Pool Remodels: What Lies Beneath the Plaster

A pool remodel is rarely as simple as replacing the tile and plaster. Once the old surface comes off and the ground is opened, contractors can uncover structural cracks, deteriorated rebar, undersized plumbing, missing hydrostatic relief, unsafe electrical work, and decades of questionable shortcuts.

In this bonus episode, Kelli speaks with Jose Gonzalez of Adams Pool Solutions in Pleasanton, California. Jose grew up working alongside his father in the pool industry and has spent nearly 12 years with Adams, advancing from plaster and pebble application into field management, project management, and sales.

Kelli and Jose dig into what really happens during a remodel, including the hidden conditions that can add thousands of dollars to a project. They discuss structural crack repair, hydraulic upgrades, permits, waterproofing, material selection, customer education, and why thorough documentation protects both the contractor and the homeowner.

Jose also shares one unforgettable discovery: full-size pool lights installed without proper niches or grounding, held in improvised cavities with plaster and silicone.

The lesson is simple: a successful remodel is not about hiding old problems beneath a beautiful new finish. It is about correcting those problems and building something that will remain safe, functional, and durable for years.

In This Episode

•  Jose’s journey from helping his father as a child to managing and selling remodel projects 
•  The difference between resurfacing a pool and performing a complete remodel 
•  Why structural cracks appear more frequently than many contractors expect 
•  Three approaches to crack treatment and when each may be appropriate 
•  How deteriorated rebar can turn a surface crack into a major structural repair 
•  Why contractors should discuss possible change orders before demolition begins 
•  Hidden copper lines, undersized plumbing, and other hydraulic surprises 
•  Missing or covered hydrostatic relief systems 
•  Why modern codes can require upgrades to older pools 
•  The value of preconstruction equipment inspections and signed documentation 
•  When waterproofing makes sense and when it may create bonding concerns 
•  Why poor surface preparation can cause a new finish to delaminate 
•  The long-term cost of cheap tile, coping, grout, and installation materials 
•  When permits are essential and why some contractors refuse to proceed without them 
•  Using renderings and physical samples to help homeowners visualize the finished project 
•  Why licensed contractors, field experience, transparency, and realistic timelines matter 
•  Jose’s advice for pool professionals entering the remodeling business 

Featured Guest

Jose Gonzalez
Adams Pool Solutions
Pleasanton, California

Key Takeaway

A trustworthy remodel contractor does not simply deliver the cheapest version of what a homeowner requests. They expose the problems, explain the options, document the decisions, and build the pool as though it were going into their own backyard.

#TalkingPoolsPodcast #PoolRemodel #PoolRenovation #SwimmingPools #PoolConstruction #PoolContractor #PoolProfessionals #PoolDesign #PoolSafety #AdamsPoolSolutions

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:53

Hey everybody, it's Kelly with Talking Pools, another bonus episode. So today we're going to talk remodels with Jose from Adams Pool Solutions. And I will let him introduce himself.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Hi, how's everybody doing? I'm Jose Gonzalez with Adams Pool Solutions here in Pleasanton, California.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Can you give us a little like background on yourself and your company?

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Yeah, so I officially started working with Adams Pools right after graduating high school in 2014. So I'm coming up on 12 years officially with the company. But my history with Adams goes back to when I was eight years old. During the summers, I would come out and help my father with his crew. So I really did grow up in the swimming pool industry. And over the years, I've had the opportunity to learn different sides of the business and work my way around into field management, like project management and sales. So I think the experience that I have from working out in the field gives me an understanding of what actually goes into building a pool and remodeling these pools. So that just helps me with customers, really. They they seem to trust me a lot more than if I was a regular sales guy.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

So I grew up in the pool industry and I didn't want to do pools, but here I am. What was something that made it so you wanted to continue with the pool business?

SPEAKER_02 2:18

So I personally love pools. I'm in the pool at least four or five days a week. And to me, it's like some of my best memories growing up were around the pool with my cousins, my friends. And I love transforming like old beat-up pools that nobody wants to be around to a place for families to create memories to entertain.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Yeah, I kind of like you. I like transforming old pools into you know practically new pools. Like I do have a remodel right now where and even though the shell is the one thing we're keeping, we're we even had to repair it because we had 26 feet of structural cracks. And people don't really understand, I feel that remodels aren't just plaster and tile. You know, it it's bringing the pool up to code. It's but um yeah, I just that's one reason I thought having this conversation with you is great so people can learn what really goes on on the remodel side other than plaster and tile.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

Oh yeah. The plaster and tile is I don't want to oversimplify it, but sometimes that's one of the easier easier steps of the process. Yep. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

So I know that your company is based out of Pleasanton, but you also have a shop in Vegas. Have you heard of any differences between the two areas?

SPEAKER_02 3:44

So, from my personal experience here in Northern California, in the Bay Area, um, I I could tell you that the two markets are very different because we have so many like microclimates here in the Bay Area. Whereas Vegas, it's deserts pretty much just hot everywhere. You can be working on a swimming pool in San Rafael and it's 65 degrees, and you drive 45 minutes away from there and it's 90 degrees somewhere else. So there's tons of differences in climate, and then inspectors too. You could be dealing with the building department, drive 20 minutes down the road, and you're dealing with a different building department.

SPEAKER_00 4:21

I I think that happens way too much. Like I had one, I was doing permit drawings for it in Pacifica. It took two years to get it approved. So then the county or the city, if that one was a city, was treating it like a new build versus a remodel, where when it's a remodel, you have not as many criteria that you have to have, I found, than you do on a new build. Is that what you've experienced?

SPEAKER_02 4:47

Yes, definitely. Yeah, so one thing that bothers me a little bit with inspectors is when they come out to inspect our scope of work, our project, and then they start pointing out like the outlets on the house aren't water resistant. You need like they start pointing out and calling things that have nothing to do with our scope of work. And sometimes they almost want to not pass the inspection that they're there to inspect because there's something else wrong with the house. Like stay in your lane, please. Yeah, we actually have that affidavit form and all of our permits, all the homeowners have to sign off that they have all their smoke detectors and up to code. Yeah. Like the cracks, like you had mentioned about the structural cracks, that is always the biggest one for us. And I like you said, I like to mention it from the first time I'm out there quoting the job. Just let them know that is something that can come up, especially here in the Bay Area where there's a lot of properties on hillsides and different uh soils.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

So, what are some common uh hidden issues that you uncover on your remodels?

SPEAKER_02 5:58

So structural cracks is mainly the biggest one, but sometimes uh homeowners though their plumbing stubbed up at the equipment is PVC, and once we get in there, it's they'll have some copper lines. And I always recommend whenever we're doing a remodel that that's the perfect time to replace the plumbing and upgrade it to PVC.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Yeah, I just experienced where at the equipment pad it was two inch, and when we opened the ground, the return pipe was inch and a quarter, and then reduced from inch and a quarter to the fitting was three quarters inch. So we had to re-plumb the whole pool.

SPEAKER_02 6:35

Yeah, yep. And some of some I've had customers where they're dead said on just leave it, just leave it, and it's like it's your pool's not gonna function properly. Hear me out.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

Yeah, well, and and also what if the county is being really strict on Title 24 and they want those flow rates to be a certain you know amount. Right, correct. It's like sorry, but I have to do this because if we don't do it, then we're not gonna pass inspection and we are halted in our project.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

You're not gonna swim. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

When it comes to structural cracks, what is the method that you guys believe works the best? So, like I took I'm big into continued education. So I take like Genesis classes and watershape classes, and I was taught and talking with other people, which I feel is uh a nice way, is to expose the crack, put rebar in it, and then put if you're shooting gunite or hydraulic cement to fulfill it. But then there's other people who believe using staples works just fine. What is a method that you guys have seen works best for you?

SPEAKER_02 7:38

So I a hundred percent agree with you. Anytime I come across a crack, I want to expose open up and expose the rebar because more often than not, it's gonna be rusted and deteriorated. So you're pretty much rebuilding the that section of the wall and it's a lot less likely to fail. But that's not to say that I'm completely opposed to using uh staples, because it all depends on uh the size of the crack. If if it's if it's a hairline crack that's starting to open up more, staples are a really good solution. And something that I do when I recommend doing staples, if the crack isn't too excessive, is also applying a layer of antifracture membrane on top of the staples for added support. Yeah. Yeah. If the homeowner's got the budget and they're they're willing to to open up the cracks and and have that expense, that's my go-to way.

SPEAKER_00 8:33

When you do talk to the clients about you know structural cracks that need to be repaired, do you explain to them what ultimately can happen if we don't repair it?

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Yeah, a hundred percent. I I like to how could I say, to me, you can never give too much information. I I like to put everything right up front. And as soon as they sign the contract, I'll dive into it even further. Just let them know like this is a hundred percent what can happen. These are the methods of that we can fix it. I actually like to include as uh added options, I always include the three crack treatment options that we have at Adams, whether it's just antifracture membrane, carbon fiber staples, or opening up and hand packing the area. I include the our minimum prices and how much it would be per foot, just so there's no uh confusion. Because I've had pools where you don't see any cracks in the plaster, nothing. We remove everything, and there's a eight, ten thousand, twelve thousand dollar change order to repair the cracks, and homeowners are upset about it, and it it kind of sucks because like you put in all this work to make sure they're happy and have a good experience, and then something like that comes up and it just switches their complete mood. But I I've been doing a very good job of letting them know that it's it's for their best interest. You you want to build something that's gonna last.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

Uh I found that education is huge for clients, uh, especially with building trust with them. I also tell people, even though I have a budget in my price before shit happens.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

I'm gonna start using that one.

SPEAKER_00 10:15

I think that way they you know, I'm not saying it's going to be 10,000, it could or not ten thousand, ten percent, but it could be less, it could be more, but at least they have like, okay, this is this is what we need to think about, make sure we have this available if needed.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Yeah, and that's that that goes a long way with the customers. They could see they could they could see that that you care when you do stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

So, how often in remodels do you find that structural or hydraulic problems have been previous?

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Oh, so when I first switched over, I was originally a plaster and pebble applicator here with Adams. I've done a little bit of everything, a little plumbing. I thought structural cracks were one in every 20 pools, and I have come to learn that I was very wrong. I actually I'd say one out of every two pools. At least half of the pools that I deal with have cracks to a certain extent. Really severe cracks, I would say one out of every five pools I come across.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

And then when it comes to hydraulics, is that just about as often that the they're not there, especially in older pools where I I was talking to my dad when I found out I had to re-plumb the whole entire pool. And he was saying, you know, back in the day, you know, the 60s, 70s, no one cared about the hydraulics of the pool. As long as the it it ran water, who cared?

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Yeah, I it's it's sex that this is the case, but we I come across it a lot. There's people that'll have they'll they'll resurface their their pool with smaller companies or unlicensed contractors, and they they cover up the hydrostatic valves. And it it I would say out of 10 pools, I'd probably see six or seven where there's no hydrostatic pipe in the pool.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

And then what is one remodel surprise that sticks in your mind, like when you're working on a job, didn't expect it, and it was just like the most you'll never forget that situation. And it kind of paved the way for how you do things later on in your career.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

I'm a water baby. Ooh, ooh, I'm a water baby. Oh, yeah, I'm a water baby. Watch me swim around on a hot day when the sun is out. I wanna get into the school. I like to swim, it really cools me down. Let's get into the school. I got it. I got it. Watch me swim around that move, baby, that my mother taught me. I know how to swim just like my teacher taught me. Starting young in the water, I'm a water baby. Sometimes we have floaties that can really help. I'm gonna be a good swimmer.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

What is one remodel surprise that sticks in your mind? Like when you're working on a job, didn't expect it, and it was just like the most you'll never forget that situation. And it kind of paved the way for how you do things later on in your career.

SPEAKER_02 13:33

20 pools, and I have come to learn that I was very wrong. I actually I'd say one out of every two pools, at least half of the pools that I deal with have cracks to a certain extent. Really severe cracks, I would say one out of every five pools I come across.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

And then when it comes to hydraulics, is that just about as often that the they're not there, especially in older pools where I I was talking to my dad when I found out I had to re-plumb the whole entire pool. And he was saying, you know, back in the day, you know, the 60s, 70s, no one cared about the hydraulics of the pool. As long as the it it ran water, who cared?

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Yeah, I it's it's sex that this is the case, but we I come across it a lot. There's people that'll have they'll they'll resurface their their pool with um smaller companies or unlicensed contractors, and they they cover up the hydrostatic valves. And it it I would say out of 10 pools, I'd probably see six or seven where there's no hydrostatic um pipe in the pool.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

And then what is one remodel surprise that sticks in your mind, like when you're working on a job, didn't expect it, and it was just like the most you'll never forget that situation. And it kind of paved the way for how you do things later on in your career.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

Um I'm trying to think. This is a good question. So something that comes to mind that surprised me once, I for the most part, every pool I've come across, they have when you have lights, they'll they'll have an actual light niche, a plastic housing. And I came across a pool that had three lights, and there was just a piece of conduit sticking out sticking out of the shock crete, and they pretty much just made uh a cavity and for the light to fit in.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

And were these full-size lights?

SPEAKER_02 15:29

Full size lights. Oh my gosh. They just plastered a brass light ring into the plaster and uh put some silicone in the in the conduit so nothing would leak. I was like, this is not okay. No grounding. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

That is funny. Uh I feel in the remodel world, well, even the building world, you really have to be mindful of the longevity of what you're building or redoing so that they don't feel like, oh my god, I just spent $110,000 on this remodel, and I'm having to pay for something, you know, a year or two two later.

SPEAKER_02 16:05

Yeah. Yeah. And sometimes it's hard, especially with equipment. Some homeowners, it's like, I'll ex I'll explain exactly everything you just said, and they're dead set or very fixated on keeping an old filter or keeping a pump. And I just like having a record of those conversations.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Do you have like a do you have like a waiver that you have them sign? Like, hey, you decided to keep this.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Yeah. So what I do is I once the project is signed and we're we're getting ready to start the project, I like to do a pre-site visit where I'll come by, run all the pumps, just run everything that we plan on reusing. And I have a form that I fill out with what works, what damage I see, what we're keeping, and I have them sign off the bottom of the form.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

Okay. I like that. That's a great idea. What is your most frustrating part of remodel work that homeowners rarely understand?

SPEAKER_02 16:59

The things that can come up. Because, like I said, you're doing all this work, the people having they they love you, they're just everything's going perfect. Yeah. You you another ten thousand dollar change order comes up to fix cracks. Like we might seem like we're just coming back to these cracks, but that is definitely one of the hardest issues to deal with.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Uh, what remodel trend or shortcut do you wish would disappear forever?

SPEAKER_02 17:23

So on remodels, I have seen on social media and I've heard I've when I was a plaster, I saw just methods of prepping pools for resurface. There's some companies that just chip tiny holes, like that that's gonna you're it's bound to fail. It's yeah, it's gonna delaminate, and I just I am not a big fan of not doing proper preparation. Or another thing is since the market's so competitive, some companies will use very cheap materials for tile installs or coping, and you'll get cracked grout within a couple weeks after the pool's finished, or a year after you'll have calcium bleeding through the tile, or just it's just using cheap uh materials for installation. I I'd rather come in a little higher than my competitors, but be transparent with the homeowners. We're gonna use the best materials for all installation, and you're gonna have something that's gonna last. So even though we might be five, ten percent or fifteen percent more expensive than our competitors, you're not gonna have to spend more money in a year from now to fix all that.

SPEAKER_00 18:39

How do you feel about waterproofing on a remodel? So I've had it where um I I put I built a pool and I waterproofed it, but then the plaster company had mentioned, you know, it kind of makes it difficult for them to warranty the bond of the plaster to the gunite. So do you feel that waterproofing is essential on every pool, or is it something that's more a case by case depending on, you know, if they have a infinity edge or something where water is prone to uh sink in and and cause damage?

SPEAKER_02 19:12

I I'd personally like to to waterproof any parts of the pool that they're where there's tile. And as far as uh where plaster or pebbles gonna be applied, I try to, for the same reason of bonding issues, I try to only do it for uh infinity pools, pools with troughs, to prevent that water seeping through and having uh calcium.

SPEAKER_00 19:35

I am uh what is a remodel project that you have seen that turned out better than you thought it would?

SPEAKER_02 19:44

So I actually had a a simple remodel that I picked up actually a few months ago, about three months ago, that we were just doing tile, plaster, and um removing all the stone facing uh race spa and redoing it with new Bokeh Canyon stone. And I mean, it just surprised me. I I I thought it was gonna be a regular old project, and it turned out really, really nice. The homeowner was super static. I got one of the longest five-star reviews I've gotten, and it's just that's a good one for the portfolio. I've I definitely like to show that one off.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

What does would you say is like your perfect remodel client look like?

SPEAKER_02 20:26

So, my perfect remodel client, I know when speaking to some of my colleagues here at Adams, they say they want people that know what they want. To me, to me, that does not I do not mind walking customers through different options because I actually like that because I could uh educate them and put in my input and even some of my preferences. So ideally, my ideal client would be just somebody that's open to learning, having like going through that education phase and and that they're very understanding with the things that can come up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:03

Just keep coming back to the my favorite part is always going to be the design part, especially choosing like the coping and the tile and the plaster. And then they pick what they want. But I also like bringing what they think they like to the job site so then we can actually put it next to things to see if it's going to jive. You know, customers are really, really busy and they don't always have time to go to a showroom. And especially when you're trying to coordinate the showroom person, them, me, like yeah, it's difficult. So I like to give them like the brochure, but I also like the ones that don't know what they want. And they're like, hey, can you give us some some samples that you think would work? And then it starts that conversation, and then we're able to kind of maneuver it.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

And I found that clients love that because it just gives them more security that's gonna match their house, it's gonna match the landscaping that's survives the remodel, uh, stuff like that. Okay, what standards or best practices do you refuse to compromise on?

SPEAKER_02 22:06

Anything to do with cold compliance. Obviously, you even if you wanted to, you can't. And uh just following all engineering specs to the T, like sizes rebar, just all that.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

How do you feel when you have clients that don't want to do permits?

SPEAKER_02 22:23

So if it's just retiling and resurfacing something that's cosmetic, I'm not completely against it, as long as if we need to bring the the drains to code, and that's that's fine. But to me, anything once we start getting into structural or plumbing gas electric, that's just I I'm not their guy.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Do you feel when you don't do a waiver or you when you don't do permits, say on the plaster or the tile. Um, do you have them sign some sort of waiver that says that they're liable if like code enforcement comes?

SPEAKER_02 23:01

A hundred percent. And then something I also do, all our all the contracts I put together, I'll still include all the information that I would for a permitted job in case something were to happen and we are we need to pull a permit. We have all that on file and it's it's been discussed with them. Let's see here.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

How do you ensure remodels meet modern safety and hydraulic requirements even on older pools? Almost or does that kind of go with earlier when you're like I tell the client they let me know if they're willing to do it or not and that's just the way it is like does that kind of fall into that?

SPEAKER_01 23:39

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 23:39

Are there any times where you told the client you have no choice like this is what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Quite often actually and and what's what's the feedback of those ones?

SPEAKER_02 23:50

Well for the most part it's actually pretty negative because people when when you get a client that's fixated on not doing permit, they're it's so hard to get them off that.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Yeah yeah they definitely don't want to what do you wish more remodeled contractors understood about long-term durability?

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Um I'm gonna go back to using good materials not not going the cheap route to like they underbid a job to get the job and they'll they'll use cheap materials to stay profitable. I'd rather not get a job at but quote it right and sure it's gonna last.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Okay. Now aside from those things what would you like to see the remodel side of the industry change?

SPEAKER_02 24:36

So for me personally I I've come across other pool contractors that they're mainly in it for the money. And with me being somebody who genuinely loves pools I wish more people would think of every project they take on as if it was their own pool in their backyard. Like if I wouldn't feel comfortable with a pool that I filled that I created being at my house then I would definitely not feel comfortable turning that into a client you know oh yeah if you can give advice to a homeowner on remodel services what would it be? So during the design and quoting process I always tell homeowners to start designing their dream pool. Not necessarily focus on their budget just just design their pool like if if the budget wasn't an issue and to use their their contractor or their sales representative who's more knowledgeable on the cost of things to prioritize what they can add and that way they can help them get as close as possible to their dream pool.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Yeah I think that's a great idea because most people are like well just show me what I can afford it's like but we want you to like it.

SPEAKER_02 25:48

Yeah. Um that that goes like starting her up but you're fine that that's why finding the right contractor the right sales guy is is super key because and I feel like homeowners should be able to tell with by talking to people how invested they're gonna be in their projects. If they get excited and start talking fast like you know that's gonna be your person.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

I I would say I hope that everyone gets a licensed contractor for even remodels. Yeah I've seen too many times where people are getting you know pretty much bit in the ass because they're like oh you don't need a contractor for this it's like oh now I have now I'm screwed for 20 grand or more during that process.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

Yeah I just I think there's a lot of misconceptions about remodels and you know what is a way that you would word the difference between a remodel and resurfacing so resurfacing is to me is just plasti new plaster new pebble whereas a remodel it's all the factors replumbing code compliant issues coping tile just everything to do with the pool even design uh design changes adding a Baja shelf adding some handrails making the pool more usable um adding features that'll benefit the the client like older clients sometimes I I really suggest them considering handrails or or uh young couples that have kids small kids I if their pool has the right shape and and the pool cover is a possibility I always suggest pool covers or adding a baby fence around the pool.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

I treat when it comes to the design process I treat it like new builds where I do a rendering of what their pool is currently and then everything that they they want so they can get that visual that's a tool I think not everybody uses in the remodel world and I think could be really beneficial.

SPEAKER_02 27:47

You know when it comes to a pool professional who is looking to get into the remodel world what would be your advice for them to thrive and get to the standards that we hope every remodeler is at what are some things that you would recommend to a new pool professional or service person going into the remodel world I would recommend getting some some field experience just seeing how how things are built how the process goes from beginning to end and that way you'll be a lot more confident. I remember switching over from just doing pebble and plaster the first time I saw a pool exactly like the one that's in your background just completely torn up no coping nothing just dirt all in the backyard I was very nervous and after doing it so many times now it's it's just routine.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

You know what's funny is I tell my clients when I do the major remodels with plumbing and everything I'm like your backyard's gonna look like World War II with all the trenches and everything like you don't have to go in the backyard please don't go back there. Very very dangerous.

SPEAKER_02 28:53

Yeah just say bye to your backyard for for a while. Now when you do a remodel do you give them a timeline of how long it's gonna take yeah and I make it very very rough I like to to if I say four to six weeks it'll probably be a project we could finish in three to four I always try to go a lot farther than what's really going to take to keep everybody happy. If I I my thought process is if I'm able to finish before what I had mentioned, they're happy. If I try to make them happy in the beginning and I'll tell them yeah you'll be done in three weeks and I don't deliver with that then they'll be upset at the end.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

And yeah I just well thank you Jose so much for talking with me today. If you have any questions for Jose just message Talking pools and we'll get it to him and thank you again for being on here with me.

SPEAKER_02 29:42

Yeah no thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

It was a really good time and um so like us share us uh subscribe and we'll talk to you again next time.