gunnite pool repair logistics

[sdtfp]

I have a few repair items to consider for my gunnite pool.
1. There is a crack that is causing the top tile on the inside of the pool to fall off. My top tile is like 1 inch in height, and 4 of them have fallen. So its not a huge deal, but obviously water is getting in through the crack and I've been told it will keep expanding. See attached picture.
2. One of the stones at the perimeter of the pool has a hole on it. I am not sure what this is called but I will post a picture soon. The pool company i called said they can be replaced in sections. The sections are like 2 ft long. However, they said they dont have that exact one anymore, and the new ones have a more rounded edge and they might come in different width so they might have to replace a few of them to make it fit. In the end, if I replace a couple of these, it might look really out of place, so replacing all of them would be an option. I also have about 6 of these that sound hollow, so those will need to be replaced eventually. See attached picture.
3. My pool needs to be resurfaced in the near future. I don't know when the previous owners did it. And I've owned it for 3 years. The bottom still feels smooth to my touch, but i do see the spots of bare concrete the pool tech pointed out. He said to let him know if it starts feeling rough.

So at some point, probably in two years I will need to resurface the pool. I think that is probably an ideal time to do any repairs. However, I dont want to let these issues fester and maybe I should patch them now.

So logistically, which repairs should I go with now and which should I wait until I resurface the pool? And if you have personally going with these "bandaid" repairs, how has it looked? Is the pool aesthetic going to be harshly impacted? And should I just leave all the repairs to be done at once? This sounds like a costly option. How would you organize all these repairs to reduce costs? Or is it worth it to just get it all out of the way in one shot?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Picture #2 is showing movement behind the tile. If all the substrate was removed behind the tile their is a good possibility that a crack is present on the bond beam or the substrate for the coping.

 

[jedigrover]

Sure looks like a bond-beam crack behind that tile. The way the crack is going on the coping makes me think there may be an expansion issue with the deck that needs addressing. If you can see gunite spots appearing through the plaster, then you are definitely due for a re-surface.

 

[Bperry]

Just an FYI, Resurfacing the plaster is probably a $10k job. The crack in the tile does look like there’s a problem in the coping expansion joint (like that there is no expansion joint).

 

[sdtfp]

Picture #2 is showing movement behind the tile. If all the substrate was removed behind the tile their is a good possibility that a crack is present on the bond beam or the substrate for the coping.

I don't know what this mean. What do I need to tell the pool company so they fix it? And how much does it cost? And should I fix it in the fall before winter? You guys are making me think I should resurface the pool next spring.

Also is there anything else I should consider doing when resurfacing? Resurfacing is a new thing for me and I didn't even know it was a maintenance item, so I am wondering what else there might be.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

In order to repair the tile line, you first must understand what is causing the tile to delaminate.
By removing the substrate and exposing the bond beam this will give more insight to this situation.
This is what needs to be relayed to the pool company.
Cost will be determined at that time when all the information is gathered on amount of repairs.
Time is on your side so don’t put yourself on a tight time line.

 

[ajw22]

This article will help you understand your pool expansion joint and the reasons for the cracking...

Expansion Joints and Coping - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

To fix it the tile and coping needs to be removed to assess the damage. The extent of the repairs rquired can only be determined once the bond beam is uncovered from the tile and coping.

 

[sdtfp]

In order to repair the tile line, you first must understand what is causing the tile to delaminate.
By removing the substrate and exposing the bond beam this will give more insight to this situation.
This is what needs to be relayed to the pool company.
Cost will be determined at that time when all the information is gathered on amount of repairs.
Time is on your side so don’t put yourself on a tight time line.

Okay this makes sense but the pool company gave me a quote without exposing the bond beam (see below). Does their quote cover fixing the issue or will they sneak that in later? Also, I am new to pools and find the costs of these items incredibly high. Is this normal? I will shop around, but I want to know what I should expect.

 

[Bperry]

Okay this makes sense but the pool company gave me a quote without exposing the bond beam (see below). Does their quote cover fixing the issue or will they sneak that in later? Also, I am new to pools and find the costs of these items incredibly high. Is this normal? I will shop around, but I want to know what I should expect.

View attachment 453171

Removing the coping and tile exposes the bond beam. Though it doesn’t mention anything about a broken bond beam it may be included in one of the clauses elsewhere, something like “unforeseen repair work not shown to be billed at $xx/hour.

 

[ajw22]

I would assume that any bond beam cracks found once tile and coping are removed will be additional cost.

I would be there to examine the bond beam with them once it is exposed and ensure they don't turn a blind eye to any problems.

The prices do seem high to me but I have not priced and of this type of work since inflation hit.

 

[sdtfp]

I would assume that any bond beam cracks found once tile and coping are removed will be additional cost.

I would be there to examine the bond beam with them once it is exposed and ensure they don't turn a blind eye to any problems.

The prices do seem high to me but I have not priced and of this type of work

How high does it seem? The tile line seems specially high to me as tile work doesn't seem that expensive when thinking about home tiling. Are these special tiles or something?

Removing the coping and tile exposes the bond beam. Though it doesn’t mention anything about a broken bond beam it may be included in one of the clauses elsewhere, something like “unforeseen repair work not shown to be billed at $xx/hour.

Just an FYI, Resurfacing the plaster is probably a $10k job. The crack in the tile does look like there’s a problem in the coping expansion joint (like that there is no expansion joint).

Does this include the tile line? As I mentioned above I am getting quoted a lot of money for the title line!

I will ask them to give me more info on bond bean repair. I don't see any mention of it in the contract. Sounds like they would resurface it and change the coping and either be blissfully unaware or they would charge me extra. I definitely want to find out how much extra. There is mention of a 5 year warranty if I open and close the pool "professionally." Maybe the bond beam issue wouldnt show up in 5 years anyhow.

 

[HeyEng]

The prices are probably not "out to lunch." Every sub I have had out to the house for one issue or another over the last year has cost us a significant amount of money. The latest was a leaking dormer window; leak test and sealing the window cost us nearly $1200.00 and in talking to some neighbors, this is the going rate for reputable/insured work.

 

[ajw22]

How high does it seem? The tile line seems specially high to me as tile work doesn't seem that expensive when thinking about home tiling. Are these special tiles or something?

Hard to say. There are a lot of variables.

Have you selected a tile?

There is some labor in removing the old tile and properly preparing the surface.

What will be the buildup of materials under the tile? Below is the recommendation of a glass tile manufacturer....


https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0429/0022/6199/files/OGT-Pool-Water-Feature-Installation.pdf?v=1625588595

 

[sdtfp]

one additional and maybe unrelated question.

I have an anthony pool with 1 skimmer. As you may or may not know, anthony pools have 1 hole that is connected to both the main drain and the return. I hope I described that correctly... The skimmer has putty around it to stop a leak. It was done before i moved in. But I noticed a leak one year and the pool tech applied some more putty and that seems to have fixed the issue.

At the time i inquired and it seemed sensible to use putty as replacing the skimmer would be expensive. Right now, I feel like im basically replacing my whole pool with the costs of the coping and resurfacing. So would this be the time to look into replacing the skimmer as well? And if so, would I look into a different type of skimmer as the anthony style seems very uncommon. Or thats not really an issue or possible once I have this style pool? Or can this be done separately if needed later on without having a big impact on coping/surface.

 

[ajw22]

If you want to replace the skimmer you should do it along with the other renovation waork.

 

[Bperry]

How high does it seem? The tile line seems specially high to me as tile work doesn't seem that expensive when thinking about home tiling. Are these special tiles or something?


Does this include the tile line? As I mentioned above I am getting quoted a lot of money for the title line!

I will ask them to give me more info on bond bean repair. I don't see any mention of it in the contract. Sounds like they would resurface it and change the coping and either be blissfully unaware or they would charge me extra. I definitely want to find out how much extra. There is mention of a 5 year warranty if I open and close the pool "professionally." Maybe the bond beam issue wouldnt show up in 5 years anyhow.

For reference replastering my pool quotes came back at $11k -$14k last month. That’s replaster only. Replacing the tile was an additional ~$4500.

 

[sdtfp]

For reference replastering my pool quotes came back at $11k -$14k last month. That’s replaster only. Replacing the tile was an additional ~$4500.

thanks for the reference! That seems equivalent when you factor in cost of living between TN and NY.