Aquabright Cost ?

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Austintatious

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Oct 13, 2014
81
DFW Texas
Hello everyone...

So I am need of a re plaster job on my pool. I found Aquabright and it sounded like a good option at first. However I have received a quote for $5500.00 for a Quartz re plaster of the pool. Compare that to an aqua bright quote of $8500.00. I know I am one cheap dude ( but I feel like that is outrageous. They are basically using a sandblaster blowing propane to spray melted plastic onto the pool. I dont see how this process can even come close to being as labor intensive or costing more in raw materials than thousands of lbs of quartz plaster that necessitates chipping out around all the penetrations (and actually replacing them in the 5500.00 quote I mentioned) and still applying an adhesion layer before hand troweling it on.

Is a 50% increased cost over quartz reasonable? My pool is around 25k gallons, 105 linear feet.

So that has me urked... also, I had a quote in hand pretty quick from a local long time pool store for the plaster. It took a bit of begging to get the aqua bright quote and it came from an installer 30 miles from me. The one 7 miles away has not returned any of my calls. I have also called the corporate office 3 times now with no return call.

On its face it seems like a good option, but I cant believe more than 50% more cost is justified, especially since I cant get a hold of anyone!

I am in the DFW area.... is there anyone in the area that can tell me if this price is typical for Aquabright?
 
Well, it seems you may have already made your decision...but I completely understand what you are saying though.

Keep in mind that EcoFinish does not market their products as an economical pool finish but rather as a high end surface. AquaBright has a few factors that are significant contributers to the higher price tag:

1.) The installation equipment is extremely expensive, proprietary and single purposed
2.) The materials are very expensive and proprietary
3.) Shipping the materials is expensive since everything comes from the NorthEast
3.) The installation process is labor intensive and time consuming. Unlike cementitious surfaces where you can keep throwing more and more manpower at them, AquaBright can only go as fast as the gun can move and speeding the process yields poor results.
4.) There are a good amount of consumables that must be purchased and discarded after each job
5.) Surface prep is critical to the outcome of the product

Only you can decide if the added expense is worth it for your pool. AquaBright may or may not be ultimate pool finish but it is a great option for those that understand the benefits of having an inert surface and desire a uniform consistency. While I am very biased, I found EcoFinish after having several plaster issues and dissatisfied customers (including my own pool).

As for the quote you received, that price is actually lower than the MFG suggested pricing for your sized pool. You need to understand that you are in a highly competitive market where plaster is extremely cheap and labor is inexpensive. I find myself dealing with much the same issue in my area because it is very hard to compete with materials that are a fraction of the cost and inexpensive labor that has the market flooded.

I've never called EcoFinish during business hours and not had someone answer the phone. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them here or I can certainly get you in contact with someone from the company.
 
Properly cared for a quartz finished pool should last 25 or more years. Why does the pool need to be replastered? I would guess given the high scaling potential of the water in DFW in conjunction with improperly managed TA, pH and CH over time caused a premature failure. I've seen improperly managed pools in DFW need to be replastered in as little as 5 years. And properly cared for plaster last more than 20 years and still going. So, installing Aquabright will last a lot longer than quartz in that environment. Aquabright is much more forgiving of poor water maintenance.
 
pooldv said:
Properly cared for a quartz finished pool should last 25 or more years. Why does the pool need to be replastered? I would guess given the high scaling potential of the water in DFW in conjunction with improperly managed TA, pH and CH over time caused a premature failure. I've seen improperly managed pools in DFW need to be replastered in as little as 5 years. And properly cared for plaster last more than 20 years and still going. So, installing Aquabright will last a lot longer than quartz in that environment. Aquabright is much more forgiving of poor water maintenance.
Click to expand...

The pool is 11 years old... The house was a foreclosure and the pool sat half empty and turned into a swamp for 3 years. The sun did a lot of damage to the areas that were exposed and also the algae stained the plaster so deeply that even acid washing did nothing. Unfortunate, but I got a great deal on the home.

Honestly, would could leave it as is for the next few years... it is perfectly functional, just not pretty and pretty rough on the skin.
 
Thanks for the reply Bdavis.

I actually have not made up my mind. I knew that it was going to be a bit more for the aquabright, but this is definitely more than what i was expecting.

Also, Its not that no one answers the phone at Ecofinish... they answer... then I get transferred to voicemail or they take my name and number and never call me back... The secretary isn't able to help me beyond transferring me.

I would not agree that I am in a "highly competitive" market, what you say is true WRT labor... But the fact is that There are only 3 installers to choose from in the DFW area when it comes to eco finish vs literally hundreds when it comes to a plaster refinish. I cant help but feel this is why the cost is so much higher at least in part.
 
That was Brian's point, we are in a highly competitive pool market with many plaster installers willing to bid lower to win the business. This makes the price delta to Aquabright too large which tamps down the Aquabright installers in the area because they can't compete with artificially low plaster prices. The cost to replaster in Dallas is significantly cheaper than many other areas of the country. So, unless the customer is willing to pay extra for the additional value provided by Aquabright. Like choosing a Toyota over a Lexus. Toyotas will always get discounted more than Lexus do, or Mercedes or BMW for that matter. Aquabright feels they offer a superior product that offers value over traditional plaster and it seems like they aren't all that interested in trying to compete directly with plaster. People either feel their product is worth the extra money or go with plaster.
 
Brian,

Actually, I do have some questions that if you could answer them would help me tremendously.

1. How much DOES one of their application machines cost? (they have 2 models)
2. What does it take to become an approved installer?
3. Do I have to be an approved installer to purchase a machine and material?

That is what I am trying to speak with them about (and a few other questions) I have a friend who is also wanting to go with aquabright and he and I are are both DIY types who have tackled projects much more complicated than this. His father happens to be in the pool business (and has been for the last 25+ years.) So we are interested in simply purchasing a machine and material/supplies to do the two pools ourselves.... at the quote I got, this gives us a budget of 17,000 dollars to break even $ wise.

- - - Updated - - -

PoolDV,

OK fair enough... my point is that if there was more than 3 AB installers they would be competing with one another as well as with the plaster installers... With only 3 AB installers, they dont have to worry about another AB installer under bidding them. The reason the plaster is as cheap is because there are so many installers... If there were 3 installers in all of DFW, plaster wouldn't be as cheap no matter how many workers were waiting to trowel it on.
 
Austintatious said:
Thanks for the reply Bdavis.

I actually have not made up my mind. I knew that it was going to be a bit more for the aquabright, but this is definitely more than what i was expecting.

Also, Its not that no one answers the phone at Ecofinish... they answer... then I get transferred to voicemail or they take my name and number and never call me back... The secretary isn't able to help me beyond transferring me.

I would not agree that I am in a "highly competitive" market, what you say is true WRT labor... But the fact is that There are only 3 installers to choose from in the DFW area when it comes to eco finish vs literally hundreds when it comes to a plaster refinish. I cant help but feel this is why the cost is so much higher at least in part.
Click to expand...

Danny clarified my point quite well. I was referring to the market being flooded with plasterers, not AquaBright installers. Its hard to compete with cutthroat competitors. I rarely bid on plaster and pebble installs because I'm sick of losing those bids because I'm $150 higher than the next guy. To some people it is all about the price.

I'm the only AquaBright installer south of Los Angeles...you would think I could charge a premium but that is far from the case.
 
Yes I saw his well written post...

The quote I got for the plaster job is from a well established and very reputable place right down the road from me... I am pretty sure that if I shopped around I could beat their price by quite a bit, but I am willing to pay them for the piece of mind knowing they aren't going any where and will take care of me. In fact, the father of a good friend of mine works there ( although I am not getting any discount on that quote on account of this) so it is worth it to me to pay a bit extra.

So, this isn't being "all about the price".... I just don't want to feel like I am being taken for a ride. I am all for a company making money, that is the whole point... I suppose that I have been taken or nearly taken on enough rides that I am a bit paranoid about simply trusting that a price is just without doing a bit of homework. That is why I asked if this quote was reasonable in the OP.

Since you are confident that it is... now I can go on with actually making a decision. If you had told me the price was high, I could have made an effort to find another installer to give me a quote. I still want to explore the cost of the equipment for a DIY project however.
 

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1. How much DOES one of their application machines cost? (they have 2 models)

They will only sell the equipment and materials to certified installers. The price of the equipment would far outweigh any perceived savings unless you intended on becoming an installer yourself. The equipment and training is 32K and that doesn't include a rotary screw compressor, propane tanks, hoses, the consumables, a method to transport it all, etc.

2. What does it take to become an approved installer?

Purchase the equipment and go through training on 2 or 3 pools that you have to provide. I paid for my first two in their entirety and the third for the cost of materials only. The owner of one of the pools is a member here and he was there for the entire process and he can attest to what I've said.

3. Do I have to be an approved installer to purchase a machine and material?

Yes and as you can see it isn't very cost effective if you only intend to do a couple pools. This is specialized equipment that you can't just run down to the rental yard and pick pick up. There is also a lot to learn on how it gets installed with technique and timing. If you are looking for more information on becoming an installer, go to the Installers Wanted section (http://www.ecopoolfinish.com/become-an-installer/) and fill out the info or contact Kevin Lane (Contacts section of the website).

That is what I am trying to speak with them about (and a few other questions) I have a friend who is also wanting to go with aquabright and he and I are are both DIY types who have tackled projects much more complicated than this. His father happens to be in the pool business (and has been for the last 25+ years.) So we are interested in simply purchasing a machine and material/supplies to do the two pools ourselves.... at the quote I got, this gives us a budget of 17,000 dollars to break even $ wise.

As you can see, it is not cost effective and you haven't even purchased the materials yet. You'd be better off buying a plaster pump and rig...
 
Austintatious said:
Yes I saw his well written post...

The quote I got for the plaster job is from a well established and very reputable place right down the road from me... I am pretty sure that if I shopped around I could beat their price by quite a bit, but I am willing to pay them for the piece of mind knowing they aren't going any where and will take care of me. In fact, the father of a good friend of mine works there ( although I am not getting any discount on that quote on account of this) so it is worth it to me to pay a bit extra.

So, this isn't being "all about the price".... I just don't want to feel like I am being taken for a ride. I am all for a company making money, that is the whole point... I suppose that I have been taken or nearly taken on enough rides that I am a bit paranoid about simply trusting that a price is just without doing a bit of homework. That is why I asked if this quote was reasonable in the OP.

Since you are confident that it is... now I can go on with actually making a decision. If you had told me the price was high, I could have made an effort to find another installer to give me a quote. I still want to explore the cost of the equipment for a DIY project however.
Click to expand...

Your quote was very reasonable. You are at a great advantage because you have more than one installer near you and can attempt to get multiple bids...not the case for most people in other areas. There is a much higher demand on the east coast for this surface and their plaster prices are 2-3X higher that what they are in your parts...

You seem interested in enough in the finish to entertain it or was it just because you felt it could be had for significantly less if you did it yourself?
 
bdavis466 said:
Your quote was very reasonable. You are at a great advantage because you have more than one installer near you and can attempt to get multiple bids...not the case for most people in other areas. There is a much higher demand on the east coast for this surface and their plaster prices are 2-3X higher that what they are in your parts...

You seem interested in enough in the finish to entertain it or was it just because you felt it could be had for significantly less if you did it yourself?
Click to expand...

thank you for the reply...

I was interested for a variety of reasons. I did expect it to cost more, but not 60% more. I still have not rules it out, but will be getting multiple quotes.
 
The cost to replaster in Dallas is significantly cheaper than many other areas of the country.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth. It's almost embarrassing what I had to pay to have my pool refinished. Of course, I'd rather live where I do than DFW, so there are trade offs. Aside from the advantage of a relatively inert surface, with the cost to plaster in your area, I'd probably do that instead of aquabright. Once balanced and after the break in period, maintenance and testing decrease significantly. Just my two cents.
 
I wanted to give an update on this thread...

First off, In reading back through this thread I see that some took my post as a gripe thread about cost. A lot is lost in translation with the written word (well, my written words anyway) and that was not at all what I was intending to do. The entire purpose of my thread was to simply do a little homework and see if what I was being told was reasonable. I have always been a DIY-er and there are many circumstances I have come across where I have been quoted outrageous prices on projects where I ultimately saved THOUSANDS of dollars by doing the work myself. I am on high alert (admittedly to a fault) for people looking to take more of my money than is appropriate. As someone about to shell out thousands of bucks for something that really does not and cannot fall into the DIY spectrum, I wanted to get feedback from people who could help me make an informed decision. Certainly anyone else would have done the same, although perhaps more tactfully. If I came off as anything other than someone trying to make an informed decision, I apologize. I do thank everyone who chimed in on the matter for their feedback.

Anyhow... the update

I had a gentleman from Gold Medal Pools & Outdoor Living in Frisco come to my home and measure the pool. The quote I received in the OP was from measurements I provided over the phone. Through discussions with GMP, we discovered there was some sort of discrepancy in the measurements, which is not surprising since I took them solo, in the rain while holding a phone. I received a new estimate that was significantly lower that the original and only slightly over what I expected... SO... Today I actually signed paperwork and committed to an AB installation!!

A big thanks to Gold Medal Pools & Outdoor Living, LLC. for working with me and driving so far to take measurements.

So there you have it... In about 2 weeks I will be joining the AB club. The pool desperately needs it. At 11+ years old, quartz plaster that sat half empty full of super green algae and turtles for 3+ years it is simply done. I will be taking copious before and after photos and possible time lapse video of the process. I will post em up once this is all completed.
 
Hi Austin,
I completely understood where you were coming from, and what information you were seeking from your OP. I am glad to hear that you are going with AB. I would sell my first-born for an AB finish. (JK, fortunately I have no kids, and definitely no prospects for the future.) But from what I have read, researched, and seen, AB is worth the price. I just don't have it in my cash budget for my new build. (I'm a cash and carry type of guy.) So, I will have to wait 10-15 years for my plaster finish to wear thin. (I'm currently putting aside $100 a month in my AB fund.)
 

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