3rd party inspection?

[Steve_K]

My pool is nearing completion and I'm considering hiring a 3rd party to inspect for construction defects. I like my PB but all the work is sub-contracted and the PB is never on-site while the work is being performed. It's the hard to spot things that worry me, like poorly bonded tiles and coping, or plaster being applied on top of all the gunk that has accumulated on the bottom of the pool during the past 2 months.

Am I being a overly cautious?

 

[JasonLion]

If you have specific concerns, a third party inspection might be worth it. But if your only issue is that everything was sub-contracted, I would stop worrying and trust the builder. Sub-contracting nearly everything is very common, and doesn't say anything about quality being worse.

 

[Steve_K]

I knew from the beginning that all the work was subcontracted and I'm fine with that. My main concern is that the tile and coping is not being installed to industry standards and good practices. Take a look at this section of coping that is cantilevered out over the inlet to the pool skimmer. Only the left side of the coping is mortared to the pool, while 80% of the coping is floating in air. They stuck 3 bricks there temporarily to support the coping until the mortar hardens, but mortar has no tensile strength and this coping will pop right off when someone heavy jumps on it to do a cannon ball.

 

[doobs41378]

Have you talked to your PB about your concerns? He is responsible for the finished product so if you are worried I would bring it to his attention first and then if he does not help ease your concerns then I would have a 3rd party give their opinion so you can bring that to the PB.

 

[gwegan]

I would be talking to my PB. The sooner the better. All the issues you bring up are issues that should be discussed with your PB as they are happening. In other words each day they are working on your pool you should be present when the crew starts and discuss what they are doing. And its best (very important) to show up latter while they are working. If you don't like something, get on the phone then and tell the PB what your concern is. Waiting until the end only makes it more difficult to correct errors.

Who would you get for an inspector? Another pool builder?