inground gunnite pool with no coping: what to do?

[sheikyerbuti]

My house in the Boston area came with a 30yo concrete pool with no coping - it just has tile right up to the edge of the concrete deck, with a little extra grout edging the top of the tile. As you might expect, the grout at the top cracks, and eventually the tiles fall off. Now we need to resurface it, and trying to decide what to do.
The obvious options off the top of my head are

1) ($$) just resurface and then suffer the consequences of having to replace tiles as they drop off. Total cost is like 1/5 of a new pool.
2) ($$$) add coping on top of the deck, and raise the entire deck by the thickness of the coping. The deck is now about a half-inch above the ground around it, and would end up I guess at least 2" above ground that way. Perhaps it could be beveled at the edge, so it's less of a tripping hazard. This probably has problems with the joint between the old deck and new parts. It might be a little less expensive than redoing the whole deck.
3) ($$$$) remove and redo the whole deck, skimmers, and pipes. Total cost comes out to like half a new pool.

Is there any other (reasonable/cost-effective) way to add coping, or anything else that would protect the tile?
4) ($$?) would it be possible/reasonable to cut a coping-sized slice off the top of the deck, so that coping can be added?
5) ($?) what about grinding away a small recess, of the thickness of the tile, around the top inside edge of the pool, starting say 2" down from the top, so that the tile sits under a little overhang of the pool deck. (Ok, I admit this sounds a little crazy, but I'm just putting it out there, feel free to shoot it down).

Any advice? What would you do?

 

[ajw22]

Pics would help to see your situation.

The tiles on the pool should not be grouted to the deck overhang. The pool, with or without coping, and the deck have to be allowed to move independently. There are moulding strips that are placed to cover the gap between the tile top and the deck overhang.

If properly installed you should not have tiles popping off. Here is a thread that has pics of what you should have —>. pool trim between tile and coping?

 

[sheikyerbuti]

Thanks for the info. My pool is apparently all one piece with tiles going right up the edge. There is no deck overhang, and no joint between the pool and deck. The deck has an inner area that includes the skimmer ports, which is separated by a gap from the outer area, which also has a few segments, separated from each other by some sort of expansion joint.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

 

[ajw22]

Where that expansion joint is located is key. And the health of that expansion joint.

 

[sheikyerbuti]

Here's a picture showing the tile going right up to the top, plus the area around the skimmer that has lost its tiles. The gap is visible between the inner portion of deck, which has the skimmer port cover, and the outer deck, where the chairs are. Other parts of the outer deck are bigger, this is a narrow stretch. You can also see a white joint between different sections of the the outer deck. There is no joint between the inner part of the deck and the walls of the pool. The joint between the inner deck and outer deck is missing its weather seal.

 

[jimmythegreek]

you are getting water behind the tile and its popping because of freeze thaw cycles. they make renovation pavers that are meant for this purpose. there is a coping edge that would cover the top and down onto the tile. the thickness is like and inch and they make the field pavers the same. you would just cover over ur existing concrete and then add a little dirt to the edge to transition to the existing grade and plant some grass. the deck looks pretty straight in the small section in photo if its all like that then your the right candidate for this. skimmer lids have extension rings you add to bring it up a little but I do see an issue w ur skimmer throat that is gonna leak like crazy you got work making that waterproof alone