Pool constructed too high

[hayduke]

Hello All,

My concrete (gunite) 18x32 salt water pool with auto cover is currently being constructed (new home / new pool). Last week the concrete coping was formed on pool and hot tub. The coping is 4" thick, 20" wide. We just realized that the coping (top) is 4.5" higher than the concrete level at the house. Fortunately, we have not poured the patio yet. The pool coping to the house is 7' at its closest, and 16' at the furthest. My concern here is that there will be such an elevation difference, that even my patio furniture will not be perpendicular. The concrete patio from coping to house will be too dramatic and steep. My contractor is at a loss, and has no ideas.

Here's my question: Can poured concrete coping be taken off easily without damaging the pool walls? If the 4" concrete coping is removed, can I then install 3cm stone coping (travertine)? If I can go down to 3cm, that will reduce the slope elevation by 2.5". Still too high, but I think it could be workable for the slope of the patio. Any thoughts or ideas will be welcome.

Thanks,

Hayduke in UTAH

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Are you putting drains around the pool to prevent runoff water entering the pool?

I see the rock retaining all on the side. When you get a big storm you are going to get a lot of dirt and mud running into the pool. Having the pool coping above the deck level prevents runoff getting into the pool and can direct the water into the drains.

Here are many threads about people dealing with mud in their pool...

Google search results

www.troublefreepool.com

Do you have pics of the pool structure before the concrete coping was poured? If there is rebar in the coping it will be difficult to remove it.

@AQUA~HOLICS thoughts?

 

[hayduke]

Welcome to TFP.

Are you putting drains around the pool to prevent runoff water entering the pool?

I see the rock retaining all on the side. When you get a big storm you are going to get a lot of dirt and mud running into the pool. Having the pool coping above the deck level prevents runoff getting into the pool and can direct the water into the drains.

Here are many threads about people dealing with mud in their pool...

Google search results

www.troublefreepool.com

Do you have pics of the pool structure before the concrete coping was poured? If there is rebar in the coping it will be difficult to remove it.

@AQUA~HOLICS thoughts?

Yes, we will have several drains. My main question is can the 4" concrete coping be removed (there is no rebar in coping), and then prepared to allow a thinner coping (3 cm travertine)? The elevation difference in more dramatic in person - these pictures don't do it justice. Is 3 cm (1.25") coping OK for a pool?

 

[Bperry]

3cm is pretty thin but seems like I’ve seen concrete coping that thin on a pool. I’d be careful to make sure the patio slopes away from both the house and the pool as well.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Yes you can remove the current in place coping without damaging the B/B, especially if their is a barrier in place between the B/B and the coping. Minor damage can be repaired.
Instead of having deck drains in specified areas, have a channel drain in place against the house, this will give the deck only one direction of fall and will be less dramatic than a elevation fall from both the house and the pool. Standard fall is 1/4” per foot.
A second choice would be to have the deck poured to the bottom of the coping giving you a 4.5” raised B/B, have seen it in person and was not impressed.

 

[kimkats]

I am with @ajw22 in that I would leave the higher coping to keep water/dirt/mud out of the pool. People can/will step up to the coping. The decking does not have to be even with the top of the coping.

 

[Bperry]

Yes you can remove the current in place coping without damaging the B/B, especially if their is a barrier in place between the B/B and the coping. Minor damage can be repaired.
Instead of having deck drains in specified areas, have a channel drain in place against the house, this will give the deck only one direction of fall and will be less dramatic than a elevation fall from both the house and the pool. Standard fall is 1/4” per foot.
A second choice would be to have the deck poured to the bottom of the coping giving you a 4.5” raised B/B, have seen it in person and was not impressed.

I’d advise against a channel drain directly against the house. When those get overwhelmed by excess water it just soaks moisture down near the house foundation. There are parts of Utah that can get flash flooding type rains and that would be concerning. I’d try and keep the deck drains closer to the pool, but that makes the slope harder.

 

[Chuckiechan]

Do you live in a place prone to sudden, heavy, downpours? From your photo, it looks Arizona-ish. Thunderstorms and hail can flood out your drainage for a short enough time to cause problems.