Raising Bond Beam - Elevation Issues

[JPRS51]

Happened upon this page a few weeks back and am excited to share our pool remodel and receive some excellent wisdom and advice from the members here!

We are about to embark on an Owner Build pool remodel with some DIYing mixed in. The pool is the start of what will be a total backyard remodel. As shown by the photo below, the past owners of our home went a little crazy with surface types and elevation changes. In the past 3 years we have lived here we have had at least a dozen people of all ages trip/fall due to this mess.

Our hope is to bring most of the backyard up to the level of the step that is outside the main back door (not the raised sliding doors). To do this, it would mean raising the pool roughly 7 inches. We will get a couple of inches with the poured coping we are planning, but the rest would come from an increase in the bond beam I assume. Thoughts on doing something like this?

My original plan was to handle the re-plumb of the pool and demo of the tile and coping myself, then find a subcontractor for the demo of the plaster and install of a pebble finish of some sort. Here are my initial questions along with photos for reference:

1. Is raising the bond beam something I would be able to do or must it be done with shotcrete/gunite?
2. Could this be done by the sub we hire to pour the coping?
3. I know this will require raising the steps and such, would that require shotcrete/gunite or is there a different cement that can be poured via form versus sprayed in?

Looking forward to the learning to be done on here!

 

[kimkats]

So where is the main back door? I can see the sliding doors on the porch in the first pic. I also see the bench looking "step"?? on the raised pad and something in front of the sliding doors. WHAT in the world were they thinking???

I want to make sure I understand what you are asking/thinking----you want to raise the WHOLE decking that goes around the pool 7". Have you priced this out??? That is going to cost a lot!

Me? I would break apart that pad the step is on and fill in the area that is red to make it level with the other decking. Then you can put in real steps leading up to the porch.

Maybe some more pics to show us what all you are dealing with and what you want the end result to be.

Kim

 

[JPRS51]

Thanks for the reply Kim! We are looking at redoing all of the concrete in the backyard. One thought that we are investigating is raising the level of the pool. I figured, since all the tile and coping are being replaced, perhaps it might not be that big of job. I have seen in diagrams that there is sometimes a layer of concrete between the bond beam and coping and was wondering if we could gain 3-4 inches there.

When we level out the rest of the cement areas in the backyard we would also get rid of the raised patio behind the house. Our though is to build out a new entertaining area in the yard somewhere.

Here are a few more shots. Interested to see what you and others think. Might save me some hassle and money with another idea for a backyard with fewer elevation changes.

 

[atttech-2]

I would get quotes from pool builders that do remodels ask what they recommend, and see what cost savings they will offer for you doing some of the work. I am sure that adding the bond beam and demoing the pool steps and reforming to the new depth is doable but the cost may surprise you. Also consider that a new depth will for sure mean a new skimmer and may require new returns as the old ones may be too deep to effectively skim. A less expensive option would be to only raise the pool decking by only a couple inches.

I know from experience pictures often don't do justice to elevation changes so things may be more extreme than the pictures lead me to believe but it looks like the 2 doors leading from the house could handle a little more of a step down at the house without looking odd or posing a safety hazard. The brown area where the lemon tree is obviously needs to be raised up. I would fill in the lemon tree area demo the step pads from the house then re-grade and re-pour or paver the whole area slightly sloping away from the house doors down towards the pool. at the pool the slightly higher coping would slope back towards the house and you may need a channel drain where coping meets decking for the little bit of runoff that may come towards the pool but I think it will be negligible because of the pergola and relatively small amount of ground that will see rain on the house side of the pool. Lastly I think I would consider cutting the first step into the elevated slider area that would reduce the amount of external steps needed to get down to the pool deck, you may even want to go down to just one set of stairs to maximize useable deck space.

bottom line by playing with the various grades ever so slightly I think you can get to a lower pool area that seems flat.

 

[jimmythegreek]

as said its a huge job to raise the whole level up, not worth it at all. demo the porch and figure out a step system to get to the main sliders and you will have much more room under that roof area. when you have a railing with a dropoff the space feels even smaller having it all level will feel bigger. the side door needs just one step, and i dont know whats behind the brick little wall but you could extend existing patio a little there or go around to the side gate and extend there. its better design wise to have dedicated spaces than one large space, like a nook for firepit and seating by that gate, a table and chairs by slider, maybe some bar tops high stools by brick knee wall etc. makes the space feel bigger and more usable.

 

[santacruzpool]

What about raising the section of the pool closest to the house - creating a tiled wall like many people do on one side of their pools.

You could even do a water feature coming out of the new higher raised section. That could be your entertainment area as well.

You would still keep the pool water at the current level, and have some steps that go down to it at the lower section...I found a few photos showing what I was thinking.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Raising the house side wall would hinder ability to supervise swimmers & react quickly.

 

[kimkats]

Ohhhhhhhhhh now I like the idea of taking down that patio. That will REALLY add some space to the pool!!!

If we take out all of the concrete and start over and show you some pretty steps will you be open to the idea of NOT adding to the height of the pool?

We can take everything down to dirt and start all over. I have some step designs in mind to get you to those sliders and the main door.

Kim hummmmm now to sweet talk someone I know with photo shop skills to do some work........

 

[JPRS51]

Thanks all for the replies. This really helps to think about options.

Here are a few things we have planned that work with the direction you all seem to be heading.
- The slider on the far right is going away and being replaced by a window, which is how the house was originally built.
- The middle slider is being replaced with french doors.
- I was planning on demoing the raised patio and having some sort of step/walkway down to the lower elevation.
- At a future date, after renovating the pool, all concrete in the back yard is getting demo'ed and we plan to redo the entire hardscape.

I just measured the step height from the small pad into the back door and it is only at 4", so I could drop the planned main level by 3" and gain the additional height by a thicker coping. Woohoo! Major bond beam alterations averted!

 

[kimkats]

Well that IS awesome news! Now for the fun part! SLEDGE HAMMER time!!! So do you want to buy me a plane ticket so I can help?? I REALLY good a tearing stuff up! LOL Just as my husband and Lee our IT guy here at TFP

When do you think you will start?

Kim