Accepting a new pool finish: what to check at handover

A practical checklist for accepting an exposed-aggregate pool finish: sample comparison, detail checks, filling and start-up records, and common handover issues.

Judge a new pool finish against the approved physical sample, viewed wet, and against the approved mock-up if one was made. Do not judge it against images on a screen. Check workmanship and details while the pool is empty, without delaying the fill, and review appearance once the pool is full and the water is clear. Before handover, confirm who runs the start-up programme and agree which records and checks are needed at each stage.

Who is responsible for what

Agree responsibilities before the inspection begins. PebbleCrete supplies the material and technical support but does not install the finish. Unless PebbleCrete has agreed otherwise in writing, the application, the mock-up and the finished result are the responsibility of the owner and their applicator. Acceptance is therefore mainly a matter between those two parties.

The finish is decorative. It is not structural repair and it is not waterproofing. Confirm that the substrate, repairs, waterproofing and water testing have each been accepted and recorded at the stages set out in the project specification. Handing over the finish does not replace those acceptances.

Plan the inspection around the fill

Filling should begin promptly once the installer releases the pool. Allow enough inspection time within the applicator’s approved filling programme. Agree in advance:

• who attends: the owner’s representative, the applicator and, where relevant, the architect and pool builder
• what will be checked
• how observations will be recorded
• who signs each stage

Also confirm that the water source, tanks and hoses were checked before the application date, and that the circulation equipment works.

Treat acceptance as two stages. Check workmanship and details with the pool empty, and check appearance with the pool full and the water clear. Before filling, photograph the whole surface in order (floor, walls, steps, waterline and fittings) so you have a baseline if questions come up later.

Compare with the approved references

Expect some variation in colour and particle distribution from batch to batch and from pool to pool. Slight variation is normal; pronounced irregularity is not. Colour also changes once the pool is full. Shallow steps usually look lighter than the deeper floor, and sun, shade and pool lighting change the appearance through the day. Judge appearance against the wet sample, the mock-up and any agreed acceptance criteria. This is a separate check from confirming that the pool is ready to operate.

Look out for:

• distinct patches or bands of a different colour or texture
• areas where the particles look noticeably more or less exposed than in the approved references
• ridges, hollows or trowel marks that the references did not show
• sharp or rough spots where bathers sit, stand or hold on

Check edges, transitions, fittings, steps and waterline

Inspect from the deck and steps. Enter the pool only once the applicator has released it and protection arrangements have been agreed. Check:

• Fittings: lights, inlets, drains and grilles sit correctly, and their covers still fit now that the finish adds thickness.
• Steps: treads and nosings are cleanly formed. Markers are secure, with no projecting corners or sharp changes at contact surfaces. Spacers do not show as a line.
• Waterline: the tile band or polished band is clean, its junction with the finish is neat, and the operating water level sits within the zone designed to be cleaned.
• Joints and transitions: movement joints are where the drawings show them. Junctions with tile, overflow lips and coping are finished as detailed.
• Cleanliness: there is no dried slurry on walls or tiles. There is no debris in sumps, balance tanks, channels or drains, where it could be carried back into the pool once circulation starts.

If an area sounds hollow when lightly tapped, photograph and mark it and tell the applicator at once. Agree with them how it will be investigated and whether filling goes ahead. Do not delay filling on your own initiative.

Fill promptly and without interruption

Once the installer releases the pool, fill it continuously. Stopping partway can leave a visible line at the temporary water level, and dirty or contaminated water can stain a new surface. Test the filling water even if it looks clear, and keep the results with the project records.

Confirm the start-up programme and who runs it

Confirm in writing who carries out the start-up programme (the applicator, the pool builder or the owner’s operator) and when responsibility passes to routine maintenance. Follow the current schedule issued for your pool, including its start-up values and acceptable ranges. Typical elements include:

• continuous filtration and daily brushing of the whole pool through the first month, often twice a day in the first week
• regular tests of pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and free chlorine, each recorded with the date and time
• in salt-chlorinated pools, no salt at first fill: wait 28–30 days, then follow the written start-up instructions and the chlorinator manufacturer’s requirements

Never add chlorine of any kind directly onto the finish. Dose at the point and by the method given in the project instructions and in the chemical and equipment manufacturers’ guidance.

For routine operation, the published targets for a PebbleCrete finish are pH 7.6–7.8, total alkalinity 80–120 ppm and calcium hardness 200–400 ppm. The pool must also meet any local requirements that apply. In parts of Southeast Asia, filling water from wells, rivers or lakes can be acidic. Testing only chlorine and pH will not show whether the water is balanced.

Records to receive

Keep these documents together for any future operator:

• the approved sample reference: material family (PebbleCrete Classic, Supreme or Glass) and exact colour
• the mock-up approval, dated and signed, if a mock-up was made
• the signed acceptance record, listing any outstanding items and agreed remedies
• material and batch details
• the start-up log: fill date, source of the filling water and its test results, and every reading and chemical addition
• care instructions and equipment information for routine operation
• a copy of the PebbleCrete Material Warranty (available on request), with its scope and conditions confirmed for this project
• the installer’s own warranty, if one is offered
• acceptance records for the substrate, waterproofing and water test, plus handover drawings showing concealed services such as fibre-optic routes

What is normal in the first weeks

While a new cement-based finish cures, some changes are common:

• Slight dust or cloudiness may appear. Brushing and filtration should reduce it.
• pH tends to rise and needs frequent adjustment.
• The colour may seem to shift with light and weather.

Do not assume a change is normal if it persists, gets worse or has no obvious cause. Report it.

Report these to the applicator promptly:

• cracks or hollow-sounding areas
• loose or shedding particles
• rust-coloured or spreading stains, especially near fittings
• roughness that develops over time
• water loss you cannot explain

How to raise concerns

Raise concerns early and in writing, starting with the applicator. Include:

• overall and close-up photographs, each with its location and date
• when the issue appeared, whether it is spreading and whether the pool is losing water
• water test results before and after any correction, with the action taken
• any treatment changes, top-ups, heavy rain or nearby building work

Do not use strong acids or aggressive abrasion, and do not drain the pool, until the cause has been diagnosed and the remedy agreed. A local repair may stay visible, so agree what it will look like before work starts. On request, PebbleCrete can provide technical information about the material to support the applicator’s investigation.

In Thailand: Pebble Pools (pebblepools.co.th) offers pool inspection with a written report.

Frequently asked questions

Photographs and screen colours are illustrations. Confirm colour and texture with a current physical sample viewed wet and an approved on-site mock-up.

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