Spray Decks Inc

unknown

Where to begin. We met with the Owner earlier this year and received a bid for our project and had planned to have the work done in February 2015. However, prolonged health issues forced us to postpone the project. We contacted Mr. Sassaman again in early December and he said he would honor the original bid as product prices had not risen. It seemed like a good deal and we set a start time. Mr. Sassaman told us at the time that he too had contracted an illness that affected his life and might cause some issues with his work schedule. We were fine with that and after a couple of postponements he began the work before Christmas. The bid consisted of resurfacing approximately a 1000 square foot lanai and pool deck by pressure washing, troweling down a base coat, spraying and knocking down a top coat and finishing with two coats of stain sealer. The problem started when Mr. Sassaman arrived to spray the top coat the second day. I had heard him talking with his assistant the afternoon before about the pool cover but didn't pay much attention to it then. Before he left he told me I could take it off if I wished. I told him I didn't. I left the cover in place to protect the pool from as much contamination as possible while the work was being done. Apparently the cover was more of an issue for him than I had thought because the next day, my wife came to me and told me that they were removing the pool cover without my permission. Alarmed, I immediately went out to the deck to see what was happening and was told it was OK, they would be careful and only get perhaps a cupful of sand in the pool. Without even asking they had rolled the cover while in the water and there it was floated in the middle of my pool. He stated that he didn't want to get cement on it. I said I was concerned but believed he knew that what he was doing was right and let it go. They finished and left. MY POOL WAS A MESS! I may need to replace several expensive components. The deck is surfaced with a concrete product. This concrete is made up of fine sand and cement. Cement is made from clay and limestone. Some of the clay will settle with the sand and but most will remain in suspension. The pool was so cloudy, I could not see the main drain. The first serious indication of trouble came when I noticed my new pool cleaner had stopped working. Clogged filter. Changed it out. Two hours later, clogged filter. Two hours later, clogged filter. This continued for 5 days, every one and a half to two hours while all the sand and clay was removed. Meanwhile, the plastic parts of my pool cleaner and pump and the fiber filters are being sandblasted by the sand and clay. Fortunately I bypassed my solar heater early on to prevent any damage there should the filter tear. I can't image what would happening inside the coils of my heat exchanger that can't be bypassed. Further issues. Limestone can cause pH to rise. Normally my pool is 7.2 to 7.6, it tested at 8.2 High pH can greatly affect disinfection. Chlorine levels crashed due to increased demand. When Mr. Sassaman arrived after Christmas to seal the deck, I again asked why he had removed the pool cover. ?If we left it on it would get covered with concrete?, Mr Sassaman. ?Yes but now it's all in my pool?, me. ?When we spray the concrete mixture it turns to sand and settles?, Mr. Sassaman. Wondering when putting sand in a pool became acceptable, I attempted to speak with him about these problems and tried to explain water and concrete chemistry and properties but he didn't appear interested. He and his assistant were dismissive and said repeatedly that he had been doing this for 20 years and this was the first time anyone had complained. I am a retired water/wastewater engineer, a former building contractor and a former certified pool operator in Florida. Water and concrete chemistry does not change. Water acts and reacts similarly to changing conditions in any body of water. The only variable would be the degree of contamination. Mine must have been hit particularly hard if I am the only one to ever complain. Or not. I must say I am amazed that someone could work with a product (concrete) for 20 years and not know what it's components are and how they would affect pool water. Anyway, to avoid dirtying a $100 pool cover, my $325 pool cleaner/vacuum (has fouled 2 times and I've gone back to manual vac), $300 pool pump (it has started making a screeching noise when it starts in the morning) and my 2 $50 pool filters are in jeopardy and may need to be replaced, the filters for sure. So after 5 days with 17 filter changes (I normally change them monthly), ¾ gallon of acid, a gallon of liquid chlorine and 2 shock treatments, the pool is getting back to normal. Then there is my driveway. I cleaned and sealed my driveway and walkway a month before this work began. It was a labor intensive project but it turned out great. It is now ?stained' with concrete product that the team tracked from the truck to my door. I tried pressure washing it but it wouldn't come up. I asked Mr. Sassaman about it and he said to use gasoline to remove it. He didn't offer to clean his mess. Gasoline, by the way, flattens the sheen so my newly sealed and stained driveway is now streaked and blotched. After all of this, there is still the actual deck work that was done. I give the final product a ?C?. The knockdown coat has ripples and ridges throughout with pieces of grass embedded in it and even after two seal/stain coats, holidays in many places. I could go on but having made the point I'll say that Mr. Sassaman is a personable fellow but I feel his work and attention to detail are lacking.