That’s the second question people would ask right after asking when we’d start working on this space.  We knew the pool wasn’t in functioning condition when we bought the house, and hadn’t been for at least a couple of years.  The above photo showed the pool from the best angle, below, you can see the corner where the liner had started to pull away from the wall.

However, neither photo above showed the gross reality lurking just below the frame; several feet of stagnant water that had dripped in from the leaking roof filled the deep end.

Most had been drained, but that moldy green line showed the previous level.  Be thankful you can’t see the giant bugs and dead mice.  The old liner had seen far better days, thus prompting a tear out removal.

The photo above, taken after removing the liner, better shows the condition of the pool structure.  Pools kind of fall into two categories, lined versus unlined.  This pool was designed to have a liner, but the original was a partial version and started two and a half feet from the top, leaving the rest exposed.

At the time of replacement, the previous owners chose a full liner, hence the band with screws along the top edge.  Based on the gaps between the upper panels, it’s safe to assume the structure settled, panels shifted, and were no longer water tight so a full liner was the best option.

Not only are the side panels a problem, the base of the pool has gaps from the wall.

So, are we actually keeping the pool?  It was always our intention to keep the pool, but that hasn’t stopped us from considering alternative uses.  Family and friends also like to toss out suggestions-a theater, home gym, etc.

Ultimately, after nearly five years of consideration, nothing has made more sense than a pool.  Yes, it clearly needs work to get it functioning, but we can justify it for future use.  We’re still figuring out our best route for use and longevity, but a full liner seems to be the best option at this point.  The rest of the room will get finished first-ceiling, walls, floors-to keep the pool clean and safe until work finishes.