PoolRemodel

The old pool was over 20 years old and definitely falling apart. Plaster was falling off, the waterline tile was extremely faded, there
was this old fashioned "cap tile" that was also faded, and there were cracks all over the kool-decking. There were a lot of options
here. Did I want the new "Pebble-Tech" or not, etc.

In the end, I chose to remove all the decking and repour rather than to fix over 140 linear feet of cracks. At $7 per linear foot, it didn't
seem to make sense to fix those cracks. In addition, by repouring I could change the shape of the edge of the pool. No more ugly
"cap tile," now I could have a new modern-looking "cantilever edge." The difference in price between fixing all the cracks and
replacing the cap tile as opposed to completely repouring was only $1000. So of course I chose to repour.

I chose not to go with the "Pebble-Tech" because it was $3000 extra and I just don't think that this extra cost is justified. Some of my
neighbors have the Pebble Tech and while it does look slightly better it doesn't feel very good. It's kind of scratchy on your skin. In
addition, I'm told that chlorine and other solids that regularly condense on the waterline tile can also condense on the pebble-tech
and that it is very difficult to clean. It's much easier to clean good old-fashioned plaster. Finally, 2 of my neighbors recently had their
pools redone with regular plaster and it really looks just fine.

By renting a jackhammer and a dumpster and doing my own demolition I saved $1500.

Final cost of this project was under $8500 for everything.

Step 1 was to rent a Jackhammer ($100 per day) and a Dumpster ($300 for 10 yards, unlimited weight) and get to it. This was tough in
the heat. Temps were about 105 all day long. And I needed every last minute of daylight that I had. In these pics if you look at the edge
of the pool you can see the old fashioned "cap tile."

What a mess. These chunks had to be
loaded into a wheel barrow and moved to
the front yard, then up a ramp and into the
dumpster. This took a few days. Good
workout though. The chunks felt lighter and
lighter with each day. By the end I felt like I
could pick up a piece of furniture and throw
it across the room. Something about heavy
lifting just really brings out the animal in me.
This type of stuff is definitely not for today's
effeminate males. This is old fashioned
hard core stuff. Hoo-yah!

Step 2: Had to hire a pool tech guy to replace the pool light, replace the skimmer (that was actually a big job as it was embedded in 2
feet deep of concrete, also involved splicing a lot of pipes), and I had an automatic pool filler installed. In the past I had to fill the pool
about once a week with a hose due to evaporation. With this new device I won't have to do that. It was only $200 extra, because all
the concrete was already removed. Total cost for these 3 items was $1000.

Step 3: Now the concrete guys have to come in, set the forms, and pour the concrete. When they are done I have to water the
concrete 3 times a day for a few days to help with the curing process. Other than that, there isn't much to do. I have to wait 2 weeks
now before the next step can happen, because the concrete needs to cure. In colder conditions, 3 weeks is usually required. But it's
about 105 every day here and very dry, so 2 weeks should be plenty.

It's kind of cool how they do these forms. First they put 2 layers of form exactly flush with the top of the pool creating a 1.5"
ledge. Then they put this rubberized top form all around the pool to an exact height of 4 inches. The red duct-tape is to
ensure a smooth corner at the bottom. When this dries, the concrete will be sticking out into the pool by exactly 1.5 inches,
creating the "Cantilever Edge."