Typically, off season between August and February when the schedule is not quite as full.

Pool Resurfacing or Replastering refers to the interior finish. Renovation might include tile, coping, plumbing and equipment.

Rust stains (or spots, as it is commonly called in the industry) are caused by the metal being too near the surface of a pool. To understand this, you must first understand how a pool in constructed. After the hole is dug, a form of the pool shell must be made from rebar and wire. The rebar is bent into the shape of the eventual shell and tied together with wire. Then the pool shell is formed with shotcrete, a concrete product. In the perfect situation, the shotcrete forms a perfect coverage of between 6″ to 12″ thick, depending on where in the pool, where the rebar and wire is buried in the middle of the shell; not close to the surface and not close to the dirt underneath. If the coverage is not adequate, then the rebar and wire may be too close to the surface and begin to rust from coming into contact with pool water. Very few pool surfaces are completely waterproof* and therefore, permit slow seepage outside the shell. This is not a problem if the rebar is properly positioned in the shotcrete or gunite (on older pools). The only way to properly repair a rust spot is to ship into the pool shell around the rust spot, bend the rebar and/or wire into its proper place, spray with Rustoleum or similar product to prevent further rusting and patch. Unfortunately, finding one rust spot does not mean that other spots won’t appear a month or year later. There is no way to tell except for those currently visible with surface staining. *The only current pool surfaces that are waterproof are AquaBright, Vinyl and Fiberglass.

Acid washing an existing pool surface is usually performed to remove or lessen stains. This is a less expensive alternative to replastering the pool. The problem is that acid (which is Muriatic Acid) can shorten the life of plaster finishes. It does not, however, harm a quart or pebble aggregate finish. Depending on the severity of the staining, an acid wash can be performed in-water. In other words, the pool does not need to be drained – the acid is added to the water and will perform a good cleaning. It is very important that the homeowner not swim in the pool until the acid has been neutralized and the chemicals rebalanced. Acid washing is a necessary step for the application of a new finish of several types; aggregate, glass and Hydrazzo. It is used to clean the surface haze or cement residue off of a newly plastered pool. This is the final step prior to filling the pool with water.

“Best” doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive or longest last. Best should mean what is best for the client. For example, if a homeowner plans to sell their home within a few years, “best” may not mean to spend a lot of money on the pool finish looking for 25 years of longevity. Although this may not be the “best” option for the new home buyer, it may be best for the current owner’s budget. If the homeowner plans to be in the home for many years, then a more expensive option can be less expensive, in the long term, since the pool may not need remodeling for the lifetime of home ownership. There are other considerations to determine “best” – how smooth or textured a finish is preferred, how the pool is going to be used and what is the vision for color of the finish and water. Best means different things to different people and must be determined by a discussion with your Pool Professional.

There are pros and cons to both. An in-ground spa becomes a part of the property and will be a consideration when the property is appraised in preparation for sale. An above-ground spa will not, but it also can be transported to a new home, if wished. An above ground spa, typically, offers more jet action (30 to 70 jets) than an in-ground spa (5 to 15 jets) and more contoured seating. However, it will not match the look of the pool, where an in-ground spa can match all the major elements of a gunite spa including the surface finish, tile and coping. The aboveground spa will look more like what it is – an additional piece of equipment sitting in the back or sideyard. In above-ground or portable spa will cost, on average, between $2,000 to $12,000 while an in-ground spa starts at around $15,000 although can be more cost effective if added at time of the pool construction. Above-ground spas usually have a cover lifter option that allow one person to place and remove the spa cover. This is not usually an easy option for in-ground spa although there are such products. In summary, there are several points to consider when making a decision from aesthetics to cost to usage. There is not right answer for everyone.

One to two weeks depending on the scope of work.