I'm new to the pool forum, but now that we have our kitchen remodel finished, the pool will be one of our next jobs. I have been reading the pool threads for awhile, but most seem to be about new pool construction. I don't even know where to begin with this project, and I could use your help. It's embarrassing that we've lived with this pool for so long and know so little about pools.

First, a little background...

We are in north, central Florida, and we have lived in this house for 12 years. When we purchased the house, we were told that the pool was around 20 years old, so it's at least 30 years old now. The house is about 70 years old. It's a large (~35,000 gallons), rectangular pool except for a swim out area on one side of the deep end and steps in the shallow end. The deck is what I think is Kool Deck, but it is seriously worn in spots. There is a brick patio extending from our sunroom out about 10 or 12 feet. The pool has brick coping around about half of it with kind of ugly brownish tiles below that (see pics below). On the part without brick, the Kool Deck goes right up to the edge. The whole thing is covered by a screen enclosure that was seriously damaged in a storm. We have put off replacing screens because the structure itself really needs to be replaced.

{{gwi:2025699}}

Sorry I don't have better pics, but my computer with all the pics is in for repair and I'm using a loaner. Those were the only ones I had uploaded anywhere.

So, here's what I know I would like to do...

I want to build out the roof from our sunroom to create a covered porch area. It's the part behind the dog in the first pic, and you would be standing under it looking out at the pool in the second pic. This would involve removing the built-in planters that are next to the house and re-doing the brick patio at least in that area. There's also a planter area in the far end of the screen enclosure that I'd like to fill in and cover with decking. I'd rather have my plants in pots that can be moved closer to the house when it gets cold. We get freezes in this part of Florida, and I do like more tropical plants than can survive without freeze protection.

I need to replace the whole screen enclosure, but obviously, it would make more sense to do this after the covered porch roof is built. With the trees, mosquitoes, and many other critters (snakes, moles, frogs, alligators) around here, going without a screen enclosure is not an option. Are there different materials to consider for the construction of the screen enclosure?

I'd like to replace the ugly brown tile with something else, but I'm not sure what. Any suggestions?

I'd like to explore replacing the decking with some other material, but I don't even know what's available. Any suggestions?

I'd like to explore heating options. We have no heating now, and with a pool so big, it's usually late May before it gets to a comfortable temperature. The previous owners has some sort of homemade solar heating system setup, but it was not functional when we moved in, so we removed it. Any suggestions?

I'd like to find out what needs to be done to restore the pool itself. It looks to be in very good shape, but how can I know for sure? My husband is pretty good about ensuring the chemical balance is right. But, surely, there comes a time when it needs to be resurfaced or something. How do I know this without asking someone who is in the business of selling it? Is there a number of years where it just has to be done?

We replaced the pump a few years ago, and other parts and pieces (e.g., light fixture, skimmer covering) have been replaced here and there. Is there anything else we need to think about to recondition or replace?

So, I'm at square one and need someone to tell me where to start. How do I determine what has to be done? I know what I'd like to change aesthetically, but I also want to be sure that the pool is structurally sound. Is there a way to do this in phases? We don't have the money to do everything I'd like to do at once. Would it be impractical for us to do the porch and screen enclosure first and get new decking and tile work done later? How do I find someone reputable to do the work? When I tried calling around for estimates a few years ago, just getting someone to come here was a chore. They were only interested in new pool construction, not restoration.

Is there a forum FAQ where I could find the answers to some of my many questions? I don't seem to be very successful with the search engine.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion, comments, pointers...