Spa leaking

[Jackiesorenson]

Built the pool/attached spa in 2009. As soon as we filled it with water for first time, water seeped through the grout of the spa. Pool builder has worked on it 3 times. I am waiting for yet another leak detection company to come out (this will be the 3rd time and they have never isolated the leak). I have pics of all phases of construction. One person told me that the reason my spa leaks is that there was no backer board on the front of the spa and when they shot the gunite, the weight from all that concrete caused a leak probably in one of the pipe connections.
Builder came out in 2010 and tore down front rock fascia of spa and raised bond beam rock wall behind pool. There was evidence of a water line throughout. This had to be done because we had 3 days of 20 degree weather and despite my pump running 24/7 the water behind the rock wall froze causing the rock to crumble and fall into the pool when it thawed.
Should there have been backer board in the front of the spa? See attached photos. Thanks! The 2nd pic shows the water seeping through the grout when we first filled the pool/spa.

 

[Texas Splash]

What a horrible ordeal to be going through. That really stinks. In any case, it's been a few days, so I wanted to give your thread a quick in hopes to give it a bit more visibility to where someone may have a suggestion or two. Hope things get better for you soon. Have a good day.

 

[Jackiesorenson]

Thank you, Texas Splash.

 

[Jackiesorenson]

Update
Leak detection was done Saturday and completed yesterday. Pressure tested to 21 psi and it held. No leaks in my plumbing/fittings. Leak detection company is saying the reason my spa leaks is that the water is seeping back through the rock and grout as it spills over the scuppers and runs down the front of the spa. How did he prove this? He drilled a hole into the grout of my spa and A LOT of water gushed out. However, to me, this does NOT explain why my spa leaked the first time we filled it (see pic above). My pump was NOT running when we filled the spa/pool the very first time. In fact, the pump did not run for over a week because my builder could not get it to catch prime when he came out to add chemicals for the first time (yes, builder dumped 12 gallons of acid directly into my pool before checking to make sure my pump would run leading to the acid etching my plaster).
So, I shut off my pump yesterday for 5 hours. Water stopped leaking from the hole he drilled. Turned the pump on and within 15 minutes there was water leaking from that hole.
Leak guy says my builder must rebuild my spa so that the scupper stone extends 6"-8" out over the spa to allow the water to spill directly into the pool and not run over the rock of the spa.
Does this sound plausible to anyone at TFP? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[pool&spatech]

the top pic with the dark water streaks running down the pool wall in front of the already filled spa ( which i assume the spa was filled 1st) start to show up after you started to fill the pool, and the pool water level had only reached the point it was at when you took the pic? which would be a few hours later, is that why you took that pic, was it because you thought it was not normal those streaks? its hard to tell from either the pic or your description,

 

[Jackiesorenson]

Yes this pic was taken when we first filled the spa and pool. The water dripping down the front of the spa (streaks) is actually water seeping through the grout and yes I don't think it is normal. We have had a leak in the spa since it was built. I have an update from the latest leak detection above.