gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

ahhhh ok. silica and quartz probably has no impact on water quality either does it? and how do silica and quartz take to mottling and etching

It's less sensitive to bad pool chemistry than plaster, and harder, so should be less prone to etching.

As for mottling, that is something you see often in colored plaster applications, but also in many colored Pebble Fina applications. We have it some in our pool, but looks okay, there are some installations where it is pretty bad. Comes down to the skill of the installer. On the pebble finishes it's not usually noticeable because the whole finish has so much variation to it.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

It's less sensitive to bad pool chemistry than plaster, and harder, so should be less prone to etching.

As for mottling, that is something you see often in colored plaster applications, but also in many colored Pebble Fina applications. We have it some in our pool, but looks okay, there are some installations where it is pretty bad. Comes down to the skill of the installer. On the pebble finishes it's not usually noticeable because the whole finish has so much variation to it.

well im really really REALLY hoping this other company i found, that has an AMAZING gallery, gives me a quote around the first quote or less. they do pebbletec, and after watching the video i linked below, im absolutely sold on pebblesheen/pebblefina. i really like the aqua blue, blue wave, tropical breeze, tahoe blue, blue lagoon, bella blue, and sapphire galaxy. guess you can see i like blue lol. how do you like your pebblefina? how would you compare it to marcite in terms of feel?

Plaster vs. Pebble Tec - Modern Method Gunite
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

well im really really REALLY hoping this other company i found, that has an AMAZING gallery, gives me a quote around the first quote or less. they do pebbletec, and after watching the video i linked below, im absolutely sold on pebblesheen/pebblefina. i really like the aqua blue, blue wave, tropical breeze, tahoe blue, blue lagoon, bella blue, and sapphire galaxy. guess you can see i like blue lol. how do you like your pebblefina? how would you compare it to marcite in terms of feel?

Plaster vs. Pebble Tec - Modern Method Gunite

I love it. Feels a lot like marcite to me, maybe a tiny bit rougher. Much, much smoother than pebble sheen. I think it's just right, I don't like a slippery pool. We have Bella blue, you can see pics in the link in my signature.

You will probably get some mottling with fina in any color but white, the galleries don't tell you that. Mine is fairly minor and looks fine to me, but you'll see some people here and online that have it worse. Same goes for colored marcite.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

I love it. Feels a lot like marcite to me, maybe a tiny bit rougher. Much, much smoother than pebble sheen. I think it's just right, I don't like a slippery pool. We have Bella blue, you can see pics in the link in my signature.

You will probably get some mottling with fina in any color but white, the galleries don't tell you that. Mine is fairly minor and looks fine to me, but you'll see some people here and online that have it worse. Same goes for colored marcite.

oh wow I didn't think about that. the finer the pebble the smaller it is and probably has more non pebble space to mottle. unless the pebble is what mottles or is it what bonds the pebble to the surface that mottles? I wear shoes most of the time because my feet suck, so I'm not so much interested in the feel myself as I am for other people, but the longevity of my pool trumps other people's feet as well. I'll probably go with sheen
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

oh wow I didn't think about that. the finer the pebble the smaller it is and probably has more non pebble space to mottle. unless the pebble is what mottles or is it what bonds the pebble to the surface that mottles? I wear shoes most of the time because my feet suck, so I'm not so much interested in the feel myself as I am for other people, but the longevity of my pool trumps other people's feet as well. I'll probably go with sheen

Had I known about the mottling issue beforehand, I may have either not gone with the pebble fina, or gone with a white color (which does give blue water). But now I'm glad I didn't know, because I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Nobody really notices the mottling but me, and only because I notice everything. For whatever that's worth.

I highly encourage you to get some samples of both and feel them. We ordered samples directly from pebble tec, but your installer will also have samples you can look at.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

I totally understand you about the noticing everything. my attention to detail is annoying. once you see it too, you can't unsee it, and you know what to look for while others do not. I'm gonna see if I can get some samples or call this company again. a person was suppose to contact me today about setting up a free estimate. I need someone asap because I'm about to close this bad boy down soon. how much were the samples and how big are they? enough to get a foot on?
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

I totally understand you about the noticing everything. my attention to detail is annoying. once you see it too, you can't unsee it, and you know what to look for while others do not. I'm gonna see if I can get some samples or call this company again. a person was suppose to contact me today about setting up a free estimate. I need someone asap because I'm about to close this bad boy down soon. how much were the samples and how big are they? enough to get a foot on?

I think the samples were free but only like 4 inches. They were bigger than the samples the installer had.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

As I alluded to earlier, if you're comparing surfaces for comfort, be sure to use more than hands or feet. See how it feels on your elbows and knees when everything's wet. Hands and feet are pretty tough. Kneeling and sitting on my pebble is way less comfortable than walking on it. That's the mistake I made at the plasterer's showroom. They had entire pools, which were great for comparing, but I only felt the various surfaces with my hands and walked on them with bare feet. It wasn't until it was in my pool that I discovered it could take skin off an elbow if you hit just right. Not true of my old plaster...
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

As I alluded to earlier, if you're comparing surfaces for comfort, be sure to use more than hands or feet. See how it feels on your elbows and knees when everything's wet. Hands and feet are pretty tough. Kneeling and sitting on my pebble is way less comfortable than walking on it. That's the mistake I made at the plasterer's showroom. They had entire pools, which were great for comparing, but I only felt the various surfaces with my hands and walked on them with bare feet. It wasn't until it was in my pool that I discovered it could take skin off an elbow if you hit just right. Not true of my old plaster...

+1 for this. The main reason we didn't go with a true pebble, did not want our kids and kids friends coming out with bloody scrapes and whatnot.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

im gonna take your advice on all of that either. weird how it could do that to an elbow but not a foot or hand. elbow skin is usually tougher skin lol. i wish i had a showroom around here like that where i could make a sound decision of what in want actually based on seeing and feeling the material.
 

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Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

I was fooling with "swatches" at my pool, when the salesperson brought them around, and knew then that was no way to pick a pool surface and color. So I drove just over two hours to get to that showroom. It pretty much blew a whole day. The other mistake I made was to get to the showroom too late in the day. The sun was too low by then to really get a good look at the colors (this was in the fall). Maybe extend your search for a showroom farther out, and make a day of it. Leave early!

The other way to do it is to have your PB/plasterer arrange to get you into another customer's yard/pool. I know I wouldn't mind doing that for someone else picking a pool surface/color. Wouldn't hurt to ask...

Last resort is to visit local pools: hotels, swim clubs, spas, etc, to see what their pools feel like.
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

I was fooling with "swatches" at my pool, when the salesperson brought them around, and knew then that was no way to pick a pool surface and color. So I drove just over two hours to get to that showroom. It pretty much blew a whole day. The other mistake I made was to get to the showroom too late in the day. The sun was too low by then to really get a good look at the colors (this was in the fall). Maybe extend your search for a showroom farther out, and make a day of it. Leave early!

The other way to do it is to have your PB/plasterer arrange to get you into another customer's yard/pool. I know I wouldn't mind doing that for someone else picking a pool surface/color. Wouldn't hurt to ask...

Last resort is to visit local pools: hotels, swim clubs, spas, etc, to see what their pools feel like.

i got a pretty good chuckle while reading this. "arrange to get you into another customers pools....check out a bunch of hotels, swim clubs, spas, etc." youre absolutely right though. that would be a good idea and its a nice gesture to allow you to show someone that particular product. definitely gonna make it a thing to try and find a showroom. this place im awaiting a quote on is pretty big, so maybe they have a showroom
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

i got a pretty good chuckle while reading this. "arrange to get you into another customers pools....check out a bunch of hotels, swim clubs, spas, etc." youre absolutely right though. that would be a good idea and its a nice gesture to allow you to show someone that particular product. definitely gonna make it a thing to try and find a showroom. this place im awaiting a quote on is pretty big, so maybe they have a showroom

The one I used was pretty impressive. They had three pools, each one divided up with a different surface in each section. So, like, 20 altogether...

newlogodisplaypools.jpg


You two..................it is like watching a tennis match!


With the same player on each side, running back and forth to hit himself the ball!! ;)
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

The one I used was pretty impressive. They had three pools, each one divided up with a different surface in each section. So, like, 20 altogether...

View attachment 86132


splitting up a pool into several different surfaces is such a good idea lol. one of these days when i have one of those off day things and spare time, ill hunt down a showroom like that!

You two..................it is like watching a tennis match!

Kim:kim:

hahahaha it is. i love playing tennis though. maybe thats why :lol:
 
Re: gunite pool on recently purchased home- Resurface Options?

pool dimensions: 40x20 with 4x4 notch stairway. 128 linear feet of perimeter

prestige pools(actually came out)
------------------------------------

marcite: 8000
tile: 5000
precast concrete: 5000
travertine: 10,000(basically double he said)
skimmer replacement: possible at cost while doing the coping/tile & deck is ripped up
-----------------
total: 18000(23000 with travertine)

reflections pool and spa(suppose to come out today, thursday. quote based off of pictures and specs i gave him)
------------------------------------

marcite: 8900
hydrazzo: 14950(assuming high because it would be a complete recoat with the hydrazzo versus a chipout & thin overcoat?)
pebbletec: hes getting back to me on that
travertine & tile replacement: 11950
pressure test: 795 (dont need this, i know my skimmer and vacuum suction are leaking)
skimmer repair: 1895
-------------------
total: 22745/28795 :(, skimmer finagle 20850, 26900

so my second quote came through a couple days ago from reflections pool and spa, and i wanted some input on the two quotes. overall if it seems fair and how i can maybe finagle each person. i already started finagling prestige pools with my skimmer. its dumping water out of it like nobodies business. i no longer fill it up so i stop dumping, what i calculated as, 4-6,000 gallons of water out each time around the outside of my pool. anyway, when it comes to dealing with the two, the guy from reflections is way way wayyyy easier to deal with and talk to. also, i mentioned to him that the marcite quote seemed kinda high, and asked him about pebbletec and regular precast concrete. which i mentioned like five times in text messages on the phone before he gave me that quote. i cut him some slack because hes really nice. he said hes gonna get back to me with those numbers. i also mentioned to him how a pressure test was useless because i know my plumbing is bad at the system by my house. im not able to vacuum my pool. another thing, is both basically quoted the same for tile, 5k. which seems pretty steep when googling the price of tile replacement overall. i googled about 25/linear ft. + a little extra for the skimmer. which comes to a little over 3k, so i told him that 5k for the tile and skimmer would seem more reasonable. which is kinda how it MIGHT be with prestige doing the skimmer for me at cost. after that, he said he would review the quote. prestige is as finagled as i can get them so far. they dont really budge. they are very very marketing-ie people. which i dont like, and larry is great. i want to stick with larry because his quote included travertine at not very much above prestige's precast concrete quote, but his marcite quote is higher also, and is charging for the skimmer, so it kind of offsets everything, and you can see that in the overall comparison. im gonna try and take this quote back to prestige and see if theyll work with me due to reflections coping quote being not much more for a way better product. with that being said, lets look at the prices compared if i was able to finagle them how i wanted. prestige wouldnt change at all. i live in southeast michigan, so there isnt much competition up here for very little surface applications etc. also, reflections pool and spa are certified diamondbright and pebbletec applicators. they offer a lot of other things as well.

prestige as finagled as theyre gonna get. need help:
-------------------
skimmer, precast concrete coping, tile, marcite: 18000(23000 with travertine)

reflections finagled:
-------------------------
marcite: 8900, wanna try and get him down to 8000 like the prestige quote
tile: 5000, wanna try and get him to do the tile for 3300 and then include the skimmer to bring it back up to the 5000
travertine: 6950
-------------------
total: 19950(26,000 exposed finished) if successful, would give me a 3000 in wiggle room towards a better surface through larry.

how should i go about negotiating with these people? larry seems like he would budge on things. prestige doesnt and they dont seem to do anything other than marcite really. kinda just said everything else sucks and is overrated is what i got. i told larry i would write him up a fair and reasonable counter quote, and that i wouldnt do him dirty because i work blue collar as well and were all trying to eat. he liked that text message. now, im starting to think if i begin with giving him my current offer, that gives me the 3000 wiggle room, and then add a finish other than marcite into it, that might make him more likely to work with me on other things being cheaper. since id be opting to spend even more money. all while trying to get it out of him by lowering the other quotes lol. any help is appreciated from anyone who has finagled anyone down before with their quotes etc. if the hydrazzo quote was 6,000 more, the pebbletec and anyother exposed aggregate will probably be about the same more, so if i can finagle away that 3000, ill be halfway to something better than marcite WITH travertine! overall, if i went with an exposed aggregate finish, i would be paying 3k more than prestige pools quote for travertine and marcite. just ballpark estimating, if i went with exposed aggregate and prestige, that would put to almost 30k, and reflections will be 4k cheaper for travertine and an exposed aggregate finish. any thoughts are greatly appreciated!
 
You will be lucky to get either one of them to move on their prices much. There are few pool builders so the prices can be higher. If you keep pushing too hard they may stop talking to you as they don't need to do your pool as there are so many others for them to work on. The only leverage you may really have is to use different plaster like you are saying.

You have done a good job so far. That was a mess to start with and you getting it this far shows how you are willing to do the hard work! I hope you can find THE company to fix what needs to be fixed and your pool will look like a jewel again!

Kim:kim:
 
You will be lucky to get either one of them to move on their prices much. There are few pool builders so the prices can be higher. If you keep pushing too hard they may stop talking to you as they don't need to do your pool as there are so many others for them to work on. The only leverage you may really have is to use different plaster like you are saying.

You have done a good job so far. That was a mess to start with and you getting it this far shows how you are willing to do the hard work! I hope you can find THE company to fix what needs to be fixed and your pool will look like a jewel again!

Kim:kim:

that's what I hate. I'm basically fighting an indirect price fixing. they all know there aren't many out there, so they know the competition is tiny. which will keep the prices high. I'm not really against either of the quotes as much as I am against prestige charging way too much for the coping. I just want something fair, and I don't really know what fair is. all I can do is Google :(. thank you though. I really appreciate it. it was an absolute disaster, but once drained, the power washing didn't take long at all. couple days and a few hours here and there. I appreciate it though. I'm definitely dedicated and willing to do whatever due to the outcome i see in my head, and I love this thing. it's really fun and a huge entertainment factor! thanks again. I think I'll be ok with either of these. they both seem eager for business, so I think they won't stop talking to me lol. I already gave prestige a $200 deposit, but if reflections pool is overall cheaper, it won't be a loss. thanks again I appreciate it! looking forward to some new pictures next year lol
 
Well, you did a fantastic job on the pool you have. My first [awful] thought was: if he had asked me about what to do, I might have said "Move!" ;)

Amazing transformation.

Regarding your estimates, it's kinda like selling a house: it's not what it's worth, it's what someone will pay you for it! Good luck with the contractors. It's a tough one, you want a fair price and you don't want to alienate them. But how do you know what they're willing to do if you don't ask? It might come down to how you ask...
 

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