Thanks, onBalance for your guidance.
For the benefit of others reading this thread, especially those struggling with plaster problems, I should add more detail in what transpired in the meeting with the PB.
I let go of my anger before going in, and set a reconciliatory tone for the meeting from the outset. After the initial pleasantries, I began with "Before we go into the test results, I want to assure you that I'm not here to criticize or fight you, but rather I am hoping that we will maintain our business relationship as I think you are among the best pool builders in the area."
When I showed the test results, I said "I understand that this in no way reflects on you as a pool builder in any shape or form. For all we know, it could be an honest mistake. I do recall that the plasterers did the work on a rainy day, and they might have made a snap decision to add more calcium chloride to the mix. As the results show, they ended up adding too much, and you probably were not aware of it." (this is true as long as the PB uses sub-contractors)
When going to a PB with problems through no fault of your own, you do have to give them an "out" while asserting yourself. Doing so allows them to save face while acknowledging the mistake and be more likely to help you because of how you approach them.
Had I held onto my anger, and went in with guns blazing, the outcome might have been different. They could have played the not-covered-by-warranty card and dug in. Or they might have still agreed to replaster, but the bridge would be burned and the PB would think I'm an a*hole and refuse to do business with me in the future (what if I need a new pump, or spring a leak, etc).
For the benefit of others reading this thread, especially those struggling with plaster problems, I should add more detail in what transpired in the meeting with the PB.
I let go of my anger before going in, and set a reconciliatory tone for the meeting from the outset. After the initial pleasantries, I began with "Before we go into the test results, I want to assure you that I'm not here to criticize or fight you, but rather I am hoping that we will maintain our business relationship as I think you are among the best pool builders in the area."
When I showed the test results, I said "I understand that this in no way reflects on you as a pool builder in any shape or form. For all we know, it could be an honest mistake. I do recall that the plasterers did the work on a rainy day, and they might have made a snap decision to add more calcium chloride to the mix. As the results show, they ended up adding too much, and you probably were not aware of it." (this is true as long as the PB uses sub-contractors)
When going to a PB with problems through no fault of your own, you do have to give them an "out" while asserting yourself. Doing so allows them to save face while acknowledging the mistake and be more likely to help you because of how you approach them.
Had I held onto my anger, and went in with guns blazing, the outcome might have been different. They could have played the not-covered-by-warranty card and dug in. Or they might have still agreed to replaster, but the bridge would be burned and the PB would think I'm an a*hole and refuse to do business with me in the future (what if I need a new pump, or spring a leak, etc).
