I am on this site to gain information about resurfacing options for a plaster finished concrete pool as I have no experience in this area. As the Lead Project Engineer for an Industrial Contractor, I do have ample experience with all types of concrete issues whether it be newly poured or 100 years and this may be the only question on this forum I am qualified to answer.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that will last as long as the original concrete. If your pool builder says otherwise, tell him you want a 10+ year warranty on his topping and his response will tell you everything you need to know. The best method and what should be done to rectify an inexcusable mistake such as this is a concrete overlay at least 2" thick which obviously presents the issues of increasing the finished grade. There are a plethora of overlays and micro toppings out there and some could last 20+ years, however, they will still not last as long as the original concrete. Most toppings fail due to inadequate surface preparation and any longer life topping will require a CSP of 3 or higher (Concrete Surface Preparation). To achieve this, a shot blaster or scarifier should be used. This would also get you the rough surface you are looking for however it exposes the aggregate and you would have to reseal the concrete quite frequently... that and exposed aggregate is ugly.
While I did say, "what should be done to rectify this inexcusable mistake," because here in the industrial world on $100 million projects, our sub would most likely be redoing the pad... I recognize it is a bit different in the residential world and you're going to have a hard time achieving that outcome, even though it's what you paid for. Therefore, if it hasn't been addressed already, I would want some kind of warranty... as long of a warranty I could negotiate with whatever he does. Particularly up here in the North, winter wreaks havoc on overlays as the water gets between it and the original concrete and pops it.. again surface prep is so critical. Sticking with that I would be sure that they are following the manufacturers instructions to a T, specifically with the CSP as they will probably need to be out there with a scarifier. Other things such as pressure washing to remove the dust and debris after achieving the proper profile, ensuring the surface is SSD if required, applying the proper bonding agent, and placing the overlay immediately after or the next day to prevent the reintroduction of contaminates are all critical as well. Lastly, you will get the most longevity out of it by performing the proper maintenance per the manufacturer recommendations.
