New Owner Builder Project Advice would be much appreciated!

[ajw22]

Are they packing rebound around rebar here? Looks like they are handpacking this entire interior wall of the spa :/ below is a 2 minute video . Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!

When you can see that spa wall there is already a layer of shotcrete on it. Do you know if that was blown on? It makes a difference if they hand packed all of it on that wall. Or blew an initial layer on and then hand added another inch or two. Although it is a poor practice and the wall does not have the same strength through the entire thickness.

 

[Dflipsyde]

When you can see that spa wall there is already a layer of shotcrete on it. Do you know if that was blown on? It makes a difference if they hand packed all of it on that wall. Or blew an initial layer on and then hand added another inch or two. Although it is a poor practice and the wall does not have the same strength through the entire thickness.

It was blown on. It was overdug as well. However, it was not just an inch or two that was hand added. It was definitely at minimum 12 inches!

 

[Dflipsyde]

It was blown on. It was overdug as well. However, it was not just an inch or two that was hand added. It was definitely at minimum 12 inches!

I have another video of how much was shot and how much was hand placed. Any suggestions on what I should do at this point?

 

[ajw22]

You are in a tough position once you paid the shotcrete contractor. If you had stopped them during the job and not paid them you would have leverage. Now you really have little recourse. And what remedy would you ask the contractor for? The shell cannot be easily be redone.

I think you have to chalk it up to a learning experince and hope for the best with your pool.

 

[Dflipsyde]

Darn, I guess you’re right that there isn’t much I can do. I attached the video of that area being shot prior to them handpacking the rest of it. Maybe you can just take a look if you see anything.

 

[ajw22]

I would poke at the shell after 2 weeks, as I described above, and see if all areas are solid. If anything crumbles or is soft then you have a problem that needs to be investigated further.

 

[Dflipsyde]

Ok got it. Thank you very much!

 

[Dflipsyde]

Hey everyone I can’t seem to find anyone that can do our coping with porcelain pavers at a reasonable price within a reasonable time frame. I am in Las Vegas. Does anyone have someone they can refer? Thanks!

 

[Dflipsyde]

So we are almost ready for plaster. Have some questions about the forming of steps and benches. I realized that none of our benches or steps have pronounced edges whatsoever. We want our pool to have a modern look. Not sure if this can still be achieved. Talked to plaster guy and he said all they do is rounded edges. Semi-round and really round can look really different. Please see photos below. Question is can we have straight edges with pebble sheen finish? If not, can we have semi-rounded edges with pebble sheen finish? Any isight please anyone? Thank you in advance.

1st photo-how we wanted our steps to be
2nd photo- our friend’s pool that just got gunite. Notice the somewhat rounded edge but very clean
3rd photo-our step. No edge. Dull
4th photo-our same steps
5th-how we absolutely don’t want our steps to look like

 

[ajw22]

I think your friend had a much better gunite crew then you got. or at least your friends gunite crew had a talented sculptor on the crew. I think it is the gunite that forms the shape of the pool. I don't know how much plaster can be shaped like clay to form sharp corners.

Let's see what @onBalance says since he has hands on plaster experience.

 

[Dflipsyde]

I think your friend had a much better gunite crew then you got. or at least your friends gunite crew had a talented sculptor on the crew. I think it is the gunite that forms the shape of the pool. I don't know how much plaster can be shaped like clay to form sharp corners.

Let's see what @onBalance says since he has hands on plaster experience.

Yeah it’s looking that way ((. I don’t know if my Shotcrete crew can come back to fix?

 

[ajw22]

Yeah it’s looking that way ((. I don’t know if my Shotcrete crew can come back to fix?

I would not want the same crew coming back to try and fix it. It does not look like that have the skill and experience to do sculpture.

If you want it changed you need to find the right talents that understand what you want and have the skills to do it.

 

[onBalance]

Imo, most plasterers will put a somewhat more rounded edge than in photo 1, even if the gunite has sharp edges.
Photo 5 appears to be more rounded than normal. But in this case, since the gunite edges are very rounded, that is what may be the result. The plasterers probably can, with a little work, make the radius edges more pronounced with those rounded gunite step edges.
Don't know what else I can comment on.

 

[ajw22]

@onBalance if the customer wants sharp edges how much can the plaster be formed over gunite that is not very sharp?

Can plaster be sculpted to the form a customer desires?

Is a sharp edge on the plaster more prone to chipping?

 

[Dflipsyde]

I would not want the same crew coming back to try and fix it. It does not look like that have the skill and experience to do sculpture.

If you want it changed you need to find the right talents that understand what you want and have the skills to do it.

Well, I really don’t want them to either but there isn’t anyone else at the moment

 

[Dflipsyde]

Imo, most plasterers will put a somewhat more rounded edge than in photo 1, even if the gunite has sharp edges.
Photo 5 appears to be more rounded than normal. But in this case, since the gunite edges are very rounded, that is what may be the result. The plasterers probably can, with a little work, make the radius edges more pronounced with those rounded gunite step edges.
Don't know what else I can comment on.

Thank you for the insight. Yeah just wondering about @ajw22 other questions as well

 

[onBalance]

Allen, I am not understanding the first question.
2nd question: Some sculpturing can be performed depending on the ability and willingness of the plasterer, but is limited somewhat by design of the gunite.
3rd question: Sharp edges should hold up just fine, but are slightly more prone to chipping if hit by something hard. Being under water helps to protect plaster surfaces.

 

[ajw22]

Allen, I am not understanding the first question.

So as the plasterer you arrive and find that the gunite has uneven rounded edges on the steps and the customer wants sharp well defined clean edges. Can the plaster be sculpted over the gunite to form the crisp edges the customer wants? This is assuming the plasterer has sculpting talents.

Or is plaster more like paint where the final look will follow the underlying gunite shapes?

 

[onBalance]

Okay I see what you are asking.
Plaster is not, or least should not be, like paint, thin and watery. It should be more like oatmeal. And in fact, plasterers can mix up some small amounts of very thick plaster, almost like clay, and apply in small areas that need extra material to hold in place. When that is done, then a coat of regular plaster is applied over that, and a plaster finisher can use a step trowel that forms a somewhat sharp radius if he owns that type.

 

[Dflipsyde]

Thank you @ajw22 and @onBalance for the clarification. After all of that, now it doesn’t even matter because the plaster guys told me they only do one radius and that’s it. I did not know this. We are getting pebble sheen so maybe that’s why? Sigh...oh well.