Pool Remodeling in Metairie and Kenner: When Resurfacing Pays Off

Written by Big Easy Pool Designs

When the Surface Is Telling You Something

Quick Answer: Every pool interior finish wears out eventually. Plaster gets rough, aggregate gets exposed, stains set in, and small chips and hollow spots appear. None of that means the pool is failing; it means the wear layer has reached the end of its service life. In the metro we see this constantly on pools from the 1990s and 2000s in neighborhoods across Metairie and Kenner, where a lot of the housing stock hit that age at the same time.

Signs the Interior Is Due

• Rough texture that scratches feet, the most common complaint and the usual trigger.
• Persistent staining that no longer responds to normal treatment.
• Exposed aggregate where the finish has worn down to the material beneath.
• Chips, spalling, or hollow-sounding areas.
• Rising chemical demand, since a degraded porous surface holds algae and consumes sanitizer.

That last one is worth noticing, because it costs money quietly every month before anyone decides to act.

Resurface or Full Remodel

Resurface

The old finish is removed or prepared and a new interior applied. It restores the surface and appearance and does not change the pool’s shape, size, or systems. It is the smaller project.

Remodel

A remodel takes the opportunity of a drained pool to address everything else at once: waterline tile, coping, decking, steps, lighting, plumbing, and equipment. It can also change the pool’s look substantially without rebuilding the shell.

The financial argument for bundling is straightforward. Draining and refilling a pool is itself work, and in this region it is work with risk attached. Doing tile, coping, and equipment in the same shutdown as the resurface is meaningfully cheaper than doing them in separate projects. See pool remodeling and pool renovation.

The Draining Question

This is the part specific to South Louisiana, and it is important. Resurfacing requires an empty pool. In an area with a high water table, an empty shell can be lifted by groundwater pressure from below.

That means draining is not a homeowner task. It is done with groundwater conditions assessed, dewatering in place if required, the hydrostatic relief valve checked, and the work sequenced so the shell is not sitting empty any longer than necessary. The physics is explained in building a pool on a high water table.

If a contractor proposes draining your pool without discussing groundwater at all, that is a signal worth acting on.

Finish Options

Plaster is the traditional and least expensive interior, with the shortest service life. Aggregate finishes, where stone or quartz is exposed in the surface, cost more and generally last longer, with more texture and more color range. Tile is the premium interior, longest lasting and highest cost.

In our climate, one practical consideration is how a surface handles the combination of intense sun, heavy rainfall diluting chemistry, and heavy summer bather load. Ask how a given finish holds color and how it responds to the chemistry swings that come with a wet, hot season. Our post on what type of pool material is best covers the surface comparison.

Worth Doing at the Same Time

• Waterline tile, which is where scale and staining concentrate.
• Coping, the edge you sit on, which shows wear and can shift with deck settlement.
• Decking, particularly if it has settled or gets uncomfortably hot. See landscaping around the pool.
• Equipment, where an older single-speed pump is often the single biggest running cost on the property.
• Lighting, which is far easier to address with the pool down.
• Barrier and safety hardware, which is a good moment to bring up to current standards. See pool permits and barrier rules.

Timing It Right

Schedule around the swim season rather than into it. Cooler months mean less disruption to use, and it avoids competing for slots with everyone who waited until spring. It also keeps the work out of peak thunderstorm season, which costs days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a resurface take?

The work itself is not long, and preparation, cure, refill, and startup add to it. Bundled remodel items extend the window. We give a schedule with the quote.

How often does a pool need resurfacing?

It depends on finish type, water chemistry history, and sun exposure. Aggregate finishes generally outlast plaster. Consistent chemistry extends any of them, covered in pool water chemistry in the Louisiana summer.

Can I change the pool’s shape during a remodel?

On a gunite shell, meaningful changes are possible. See renovation.

Do I need a permit?

Cosmetic resurfacing may not, while structural, electrical, or plumbing work generally does. Confirm with your parish.

Can I resurface a fiberglass pool?

Fiberglass surfaces are refinished differently than plaster, and it is specialist work. Tell us the construction type when you call.

Get It Looked At

We will assess the interior, the tile and coping, the deck, and the equipment, then tell you what genuinely needs doing now and what can wait.

Big Easy Pool Designs serves Metairie, Kenner, and the wider metro. See our services or call (504) 688-4066.