Pebble Tech recommendations; Good & bad scenarios

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tstex

Silver Supporter
Aug 28, 2012
2,177
Houston, TX
Hello to all,

Have heard a lot of war stories lately about pool finishes, and I do not want to be a potential casualty. Sorry for those that have been/are.

I do all of my correspondance w PB in e-mail. Will not accept verbals, period.

Our contract stipulates a PebbleTech finish. Went on Peb-Tech website and really hard to tell what looks good w bad reflections on pool examples except a few. Small internet samples do not cut it...like looking at a small piece of your tie then trying to buy a suit from that. It has to be viewed in context, and I value your opinions and essential context.

So, I wanted to know what colors the folks on the board here has selected that:

1). They liked just as much after installing w filled w water as they did during the selection process?

2). Liked the PTech sample but did not like it for whatever reason afterwards and why?

3). Had any problems during installation and how did they get corrected?


Our coping, pool water-line tile, wall and 4 columns [2 scuppers in middle and 2 fire-bowls on the end/copper bowls w dark glass in bowls] are all travertine. as well as spa & spa spillway...All lighter earthly colors. The decking which is 1500sq ft of travertine too, in the versaille pattern. We have a tanning ledge and two nice long 18" deep benches in two diff areas..

I like the blue-based patterns, but wife and daughters will be voting too [do I have a chance?]

Anyway, pls let me what has worked and what has not. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Best regards,
tstex

Note: After ours in installed and water filled, I will provide my feedback to this post as well,
 
Perhaps the biggest contribution of the plaster is on water color. My recommendation is for you (or, rather, your wife and daughters!) to pick the color of water (light blue, medium blue, green-blue, black-at-night blue, etc.) and then select the pebble color that makes the water the color you have chosen.

Up close, all the pebble colors look good and will generally coordinate with any pool design.
 
Since opinions are so subjective, their is only one real way to answer your questions about the looks of the Pebble Tech. Call your PB and have him arrange for you to go see a pool with the same shade as your sample. My PB took me to see 3 pools that he built and he has brought one couple over to see ours. That is the only way you will ever be happy.
 
Hi tstex,

Im sure that whatever color you (or your wife) decides will be awesome.

The biggest thing about the pebble finishes that really makes people unhappy, is if it is applied incorrectly and ends up discolored, badly splotched and other unsightly things.
The attractiveness of the pebble finish will more than anything else depend on the quality of the installation of it by experienced people, and the immediate care of it right after it's installed.

The best advice I can give, is make sure that the plaster folks that install it, have good experience doing it with excellent results.
 
I have Pebble Fina poorly applied by a very experienced crew.

I agree --- samples do not cut it ---- you need to see some pools.

I would go with lighter colors darker colors have more problems. No colored plaster is perfect.

Be there when they do it. Read the post on replastering it has info on plastering too.
 
I went and looked at a pool with the Tahoe blue pebble, I liked that sample since it was a intermediate between light and dark, and since we spend time up there it does look like the water. I would have added some abalone if I though about it more before it was done, possibly some additional pebble to make it slightly darker than Tahoe. There are some areas on the bottom that there is slightly more plaster visible than other areas that makes them look a little lighter so lighter overall color may be better for hiding flaws as said.
 
dumbcluck said:
What really is the advantage of being there during plaster?
So you can cringe at the things they do and drive yourself nuts?
Aren't they just going to do whatever they do pretty much regardless?
Click to expand...

Being present makes for a great placebo effect: We feel we're helping, even though we're most likely powerless to affect any particular result by our mere presence. This is just like the "close door" button in an elevator. The vast majority of these buttons have no impact on when the elevator doors close, but we still push them like madmen anyway. Because it just feels better. I, for one, am really glad I was present for my excavation phase. I was really able to "help" by continually staring out the windows and wondering how the Bobcat guy learned how to run that machine so efficiently....
 
Great feedback.

I believe both the PB and the resident needs to be there when the p-tech is installed, each day. To the installer, I don't mean **** to them. If it did, they would not leave all their trash and other all over the place. I am a removed 3rd party. However, the PB is their real client and they need to hold them accountable, and I need to hold the PB acctable.

The company that did our gunite will also do the pebble-tech. I am going to tell them that when they install our pool, I am going to do a write-up with tons of pictures on the outcome of this pool. I will then submit to many pool building magazines and tell them this is either how you do it right or how it is done poorly. I also know the owner of the gunite company and will give him a heads-up too.

I agree that no matter what color or selection you make, if it is installed crappy, you lose big-time. All the work they do comes down to the finished product and this is it, or a big part of it. Decking is still on the way and w 1500 sq ft of travertine pavers. that is a lot of room for either errror or a lot of room to please the eyes.

Appreciate the feedback.
 

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tstex said:
The company that did our gunite will also do the pebble-tech. I am going to tell them that when they install our pool, I am going to do a write-up with tons of pictures on the outcome of this pool. I will then submit to many pool building magazines and tell them this is either how you do it right or how it is done poorly. I also know the owner of the gunite company and will give him a heads-up too.

.
Click to expand...

Have you been having problems with them already? If not why try to use fear to make them do their job right?
 
I definitely agree to the accountability part. However in my case the pb is the plasterer.
If it is subbed out then pb needs to be there to make sure his butt is covered.
As the people who are paying to have this stuff done, there is an assumption on our part that things will be done properly. We shouldn't have to hold their hands throughout the process otherwise why are we paying them to do a job that we ultimately still have to do ourselves?
Being your own gc is the best way to go if you want any say and or control in how things go. It's sad.
 
I don't mean be there the entire time. Be there at the start check they have the correct color. Go over your concerns with them. Go over the items in http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/41414-Ten-Guidelines-for-Quality-Pool-Plaster

Pool crews tend to build their standard pool not your pool. Make sure they understand your pool. Make sure they see you and talk to you before they start. Pools tend to be built on the fly with the finish options chosen as it goes along so there are plenty of opportunities for error. The crews if not told what to do just do what they usually do.

Then come back halfway through and see what they are doing. If you think its wrong politely ask. If it is wrong tell them to fix it.

It doesn't matter if they are a sub or direct. Talk to them. They want to do what is right.
 
I have an arrogant/convenient-based PB of the two primary owners. When they were recommended, the prior customer/former neighbor had the other partner doing his pool. I now have the other one. Therefore, I cannot stress enough that if you go w a referral, make SURE you get the same person as the referring agent.

This guy said he would be there all the time. My daughters [15 & 12] have nick-named him "nac". First name "Need Another Check" last name. He's always willing to come over when a check is due, but for the pool, it's when he has time and it's convenient. His favorite words: "Me, I, us" etc. I have been my own GC for many diff things and have had to correct the contractors work. I am just PO'ed and venting now, but I am going to made dxmn sure all is held acctable, especially since I have heard many of the recent war stories here about finishes coupled w some of the issues I have already experienced w retro-fits.

Bottomline is, "if you want something done right, you make dog-gone sure that either you do it yourself or the person doing it is held acctable to do it right". Sad, but true.

I do appreciate everyone's feedback, even if we disagree, that is ok. We are all civil here and try to help and provide each other valued experience and possibly proactive measures to insure we get what we are paying.

Finally, I am not sure we can see all the examples of all the p-tech finishes we want, but we will give it our best to do so.

Best to all,
tstex
 
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