Common plaster problems
This page covers four problems: cracks, hollow spots, stains, and rough or flaking areas. You do not need to know the cause of any of them. You need a clear record of what you see, so a contractor can look at the same things you did.
Cracks
For cracks, note where each one is, roughly how long it is, and whether you can see it change over time. Photograph it with something in the frame for scale.
Hollow spots
A contractor may tell you the plaster has hollow spots. Ask them to show you where each one is and how they check for them. Photograph and note anything on the surface that looks or feels different to you, and show the contractor what you saw.
Stains
Photograph each stain, note the color, and note whether you have tried to clean it and what you used. That history helps the contractor.
Rough or flaking areas
Note where they are, whether they sit in one place or spread across the pool, and whether the surface feels different underfoot.
As general background: isolated cracks and small hollow spots are often what a targeted repair addresses. Rough or chalky texture usually signals the plaster is breaking down and becoming porous. Stains that will not clean off often trace to hard-water mineral buildup or pH imbalance rather than the plaster itself. When several of these show up spread across the pool rather than in one place, that pattern more often points toward replastering. This is background for the conversation, not a diagnosis of your pool.
Date your photos and keep them in one folder. Send them to any contractor you speak to.
Repair or replaster
If one contractor proposes a repair and another proposes a new surface, ask each of them to explain their choice. Then ask the questions below.
- What would you do to fix this, and what would still show afterward?
- Will the repaired area look different from the rest of the surface?
- What would make you change your advice?
- What is the warranty on a repair, and does it differ from one on a full job?
- If I repair now, what does that mean for replastering later?
As general guidance, the deciding factor is usually whether the problem is contained to one area or has spread across the pool, and whether the surface has lost its bond in a limited spot or more broadly. A contained crack or patch is a more likely repair candidate; the same issues showing up in several places tends to push toward a full resurface. Ask your contractor to walk you through which of those two situations they think yours is.
Ask for both options in writing, with the price and scope of each. Our page on pool replastering covers what to ask about the full job, so you can hold the two side by side.
Leaks
If you think your pool is losing water, hire a leak-detection professional. This site gives no advice on how to find a leak, and it does not recommend or vouch for any leak-detection company.
Tell every contractor who looks at the pool that you suspect a leak, and tell them what you have noticed. Ask whether they will wait for the leak professional’s findings before they quote or start work. Ask the same question about any repair that has already been done.
At least one Las Vegas pool contractor’s own site walks through this once a leak is confirmed: a crack under about 20 mil (roughly 0.02 inches) wide is generally too narrow for an epoxy injection, so it just gets a flexible, waterproof topcoat instead. A crack wider than that but under about ¼ inch gets pressure-injected with epoxy first, then topcoated once the epoxy has set. If the crack has damaged the gunite shell or the rebar underneath, that area may need to be jackhammered out and the rebar replaced before any plaster goes back on — a bigger job than a surface patch, and one that contractor’s site says comes with additional charges. Ask your own contractor which category your crack falls into and what they’re basing that on.
When repair is not enough
If a contractor says a repair will not solve the problem, ask them to explain why and to show you what they are looking at. Ask what they would do about it, and what would happen if you did nothing for now. Ask for a second opinion before you agree to a larger job.
As a general signal: the same problems — roughness, cracking, staining, hollow or peeling spots — showing up in multiple places rather than one contained area tends to mean a patch will not hold, since the underlying bond has likely failed more broadly. A second opinion is worth getting before committing to the bigger job.
Who does the work
Ask each contractor whether they take on repairs as well as full replastering jobs, and whether their own crew does the repair or a subcontractor does.
Hire someone who can show you a current Nevada contractor license.
- Ask for the license number and check it with the Nevada State Contractors Board before you sign anything.
- Ask for proof of insurance and confirm it is current.
- Ask for references from recent repair jobs and call them.
- Get the scope in writing, including the areas covered and what happens at the edges of the repair.
- Get the warranty on paper.
Pool plaster repair falls under the same classifications as full plastering work: A-10, A-10C or A-10E. A license limited to C-11 does not cover plaster finish work.
If a contractor suggests cleaning for stains or buildup, our page on pool acid wash lists what to ask before you agree to that treatment. Ask why they chose it and what it would leave behind.
Plaster repair cost in Las Vegas
We do not publish a price for plaster repair. A repair quote should say which areas it covers, how the repair is done, what is not included, and what the warranty covers. A price with no scope attached tells you very little.
Our pool resurfacing cost guide explains how to compare written quotes and what red flags to look for.
Next steps
Before you call anyone, walk the pool and make your notes and photos. Then request a quote and we will connect you with a licensed Las Vegas pool contractor. We are a referral service, not a contractor, and any agreement for the work is between you and the contractor. For the wider picture of your options, see our pool resurfacing overview.