POOL POPS OUT: HOW CAN IT BE RESTORED?

Nov 04, 2023

Question: My fiberglass pool was partially drained to replace a leaking lamp. Then we had unusually heavy rains. The pool lifted out of the concrete decking 1 to 3 inches at the deep end, and 1 inch at the shallow end.

The pool is 12-by-27 feet, with depths from 31/2 to 5 feet. What is the usual method of restoring the pool to its original level?

I have contacted five local pool companies requesting a quote for the service. Three were interested only in selling a new pool to me. One said he was eager to get the job but didn't follow up. The fifth sent a man who proposed that the pool be left as-is, but that a cap be put all around the pool to make its edges level with the high corner plus whatever additional height would be required to have a good bond of material at the existing high corner.

When I asked if there were any other solutions, such as digging down and jetting out the sand from under the high end, he said, "Yes, I’ll get back to you with some additional ideas."

He hasn't followed through. What can I do?

Answer: You have several choices.

The best solution is to remove both the deck around the pool and the screen enclosure (if the pool is screened). Then disconnect all electrical and plumbing attachments, drain and lift the existing pool, dig, re-level and reinstall the pool to the proper grade. Finally pour the new deck around the pool and reinstall the screen.

At the same time, the licensed contractor you have hired for this job will inspect and test the plumbing around the fiberglass pool structure (before the pool is reinstalled) to ensure there are no hairline or major cracks in the PVC pipes.

The other choice, as was suggested, is to apply a cantilever form covering the top of the pool, on top of the deck. These forms would be placed level with the lowest point of the pool edge to create an even appearance.

A bond beam would be poured around the forms, giving your pool a "curb" similar to the look of many commercial pools. On a residential pool that has popped, this would be a less expensive alternative, but it would not be as visually pleasing as before the pool was lifted off the ground.

"Before any decision is made, have a licensed contractor familiar with fiberglass pools visually inspect the structural integrity of the pool itself," says Rod Billette, salesperson at R and R Fiberglass Pools in Zellwood. If the pool shell is cracked, there may be more costs involved than just reinstalling it, adds Billette.

Check and see if this work will require a municipal permit. Above all, make sure that anyone doing any type of work involving lowering the pool water level has a separate pool-popping insurance policy in addition to general liability and automobile policies.

Once you get estimates from licensed pool contractors, you can determine your course of action. They’ll have to see the extent of the damage to your pool and deck to estimate the cost of repairs.

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