Randy Patterson of Bee Cave, who resides in the Lake Pointe neighborhood, has experienced a significant ordeal with "concrete cancer" affecting his backyard pool. According to a report by FOX 7 Austin, Patterson noticed cracks in his pool a couple of years back and attempted to repair what he thought were natural surface splits, only for the fractures to resurface, delineating a deeper issue.
It turned out to be an alkali-silica reaction, commonly referred to as concrete cancer. Patterson told FOX 7 Austin, "I guess you'd call it gunite. It's underneath the core of all the pools, that concrete's what supports the structure of the pool." The problem, widespread in the Central Texas region, has left numerous homeowners in limbo, fighting an uphill battle against deteriorating pools.
The crux of the issue stemmed from a bad concrete mix that was sold to Austin-area pool companies, which has been used for pool installations from 2017 to 2023. The revelation has put Patterson, and other homeowners affected by the issue, in a long queue for repairs that have disrupted lives and drained resources. Patterson expressed his frustration to Yahoo News, "We have currently been waiting about a year to get this entire process resolved."
Fixing the problem is neither quick nor cheap, and the cost of repairing such damage is more than double the original price of pool installation. Patterson detailed to Yahoo News that, "It requires not only the cost of deconstructing the pool but then reconstructing it from scratch all over again." This ordeal has left many to weigh the substantial financial impact against their dreams of a backyard oasis.
Patterson advises current and future pool owners to thoroughly vet their pool builders, hinting at the market shakeup that has seen pool companies close, potentially as a result of this very issue. He recommends selecting a builder with a trusted reputation, a national presence that can help service your pool. This guidance, he hopes, may spare others the same costly and drawn-out predicament that he and many others in the Austin area are facing.
