Rectangular backyard pool with clear blue water, a shallow tanning ledge and a white deck beside a fenced pond

Pool Resurfacing in Pinellas County

A free referral service connecting Pinellas homeowners with licensed pool contractors.

Rough, stained or flaking pool? A new finish fixes the surface you see and touch.

Signs
Finishes
Local water
Draining
Start-up
Hiring
Cost
FAQ

Signs your pool is ready for a new finish

The surface feels rough on your feet and hands.
Stains won't come off with normal cleaning.
Patches of finish are flaking or sound hollow.
The finish is getting old. Traditional plaster lasts about 5 to 8 years, says the National Plasterers Council.

Resurfacing, replastering or refinishing?

People use all three words for the same job: a new interior finish on your pool. Florida law calls it "interior refinishing."

It's licensed work in Florida. The state puts it under the pool/spa contractor license.

Plaster, quartz or pebble for your resurface

The two main sources disagree on how long each finish lasts. Here are both, side by side.

Finish	National Plasterers Council	Pebble Tec (finish maker)
Traditional plaster	5 to 8 years	5 to 15 years
Polished plaster	8 to 12 years	Not listed
Quartz	10 to 15 years	Not listed
Pebble	12 to 18 years	20+ years with good care

See plaster, quartz and pebble compared in detail

Pinellas water, heat and a new finish

Summers here are hot. St. Petersburg's average July high is 90.9°F. Your tap water matters too, because it's what fills the pool.

Water utility (2025)	Average hardness	Average calcium
Pinellas County Utilities	217 ppm (range 189 to 244)	75 ppm
City of St. Petersburg	158 mg/L	55 mg/L

For tap water, ppm and mg/L measure the same thing, so the two utilities' numbers compare directly.

Saltwater pools

Pebble Tec says to wait at least 28 days before adding salt. Salt left on a new surface can scale, stain or discolor it.

Sun and fading

Sun isn't the main reason pool color fades, says the National Plasterers Council. Your contractor should test fill water for pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness and metals.

Draining a pool on Pinellas groundwater

To resurface, the pool has to be emptied. Here, groundwater sits close to the surface. A 1985 USGS study found it's usually less than 5 feet down, and near the surface along the coast. It tends to be highest in the fall, at the end of the rainy season.

Groundwater can push on an empty pool. A trade article from the American Shotcrete Association says this can cause cracks or even lift the pool shell.

Ask your contractor

How will you check the groundwater before draining?
What do you do if it's high?
How long will the pool sit empty?

Your first 28 days after resurfacing

A new finish needs care while it cures. The National Plasterers Council lays out the basics.

Test and brush daily
Start-up means daily water testing and adjusting, plus frequent brushing.
Keep the heater off
Don't run a pool heater or chiller for the first 28 days.
Follow the maker
Branded finishes should follow their maker's own start-up steps.

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Ask how your contractor handles a storm during start-up.

Corner of a pool with smooth light-colored steps under clear water, white coping and a wood deck

Questions to ask before you hire

Get their Florida license number and look it up on the state's DBPR license search.
Ask who handles the 28-day start-up and who pays for the chemicals.
Ask who pulls the permit, if you need one.
Ask what the warranty covers and for how long. Get it in writing.

Your permit office depends on where you live. The county building office covers unincorporated Pinellas and six smaller cities. See permit rules by area.

What goes into a resurfacing quote

A good quote spells out each of these. If one is missing, ask.

The finish type and color
The pool size used for the price
Prep work on the old surface
Any tile or coping work, on its own line
Drain, refill and start-up
Permit fees, if any

Job	Typical range	Source
Inground pool resurfacing	$6,000 to $15,000 per job	National estimate (Bob Vila, May 2024)

This is a national estimate from a published source, not a Pinellas quote. Pinellas ranges from our local contractor survey are coming soon.

Your exact price comes from the contractor after they see your pool. Size, finish, repairs and tile all change the total.

What changes the price

Pool size (surface area)
Finish type: plaster, quartz or pebble
Repairs to the old surface, such as cracks or hollow spots
Tile and coping work in the same job
Drain, refill and start-up
Permit fees, if a permit is needed

Other pool work in Pinellas

Tile repair and replacement

Fix loose or cracked tile, or replace the whole waterline band.

Coping replacement

New caps or stones along the top edge of your pool.

Pool remodeling

A bigger update that can include a new finish, tile and coping.

Pool finish options

Plaster, quartz and pebble compared, with how long each one lasts.

Pool resurfacing questions from Pinellas owners

Do I need a permit to resurface my pool?

It depends on where you live. Pinellas County's building office handles permits for unincorporated areas and six smaller cities. Other cities run their own.

Clearwater requires permits for pools and pool cages. Its checklist doesn't name resurfacing, so call (727) 562-4567 to be sure.

How hard is Pinellas tap water?

It depends on your utility. Pinellas County Utilities water averaged 217 ppm total hardness in 2025. St. Petersburg's averaged 158 mg/L.

That matters because your new finish is filled with tap water. Calcium hardness is one of the things to test while the finish cures.

How much does pool resurfacing cost?

There is no Pinellas survey data yet. Bob Vila's national estimate (May 2024) is $6,000 to $15,000 for most inground pools.