Should I be worried?

[Onetype]

Long story short they sprayed our shotcrete shell ~3 months ago. We had a torrential downpour that day so they had to stop mid way through, then finish a few days later. Shotcrete guy is from South Africa, said he’s been doing it 30+ years and said they spent extra time ensuring they prepped it when they went back and finished spraying. He assured me there would be issues with bonding the new shotcrete to the old and that the shell would be done to the best of their ability.

Well one of the walls has had problems ever since the first spray. I could see pockets where the concrete didn’t reach, and it’s been leaking ground water through the shell there since day 1. They told me not to worry and that they jackhammered that part out when they resumed spraying.

Its more or less been raining all summer so the pool has had standing water in it the entire time, and the entire time water has been coming in through that wall.

Fast Forward to yesterday, they sprayed Pebbletec. This morning I woke up and noticed it was still leaking from that wall (exact area). They are supposed to come acid wash and start filling it up today but I’m obviously concerned now.

Is the fresh Pebbletec ruined? It’s discolored from the iron and calcium in the ground water that came through the shell yesterday. Will it even hold water there? If it’s coming in the wall it can surely go out right?

I’m waiting to hear back from them, so far no one has shown up to acid wash.

 

[Newdude]

I have no idea onetype, so please accept this bump and well wishes that things improve.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Your number one concern should be is the pool shell structurally sound. Cold joints in Shotcrete are common and allowed when proper prep work is performed. Yes, if water can make it’s way into the pool shell with little out side force then once the pool is filled with water and that great amount of force pushing outward is applied water loss will occur. The mineral stains may disappear when acid washed since the stains are on the butter of the pebble. I cant see how this can be resolved with out removal of the pebble and surrounding Shotcrete that is compromised. Hope this helps, Ray.

 

[Onetype]

They are sending the shotcrete guy out today. PB told me they need to acid wash then fill it before they can address the issue. I asked “how does that make any sense, I’m watching it leak.”

Cold joints are common, I know this. They don’t shoot municipal pools in one day. The shotcrete guy explained how they prep the old stuff when spraying new, and that’s not the issue. The issue from what I could see was the tsunami that came through mid shoot looks like it washed some of the initial layer out so there was voids in it. They said they jackhammered it out before respraying but I have my doubts obviously in light of the fact that it’s been leaking there since day one.

It’s a major PB with a lifetime warranty on the shell so I’m not worried about them not fixing it, but I think all the plaster needs to come off, and they need to saw cut a portion of that wall out and respray it, then replaster.

 

[sktn77a]

Well, the exposed rebar isn't reinforcing anything so that section is suspect! I would be extremely unhappy with any of that work! Lets hope @jimmythegreek and more of the builders on this site can chip in.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Stopping like that is a nightmare situation. Nobody wants to eat a full re plaster after a major repair in the shell. Plaster will cure underwater, although most good crews like to wait a few hours (8 ideallly) to begin filling the pool. Many a PB fills the moment the plaster guys get out of the pool. It's likely it wont leak longterm, but not knowing what's in that spot is a major concern as is the mottled amd stained plaster