It sounds like a very bad install job. With proper installation, chemicals, cleaning, a pool can last a very long time. My parents had an above ground pool up until like 3 years ago. Original liner, maintained daily, cleaned every couple days, covered every winter-it lasted 29 YEARS. Finally the original liner just got so brittle from age it just let loose. Dad decided to just tear it down, since it wasnt used much in the later years.