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The
Pool Renovation Process
As
we prepare to start your job, there are important things you should
know. First, your project is major construction. We built our company,
from the ground up, for pool renovation, not new construction. We use
hoses and buckets, not backhoes and heavy equipment. We're used to
working around mature vegetation. That means we're a heck of a lot LESS
noisy, dusty and messy than companies that do both new construction and
renovation. But, at times, your backyard will be noisy, dusty and
messy. That's simply the nature of this level of construction.
To minimize any
potential inconvenience:
Move
furniture, potted plants or any movable items out of the way.
Close
your windows to reduce noise and dust.
Keep
pets inside. Your gate will
remain open the entire time our
crew is in your backyard. Please make all necessary arrangements.
Communicate.
We do our best to let you know what's going to happen before it does.
With schedules that depend on weather, equipment and materials, we
can't always do that. And, during our busy season -- January through
June -- you may need to wait a few more days to start your
project. So please, if you have a question or concern, call
us.
What to Expect
There are several stages of construction. The following briefly
explains what happens during each. Pay
special attention to
the Post Construction Stage, that's when we turn your pool back over
into your care.
Preparation
Stage
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Before
we resurface your pool's interior and begin any additional
construction, your pool must be drained and the existing surface
prepared. If your pool isn't already empty we drain it into your
outside sewer drain or into the street in accordance with the laws of
your city.
After
your pool is drained, DO NOT
TURN YOUR POOL LIGHT ON.
This will burn out the bulb and may even break the lens (pool lights
are water cooled). |
Once the pool is
drained
we prepare the interior surface. This can
take the form of tile cleaning (if
you
requested this service), "chipout" or "bond coating." Our goal here is
to prepare the surface for proper bonding with the new surface. If we
chip out your pool, a crew uses power tools to chip out most of the old
plaster. Bond coating combines chipping out the top portion of the
plaster and power-washing the remaining surface with a super high speed
jet spray. Both processes can be noisy. A friendly "heads up"
to your neighbors would not be unappreciated. All debris is removed
from your yard by bucket. |
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Construction Phase
The construction
phase
has two parts: outside the pool first; then inside the pool. We do
everything outside the pool first; install tile, re-plumbing, install
new equipment, redo your deck, add boulders or a water feature or place
the barbeque and/or fireplace. We work outside the pool first to guard
against debris falling into and damaging a new interior surface.
The
final stage of construction is redoing the interior of your pool with
the type and quality of surface you selected. The process varies
slightly depending on the surface.
Plaster and Colorquartz
For many people, the first time they see their pool's interior without
water is when we resurface it. Regardless of the surface you select, it
is very much a product of nature; basic materials hand smoothed and
finished into a naturally imperfect surface. To achieve this, we first
cover your decking with plastic for protection against overspray.
Plaster
is mixed in our truck and fed under pressure through a hose to your
pool where it is sprayed on the interior surface. If you
select Colorquartz, the quartz and any color you requested are
mixed into the
plaster at the truck. A crew then "shoots" your pool and hand
trowels the entire surface to smooth and set the plaster. Your garden
hose is placed in the pool to begin the filling process and we do a
final clean up. It's
important to
remember: do not turn the
water off until the pool is
completely full. Doing
may create a permanent ring. If
you're concerned the pool
may overflow at night or when you're at the office, simply slow the
water flow or have a neighbor check. But
don't turn
the water off until it reaches the water tile line.
Pebble
A proprietary
blend of
cement, pebbles and other strengthening components is mixed at the
truck (along with color, if requested) and fed under pressure through a
hose to your pool where it is sprayed on the interior surface. We then
hand trowel the entire surface to smooth and set the pebble/material
mix and gently wash the pebbles to expose their natural beauty.
We
return the next work day to acid wash the surface. This
reveals the pebbles and puts the final finish on the
surface. Your garden hose is placed in the pool to begin the
filling process and we do a final clean up and remove the slurry box.
The true beauty of a Pebble surface isn't seen until the pool is filled
and the water has a chance to clear and you return your water to proper
chemical balance. So be patient!
Post
Construction
A
few things you need to know:
When
our plaster crew leaves they will put your garden hose in the pool and
begin filling it. Do not turn
the water off until the pool is
completely full. Completely
full means
when the pool water reaches the middle of the water line tile or when
your surface skimmer is half full of water. If you turn the water off
before it's full, a permanent ring may form around the pool.If
you feel your pool
may overflow at night or when you're at the office, simply slow the
water flow or have a neighbor check. But
don't turn
the water off! Also,
do not wash down or spray the
sides, sudden cooling may damage the plaster.
Do
not enter your pool until it is completely full of water.
If
you have a pet that loves the water, keep it inside. You can damage
your new surface if the pool is entered too soon.
After
the pool is full you may notice plaster dust at the bottom. This is a
normal reaction. However, it's important you brush your pool regularly
until the filter has a chance to pull the dust out of the water.
Brush
your pool at least four times a day until your filter has cleared the
plaster dust from the water.
Run
your filter pump 24 hours a day until the water has cleared,
checking the pool pressure regularly and backwashing when necessary
(when your pressure rises 5 to 10 pounds over your normal, clean
running pressure).
Begin
testing and adding chemicals to balance the water chemistry immediately
after your pool is full. Consult
Universal Pool &
Spa's service professional if you do not know how to test your pool's
chemistry.
A
few things you'll appreciate knowing:
Our
people
It's
easy to look out into your yard and only see "a bunch of
laborers." The reality is many of our crew members have been
with us for years, and we work hard to keep them (with a pay and
benefits package rarely seen in our industry).
Your
pool will be plastered by, in our humble opinion, the finest pool
plaster craftsmen in the Mid-Atlantic.
Our materials
It's
just cement. . .isn't it? That's what most people think, including many
companies currently satisfied buying their material from local
suppliers. We only buy the
best products with a history of
success.
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