The vinyl frontier: vinyl-liner installers have joined the renovation craze. Discover nine ways to grow your business—and your bottom line

Pool & Spa News, June 20, 2005 by Rebecca Robledo

There was a time, not so long ago, when remodeling a package pool meant a liner change. You could hardly call it a renovation.

"Liner changes were performed with the same old aquamarine pattern," says Michael Giovanone, president of Concord Pools Ltd. in Latham, NY. "It looked the same the day after as it did the day before."

Those days are gone. Now we see two trends converging: the increase in features available for viny-liner pools, and a record-setting home-improvement market.

"The day of the $2,000, 16-by-32-foot liner change is over, Giovanone says.

Affluent homeowners want to transform their backyards, especially in the Northeast. Builders oblige by adding waterfeatures, wedding-cake steps, sun shelves, fiberoptic lighting and changing the pool's shape. Depending on the extent of the work, total renovations can cost as much or more than the original pool. In fact, Giovanone often sees renovations bring in more than $10,000. "About one-third of our liner replacements are simply for aesthetic reasons," he says. "People keep their liners five years, and it's time to rewallpaper."

If you haven't gotten into vinyl-liner renovations yet, this is the time to do it. Here are nine tips to start you on your way:

1 Plan the exact panel layout.

When working on a pool that you built, pull out the original plans. If you're working on someone else's original work, feel around the pool to get a sense of where panels join up.

That way, you'll know exactly where to do demolition work. You'll also know the size, quantity and shape of panels to replace.

"Most of the time that we've encountered any problems was when we didn't do the planning on the front end," says Jesse Anderson, construction supervisor at Burton Pools & Spas in Fort Smith, Ark. "We just flew by the seat of our pants."

Word to the wise: Save detailed plans on every new project you complete and it will help you with future renovations.

2 Consider your panel options.

Check the existing panels to make sure they're in good shape. If steel components have corroded, consider replacing them. Giovanone's crews often resurface the panels with a fiberglass solution, so they're ready to go.

If you can't order a panel in the right dimensions, you can fabricate something on site in one of two ways, says Tommy Johnson, president of Johnson Pools & Spas in Huntsville, Ala. Sometimes for tricky jobs, his crews will pour a concrete "panel" to fill in the gaps between existing steel or polymer pieces.

Other times, Johnson says he'll cut a manufactured panel to fit. "You could take a stainless steel flange, cut the panel where you want it, put the flange on there and marry a new panel right up next to it," he says.

3 Add new or better plumbing.

Many older vinyl-liner pools were installed without any main drains. Others have only two returns. In either case, Giovanone's staff suggests adding these components to keep the pool cleaner and ensure sound hydraulics.

"We'll say, 'You know, you're tired of vacuuming, so why don't we put a couple of main drains in there for you? It keeps your pool much cleaner.'"

He finds that two returns is no longer enough to send out the higher volumes produced by newer pumps. "Some of them are cranking out 70 to 80 gallons per minute, and it cannot possibly get out of two 1/2-inch eyeball fittings," Giovanone says. "The head pressure is so severe that you're going to burn up your motor."

You may also need to replace older components that are worn out.

4 Smooth those floors.

The condition of the bottom affects the liner's longevity. "Anything rough will definitely protrude through the liner," Brown says. "If the bottom's rough underneath, your liner's not going to last." This holds true especially if you're using an automatic pool cleaner. The rock protrudes and the wheels roll over it, squeezing the liner. That's why some vinyl-liner manufacturers won't honor a warranty when the pool doesn't have a hard bottom.

If an old pool has a sand bottom, insist on finishing the floor with grout, concrete or vermiculite. If a hard bottom already exists, smooth it out for the new liner. Sand and grind protrusions, and patch any rough spots.

In his 20-plus years replacing liners, Brown has seen ill-prepared bottoms as the most frequently made mistake. "A lot of companies think they can just drain it and slap the liner in," he says. "They have a tendency to not put as much attention into it as they did when it was new."

5 Cut the old liner into strips.

This makes it possible for one person to drag out the liner, one piece at a time. Brown's crews cut an average-sized liner into four strips across the width of the pool. Now one person can roll or fold up the pieces and haul them out to the truck.

6 Consider molded vs. metal steps.

Both offer benefits and drawbacks. Molded polymer or fiberglass steps cost slightly more and require more labor. You must demolish part of the concrete collar, pop out a panel, replace it with the new steps and backfill.

Metal treads, on the other hand, hook into the existing panel, so no demolition is required. Just insert the, treads inside the existing pool, fill them tip with a cementitious material and fit the liner over them.