Pebble Pool Finish in Leander, TX: Quoted in Writing After a Free Inspection
An exposed pebble finish in Leander starts with a free inspection and ends with a written quote you can read before any work begins.
- Free on-site inspection
- Written itemized quote
- Warranty terms in writing
Leander Pool Resurfacing handles exposed and polished pebble pool finish work for homeowners across Leander and Williamson County, and every job starts with a free on-site inspection and a written itemized quote before the drain plug ever comes out. The estimator measures the shell and checks the tile band before naming a number, whether the shell needs a full chip-out or just a bond coat. Call (555) 555-0100 to get that inspection scheduled.
Pebble costs more than plain white plaster up front, and in Leander's hard water that extra cost buys real durability, not just a look.
What a pebble pool finish includes
A pebble finish sets stone or bead aggregate into a cement paste, pumped through a hose onto the shell and then washed and acid-washed to expose the stone underneath. Pool finish options also include plain white plaster and quartz, both cheaper up front and both smoother underfoot than exposed pebble.
The chip-out decision drives most of the price here too: a shell with hollow or delaminating old plaster needs a full chip-out to bare gunite, while sound old plaster can sometimes take a bond coat instead.
What you get before a crew ever shows up
Every pebble job starts with a free on-site inspection: the estimator checks the shell, the tile band and the fittings before pricing anything. The written quote itemizes prep, material and labor, states the scheduling window, and puts warranty terms in writing before you sign.
Common pebble and plaster problems we fix in Leander
Most calls about a pebble or plaster surface fall into a short list of complaints.
- Pebble that feels rougher than sandpaper instead of a fine, even texture
- A cloudy cement haze left over stones that were never fully exposed
- Hollow spots that sound drummy or feel soft underfoot
- Gray mottling or blotchy color across the surface
- Calcium nodules building up at the waterline tile
- Loose or shedding pebbles along the steps and benches
Why Leander homeowners choose Leander Pool Resurfacing
The estimator who prices a pebble job gets in the shell, checks the tile band and looks the old finish over for hollow spots before a number goes on paper. Texas licenses no pool plasterer, so ask any bidder for proof of general liability insurance and the license number of whoever handles the bonding or plumbing.
Exposed pebble versus polished pebble and standard plaster
Exposed pebble, the standard tier. Stone aggregate set in cement paste, washed and acid-washed to expose the stone at the surface. It costs more than plaster and is, of the finishes on this page, the longest-lived in Leander's hard water, at the cost of the roughest texture underfoot.
Polished (mini) pebble. A polished pebble finish starts the same way and adds a polishing pass after exposure, trading some roughness for a smoother, glassier feel at a higher price.
White plaster. A white plaster replaster costs less up front and feels smoother than exposed pebble, but shows mottling and wear sooner in the same hard water.
The estimator brings sample finishes to the inspection so you can feel the difference before choosing.
How a pebble finish runs, drain to acid wash
- The estimator schedules the drain days ahead, and a submersible pump empties the pool through a hose across the yard.
- Old plaster comes out with pneumatic chipping pistols down to bare gunite, or, if sound, gets prepped for a bond coat instead.
- Every fitting and the tile band get undercut, the shell is washed and patched, and fittings are taped before the mix goes in.
- The crew mixes on the street and pumps the pebble mix through a hose, broadcasting and troweling the aggregate onto the walls and floor.
- Before the crew leaves, the cement paste gets washed off with buckets, hoses and stiff brushes to expose the stone underneath.
- The next morning a diluted acid wash lifts any remaining haze, and the fill starts once the surface is rinsed clean.
Why Central Texas water and weather test a pebble finish
Leander's own water utility reports fill-water hardness at 194 parts per million in the City of Leander water quality report, hard enough that a softer plaster surface wears and scales faster than an aggregate one. Exposed stone stands up to that chemistry better than a smooth cement surface does.
Camp Mabry logged 80 days at 100 degrees or hotter in 2023, including a 45-day streak, and a crew working pebble in that heat has a narrow morning window before the mix sets too fast to wash and expose. West of I-35, where Leander sits, thin soil over limestone keeps shells relatively stable; east of the highway, shrink-swell clay moves the ground enough to open cracks in any finish, pebble included.
How much does a pebble pool finish cost in Leander?
An exposed pebble finish on a typical Leander pool runs $7,000 to $12,000, well above the $4,500 to $7,000 range for plain white plaster. The gap covers standard versus mini pebble and exposure depth, color, a full chip-out versus a bond coat, waterline tile done at the same time, and an attached spa.
The acid-wash day is part of the job, not an add-on charge tacked on afterward. Call (555) 555-0100 and the estimator prices your pool after seeing the actual shell and tile band.
| Work | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed pebble aggregate finish (Pebble Tec, StoneScapes, River Roc class) | $7,000 to $12,000 per pool, typical 12,000 to 18,000 gallon pool | Includes exposure and the next-day acid wash; waterline tile priced separately if added. |
Swipe the table sideways to see the notes column.
Every job is priced after a site visit; ranges are typical, not a quote.
Pebble pool finishes across Williamson County and northwest Austin
The crew installs pebble finishes throughout Leander and the rest of Williamson County, out to the lake towns along RM 1431 and 620. Coverage runs the service areas page in full, including pool resurfacing in Cedar Park and pool resurfacing in Lakeway.
What happens when you call
The inspection
The estimator comes to the property, looks at the work in person, measures, and checks the things that change the price before quoting anything.
A written, itemized quote
Every line item goes on paper before any work starts: prep, materials, labor, cleanup and the scheduling window. No verbal numbers.
Warranty terms in the contract
Workmanship and material warranty terms come in writing and go in your contract so you can read them before you sign.
Scheduling you can plan around
You get a start window and a working-day estimate up front, and the crew tells you before anything changes.
Who this is not for
Leander Pool Resurfacing handles pool resurfacing and the related work listed on this site. It does not take on unrelated trades; if your job is outside that scope, a specialist in that trade is the right call.
Questions homeowners ask
What does an exposed pebble finish add to a Leander quote over white plaster, all in with the acid wash day?
Exposed pebble runs $7,000 to $12,000 against $4,500 to $7,000 for a straight white plaster replaster on a typical pool. That pebble price already covers the acid-wash day, not a separate line. See plain white plaster pricing for the plaster-only range.
Paying a good deal more for pebble: does it actually pay off in a pool that fills from Lake Travis water?
Leander's fill water runs hard, close to 194 parts per million, and exposed stone holds up to that chemistry better than a smooth cement surface does. Pebble costs more up front and, in that water, wears more slowly than plain plaster, though no source gives a specific number of years either finish lasts.
Will exposed pebble scrape the kids' feet and knees, or does the roughness ease after the first season?
Correctly exposed pebble should feel like a fine, even texture, not sandpaper. Roughness that feels excessive usually traces back to the exposure day: washing off too much cement paste leaves more stone standing proud than the finish is meant to show. That is a workmanship issue, not something that eases with time.
What goes wrong on a pebble job: shedding stones, white haze, blotchy color, and which of those is the installer's fault?
A cloudy haze over the stones usually means the exposure wash stopped too early and left cement paste behind; overly rough texture usually means it ran too long. Both trace to the same exposure-day timing, which makes them a crew-execution issue rather than a material defect.
Does pebble really outlast plaster by as much as the brochures claim once it is sitting in Leander's hard water, and what says it is finally due?
No source publishes a specific lifespan in years for pebble in Leander's water, so the honest answer stays on signs, not a calendar: hollow spots, shedding stones, heavy mottling or a rough patch that keeps growing are what say a pebble surface is due.
Is the pebble maker's warranty tied to who installs it and to my start-up records, or does it cover the finish no matter what?
Manufacturer warranty programs typically ask for the finish to be registered and for the start-up chemistry records to be kept, so both the installer and your own follow-through can matter. Leander Pool Resurfacing states its own warranty terms in writing, with no duration promised, and an installer program is a manufacturer credential, not a state license.
What is a pebble surface actually made of, and why does the crew come back the morning after to wash it down?
It is stone or glass-bead aggregate set in a cement paste, pumped and troweled onto the shell like plaster. The crew washes the paste off before leaving to expose the stone, then returns the next morning for an acid wash that lifts any haze the first washing left behind.
Pebble is not the least expensive way to redo a pool, and it is not supposed to be: the extra cost buys a surface built for hard water and heavy use. Call (555) 555-0100 for a free inspection and a written quote on your own pool.
Get a written quote
Call (555) 555-0100 or send the form. The next step is a free on-site inspection and a written quote with every line item before any work starts.
Call (555) 555-0100