Mason Tripped And Spilled 1/2 A Wheelbarrow Of Concretein My Poo

[72bundy]

Hi I'm new to the forum. I have a 16x32 inground vinly pool, Hayward variable speed pump, sand filter and chlorine generator. The liner is 1 year old.

Last week, one of the workers for the mason I hired tripped and spilled quite a bit of concrete in the deep end of my pool during the pour. Needless to say, my whole pool was a gray mess. They tried scooping out the aggregate with 5gal buckets and various other things. In the process, the aggregate being shuffled around the liner got all scratched and they tore one of the seams causing a leak. They also left my pump running. They got the pool clean but now I have a scratched liner with a hole and a 1' wrinkle in it.

Should they replace or repair the liner? What about the filter, do you think the sand should be changed?

Thanks in advance for your response.

[jkusmier]

I'm sure some of the contractors here will disagree, but... While accidents happen, you pay contractors to improve the value of your property, not diminish it. If the liner was older and approaching replacement, I'd probably just ask them to pay for professional repair. Since your liner is only 1 year old, I would demand replacement, including labor (even if you installed the current liner yourself). I have no idea how much the contractor was charging for the masonry work, and you typically pay a percentage down, then make additional payments as the work progresses and is completed, but I would suspend further payments, ask a supervisor to come out, talk to him and present a written demand for replacement, accompanied by a copy of the receipt of the existing liner and at least 2 current quotes for identical/comparable replacement, including labor. I'd probably build in a pro-rated reduction since the liner is 1 year old - but not more than 10%.

And yes, I'd replace the silica in the filter. Some of the cement almost certainly got caught up in the sand, and will set even if the pump continues to circulate water through the filter. This is a poster child for chanelling, and while the problem might be nominal, it could also be much worse. Assume the worst, else you'll strike a weak bargain and be paying for it yourself later. So I'd add the cost of new silica and labor to my demand. Finally, as a bargaining tool, I would remind the contractor that any fine aggregate could potentially abrade the impeller blades.

What did you do?

[stevenz1g]

Seeing as sand/small rock is a key competent in concrete, replace the sand after the pool water is completely clear and everything is cleaned out of the pool before it has the chance to calcify and harden due to any hard water/high ph levels. As for any legal matters on behalf of the mason: He has a personal obligation to fix what he has damaged, but in today's age it's a stretch to expect personal responsibility