About to pull the trigger on renovations but still wrestling with final selections and builders. The choices will dictate the builder.
First: the finish, deciding between Pebbletec and Stonescapes. Selected Pebbletec blue lagoon vs Stonescapes similar color (I forgot the name), adding 2 bags of blue glass beads to either. One builder offered either through different subs and claims Stonescapes for approx. $1700 less is no different in quality from Pebbletec. The other builder is the actual Pebbletec contractor (the only one in New England) and is still a little higher priced on the Pebbletec but naturally he claims Pebbltec is far superior to Stonescapes. If we choose Pebbletec I would likely go with the licensed installer for a few hundred $ extra to avoid being a low priority job (assuming he won't match the other price which I will try for.)
Can anyone offer any advice on a quality comparison between the two finishes?
Second: Salt Water Generator, I am pretty set on switching from chlorine tabs to a SWG. I know it's still a chlorine pool but the salt pools I've been in the water had a softer feel, less chlorine odor, less eye irritation and less itchy feel after drying off.
One builder recommends Hayward Aquarite (only Hayward product he says he uses) the other recommends Pentair Intellichlor. I know the first is a Pentair dealer also as he installed a Pentair pump for me just 2 months ago so I'm sure he would put in whichever I really want.
Any real difference between the two brands in terms of reliability or cell life?
On a side note, the second builder really recommended I not put in a SWG at all but a combo of a mineral sanitizer and a UV sanitizer with either a feeder or tabs saying I would use much less chlorine so the water feel results will be the same as with a SWG. It seems from other threads I've seen here that the mineral sanitizers are not popular here but wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the addition of the UV sanitizer. He actually recommended that addition even if I do go with a SWG saying the SWG would be set lower as less chlorine would be needed by to treat the water and help maintain lower ph levels (not by any action of the UV sanitizer, just by less chlorine being added to the pool).
Two other pieces of the renovation, refinishing a worn out gunite slide with either EcoFinish Aquabrite or Resodyne Resocoat and replacing very dim fiber-optic lights with led SAVI lights.
Any help much appreciated.
First: the finish, deciding between Pebbletec and Stonescapes. Selected Pebbletec blue lagoon vs Stonescapes similar color (I forgot the name), adding 2 bags of blue glass beads to either. One builder offered either through different subs and claims Stonescapes for approx. $1700 less is no different in quality from Pebbletec. The other builder is the actual Pebbletec contractor (the only one in New England) and is still a little higher priced on the Pebbletec but naturally he claims Pebbltec is far superior to Stonescapes. If we choose Pebbletec I would likely go with the licensed installer for a few hundred $ extra to avoid being a low priority job (assuming he won't match the other price which I will try for.)
Can anyone offer any advice on a quality comparison between the two finishes?
Second: Salt Water Generator, I am pretty set on switching from chlorine tabs to a SWG. I know it's still a chlorine pool but the salt pools I've been in the water had a softer feel, less chlorine odor, less eye irritation and less itchy feel after drying off.
One builder recommends Hayward Aquarite (only Hayward product he says he uses) the other recommends Pentair Intellichlor. I know the first is a Pentair dealer also as he installed a Pentair pump for me just 2 months ago so I'm sure he would put in whichever I really want.
Any real difference between the two brands in terms of reliability or cell life?
On a side note, the second builder really recommended I not put in a SWG at all but a combo of a mineral sanitizer and a UV sanitizer with either a feeder or tabs saying I would use much less chlorine so the water feel results will be the same as with a SWG. It seems from other threads I've seen here that the mineral sanitizers are not popular here but wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the addition of the UV sanitizer. He actually recommended that addition even if I do go with a SWG saying the SWG would be set lower as less chlorine would be needed by to treat the water and help maintain lower ph levels (not by any action of the UV sanitizer, just by less chlorine being added to the pool).
Two other pieces of the renovation, refinishing a worn out gunite slide with either EcoFinish Aquabrite or Resodyne Resocoat and replacing very dim fiber-optic lights with led SAVI lights.
Any help much appreciated.