“The client was thrilled to know they no longer have to work on the pool surface every year, as they were doing so previously,” says Borland. “Commercial pool operators understand the value of not having to constantly maintain the pool surface every year, as it saves time and money. Further, a better pool surface is appreciated by residents, campers, and maintenance staff.”
Residential pool
This pool was an extreme task. For this renovation project, one of the only ways the customer could fix their pool was to use a PVC membrane or simply fill it in.
When Borland and his team got into the crack repair, what they had learned was hairline cracks hide more cracks within the cracks.
“We originally planned and quoted a standard paint job, but once we got started, we realized there were only two options for the client,” says Borland. “We discovered that, although the structure of the pool wasn’t compromised, the cracks were so severe, it would have never held water.”
Borland told the client they would have to waive all warranties if they wanted to continue repairs and repainting, or they could have a PVC membrane installed with guarantees from the company.
“What basically happened was, contractors were filling the cracks for many years, and there were 61 m (200 ft) of cracks; therefore, to give the client the guarantee that painting their pool would fix the problem was impossible,” says Borland. “We still fixed the cracks, but because we were using a PVC membrane, we knew if the cracks opened up again, there would be no harm, and the pool wouldn’t lose water.”
Borland and his team have been seeing more pools experiencing this type of cracking problem.
“In areas where new condos, big buildings, and other major construction is occurring, we’ve started to see ground disturbance and drainage concerns in many of our pool renovation projects,” says Borland. “In this case, the home was close to a new hospital, so there was ground movement, new water movement, and water tables rose. It’s not the homeowner’s fault their pool suffers damage because the water table in the area changed.”
A new coating option
The company finds PVC membrane to be a complementary product to its already existing service offerings.
“It’s a new addition to our toolbox,” says Borland. “With traditional pool coating renovation projects, we tell the client if their pool has a good structure, we can provide a good finish. With PVC membrane, we can take on renovation projects that are riskier. We can install it on pools that are not perfectly built, as the membrane is more forgiving to movement and cracking and will still hold water.”
For Borland, adding a PVC membrane system encourages the company to take on projects they were not able to perform previously; further allowing him to expand his business to a larger number of potential clients.
