Redoing concrete around pool

[nid15]

We just moved into a house with a 50 yr old "champion" pool. The vinyl liner was replaced 5 yrs back.
The concrete around the pool is sinking/cracked and we are having it ripped and replaced by stamped concrete.
My pool guy is suggesting that we replace all our pipes, add a skimmer and maybe add lights.
The cost of pipes is 1000$ and labor 2500.
We had not anticipated these costs. My concrete guy says there is no need to change them if there are no leaks. These are original black poly pipes.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

A 50 year old pool with 50 year old pipes I would redo every single thing I could while you can easily get to the pipes and skimmer... It will be MUCH cheaper to do it while the concrete is not there than to rip out new concrete "if" something happened in the next couple years..

That is my thinking, you may never need new pipes but 50 year old anything is just asking for something to happen....

 

[kimkats]

Yeah what he ^^^^^^ he said! Now as for adding the light I would not bother.

You say "add a skimmer". Do you have a skimmer now?

How many returns to you have?

Is this an in ground or above ground but buried pool?

Kim

 

[RMcGirr83]

but 50 year old anything is just asking for something to happen.

I take umbrage to that statement

 

[cowboycasey]

I take umbrage to that statement

I am in that pool also

 

[DorsalSpine]

I used to tell my younger co-workers that the warranty expires at 40 and things start to break after 50. Now that I'm in my 60's that's not so funny anymore.

 

[1Sammy]

If left along those pipes can last another 50 years. Breaking the decking sends shock waves and maybe not now but may cause issues in a short time.

 

[nid15]

It is 40x20 in-ground pool. There is 1 return and 1 skimmer currently. The drain on the deep end is connected to the skimmer (which is in middle section) also. Apparently it's an old way of doing it. Could I possibly have the concrete guy leave some part with pavers. Behind the skimmer maybe? If there is a leak, those can be easily removed.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I agree with @1Sammy - jacking out the old decking alone will probably encourage a problem with the current skimmer, if not also the older pipes.

Nows the time to go the distance. Any other changes you want to make.......?

Maddie

 

[cowboycasey]

I would really recommend an updated layout... this is the perfect time to do it as it will all be ripped out... You could easily use pavers over the pipes and skimmers and be able to fix or replace if something happened, matter of fact that is a great idea and I am not sure why it is not done

You could also do that for future pipe layout, Just use pavers where you would put the pipes in...

2 skimmer
2 to 4 returns

 

[nid15]

I just talked to the person who is going to do the stamped concrete and he had another idea. Instead of the regular 4 inches, he would do 2 inches with a full saw cut wherever the pipes are there. Basically it will act like a paver and can be removed anytime. He will compact the area really well so it stays flat in place and has to be compacted again if replacement is needed.

Will I see a noticeable change by increasing the number of skimmers and returns. My thought is this configuration has been working for 50 years, why change it? We bought the house this year late summer and opened it in August (this is NJ) and they said the water was in really good shape.

 

[Geebot]

Gotta say that $3,500 sounds pretty reasonable to me.

 

[duraleigh]

but 50 year old anything is just asking for something to happen.

At my age and with my busy schedule, I spend a lot of time HOPING for something to happen.