Hello all, I am new to the forums. I found it as I was looking for information as my new build has not been smooth. I wasn't happy with some aspects of the build so I brought in a pool company that has 20 years experience in the area. They pointed out numerous issues, the main one being that they would have put drain tile/pipe, with a sump pipe or runoff pipe as I live in eastern Canada and the ground freeze's in the winter. The company advised that the water will freeze and thaw every year and it "could" cause the wall to collapse at some point down the line, like 10 years they said.
I spoke with my builder, he did not put any drainage as he stated my property didn't need it, that the pool is higher than my neighbours yards etc. You can see in the photo's, where the gravel is on the house side of the pool will all be concrete. Builder said they will slope it to the sides etc. He advised that he put a lot of cement at the foot of the wall and that frost line is 4 feet, hence any water above that won't freeze, it will drain through the gravel and freeze at 4 feet or around or below the cement footings. I called Canada Pool Supplies, where the kit came from, and they advised they usually would advise to put drain tile, but that not many people in my position (backfilled read for cement) would dig it up to put it in and that most people over think things??? So I didn't get a clear answer.
One option is to put one or two sonotube's and get a sump pump to put down them in the fall and spring before and after freezing, only other options are leave it as is and hope for the best or spend a lot of money to drain pool, dig it back out, and put the drainage in. I did note that when they were digging, putting grout etc..there was no water by the wall, the water level in the ground is deeper, probably between 6 and 8 feet down as there was some water in the deep end but not around the walls if that makes sense. Builder says he has done tons of pools just like mine and he would have put it if he thought it needed drainage etc.
I don't know what to do. My builder is asking for the remainder of his money and I am stalling a bit as I want to figure out my course of action before paying everything etc. Any suggestions or advice? Part of me wants to be trusting and just think it will be fine.....ugh...
I spoke with my builder, he did not put any drainage as he stated my property didn't need it, that the pool is higher than my neighbours yards etc. You can see in the photo's, where the gravel is on the house side of the pool will all be concrete. Builder said they will slope it to the sides etc. He advised that he put a lot of cement at the foot of the wall and that frost line is 4 feet, hence any water above that won't freeze, it will drain through the gravel and freeze at 4 feet or around or below the cement footings. I called Canada Pool Supplies, where the kit came from, and they advised they usually would advise to put drain tile, but that not many people in my position (backfilled read for cement) would dig it up to put it in and that most people over think things??? So I didn't get a clear answer.
One option is to put one or two sonotube's and get a sump pump to put down them in the fall and spring before and after freezing, only other options are leave it as is and hope for the best or spend a lot of money to drain pool, dig it back out, and put the drainage in. I did note that when they were digging, putting grout etc..there was no water by the wall, the water level in the ground is deeper, probably between 6 and 8 feet down as there was some water in the deep end but not around the walls if that makes sense. Builder says he has done tons of pools just like mine and he would have put it if he thought it needed drainage etc.
I don't know what to do. My builder is asking for the remainder of his money and I am stalling a bit as I want to figure out my course of action before paying everything etc. Any suggestions or advice? Part of me wants to be trusting and just think it will be fine.....ugh...
