Update:
Quick recap...our pool has been a fucking nightmare. We signed our contract with deposit and final selections on May 14, 2020. They not only took forever, but every element of the build was done wrong the first time and had to be either redone completely or had to be fixed multiple times to get it right. We're talking issues with plumbing, coping, decking, gunite, electrical, and plaster. We finally got plaster on November 20, 2020 and had our driveway replaced and everything pretty much down to a few punch list items on November 24, 2020, so pretty close to 7 months with some straggler time remaining.
Now, here we are on February 3. There was one fitting for the spa bubbler that was in crooked so it was shooting the bubbler about 20 degrees off center. I was given 2 options...either rig it by bending the plastic pipe so it would come out of the water in the right spot but the pipe would be crooked, or redo the fitting which would require a small plaster patch that I could "barely see". Option 2 seemed like doing it right and I'd had enough of the rig jobs up until this point, so we opted for option 2. Supposed to be a one day job.
First try at the patch job that we'd barely be able to see was a fucking joke. Huge patch that was nowhere near the color of the existing plaster and looked like a giant pile of dog shit in the bottom of my pool directly under the pool light so it has a spotlight on it. Fine, once again, nothing is ever done right the first time and they'll need to come redo that as well. Next attempt, it looks as bad or worse. Mind you, we've now filled and drained the pool three times (I'm now receiving notices from the city that they think I have a water leak).
So, they decide the only way it's now going to look right is to re-plaster the spa. What that really means is that it gets another coat over the old plaster. I didn't buy a pool with a re-plastered spa, I bought a new pool with a new spa. But, at this point, I just want the fucking thing done so I sign off on it. They chipped the old stuff off around the edges and fittings and put down some kind of primer layer and they're all set to re-plaster.
Plaster guys show up and they're starting their setup and prep work. After about an hour, I look out and they are packing their shit and leaving. So, I go out to see what the hell is going on and they tell me the tiles are falling off like nothing just from sticking their tape to them for the prep, so they can't continue. Are you fucking kidding me?!?!
Now they've determined that they will have to completely redo the tile work and that they will also need to re-plaster the pool along with the spa as there is no way they will ever be able to get them to match each other. They also won't redo it with the tile we originally selected because they've decided that it's the product, not the install job that was shoddy. Mind you, we've had to have them back to replace tiles that have fallen off at least 4 times up to this point. MOTHER FUCKER!
At this point, there are several other issues in the pool that I was letting slide in an interest to just get the fucking thing done. But, now the gloves are really off (I already had to threaten to sue earlier) and I'm fucking demanding they redo it all and get it all right. The other issues are the main drain is in crooked, two of the in-floor cleaning heads are off center, the lights they used are way too bright for that size pool, and the plumbing was done wrong (understatement) so the in-floor cleaning heads that are under your ass in the spa shoot ice water out when the spa is on. Also, I'm not accepting re-plaster over the old plaster. I want it all off and completely redone from scratch.
To top it all off, they are having problems resourcing another black and white greek key tile to use. That was truly the design inspiration for the entire project and I am not willing to just pick something else. We have $50K plus worth of furniture, accessories, a custom cabana, awnings, landscaping etc that were all selected to coordinate with that tile.
In all of this, I find out my project manager has been fired. They admitted to me that he has been the problem the whole time and that he should have been fired before Thanksgiving. They told me he was having some personal problems (I got to hear about them from him all the time and none of them seemed that bad to me, he was just a whiney bitch) and that his lack of quality control has been unacceptable. Well, no shit! I guess the good part is they've admitted it's all on them and they have agreed to redo everything and get it right.
So, here we are. Over 9 months in and I need new tile, new plaster, new plumbing, and new lighting. Good times. I won't put the company on blast publicly yet until this is finished, but if anyone in DFW is getting a pool and wants to know their name, PM me and I'll be happy to tell you. They are one of the biggest in the metroplex based out of Plano.
Here she is in her current state in all her glory. Kill me now...