Big trees and steep, winding roads are part of living in Higgovale, and both affect your pool. We resurface, reline and repair pools on the slopes below Lion's Head and Table Mountain, and we plan around narrow access, shade and the leaves that end up in the water.
Many Higgovale homes are built over several levels to fit the slope, and the pool sits on whatever flat ground the design could find. Often that is a terrace hemmed in by old trees and a retaining wall. It makes for a private, green place to swim, but the pool gets less direct sun than most and a steady supply of leaves.
Leaves that lie on the floor for days leave brown tannin marks in marbelite. The fine debris also works its way into the skimmer, pump basket and filter, so the equipment runs longer and wears faster. Add a shell that has moved a little on the hillside over the years and you get the usual mix of stains, rough patches and slow water loss.
None of this means the pool is finished. In most cases it needs the right repairs and a finish chosen with the trees in mind.
Both finishes work well on a Higgovale pool, but they solve different problems. A pool with a sound shell and a worn surface is a good candidate for marbelite. A pool that leaks, stains easily or turns green after every leaf drop is often better off with fibreglass. We look at the pool first and explain which way we would go and why.
Marbelite is a cement plaster with a marble aggregate, and it is the usual finish on older concrete pools in the City Bowl. We drain the pool, remove loose and hollow plaster, fix the cracks and apply a new coat. Darker colours hide leaf marks better than white, which is worth thinking about if a big tree hangs over the water.
Fibreglass is laid over the existing shell and finished with a gelcoat, so the pool ends up with a hard, glossy skin that does not soak up stains. In a shaded garden where algae gets a head start, that smooth surface is far easier to brush and keep clear. It also seals the hairline cracks that let water escape.
A new surface is only worth it if everything around it works. We do the tiling, leak repairs, plumbing and equipment work in the same job, so one team is responsible from the first inspection to the day you swim again.
We replace stained or loose waterline tiles and lay new mosaic borders to suit the house.
Retaining walls and terraced gardens put extra load on a shell, so we repair cracks properly before refinishing.
We test the shell, suction lines and return lines to find out exactly where the water is going.
Leaves and fine debris are hard on equipment, so we check the whole system while the pool is empty.
Where there is a flat spot for it, we store the pool water in a bladder and pump it back after the work.
Regular care stops leaves from staining the new finish in the first place.
Call us if brown leaf marks no longer brush out, the level drops faster than normal evaporation in cool weather, or the pump basket is full again within hours of being emptied.
We work across the City Bowl, including Higgovale, Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof, Gardens and Vredehoek.
The roads come first. Higgovale streets are narrow and wind up the slope at odd angles, so a skip or a large delivery truck is not always possible right outside the gate. We look at where a bakkie can stop, how far materials need to be carried and whether the old plaster can go out in bags rather than a skip.
Then the trees. Leaves and pods keep falling while the pool is empty, and they can mark fresh marbelite before it cures. We cover the pool during the job where we can and clear the floor before the finish goes on. If a branch hangs right over the water, it is worth having it cut back before we start.
Many homes here are built on several levels, so the pool, the pump room and the nearest tap can be a flight of stairs apart. We map that out at the site visit, so hoses, power and materials are in the right place on day one.
We come out, look at access, the shell, tiles and equipment, and run a water-loss test.
You get a written quote that explains the finish we suggest and the repairs it needs.
We drain the pool, lift loose plaster, seal cracks and fix any leaking fittings.
The new marbelite or fibreglass goes on, then we refill, balance the water and show you the equipment.
They can, especially on white marbelite if leaves sit on the floor for days. A darker marbelite or a fibreglass lining hides and resists marks better, and regular leaf removal does the rest.
Usually, yes. We visit before quoting to check the road, the driveway and any stairs down to the pool, then plan deliveries and rubble removal around what we find.
Often it is. Shaded pools stay cooler and algae can take hold faster on porous plaster, while a smooth fibreglass surface is easier to brush clean. We still check the shell first, because the right choice depends on its condition.
Start with a bucket test on the top step for a few days. If the pool still drops faster than the bucket, we do a full leak test on the shell, lines and fittings and repair the leak before any refinishing.
Late winter and early spring work well, before the summer rush and after most of the leaves have come down. Marbelite also cures better without fierce heat, so the pool is ready for the warm months.
Send us a few photos of your Higgovale pool or call 062 635 8990, and we will set up a free site visit to look at resurfacing, relining or repairs.
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