Pool dug and rebar done but no gunite...

[Robynethridge]

Hi everyone,
I am doing an owner build swimming pool in League City (south Houston), Texas. I had the pool excavated on Friday, rebar Saturday, and tomorrow plumbers are scheduled to stub out. I had gunite scheduled for Wednesday. However, the gunite company let me know that they will be unable to come because they are closing due to covid next week. So...what can I do in the mean time to keep the pool from caving in? Should I go ahead and have the plumbers come and stub out? Thank you!

 

[ajw22]

@bdavis466 what would you do?

 

[JJ_Tex]

Can you not find another gunite company? Unless the company has been directly impacted by COVID, that seems like an excuse to me.

 

[bdavis466]

Time to find someone else. Is your soil pretty unstable?

 

[Robynethridge]

Thank you for the help! Soil seems okay at this point. I have been trying to find someone else but the other companies are booked till September! I even went to the address listed for the gunite company I had a date with...they were not there but another gunite company was - who is also booked solid. We do have the pool walls covered in plastic and I’m still going to try and find where this gunite company is. I was told today they are keeping their trucks somewhere else (by another company) so I think I’ll go out there tomorrow or Wednesday. This is so ridiculous and I’ve been on this company’s schedule since June 8th.

 

[Robynethridge]

Can you not find another gunite company? Unless the company has been directly impacted by COVID, that seems like an excuse to me.

I think they were directly affected - it’s not a huge company. I just don’t know why they won’t txt, email, or call me back and let me know yes I am on their schedule once they are operational again unless they don’t want to give me any false hope and are maybe closing? Or did they just bump me from their schedule? Sorry I’m rambling...

 

[JJ_Tex]

I personally would not chance a contractor too much that is not calling you back, storing their trucks at another address, has another company listed at their address, etc. That sounds like a recipe for having your money disappear.

I bet there are 20 gunite contractors within 50 miles of you, I would find another one without the red flags.

 

[Robynethridge]

Thank you for the feedback. I have had some pool builders reach out to me and apparently, the gunite company is completely dissolving. Most of the guys are headed back to Mexico. This is even putting them in a bad situation because this is the "normal" gunite crew. I have the pool walls covered and I've got a date two weeks away. All the gunite companies are absolutely slammed in Houston right now.