer main/clean-out out front somewhere...usually will be near front outside faucet/water shut-off box...maybe previous owner knows if it is not clearly identifiable (mine has rubber cap on it, 5 or 6" diameter PVC that leads directly to sewer)...this will keep you from flooding your yard, neighbors yard, and from staining the streets and sidewalks with that nasty water...if you do not have or cannot find the clean-out, ask HDepot for a couple extra of the hoses (they never charge me for extras and always ask how many I need--50 ft each I think) that attach to the pump so you can hopefully reach (or get close) to a curb/storm drain and push the water down there with minimal running through the yards and streets
--as you drain more of the water, it will expose and make it easier to clear the large debris from the lowest points in the pool, so kind of work in levels if you will to make the job less strenuous pulling the leaves, frogs, and whatever through less water depth
--I too fear the horror stories of the pool float and even though it has (and looks to be for a while) awfully dry around here weather-wise and since most of us do not have high water tables, you never know...maybe what you or someone earlier suggested is to take it to about a foot/foot and a half deep and then refill...that will allow you to easily get all the junk out, power wash the sides for the most part and then refill...replacing 4/5 or so of your water will be enough to take it from "creature of the black lagoon" to just "murky", which is very manageable with shock at that point
--you will want your pump and filter in good shape to facilitate things once you have refilled, so if you know either is truly bad (they look pretty old, my original pump was that one in the picture and my original filter was a sand version that looks like picture also), you will probably want to replace so you can get right to circulating the water once you drain and refill...this is one of the disagree points many may have, but if you replace the filter, my vote is sand...I know people with DE and cartridge and mine is by far less maintenance and it keeps my pool sparkly...but don't replace what doesn't need to be until you have to
--kudos on former spouse helping out, if we all only had as considerate one of those lol...if he is electrically handy, he can do the light and the pump (actually if he is reasonably handy, the filter too--PVC is just tinker toys for adults!!!)--when I had my pool remodeled, I completely rebuilt my entire pool pad...I am reasonably handy but no expert, so having free labor on that stuff is a big money saver
--in time you may want to replaster and retile, but I would see where you are after getting it cleaned up...sure it may not be perfect with odd paint in different areas but that was how my pool was until I could save up to have it redone correctly...believe me, the difference will be so night and day with it cleaned and chemically treated that it will take you a few summers before having it done right will seem like that big of a deal...plus, you might be surprised at how good it looks once you get it done, it may be good to go for much longer than you think...you were going to have to do this cleanup no matter (or pay someone to do it) before plaster and tile, so the only thing you are spending extra for is new water by not remodeling right now and that really isn't that much in the grand scheme--just look at a bill or online at your water provider and see what your per 1000 gallon cost is and that will give you a good idea of the refill cost
--I do agree with those that said replace the light with an LED model...less electricity and far longer bulb life makes it the best cost in the long run...I sprang for the color changing one and it was only $90 on sale more than the white and really cool to have many color options!!! plus old halogen lights, once you break the seal (even with new gasket which is must), sometimes they never get water tight again...but for initial cost savings, you do not have to replace light before you clean and refill pool--they are easily replaceable with pool full, they have long cord to bring them to the top
--finally and most important if you are doing this weekend, SUNBLOCK and HYDRATE!!! It is supposed to be 107 and 104 degrees saturday and sunday...geez, cannot believe it...we usually get to July before we get triple digits! This may be a loooooong hot summer...and one you will be glad to have working pool for!!!
I will keep an eye on this thread so keep us posted how it is going. Definitely shout with any questions...lots of good, knowledgeable folks around here who always glad to help (as you can already see). Of course, you know, when you get it all up and running and have that first pool party/BBQ, everyone that posted to your thread gets an automatic invite! HAHAHA! Good luck, it will be so worth it in the long run...and if we have a hot dry summer, the amount you will NOT spend on mosquito repellent will go a long way to paying for pool chemicals!
Looks like Paul has you well covered! THANKS Paul! 
You can do this! Take lots of pictures so we can cheer you on your way to a clean, clear pool to relax in or throw the kids in to wear them out! LOL
Kim
You can do this! Take lots of pictures so we can cheer you on your way to a clean, clear pool to relax in or throw the kids in to wear them out! LOL
Kim
Pool reclamation has begun! We put the pump in a 5 gallon bucket before dropping it in the deep end. The frogs have all taken residence in the skimmers watching the water go down.
We ran the hose out into the street by our driveway. It smells to high heaven but hopefully no one notices to much. Good news is that it smells so bad it’s guarenteed to be chemical free[emoji23]
begin! Ewwwwwwwwww but needed, oh so needed!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,995
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I'm scanning your thread. I have a bit of a concern about the painted surface. If you know it's peeling now, do you have a backup plan if you find the paint is worse than you think it is? Are you going to fill the pool no matter how bad the surface looks? I hope that all works out for you. I have a 12K pool, and the estimate to replaster it was $5400. I expect yours would be more, as yours looks to be a bigger pool, plus the spa, but $12K sounds high (maybe that's a local thing?).
Whatever you end up doing: when you get the pool empty and clean, just before you start to refill, go find your water meter (out by the street somewhere) and take a snap shot of it. Start your fill. Use as little water in the house as possible: no laundry or dishwasher, limit showers if you can, turn off any irrigation timers, etc. Once you finish your fill, go out and take another snap shot of the meter. Using the two numbers you captured from the meter, you can calculate the water volume of the pool, and that'll be very helpful for adding chemicals, etc. It'll be a much more accurate number than trying to do the math from dimensions.
Tip: Mark the intended water level with a piece of good tape, so that when the pool gets full you'll have an easy time of knowing exactly when to shut the water off.
PS. If you don't empty the pool completely, and there is a substantial puddle left, take a picture of it, and measure it: width, length and depth, and I'll help you calculate the volume of that remaining chunk, and then we can add that to your water meter calculation to get you a good total volume number.
Good luck with the project!!
Whatever you end up doing: when you get the pool empty and clean, just before you start to refill, go find your water meter (out by the street somewhere) and take a snap shot of it. Start your fill. Use as little water in the house as possible: no laundry or dishwasher, limit showers if you can, turn off any irrigation timers, etc. Once you finish your fill, go out and take another snap shot of the meter. Using the two numbers you captured from the meter, you can calculate the water volume of the pool, and that'll be very helpful for adding chemicals, etc. It'll be a much more accurate number than trying to do the math from dimensions.
Tip: Mark the intended water level with a piece of good tape, so that when the pool gets full you'll have an easy time of knowing exactly when to shut the water off.
PS. If you don't empty the pool completely, and there is a substantial puddle left, take a picture of it, and measure it: width, length and depth, and I'll help you calculate the volume of that remaining chunk, and then we can add that to your water meter calculation to get you a good total volume number.
Good luck with the project!!
It’s going a lot faster than I thought it would. This is after the pump going 2 hours. I was able to finally disconnect the old Polaris. We decided to purchase a new one.
As you can see the white paint is missing in places and you can see the old blue paint underneath. I’m okay with paint missing. If we have a “tie dye” paint job for awhile it’s okay as long as it’s good for swimming.
My plan is to sell this house in 4 years and move back to AZ.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,995
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Good plan. You might check with a local realtor, but if your area is like mine, like most, a pool adds very little value, if any, to a house come sell time. Sometimes it can actually hurt the sale-ability. Based on comps, my pool was basically free with my recent purchase. It's very likely you won't get back any money you put into the pool. Fill it. Enjoy it. Sell it. As is...
3pm and we are down to the hopper. My oldest has started pushing all the leaves into a pile so the water can drain down to the deep end. The two large frogs are in denial and hanging out in the deep end.
The only snafu we have hit is the spicket outside by the pool is leaking into the house when we turn it on. Fixing that tonight. All else fails we have a second spicket in front of the house and a 100 foot hose.