On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:03:12 -0700, SMS
wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:55:47 -0500, "Dick Keats"
wrote:

Ended up getting PebbleTec ($$$)

Dick,

Care to share the age of the PebbleTec, pool size, issues since the
work and cost?

We have a local company that installs this finish, but they also
finish in plaster.

For my 16 x 32, 40K gallon pool (13 feet deep at the deep end) the
Pebbletec was $12,000, versus $8000 for plaster. This is in Northern
California where prices are much higher than places like Florida. The
$12K also included new tile (not the cheapest choice), Connecticut Blue
stone coping, plumbing, electrical, skimmer, ladder, and filter (but
the existing pump). I think the existing plaster was original, about 20
years old.


My pool is only 11K gallons and 4 feet deep in the center (old folks
pool - perfect for two people). The pool only needs a finish, so I
opened my mind to the pebbletec finish. Perhaps a new finish and new
waterline tile is all I need. No coping, because it is a Kool Deck. A
12 year old pool.

I got several bids for the refurbishment, but all of them used the same
company to apply the Pebbletec. I went with the company that was the
Pebbletec distributor.


Reading about this pool finish, the "artisans" are trained, certified,
and have continuing education.

The issues:

1. For the first few months you'll find some pebbles in the pool, ones
that didn't get set into the cement.


Right now my sweeper is picking up fine pieces of plaster as the pool
has damages (looks like white sand dollars) on the bottom. One place
has rust from a re-bar that seems to have wicked through the plaster.

2. Some people complain that the pebble surface hurts their feet.

3. After five years I notice that the color isn't consistent across the
whole pool, i.e. the color seems to be fading at different rates.


Is this a light color? Teal vs. Blue. I'm in the desert, so with the
UV and a shallow pool I think is may make a difference.

The good:

1. The surface is lower maintenance than plain plaster.


Check

2. It's supposed to last longer than plain plaster, but it's too soon to
know.

3. The appearance is much nicer than plain plaster.


Check

4. The pool vac (Dolphin) can climb further up the walls.

My sweeper has the pads on the bottom - not sure if they would wear
down faster, but that's another day.

I appreciate your comments.