FAQ
A swimming pool should bring people together. It should be the place where children learn confidence, families slow down, friends gather, and a home feels a little more like a holiday. Yet I also know how quickly that enjoyment can turn into frustration when the water goes green, the pump stops, a leak appears, or two contractors give completely different answers.
Justham Pools has grown by helping people through those moments. Our work covers new pools, renovations, repairs, maintenance and equipment, but the common thread is not the type of job. It is trust. A customer allows our team onto their property and relies on us to understand a system that is often hidden beneath water, paving and soil. That responsibility should never be treated casually.
Winning the Best of Durban pool-company award in 2024, 2025 and 2026 is deeply meaningful to us because it came from the people we serve. The recognition belongs to the full team: the people who answer the phone, test water, clean pools, repair equipment, prepare surfaces, lay pipe, complete renovations and return to resolve the details. It also reminds us that an award is not a finish line. Every visit still has to earn the next customer’s confidence.
We created this online guide because pool owners deserve explanations that are seriously clear. You should know why a repair is recommended, what a reading means, what a quotation includes, what is safe to do yourself and when guessing could cause harm. We do not expect you to become a pool technician. We do want you to feel able to ask better questions and recognise when a solution addresses the cause rather than hiding the symptom.
Some sections may be more technical than you need today. Bookmark this web page. Return to it when the pump sounds different, when a storm changes the water, when you plan a renovation or when you help a family member buy a property with a pool. Complete the Pool Passport and keep the emergency card where the household can find it. Those simple records can save time, water, money and anxiety.
Most importantly, use your pool and enjoy it. Good maintenance is not the purpose of owning a pool; it is what makes the good moments possible.
Mark Justham –
Justham Pools
Justham Pools
Some important things to know about pools.
Something is wrong....Your first call to us...
Before you call for help…
Collect these facts –
A useful service call begins with evidence, not a conclusion. Instead of saying, “The pump is broken,” collect the following:
- When did the symptom first appear?
- What changed immediately beforehand: storm, power failure, chemical dose, maintenance visit, party, plumbing work, low water or empty basket?
- Does the problem occur all the time or only at start-up?
- What is the current water level?
- What are the free chlorine and pH readings, and which test method was used?
- What does the pressure gauge read compared with the clean baseline?
- Are there bubbles in the pump or returns?
- Is there visible water loss at equipment or the waste line?
- Does the circuit breaker trip immediately or after running for a period?
- Which model numbers are visible?
- Can you provide photographs and a short video with sound?
DO NOT repeatedly restart equipment that trips, overheats, runs dry or makes severe mechanical noise. Isolate it and seek help.
Our number is 031 702 4184 or 083 232 2639. We are always ready to help.
7 things every pool owner should know
1. Know where the electricity can be isolated
Identify the distribution board, the pool circuit breaker, earth-leakage protection and any local isolator. Label them clearly. Do not wait for smoke, flooding or a screaming pump bearing to work out how to switch the system off.
Switching off the wrong breaker is not isolation. Verify that equipment has stopped and that a competent person has made the installation safe before covers are removed or electrical work begins.
2. Know the correct operating water level
For many skimmer or weir systems, the normal level is approximately around the middle of the opening, but the correct level depends on the specific pool. Too low and the pump may draw air, lose prime, overheat or run dry. Too high and surface skimming may become ineffective.
Mark the normal level discreetly on a tile or photograph it for comparison.
3. Know your clean-filter pressure
A pressure gauge is useful only when you know the baseline. After the filter has been correctly cleaned and the system is running normally, record the pressure. That is your “clean” reference. A rising pressure suggests increasing resistance through the filter or downstream system. An unusually low pressure may indicate restricted suction, low water, air ingress, a blocked basket, a failing gauge or a pump problem.
4. Know your pool volume
Chemical doses, heating estimates, turnover calculations and service pricing depend on water volume. Guessing by appearance can be badly wrong. Record the best available estimate in litres and how it was calculated.
5. Test before you dose
Pool water cannot tell you what it needs by colour alone. Clear water can be poorly sanitised or corrosive. Green water can have more than one cause. Test, interpret, dose carefully, circulate and retest.
6. Never mix chemicals
Do not combine products in a bucket, feeder, scoop, container or storage area. Different chlorine products can react with one another. Chlorine and acid can release toxic gas. Moisture entering a chemical container can create heat, fumes or fire.
7. Do not drain the pool without professional advice
A pool’s water is part of the forces acting on its structure. Emptying it can expose plaster to heat, remove support from a fibreglass shell and allow groundwater pressure to push upward. Dirty water is usually safer than an empty shell while you wait for an inspection.
Know what type of pool you have...
Many owners inherit a pool with no drawings, manuals or explanation. The first step is not buying chemicals. It is identifying the pool.
Identify the shell or construction type.
One-piece fibreglass pool
Typical clues include:
• a smooth continuous interior finish;
• moulded steps, benches and curves;
• a uniform shell shape;
• a visible joint between shell and coping in some installations;
• rounded transitions rather than hand-formed corners; and
• a gelcoat finish that may show fading, fine surface crazing or blisters as it ages.
Do not assume every smooth pool is a factory shell. Existing concrete pools can be lined with fibreglass on site.
Concrete or gunite pool with marble plaster
Typical clues include:
• a shape customised to the property;
• a hard mineral surface;
• hand-formed steps or ledges;
• mosaic or tile waterline details;
• a surface that may become rough, mottled, stained or etched; and
• cracks that can occur in plaster without always continuing through the structural shell.
Concrete pool with an on-site fibreglass lining
Typical clues can include:
• a smooth resin finish over a custom concrete shape;
• visible evidence of laminate work around fittings or transitions;
• repaired seams or patches;
• localised delamination or blistering; and
• a finish that differs from the moulded uniformity of a factory shell.
The distinction matters because repair methods, moisture behaviour and warranty responsibilities differ.
Painted or coated pool
Some pools use a specialist paint or coating. These finishes can chalk, peel, blister or wear. Before recoating, identify the existing product. Incompatible systems and poor surface preparation are common causes of failure.
Buying a house with a pool? Questions to ask the previous owner.
Ask the previous owner, installer or maintenance company:
- When was the pool built?
- Has it been relined or replastered?
- Has a leak been repaired?
- When were the pump, filter, chlorinator and cleaner replaced?
- What parts fail repeatedly?
- What chemical programme was used?
- Was the pool ever left empty?
- Are there municipal plans, electrical certificates, warranties or invoices?
Lack of history is not a disaster. It simply means baseline inspection becomes more important.
Things to consider before buying a new pool.
Start with the life you want, not the shape you saw online.
A pool project should begin with an owner’s brief, not excavation.
People often begin with a photograph and ask, “How much for this?” The photograph may be useful for style, but it says almost nothing about access, soil, retaining requirements, plumbing distance, drainage, electricity, level changes, existing services or how the family will actually use the pool.
A strong brief converts a dream into decisions a competent contractor can price and build.
Define the primary purpose
Rank the reasons for owning the pool:
• family recreation;
• children learning to swim;
• lap swimming and exercise;
• entertaining;
• cooling off;
• visual impact from the house;
• increasing outdoor-living value;
• hydrotherapy or low-impact exercise;
• accommodation or rental use; or
• a compact plunge pool for a constrained site.
Trying to optimise every purpose can produce an expensive compromise. A lap swimmer needs length and a clear lane. Small children benefit from safe entries and supervised shallow space. Entertaining may prioritise seating ledges and surrounding deck. A visual pool may focus on alignment, water colour and landscape reflection.
Describe the users honestly
Record:
• number and ages of regular users;
• swimming ability;
• mobility limitations;
• whether dogs will swim;
• whether the property is rented or used for short stays;
• frequency of parties;
• expected supervision arrangements; and
• whether the owner wants hands-on maintenance or a service contract.
A design that is beautiful for adults may be impractical for ageing users or risky in a frequently rented home. Access steps, handrails, bench depth, slip resistance, and barrier control should be discussed before the shell or design is chosen.
Set size by function, not ego
A larger pool costs more to build, fill, heat, circulate, sanitise, cover and renovate. It also consumes more garden and creates more water surface for evaporation.
Ask:
• What is the longest activity the pool must support?
• How many people will use it simultaneously most of the time, not once a year?
• Will a large pool leave enough usable deck, lawn and circulation space?
• Can the family afford the lifetime operating cost?
• Would a compact pool with better landscaping and equipment create more enjoyment?
A smaller, well-designed pool is often used more than a large pool that dominates the property.
Choose depth deliberately
Depth affects safety, comfort, water volume, excavation and use.
Questions include:
• Is diving intended, and can all applicable design and safety requirements be met?
• Do users want to stand and socialise?
• Will children outgrow a very shallow pool quickly?
• Is deep water useful enough to justify the volume and supervision demands?
• Does the chosen factory shell offer the required depth profile?
Never assume that a “deep end” makes diving safe. Diving safety involves water depth, pool dimensions, approach, slope, obstacles, user behaviour and recognised design requirements. A normal domestic pool should not be treated as a diving facility without specialist confirmation.
Plan entries, steps and ledges
Consider:
• broad steps for entry;
• a bench for resting;
• a tanning or play ledge;
• handrail positions;
• unobstructed swimming routes;
• cleaner access;
• circulation around ledges; and
• contrasting edges for visibility.
Every ledge reduces water volume but can create an area where debris settles or algae begins if return flow is weak.
Decide on style after the practical constraints
Style choices include:
• geometric or organic shape;
• water colour;
• coping material;
• paving or deck finish;
• waterline mosaic;
• raised wall;
• spillway, fountain or feature;
• lighting; and
• relationship to the house, view and planting.
The best pool belongs to its site. It should look intentional from the main viewing points, not like a product dropped into an available gap.
Conduct a Durban site assessment
Durban’s humid subtropical conditions, heavy summer rain and varied terrain make site planning important.
Access
Can an excavator, crane, shell-delivery vehicle, concrete equipment and spoil-removal vehicle reach the site? If access is narrow, steep or through the house, labour, programme and risk change.
For a one-piece fibreglass shell, confirm:
• delivery route from road to property;
• overhead cables and branches;
• gate and driveway width;
• turning space;
• crane position and lifting radius; and
• whether neighbours or traffic will be affected.
“Shell price” and “installed project price” are not the same when access is difficult.
Ground levels and retaining
A sloping site may require retaining walls, engineered support, additional drainage or a raised structure. Do not treat retaining work as decorative landscaping. It can be a structural project with its own design, footing and drainage requirements.
Soil and groundwater
Clay, fill, rock, loose soil, high groundwater and unstable slopes affect excavation and support. Warning signs include:
• water entering test holes;
• known springs;
• neighbouring retaining failures;
• recent fill or made-up ground;
• significant cracks in nearby structures;
• saturated soil after rain; and
• a history of pools lifting or moving in the area.
A contractor may require geotechnical or engineering input. The cost of investigation is small compared with repairing a moved shell or failed retaining system.
Stormwater and site drainage
Plan where rainfall travels before, during and after construction.
The pool deck should not become a funnel for garden mud. Surface water should not be allowed to wash behind a shell, undermine paving, overload retaining structures or flood the equipment pad. Backwash and drain water must be disposed of lawfully and without damaging the site or neighbours.
Existing services
Locate:
• electrical cables;
• water pipes;
• sewer and stormwater lines;
• irrigation;
• gas;
• telecommunications;
• septic or conservancy systems; and
• structural foundations.
Never rely only on a homeowner’s memory. Unknown services are a major excavation risk.
Trees and landscaping
Large trees provide shade but also leaves, roots, pollen and bird activity. Consider:
• root zones;
• future growth;
• species that drop fruit, fine needles or sticky material;
• whether shade will increase heating demand;
• whether branches obstruct shell delivery; and
• whether planting blocks equipment ventilation or access.
Equipment position
The equipment pad should be:
• accessible for service;
• well drained;
• protected from flooding;
• ventilated;
• positioned to manage noise;
• close enough to avoid unnecessary hydraulic loss;
• large enough for safe valve and filter access; and
• arranged so future replacement is possible.
Hiding equipment in an impossibly small enclosure may please the eye today and frustrate every service visit for the next decade.
Electrical supply
Confirm available capacity, cable route, isolators, protection, earthing and bonding requirements with a registered electrical contractor. Heating, large pumps and water features can materially change load.
Safety and controlled access
South African building regulations require the owner of a site with a swimming pool to ensure access is controlled. Barrier design should be considered with the pool layout, not added as an afterthought. Gates, walls, doors, level changes, climbable objects and neighbouring access all matter.
Municipal and title-deed constraints
Before excavation, confirm current eThekwini requirements for building-plan approval, building lines, servitudes, zoning, environmental constraints and any estate or body-corporate rules. Requirements can vary by site and project.
Fibreglass or concrete? An honest comparison.
There is no universally best pool type. There is a best fit for a particular site, design, owner, budget and risk profile.
The wrong question is, “Which material wins?” The better question is, “Which system gives this household the best balance of design freedom, installation risk, maintenance, finish, access, warranty and lifetime cost?”
Shape and design freedom
Factory fibreglass shell
A factory shell is selected from existing moulds. That limits length, width, depth and shape, but it also allows the owner to see a defined product before purchase. Steps and benches are built into the design.
It can suit an owner who values:
• a predictable shape;
• a smooth finish;
• faster shell placement;
• integrated seating or steps; and
• a less porous interior.
The site must allow delivery and lifting.
Concrete or gunite
Concrete offers much greater freedom to respond to:
• unusual boundaries;
• narrow lap-pool proportions;
• integrated retaining needs;
• custom depth;
• vanishing edges;
• complex steps, shelves or spas; and
• architectural alignment.
Design freedom creates responsibility. Every custom feature must be detailed, built and finished correctly.
Can an existing concrete pool be refurbished with a fibreglass lining?
Yes! An existing concrete pool can be refurbished with a fibreglass laminate and finish system. This can be done onsite.
A typical process may include:
1. draining under controlled conditions;
2. removing loose or incompatible material;
3. repairing cracks and penetrations;
4. drying and preparing the substrate;
5. applying resin and glass reinforcement;
6. consolidating the laminate;
7. curing;
8. sanding and defect correction;
9. applying the finish or topcoat; and
10. commissioning.
Methods vary, and moisture in the substrate can be critical. If water continues entering from behind, the lining may blister or delaminate.
Strengths
• creates a smooth lining over a custom shape;
• can bridge some minor surface imperfections when properly detailed;
• provides a renovation alternative to plaster; and
• can integrate local repairs and new fittings.
Vulnerabilities
• heavily dependent on surface preparation;
• sensitive to moisture, contamination and cure conditions;
• difficult transitions can concentrate stress;
• local patches may remain visible; and
• a moving structural crack can damage the lining.
NB* The lining is not a substitute for structural repair or groundwater management.
Let us handle your repairs
- Pump & motor repairs — noisy, leaking, or burnt-out pool pumps repaired or replaced
- Filter repairs & servicing — sand, cartridge, and DE filter faults, cracked housings, and media replacement
- Leak detection & repair — pinpointing and fixing leaks in pipework, fittings, and pool shells
- Salt chlorinator repairs — faulty cells, control boxes, and electrode replacement
- Pool light repairs — replacement of underwater lights, transformers, and wiring faults
- Pipework & plumbing repairs — burst, blocked, or leaking suction and return lines
- Weir, skimmer & aimflow repairs — cracked weir baskets, lids, and fittings
- Pool cleaner repairs — servicing and repair of automatic pool cleaners (Kreepy Krauly, Zodiac, etc.)
- Timer & electrical repairs — faulty timers, DB board connections, and pump wiring
- Surface repairs — marbelite cracks, fibreglass patching, chipped tiles, and coping stones
- Heating system repairs — heat pumps and solar heating faults
We have a PHD in fun when it come to Pools.
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Vision, Mission & Values
real foundation
What Drives Us
We started Justham to bring reliability back to construction and installation of pools. That means honest timelines, clear communication, and work that holds up — inside and out. We’re proud to partner with homeowners, businesses, and developers who care about quality as much as we do.
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