Even though you were told that your gunite swimming pool was the most durable type of all swimming pools, that cement, sand, and water that was poured on a rebar frame, you may find yourself looking for a pool repair. Gunite is a porous material that was layered and a finish applied as a water barrier.

What if you buy a house that already has a gunite pool installed? You weren’t there when material selections were made or choice of contractor, either. There are gunite pool builders that take short cuts and don’t apply pool plaster properly. When that happens, water seeps through and then damage happens.

Sometimes, even gunite swimming pool plaster was applied properly, there is always the chance of delamination, egg-shelling, or hollowing happening. Your gunite pool could also develop structural cracks from the ground shifting or the water in the pool freezing and thawing through the winter.

Depending on the extent and type of damage, you can often do the pool repair yourself or call a professional. If you do hire a professional to do the pool repair needed, ask these two questions:

• How extensive are the cracks?
• How much water are you losing through the cracks?

Before hiring a company to do your pool repair, be sure to check their credentials and ask for references, then check those references. Are they bonded, insured, licensed?