Thanks. I don't know if we even have one of those--I had to look it up to see what it was.

The pool guy said that the replastering would be needed because it would "dry out". It seemed sort of...sketchy. But I'm pretty clueless.

The hydrostatic plug would be located in the floor drain under the cover if the pool is equipped with such. Sometimes there are hydro plugs that are flush with the pool surface in the shallow and deep end.

Don't be concerned about the plaster if it's an older pool. Only on newly plastered pools filling it immediately and keeping the surface hydrated is important.

Just try to keep up on any debris getting in the pool which could leave some stains.

Thanks! It was replastered and replumbed about 6 years ago. We're looking for new decking and coping and and tile only if we have to. Of course the guy who came out to give us a quote insisted it needed to be replastered and replumbed and that we would have to contract someone else to do the decking. Not exactly what I was after. Grr.

We don't have any ground water here to speak of so maybe we don't have a plug. But I'll be sure to inquire when it's drained.

When I winterize my pool I drain it down about 24" from the normal fill level. No issues.

Agree regarding new plaster, it's needs a wet cure. Cured plaster? Really not an issue.

Thanks. Maybe the guy didn't want the job unless it was big enough, and since his company doesn't actually do the things we need done, he had to make it big enough. (What kind of pool builder/remodeler has the customer hire the concrete people?)