Question about re-plastering

[vman1]

Hello, we had our pool re-plastered in June this year.
I would like to get your opinion about practices of pool replastering.
My water lines tiles were replaced and when company did the plastering they scratched them pretty badly.
I asked them if they ever tape the tiles prior plastering to protect the tiles and they said never.
So I guess it is normal to ruin tiles. They were brand new BTW.
Please look at the pictures of a spa. Does the finish look as it was done and troweled properly ?
The spa was done second time about 2 weeks ago because of issues with leak, broken light niche and not enough plaster over
air bar causing the PVC to start showing. The company agreed to replaster the spa at no cost.
I would expect them to take extra care when they replastered the second time, but I guess they didnt care that much.
The bottom shows trowel marks, dips and bumps and the company owner said that when they pool/spa won't look as good as when new pool is plastered. I wish they told me that when I was signing the contract. I did not expect perfectly straight walls and/or bottom but I did not expect to have ugly bumpy bottom like this. What do you guys think ?
Thanks.
[attachment=1:27m30klr]spa1.jpg[/attachment:27m30klr]
[attachment=0:27m30klr]spa2.jpg[/attachment:27m30klr]

 

[jblizzle]

Sounds like a cop out. How is plastering the 2nd time different than the original? Granted the under surface may not be as smooth to apply the plaster to, but you do not see that. The surface depends on the trowling ... and seems like they are making excuses.

That said, there is always some variation in the surface since it is done by hand and pool/spa lights shining sideways make things look worse.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[vman1]

Sounds like a cop out. How is plastering the 2nd time different than the original? Granted the under surface may not be as smooth to apply the plaster to, but you do not see that. The surface depends on the trowling ... and seems like they are making excuses.

That said, there is always some variation in the surface since it is done by hand and pool/spa lights shining sideways make things look worse.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

They say the difference is between when they plaster new pool over new gunite comparing re-plastering after they chip out
the old plaster. I do understand that the light will enhance imperfections, but what bothers me is the pit holes, dips and trowel marks, which in my opinion have nothing to do with lighting.
I am overall unhappy with the finish So I am trying to get other people's opinions. Should try to get them correct it ?
Couple more pics:
[attachment=1:13pdmpa8]spa3.JPG[/attachment:13pdmpa8]
[attachment=0:13pdmpa8]spa4.jpg[/attachment:13pdmpa8]

 

[onBalance]

I saw the pictures of the original plastering of the spa (in your earlier post) and would say that the finishing workmanship was poor. The redo (above pictures) of the spa is better, but still not very good and of high quality.

 

[vman1]

Yes after several people saw the finish they all agreed that it is poor workmanship.
The spa may look better in recent pictures.
Dips, sharp rough areas, bumps, even a partial foot print at the bottom, two return jets were installed far out so more bumps around them.
I was already told by three people that the finish has nothing to do with whatever the surface was under, but it depends on the skills of the
plaster crew to produce smooth and semi even finish.
Over all I think I got bad finish. Now the question is what do I do with it ? Legal action ?
I paid over 6K for the work pool and spa plaster. Did not include tiles. And I expect job well done.
I don't think I got that.

 

[MelbiStylz]

Are they licensed??? Did they remove the plaster compleately down to the gunite? Also, was the plaster applied in two coats measuring up to 1 1/2 inches thick? As soon as the plasterers are done you have to start filling up the pool immediately. The plaster will absorb the water and even itself out. Once the pool is filled half way up the tile, there will be a thick layer of plaster dust. you vacuum out the plaster dust with a vac head brush, (vac head with no wheels) and important to do a 5 day start up to introduce chemicals. wait 30 days then add conditioner to water. If you don't do start up you'll stain plaster. I know this from years of trial and error, growing up my parents house had semi-olympic size pool that I had to clean.... Cheap labor.... lol

 

[vman1]

Are they licensed??? Did they remove the plaster compleately down to the gunite? Also, was the plaster applied in two coats measuring up to 1 1/2 inches thick? As soon as the plasterers are done you have to start filling up the pool immediately. The plaster will absorb the water and even itself out. Once the pool is filled half way up the tile, there will be a thick layer of plaster dust. you vacuum out the plaster dust with a vac head brush, (vac head with no wheels) and important to do a 5 day start up to introduce chemicals. wait 30 days then add conditioner to water. If you don't do start up you'll stain plaster. I know this from years of trial and error, growing up my parents house had semi-olympic size pool that I had to clean.... Cheap labor.... lol

Yes they are licensed. they did remove all old plaster down to gunite. The plaster (with quartz) wasn't applied in two coats but in one coat. How thick I don't know but close by the waterline tiles there was about 3/4". Also on the steps they told me the tile should be set plus minus 3/4" from the gunite.
They use accelerator in the mix (calcium chloride) so by the time last guy walked out the pool it was probably too hard to be formed by water pressure. BTW I did read here on this forum that calcium chloride shouldn't be used in colored plaster to avoid color problems.
There was hardly any dust after the pool was filled or after when I brushed it three times a day and folowed everything in their start up sheet. Checking pH daily, etc. They added 1 Gal of acid second day. Ran pump 72 hrs non stop.
I did vacuum it to remove the very little dust with vac head brush. After about a week or so I put floater with chlorine tabs (after I asked them if OK and they said yes).

 

[MelbiStylz]

Sounds right on your part, I agree with "poor workmanship" even with pool light angle showing imperfections it should still look uniform. They should have included the start up at the price you paid. There's no excuse to scratch the tile. Unless you wanted them to "try and clean the tile", but I'm not sure that's the case. It won't hurt to call the company and complain. I know someone who took a company to court and getting several estimates from pool contractors to redo the pool and asking the court to grant restitution from the company that plastered the pool based on the estimate from a pool contractor who stated the errors made and why it came out that way. His problem was the pool did not have an expansion joint between the deck and coping, so the tile cracked. He was granted with the lowest estimate given from pool contractors to fix his pool. You wouldn't want the same company to redo the pool since they did a poor job TWICE.

 

[vman1]

The tiles were brand new, installed prior plastering by my tile guy (top notch tile guy).
The old tiles were worn. No cracks in tiles, just scratches.