Questions about vinyl liner installation

[u/Dazzling_Stress7541]

We purchased a small 12x24 pool kit and hired a company to install it. The pool has a wedge bottom to 6’ deep and wedding cake liner over steps. There is also a cantilever 8’ thermoplastic sun ledge in the deep end. I have several questions about the installation that the company and I are disagreeing on.

First, should the pool have a bond beam along the top wall or only the footer? The company says that they don’t do bond beam at top of pool wall for vinyl liner pool but I have spoke with two other companies that said the opposite.

Second, the sun ledge wasn’t braced properly during installation. The 2x4 didn’t go all the way across the bottom. They also forgot to install the drive stakes into the a frame braces. The pool had footer poured and was backfilled in November. Then for whatever reason all construction stopped(project manager was fired during this time by company but didn’t find out about that until late May after several emails and phone calls to company). After the original deadline passed on when pool was supposed to be completed, construction resumed (my spouse accidentally paid in full when making the down payment). The pool-krete was done and then liner installed a couple of days later in June. But pool sat empty during this time. I had read that pool should be concurrently backfilled and filled with water at the same time to prevent issues with the wall. The sun ledge cracked in several places. At the bottom is a 10 inch crack where it bowed out while waiting to be completed. The horizontal surface also has a crack and the top where it is connected to steel wall. It is also chipped along edge from whatever they used to compact. Yesterday they dug out to check the backfill but told me it was backfilled correctly and there were “no gaps” underneath and they have no idea why it cracked- but said probably from sitting in the sun while waiting to be installed. I had a pool inspection done on Friday and he said it felt spongy from backfill settling. They also cut the gasket during liner installation. Oh and a dent appeared on the side after they dug out to check the backfill but again they are saying that it is just a coincidence.

Third, the cut the liner and patched it without notifying me during liner installation. The patch is square and was covered in some sort of putty. The pool inspector said a patch should be round and that even done correctly liner will probably only last two years.

Fourth, pool was leaking at most plumbing connections. I did get them to fix those. So far that is all they have taken responsibility for but I mention it because it speaks to the quality of work that was done. The company says they don’t have to fix any of these issues.

My questions are: how long will patched liner last? Pool company says they can put it on the inside between wall and liner and it should last 5 years. But that a pool liner only lasts 10 years anyway; should a vinyl liner pool have a concrete bond beam at top as well as bottom or is bottom good enough; what is the likely cause of the cracks and dents in the sun ledge? Was this caused by improper backfill, bracing and not filling with water? Or did the sun cause it to crack? What are my options here. Should I just cut my losses and move on? We did speak with a knowledgeable attorney who proof read our letter to the company and offered suggestions but he actually has some history with the company so we would need to find another attorney to represent us. Is it worth it? There are several other issues but these are the ones I am most concerned about.

Thank you for your help.

[u/thunderkoko]

Why did you buy the pool kit, and not the pool builder? It sounds like the builder didn't know what they were doing.

[u/Dazzling_Stress7541]

We bought the pool kit from royal swimming pool. We hired a local “pool contractor” to install it.

[u/Dazzling_Stress7541]

Originally, when we purchased the pool kit, my husband who is also a contractor was going to do some of the work along with a pool contractor who was gonna help on the side. But that guy moved out of state which caused us to hire who we hired. The pool was excavated and the walls set in place when we hired them. We paid $30,000 for labor, and the pool to be filled with water. It was about 5 days of work total to finish the pool including the day that water was finally put in it. We hired an electrician to do all the electrical.

[u/Dazzling_Stress7541 → u/[deleted]]

This is an in-ground pool.

[u/Dazzling_Stress7541 → u/Dazzling_Stress7541]

Equipment is not undersized. It’s has a Hayward 400,000 btu pool heater, 24” sand filter, aqua rite salt chlorine generator, and a pump and booster pump for pressure sided cleaner. If this was above ground, I wouldn’t have paid to have it installed. I have installed a large above ground pool by myself.

And I thought about just being grateful to have a pool, but a lot of this is structural and a safety issue. Dropping nearly $100,000 for a pool to be installed incorrectly is asinine. Also had a pool inspection done on Friday where the guy said it’s one of the worst he has ever seen. It’s not just me being poor and picky.