Not what you think: The top reason why not to demo a pool deck

The most important reason why not to demo your concrete pool deck may not be what you think. In this blog, we have discussed many times why not to go through the costly, risky and unsustainable process of demolition. Pool builders across the country tell us, fewer and fewer customers decide for demolition. Residential and commercial pool owners are more educated than ever, and pool builders also recommend against the demolition.

RenuKrete makes updating your pool deck easy.

But, what happens right after the demolition may be just as scary as - or even more so than - the actual demolition itself. You see, as with any other aspect of the house, if structurally undisturbed, the property can be altered without any costly and risky inspection by the town, or any other local building department. In fact, the property can usually even be sold without anyone inspecting what is behind or underneath the structure, or if it even meets the current building code.

Think of your living room: You have lived in your home for twenty years, and before that, the previous owner lived in it for 30 years, after building it. The house was therefore built 50 years ago to the standards and codes that were in effect then. Over these 50 years, neither the previous owner nor you upgraded the wiring or plumbing inside the walls. Now, if you paint your walls (a perfectly fine alteration that usually does not require any permits), nobody would care about the fact that the wires and pipes, and maybe even the studs inside that wall are not up to code. In fact, you could usually also sell the house without problem.

Get ready to update anything that does not meet current code. Don't forget the permit!

However, once you open up that wall - say to replace the old sheetrock, or to build a doorway - you need to bring whatever is inside that wall to match the current building code. Most likely, you will need a permit, and thus one or several inspections. The wiring will likely have to be replaced, the pipes may have to be replaced, as well as any other items that can be seen with the open wall. As town inspectors frequently say: "You open it, you own it."

Things are not much different with pool decks. The pool and the pool deck may have been installed 30 years ago or more, and so was the wiring (bonding and grounding wires) and piping that is hidden underneath your deck. Do you know if they meet the now-current building code? Would the pool builder remember, still have the plans and be able to guarantee that everything meets current code? Do you even know who built the pool, and which company would be interested in bringing the piping up to code?

Do you know what surprises are hidden underneath? Ready to talk to the inspector?

Imagine this: Your town may not require a permit for demolition, and so you have (against the advice of your pool company, despite the structural risks to the pool wall, despite the costs, and despite the fact that the old concrete may end up on a landfill, just to be replaced by material that creates a lot of CO during its production) decided to go though with the demolition. Now that your deck is removed, you call the town building department for a permit to build the new deck, and to inspect the current state of affairs. The answer may shock you: permits take four weeks, and inspections another two-to-four weeks. To make matters worse, your pool company meanwhile can't be reached because they are busy working on the orders from last year.

RenuKrete installations look great after many years of service.

Welcome to RenuKrete, where we leave your concrete in place! Not only do you save money and time by having RenuKrete upgrade your concrete pool deck to the look and feel of natural stone. You also save a ton of aggravation dealing with town building inspectors, and you may save your family's pool time this season: The average RenuKrete installation takes just four days!