I'm in the early stages of planning a major renovation which will be a mix of DIY work and subcontracting. The pool is an 60 year old steel wall that has deteriorated over the years. The walls are collapsing, and the pool floor has eroded in spots due to groundwater issues and what I believe was a poor vermiculite job before we bought the house.
The pool measures 17' x 33', with a very small shallow end and a long slope that drops down to an 8' deep hopper. We're looking to replace it with a kit from Pool Warehouse that would expand the pool to 18' x 36', with a full-width sun ledge. The sunledge makes the kit non-diving with a much larger shallow end sloping down to a 6' hopper.
I understand the concerns about losing the 8' deep end, but given the issues we've had with groundwater and the complications it brings, we feel this is the best option. We're comfortable with not having a diving pool.
The new kit is larger, which will allow me to rework the deep end by reshaping the hopper walls. I plan to fill the floor with clean stone and install an under-pool groundwater drainage, so I don't anticipate too much trouble there.
However, my main concern is expanding the shallow end and slope over what is currently removed earth. I can line up the deep end walls, but there’s still going to be a significant difference in the elevation.
I spoke with a local builder who specializes in gunite renovations, and he suggested pouring a concrete floor to address the difference in height and ensure stability. He would build up the area with stone and then use concrete forms to pour a solid floor to match the plans exactly.
That said, I’ve also read that concrete floors in liner pools can cause issues, especially when groundwater is involved.
Attached is a picture of our current pool compared with the kit we're considering. Any advice on materials or methods for building up the shallow end or thoughts on the contractor's recommendation would be greatly appreciated!
The pool measures 17' x 33', with a very small shallow end and a long slope that drops down to an 8' deep hopper. We're looking to replace it with a kit from Pool Warehouse that would expand the pool to 18' x 36', with a full-width sun ledge. The sunledge makes the kit non-diving with a much larger shallow end sloping down to a 6' hopper.
I understand the concerns about losing the 8' deep end, but given the issues we've had with groundwater and the complications it brings, we feel this is the best option. We're comfortable with not having a diving pool.
The new kit is larger, which will allow me to rework the deep end by reshaping the hopper walls. I plan to fill the floor with clean stone and install an under-pool groundwater drainage, so I don't anticipate too much trouble there.
However, my main concern is expanding the shallow end and slope over what is currently removed earth. I can line up the deep end walls, but there’s still going to be a significant difference in the elevation.
I spoke with a local builder who specializes in gunite renovations, and he suggested pouring a concrete floor to address the difference in height and ensure stability. He would build up the area with stone and then use concrete forms to pour a solid floor to match the plans exactly.
That said, I’ve also read that concrete floors in liner pools can cause issues, especially when groundwater is involved.
Attached is a picture of our current pool compared with the kit we're considering. Any advice on materials or methods for building up the shallow end or thoughts on the contractor's recommendation would be greatly appreciated!
