Swimming
Pool Renovation in France |
Does Your
Old Pool Need Intensive Care?
Are you ashamed to show it
to your visitors because of it’s
dreadful condition?
When pools are not properly
looked after the water can quickly become full of that
nightmarishly green algae and
other unspeakable objects, such as dead animals? Many
pools do get like this and to be frank it is socially
irresponsible to have an old pool that has water in it
that can trap and kill all kinds of animal and act as a
breeding ground for mosquitos.
Does it look like
this? |
Like
this? |
Or
will it not hold water? |
Or
does it have bent sides ? |
OK so your pool is a bit like
one of these – The million dollar question is what can
you do with it?
The
Good news is that many pools that look dreadful have
a very sound structure. Is so it can be utilised with
a brand spanking new liner to put the pool back into
sparkling condition.
But
please remember that renovating a swimming pools is
often more complicated and unpredictable than the installation
of a new one.
What sort of Pool is it?
You probably have no idea
what to do with your problem pool. If you have just bought
the house, you may not even know what type of pool it is – You
may not know whether it is a top notch installation that
has been neglected or something cheap and nasty that is
possibly even worthless!
If it was a top quality pool
when it was built it is possible that renovation work might
be straightforward and reasonable in cost.
On the other hand if
the initial installation was a "Let's buy a cheap hole
to swim in” you may well be better off by getting rid
of it. But even then there may be something that is worth
salvaging.
So might can you do?
You could ask local swimming pool firms for proposals. The
problem with this is that every firm will have their own
fish to fry and tell you what will just give them the highest
profit on whatever service they offer. And most pool companies
in France specialize in new installations because they do
not have the technical expertise to take on pool renovation.
And every offer you get will
be different – how
can you compare estimates when one firm says that their
way is the best thing since sliced bread and the next one
to visit says that that way is a load of rubbish!
Or you can just ask
Bluepools to do a condition survey on your pool. This is
free except for the travelling cost to and from your pool
site.
The Report will be written by Will or Luke Witt and they
are both professional Civil Engineers that belong to the
Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK. The report that
you will receive from Bluepools SARL is a vital pre-requisite
to making sure that any money that you spend is not wasted.
The cost of getting your pool into a condition where you
are proud of it will be minimized and the risk of wasting
money will be eliminated if you follow the advice that the
report will provide.
As soon as you have this report
in your hand you can move forward.
Major Cost Saving
The really big advantage
of getting the survey done is that in lots of cases you
will be able to use your local builder to do all the building
work. If you know him he will be more reliable and certainly
cost a lot less than a pool installer that is working on
an open ended "Suck and See type of Approach" for which
you will pay through the nose.
What sort of Pools can be renovated?
This is not the right question to ask as just about every
type of pool can be renovated. The question that needs
to be answered is:-
What type of pool have I got and is it worth the cost of
renovating it?
Why is the type of pool important?
A panel pool may only be few years old – but because
of the intrinsic unsuitability of this type of construction
in clay soil – that is found all over the place in
France – it may be worthless.
On the other hand a 30 year old concrete pool that is cracked
and leaking may be structurally sound and worth saving with
a new PVC liner.
A fibre-glass
pool may have “popped” out of the
ground – as they are prone to do. It may be scrap – or
it might be possible to re-level it re-do the paving around
it – at an economic cost.
Specialist knowledge of construction methods finishes and
filtration both old and new is required to identify and understand
the best solution for each individual project.
New Techniques
For all types of swimming pool, Commercial, Residential,
Indoor, Outdoor, Concrete or Liner, there can be no doubt
that the design, specification and finishes have improved
dramatically over the past decade.
Because of this, pool
renovation and refurbishment requires even more expertise
than the construction of a new pool.
Where the pool tank leaks or if the pool finishes are in
a poor state of repair, the most cost-effective solution
may be to upgrade the pool circulation system and then install
a reinforced vinyl pool membrane.
This will provide guaranteed
water tightness and an attractive pool finish that is resistant
to swimming pool chemicals and very easy to maintain.
Filtration, chemical treatment and environmental control
are frequently in need of renovation or upgrade. The energy
savings that can be achieved by upgrading to modern pool
equipment may also make it worthy of serious consideration.
What is the next Step?
Just put your Email address
in the contact form below, Click on "Please Contact
me about Renovating my Pool" and we will be in touch to
confirm the cost of the Condition Survey and when we could
do it.
What is Included in a Pool Condition
Survey?
Each Survey will be different
but the following table illustrates a typical survey scope.
The objective of the surveys
is:-
- To make sure that renovation will provide better value
for money than complete reconstruction and that the condition
of the structure justifies the renovation work.
- To audit of every
element of the pool in order to consistently
assess its future life and reliability.
- To identify the scope of
the work required and to assess the relative merit of
either replacing any pool element or relying on the existing
element and the costs of the two alternatives.
Pool Element |
Survey Work |
Data to be provided |
Identification
of Pool Type |
Visual Inspection and invasive
survey using hammer drill / breaker |
Description
of Type
and comment on the general adequacy for pool renovation |
Pool Structure |
Ditto + Spirit level check
of floors and walls and laser level check of top of
wall levels |
Numerical data and advice
on the adequacy of the structure for pool renovation
work |
Pool Waterproofing |
Visual Inspection, testing
for hollowness by tapping and invasive survey using
hammer drill / breaker |
Advice
on whether glass fibre / render / tiling / paint
needs to be renewed or repaired for use as a base
for liner underfelt and the cost of new waterproofing
/ liner installation |
Pool skimmers, drains,
water inlets etc |
Visual
Inspection and invasive survey using hammer drill
/ breaker – if required. |
Advice on whether these
fittings should be renewed and whether the necessary
gaskets can be obtained and the costs involved. |
Coping Stones (Margelles) |
Remove old
margelles to allow inspection of the top
of the pool wall |
Advice
on the renewal options available with costs |
Paving around pool |
Spirit level check and
visual inspection of existing concrete base slab |
Advice
on the renewal options available with costs |
Buried Pipework |
Insert temporary plugs
in skimmers, drains, water inlets etc and air test
from the other end of the pipework |
Numerical data and advice
on the renewal options available with costs |
Pool Filtration Plant |
Visual
inspection and electrical testing as required. |
Advice
on the renewal options available with costs |
Pool Safety Devices |
Visual
inspection. |
Advice
on the options available with
costs |
Remember this will tell you
exactly where you stand with your pool – and the
only charge will be the travelling cost from our base at
Jonzac in Charente-Maritime
What is the next Step?
Just put your Email address
in the contact form below, Click on "Please Contact
me about Renovating my Pool" and we will be in touch
to confirm the cost of the Condition Survey and when we
could do it.
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