This is our first pool and when we bought the house a couple of years ago we knew the it needed new plaster but thought we could live with it for a while since he only noticeable problems were some fairly minor cracks. Unfortunately the plaster started delaminating in quite a few spots ostensibly because when we had our new patio and cantilevered coping poured they left the pool dry too long.
We have been getting bids on new plaster and tile for several weeks now and I am hearing conflicting opinions on whether or not we should insist on having all the old plaster removed.
It looks to me like it's been redone several times and most of the contractors who have looked at it agree. There are several places, especially around the returns and spa fittings where it is built up probably an inch or more and there are noticeable humps where he plaster has been feathered in.
I believe the best way to do anything like this would be to remove all he old plaster, get a good bond coat on and have a brand new coat of plaster. But several contractors say that they would just tap on the plaster to find the hollow spots and remove only what was loose then plaster over the existing surface.
Between what has already delaminated and what you can hear when you tap on the surface the pool is looking somewhat like the surface of he moon. I have made it clear that I am more than willing to pay extra to have the old plaster completely removed but I am meeting a lot of resistance from two of the remodelers who otherwise seem like good choices.
The bottom line: am I wrong to think it would be best to remove all of the old plaster or should I stick to my guns and insist on it in spite of the extra cost?
I really would appreciate all the feedback I can get!
By he way, the pool is obviously an inground gunite that's 18' x 36' with a 6' x 6' spa in one corner.
We have been getting bids on new plaster and tile for several weeks now and I am hearing conflicting opinions on whether or not we should insist on having all the old plaster removed.
It looks to me like it's been redone several times and most of the contractors who have looked at it agree. There are several places, especially around the returns and spa fittings where it is built up probably an inch or more and there are noticeable humps where he plaster has been feathered in.
I believe the best way to do anything like this would be to remove all he old plaster, get a good bond coat on and have a brand new coat of plaster. But several contractors say that they would just tap on the plaster to find the hollow spots and remove only what was loose then plaster over the existing surface.
Between what has already delaminated and what you can hear when you tap on the surface the pool is looking somewhat like the surface of he moon. I have made it clear that I am more than willing to pay extra to have the old plaster completely removed but I am meeting a lot of resistance from two of the remodelers who otherwise seem like good choices.
The bottom line: am I wrong to think it would be best to remove all of the old plaster or should I stick to my guns and insist on it in spite of the extra cost?
I really would appreciate all the feedback I can get!
By he way, the pool is obviously an inground gunite that's 18' x 36' with a 6' x 6' spa in one corner.