Martin Lépine and his wife Marie-Claude Marchand live in Greenfield Park on the South Shore near Montreal. In 2017, they bought a semi-inground pool at a cost of $19,000. The couple trust Trévi, which manufactures, sells and installs its own pools. Me, it’s a crush! It wasn’t an inground pool that I wanted, it was this one
says Ms. Marchand.
30 years in the ground without problems
Martin and Marie-Claude are nevertheless worried about the design of these semi-inground pools which implies that part of the wooden panels are buried in the ground. They question their seller who reassures them and tells them not to worry about that, that their pool will not move.
« He said, “No, listen, don’t worry! It’s western Canadian red cedar, it’s a wood that won’t rot, and it can last 30 years in the ground without a problem.” »
Martin Lépine and Marie-Claude Marchand have problems with their wooden pool rotting.
Photo : Radio-Canada
Other owners confirm that their sellers mentioned a lifespan of at least 20, 25 years and sometimes more.
However, Benoît Hudon, president of Trévi Fabrication, told The facture having estimated the lifespan of its wooden pools at approximately 15 years, the same duration as the warranty offered.
A hole and rot
In the spring of 2022, five years after the installation of the pool, Martin clears the stones around the structure in order to apply protection to its wooden panels. This is where he discovers a hole big enough to see his pool liner through. Several other panels are also damaged by rot. There is no wall inside, it’s really the wood that holds the pool. It is the structure that is attacked after five years
laments Martin Lépine.
A hole caused by rot in the wooden structure of a Trevi pool.
Photo : Radio-Canada
The technician sent by Trévi does a water test to determine the pH level. According to Benoît Hudon, president of Trévi Fabrication, the pH level can be one of the causes of rot.
According to Martin Lépine, Trévi thus tries to put the fault on the customer by saying: You haven’t taken good care of your water
or Your water is not well balanced
.
And he is not the only one to have been served this argument, if we are to believe the numerous testimonies reported by the Facebook group My cedar pool is rotten!
which includes more than 80 owners of Trevi wood pools.
It is impossible to know how many of these pools have been sold or the number of complaints concerning rot, since Trévi did not want to provide us with this data. However, Trevi estimates that a very small percentage of pools sold have had problems.
And in a brochure dating from 2014, it is mentionedcedar pools”,”text”:”that to date, Trevi has manufactured more than 7000cedar pools”}}”>that to date, Trévi has manufactured more than 7,000 cedar pools.
Benoît Hudon, President of Trévi Fabrication
Photo : Radio-Canada
Benoit Hudon refuses to say that it is a design flaw, but admits that some of his wooden pools have premature wear, mainly since 2012.
« For several years, it worked very well, it worked well. Then, in 2012, there were changes to environmental laws, in terms of raw material components, wood treatment. We realized that the wood treatment was less efficient than before 2012. This is part of the explanation. It’s not all, because it’s really case by case. Is this the treatment? Is this the interview? Is it water treatment? Is it the drainage of the ground? Each case is unique. »
In 2018, Trévi ended the production of its cedar pools to focus instead on composite products.
Wood and moisture don’t mix
When in contact with the ground, the cedar, it is not very good
, says Marc Oudjene, full professor in the Department of Civil and Water Engineering at Université Laval and holder of the Teaching Leadership Chair in Sustainable Wood Structures. According to the professor, no wood has infinite natural durability and there is no indestructible wood.
He points out that using a membrane to prevent the wood from being in direct contact with the ground is a good option, because it is certain that the number one enemy is the humidity that comes from the ground
argues Mr. Oudjene.
Then there is the chemical treatment of the wood which affects its durability. Even though western red cedar is a species that is reputed to have good durability, if it is untreated and in contact with the ground, it is very difficult to go beyond ten years. with that, explains Mr. Oudjene.
And the treatment must be at least class four, which means factory treatment under pressure, for example, as other wood pool companies do. However, the treatment recommended by Trévi had to be applied by the owner before installation, then every two to three years on the part outside the ground, the other part being buried. What Martin Lépine did.
« The preservative, if it is applied by brush or spray, it is sure that it is not worth anything, because in fact it does not treat in depth, it only treats on the surface. »
Warranty that decreases over the years
The Trévi technician recommends Marie-Claude Marchand and Martin Lépine to plug the hole and wait for the replacement of their liner, in a few years, before evaluating the possibility of changing a few boards or installing panels. of steel screwed into the wood.
A solution that is far from satisfying the couple. However, its swimming pool is covered by a 15-year guarantee. Especially since waiting means that the more the years pass, the less will be the portion covered by the guarantee which is decreasing. Thus, the portion assumed by Trévi decreases each year. For example, after 10 years, the customer is only entitled to a 35% rebate on the cost of replacement materials, but nothing on labor, delivery, or landscaping repairs.
Marie-Claude Marchand and Martin Lépine finally accepted a confidential offer from Trévi with which they say they are satisfied. Moreover, several owners have come to an agreement with Trévi in recent weeks. We made proposals, we honored guarantees and even more
confirms Mr. Hudon.
Owners have recourse under the CPA
Marie Annik Grégoire, professor of law at the University of Montreal, estimates that the percentage of this guarantee decreases a lot, from year to year, and that the average consumer who has been told your pool is guaranteed for fifteen years
was not necessarily able to understand that it is a guarantee where, ultimately, his pool will not really be guaranteed
laments Me Grégoire.
According to her, owners are better protected by the Consumer Protection Act (LPC) which contains provisions, including section 42. When a merchant makes representations as to quality, as to duration, he is bound by these representations
explains Marie Annik Grégoire.
« And so, if the pool becomes completely rotten after five years, it is clear that consumers have recourse under the law. »
Another advantage of the LPC over the warranty, according to Me Grégoire, is that the consumer can claim damages, including labor, to carry out the repairs. The consumer is entitled to this despite what may have been written in the contract, since the guarantee cannot in any case take precedence over the Consumer Protection Act, she specifies.
Collective action: a good option?
I am a big believer in the power of unity and, yes, maybe they would benefit from taking collective action
, believes Marie Annik Grégoire. Each person will not have to sue individually, which brings a certain peace of mind, because you don’t have to manage the stress of your case. On the other hand, the delays can be longer than an appeal to the small claims court, since the class action is a slightly more complex procedure which requires prior authorization. And there are also lawyers’ fees to be taken into account in the calculation.
« We may not find all the damage that was suffered. But, sometimes, against peace of mind, people prefer that and unity is strength! »
The complete report by journalist Katherine Tremblay and director Jean-François Vézina will be broadcast on Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. on the show The facture.