Costs to replaster?!

Our gunite pool needs to be replastered (ordinary black plaster). We also need to have most, if not all of the tile trim repaired/replaced (I'm having a heck of a time keeping the water level below the tile in the winter). The tile is a band about 6" deep running all the way around the top of the pool. Last fall, I talked to a guy about replastering. Based on the specs I gave him on the phone, he said it would be around $5,000. This seemed reasonable to me. Yesterday, he stopped by to do a full estimate, and quoted me just over $9,000. I was a little shocked. He explained that the estimate was higher because all of the tile needed to be redone (at $50 per linear foot). I built the pool for around $31,000. This included excavation, blasting, complete pool construction (gunite, plastering, tile trim, etc), deck (680 sf), plus all equipment and electrical work. How can a replastering job cost almost 1/3 of the original cost?

Needless to say, I'm getting additional estimates. I'm also wondering if the tile part is something I can do myself?

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

$50/ft seems high to me, but then I haven't checked the market. $5k may be a good price for plastering, but how big is your pool?

Also, I just noticed you said "black" plaster. I know that in doing tile floors, black grout is the most expensive. That may also be adding to your cost.

Michael

The pool is 19,500 gallons. Nothing tricky, just the normal steps and a lot of smooth surfaces.

$5k sounds in the realm of possibilities for a replaster, given the size and color of your plaster. However, that's not including the tile work, of course. $50/ft just sounds crazy high to me. If he was doing a floor, that would work out to $100/SqFt, which is insane, even for a tile tear-out job. I'd definitley get more bids.

Michael

We are looking at getting our pool replastered as well. Ours is 18 x 32.. about 18,000 gallons. We have recieved price quotes for standard white plaster from 2750 - 4600..I asked about replacing the tile and was quoted 12.00 a linear foot.. Only problem is that all the companies I've gotten prices from accept cashiers check or cash..The all want full payment up front as well. I've found one company that will do 1/2 payment up front and the rest upon completion and this was the company that cost 4600..So needless to say I'm still looking around..Good luck with your search..
d

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Originally Posted by dbmet

We are looking at getting our pool replastered as well. Ours is 18 x 32.. about 18,000 gallons. We have recieved price quotes for standard white plaster from 2750 - 4600..I asked about replacing the tile and was quoted 12.00 a linear foot.. Only problem is that all the companies I've gotten prices from accept cashiers check or cash..The all want full payment up front as well. I've found one company that will do 1/2 payment up front and the rest upon completion and this was the company that cost 4600..So needless to say I'm still looking around..Good luck with your search..
d

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Thanks very much--that is very helpful info!

I don't wanna but heads with anybody, 18X32 with a standard plaster like Krystal Krete. Contractor cost about 10.50 to 13.50 a bag of plaster. Say your pool takes at the most 40 bags @ 13.50 = $540.00 Case of Acid $24.00

My sub charges me $750.00 To Prep And Plaster
Charges Me $4.00 a LF for Tile
Cost of tile depends on tile.

$540.00
$750.00
$ 24.00
_______
$1314.00

With Tile @ 90 LF $360.00
Cost Of Tile ? You Factor In

Now you will know what is a fair Price.

Please Note That colors Like Black Perl finish do cost upwards to $15.00 to $18.00 a bag.

Do not Pay your Contractor In Full. work Up an agreement for 10% down 40% On finish of Prep 40% On Finish of Plaster 10% On Finish of tile or Job

Infinity.... what about the cost of removing the old tile and grout and prepping the surface for new tile? You didn't factor that in. Also.... is the contractor not intitled to make any profit? You listed your cost only.

I think $9,000 is way out of whack, but some parts of the country are very high, unlike Florida which is the cheapest place to get a pool because there are so many pool contractors competing for business.

Golfdog, did that estimate inlclude new coping by any chance?

I'm looking at doing somthing similar.
Read this guys experience....very informative.
http://truetex.com/pool.htm

Have you considered an alternative? I'm leaning away from plaster right now.
http://www.poolrestoration.com/
Anyone with first hand experience with somthing like this? Are his claims accurate?

Looking at my bid from the contractor doing the replaster - 21K gallons, 32x17 , basic white plaster.

Drain and chip out plaster 1079.00
Replaster 2265.00


Quoted 1300.00 for class A tile.. looks like 7.90/ LF.

I don't think that $9,000.00 is out of line at all. I'm certain you could find less expensive estimates, but in general, you get what you pay for. It's not a wham bam type of repair and if you want it to last and not spend another $5K in 4 or 5 years, pay the $9K now and enjoy it for a good long time. **Use someone REPUTIBLE!

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Originally Posted by PoolDesignnet

Infinity.... what about the cost of removing the old tile and grout and prepping the surface for new tile? You didn't factor that in. Also.... is the contractor not intitled to make any profit? You listed your cost only.

I think $9,000 is way out of whack, but some parts of the country are very high, unlike Florida which is the cheapest place to get a pool because there are so many pool contractors competing for business.

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A very relevant comment.

Until I started PoolSolutions, I had no idea how much costs varied around the country. They are cheapest in S. Florida, where there's lots of competition, and just as importantly, where the pool business is a year round business with low excavation costs. They tend to be highest in the Northeast, where the work is very seasonal, and it's also high anywhere it's hard to make holes in the ground.

And, it's not just labor or construction that's cheaper in Florida; everything is cheaper. A pump that costs $350 wholesale from SCP in Chattanooga may be sold -- by SCP -- in Miami for $250.

This is one reason I've tried to discourage price comparisons here. They aren't entirely meaningless, but they can be pretty close.

"Service Guy"'s remark about getting someone reputable is worthwhile as well. The cost of plaster is not the material; it's the skilled labor. And just because the skills involved don't require a particularly high IQ, doesn't mean that they are trivial or easy to acquire.

In south Florida, where plastering goes on every day of the year, on 1,000's and 1,000's of pools, it's a common skill, and it may not be hard to find a good plasterer. But in many areas, it's an uncommon skill. In the Chattanooga areas, there are several guys that do plaster, but none of them are very good. There are a couple of guys who build high end pools, and they always hire plaster subs from Atlanta or elsewhere.

I've occasionally done some patch plastering, often underwater, and charged very high prices for it, because it was work that always had to be done in the busy season and because there weren't many others who could do it, in my area.. Was it worth it? Well, my customer felt like it, because they didn't have to drain or shut down commercial pools mid-season.

However, my plaster work never looked very good. The patches have proved very durable and sound, but I didn't have the skill to make them look good, too.

So you really do need to look around for someone good. But, contrary to what "Service Guy" said, you don't always get what you pay for. I know service guys and builders who are good at marketing and expensive, but who actually do lousy work. I know of some fairly inexpensive guys, who are poor at marketing, but who do great work. However, at least in my experience, it is often true that 'you don't get what you don't pay for' -- cheap in price usually tends to be poor in quality. You just have to keep in mind that, when construction is the issue, "cheap" and "expensive" have very, very LOCAL meanings.

Hope this helps;

Ben
PoolDoc.

PS: This is yet another thread that's helped convince me that I need to encourage everybody to include at least an approximate geographic location in their profile. Location matters, for both pool chemistry and pool construction.

I just replastered and tiled my pool for $5000 . I did not do the coping. This sounds to high, get several quotes and make sure you like the personality of the people...they will be at your home for over a week.

SML

Well being a contractor myself that does seem a bit high for tile. I charge $30.00 a LF that includes removing the tile clean up, only thing is thats just labor plus the cost of the tile & Acid wash. For plaster u said Black i charge 5.00 plus $400 for the additional dye. Take into consideration he maybe charging you additional if you have bench,seats spa swim out. Not sure how he quotes but thats just a heads up so that you are aware.

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Originally Posted by Golfdog

Our gunite pool needs to be replastered (ordinary black plaster). We also need to have most, if not all of the tile trim repaired/replaced (I'm having a heck of a time keeping the water level below the tile in the winter). The tile is a band about 6" deep running all the way around the top of the pool. Last fall, I talked to a guy about replastering. Based on the specs I gave him on the phone, he said it would be around $5,000. This seemed reasonable to me. Yesterday, he stopped by to do a full estimate, and quoted me just over $9,000. I was a little shocked. He explained that the estimate was higher because all of the tile needed to be redone (at $50 per linear foot). I built the pool for around $31,000. This included excavation, blasting, complete pool construction (gunite, plastering, tile trim, etc), deck (680 sf), plus all equipment and electrical work. How can a replastering job cost almost 1/3 of the original cost?

Needless to say, I'm getting additional estimates. I'm also wondering if the tile part is something I can do myself?

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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I forgot to mention that if the pool is an old pool it will need a bond kote application and that also is extra sorry forgot to mention that

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Originally Posted by sml

I just replastered and tiled my pool for $5000 . I did not do the coping. This sounds to high, get several quotes and make sure you like the personality of the people...they will be at your home for over a week.

SML

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OVER A WEEK???? WOW I do that in two days In and out. 1st day tile removal,acid wash tile application Clean everything up and then the Bond Kote application