New fiberglass pool is full of cracks... HELP!

[imrodee]

I'm reading and watching too. I would think that when a PB accepts delivery of the unit, it would be inspected by him and deemed acceptable. After all, it is his local reputation at stake. The only salvageable solution for this builder is to take it out of the ground and go away quietly. The PAC lighting situation just got my blood boiling... how are you to trust anything this guy promises? Is the PB part of a franchise?

I wish you the perfect outcome on this... and will continue to watch this thread. I'm sorry for everything you are going thru.

 

[linuxman51]

Dang. What a mess, you've got a lot more patience with this situation than I would have had... I'da been in outer orbit back in may and headed past Venus right now.

Good luck, hopefully everything works out in your favor!

 

[AquaDoctorLLC]

Been a week since any updates. Progress report?? I feel your pain. So much for a timely install and the use of the pool this summer.

 

[Highlandreef]

I really feel for you and the family and commend you for your patience, I would have probably blown a gasket by now and sounds like the pb is not far from you, I must say you must be a saint for not waiting on his doorstep till he got home for a good rag dolling, as I think it's probably well justified at this point.
I noticed your comment about how they are monitoring this thread and to think even after all this they are still giving you the run around, shame on them.
I guess unfortunately for some peeps moral values mean nothing and it's just sad.

 

[ouachita]

My guess is we won't find out many details until the litigation is over.

This PB is a creep. I would do whatever possible to warn people about him.

 

[mcaswell]

Yes, we've reached a point where we've pretty much exhausted any chance of an amicable solution, so we are trudging through the legal process, which will take months. I'll update if any breakthrough occurs, but otherwise there probably won't be anything worth reporting on for quite a while.

--Michael

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Please bear in mind that saying anything prior can be, if the installer were to win (just saying mind you), he could sue for "damaging" his rep also. There are legal ramifications, thats all I am saying.

Scott

 

[bpricedo]

Please bear in mind that saying anything prior can be, if the installer were to win (just saying mind you), he could sue for "damaging" his rep also. There are legal ramifications, thats all I am saying.

Scott

Mcaswell could just say he lied. The supreme court said that's okay.

 

[ouachita]

Please bear in mind that saying anything prior can be, if the installer were to win (just saying mind you), he could sue for "damaging" his rep also. There are legal ramifications, thats all I am saying.

Scott

Mcaswell could just say he lied. The supreme court said that's okay.

Actually getting a "Lie Pass" only applies to politicians and Gov't employees. Not us normal folks.

 

[Lershac]

any progress?

 

[mcaswell]

No, the case is working its way through the legal system (which isn't exactly a fast process).

But here are some more photos of the cracks (I realized that after those first few I originally posted, I haven't shown more)...


One of the worst areas (near where the middle is 1.5" higher):

Macro shot of this area. These are not just hairline gelcoat cracks... there's some separation here, and this whole area has an obvious rough texture:

This is the spider crack near the shallow end that I mentioned initially:

That particularly darker crack near the ruler is the one where one side of it is clearly higher than the other. Here's a close-up:

The builder characterizes this pool as having "minor surface problems" that are "common to most pool installations".

--Michael

 

[cramar]

Well, if logic prevails your claim is certainly backed by logic....let's just hope the legal process is still logical.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Minor surface problems? I can see fiberglass in the crack on the third pic! Common? Maybe for his installs. It's certainly not that way for the hugely larger majority of installers and people that have shells put in.

Lets call the 1st picture Spiderman. The second, Reflections because I see you taking the picture of an ugly spider webbed crack on the wall.

Scott

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Has the deadline for the builder to remove the shell passed? If so have you determined if you are doing a semi-diy or a fully built pool and have you selected the type of pool and the builder yet?

How did the summer go? Did your kids find a way to forgive you for hiring the company that did this to them?

 

[mcaswell]

Has the deadline for the builder to remove the shell passed? If so have you determined if you are doing a semi-diy or a fully built pool and have you selected the type of pool and the builder yet?

Deadline came and went long ago, but we're still trying to decide how to proceed with the replacement. To a certain degree, the urgency has been removed, since this summer is pretty much over (so, in other words, we wouldn't be able to swim until next year anyway), but then again, our backyard is a wreck... we've been working to get it reasonably back into shape, but we can't sod it until the pool is done, and the kids can't play out there for obvious reasons.

How did the summer go? Did your kids find a way to forgive you for hiring the company that did this to them?

They're terribly disappointed (as are all of us), but they are handling it as well as could be expected. Regardless, I'm extremely sad for them.... they were so very much looking forward to having their friends come over and swim this summer. We did what we could to salvage the summer, with a few hastily arranged vacations.

Earlier today my wife and I were talking about what this experience has done to us. Looking back at photos and video of day one, the kids were SO excited when the truck rounded the corner with our pool. It was the joyful realization of a dream we've had and work towards for many years, and this magical moment can never be recovered... even when the replacement of this pool begins, I don't expect any of us will have nearly the same level of excitement and enthusiasm, as it will just feel like a continuation of this same arduous construction process that began long ago.

Essentially, the whole experience of getting a pool has been ruined for our family.

I know that eventually we'll have a complete and usable pool, our backyard will be put back together, and we'll get a lot of enjoyment out of it. But this year has been largely taken from us (not just the pool problem itself, but the resulting overall "black cloud" that has been hanging over our heads for the past several months and for the foreseeable future, causing immense amounts of stress, anxiety, distraction, and sadness). We are trying hard not to dwell on it, but it's hard to ignore.

--Michael

 

[cramar]

I hope your lawyer articulates that as well as you did, and I hope the builder some day comes to appreciate it as well.
Perhaps years later when your family looks back you'll be able to say it brought you all closer together.

 

[Highlandreef]

That 3rd pic clearly shows the damage and it is obvious that is not surface cracks in the jell coat, that is clearly thru the shell, the builder stating this is just surface cracks in the jell coat is ludicrous and just shows what a scum bag he is!!!

 

[tlh0726]

All I can say is WOW OH WOW! I hope things have progressed since your last post. We are just beginning our research on which type of pools,size, equipment and builder to go with and your "adventure" has really made us stop and think.
Wishing you the best
Tina

 

[tpcorr]

Hi Michael,

I know you can't speak to specifics about what's been transpiring with your pool, but can you let us know how you and your family are doing? Hope all is well and will be resolved to your satisfaction.

Tom

 

[mcaswell]

Tom,

We're hanging in there, but it's been extremely stressful for our entire family. I've been diligently maintaining the pool water, but aside from that, we try not to look out the window. Of course, we were all very disappointed that this past Summer's plans were thrown into disarray, and we did what we could to salvage it, but it's hard to concentrate on enjoying anything with this dark cloud hanging over our heads.

And it's not just not being able to swim (too cold for that now anyway)... our entire backyard has been rendered unusable. We've taken some steps to improve it (bringing in several thousand pounds of soil to fill in the deep ruts left by the builder), but what it really needs is a good finish grading and some sod, which we can't do until the pool is replaced. Same with the safety fence that is to be installed to separate the pool area from the rest of the yard. I wanted to build a new swingset for our two youngest kids... can't do that either. Sadly, we finally have a backyard big enough for the kids to play in, but it's off-limits for the time being.

We had a baby arrive in March, and although he's been the bright spot in an otherwise dismal time, it's still sad that our first year with him is clouded with the backdrop of this pool mess and effort to be made whole.

--Michael