They did my waterline tile first, but I'm not sure why it would matter.

They did my waterline tile first, then boulders in the notched beams and next step will be stacked stone on my back waterfall wall. My PB was just out and added what looks like thin set on top of the beam wall to the edge of the tile, filling in any potential cracks or holes where the mortar might have not have covered before they pour concrete and do the cantilever edge. Hope this helps.

Coping first is an old school method. Before styrofoam forms all decks were placed first and then the tile was put on. It's easier to place the tile first and then the coping to me. It depends on how a person is taught. Both methods require good trade craft.

Thanks!

My coping went in first, then tile. My PB used a laser when setting the coping to correct any minor imperfections in the gunite level when setting the coping... then tile to the coping with consistent gap. I am guessing that the order depends on th type of pool? Not sure how you could do tile first with gunite and correct any imperfections in level, then set coping in top of that without putting pressure on tile.

My PB did coping first.

What jscozz said above, kind of makes sense. That said, my PB had been building pools for 30 years so he's old school.

RIP. He died suddenly last summer. :-(