Gardner Outdoor and Pool Remodeling

El Cajon, United States

3.1

18 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
By Appointment Only

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Telephone:
+1 619-593-8880
Website:
www.gardnerpoolplastering.com
Address:
801 Gable Way, El Cajon, CA, 92020
at Johnson Ave
El Cajon
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
By Appointment Only
Yes

Today

Today 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Local time (El Cajon) –

Business hours

Monday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

From a simple re-​plastering to a complete rebuilding of your pool, replacing tile and coping, adding a spa or water feature like a vanishing edge or waterfall, Gardner is experienced and ready to answer your needs. No pool? No problem — we perform complete ourdoor remodeling, too, including decking, Overlays, BBQ Islands, Fire pits and more.

Gardner is the preferred plastering company of pool builders, architects, designers and landscape professionals.

Every professional who works on your project is a Gardner employee or Gardner affiliate. Fully insured with liability and workers compensation for your protection. We are locally owned and licensed by the California Contractors State License Board.

History

Established in 1969.

Founded in San Diego in 1969, Gardner Pool Plastering Co., Inc., is family owned by San Diegans and has been serving Southern California for over 40 years. We have been a member of the San Diego Better Business Bureau since 1995. Through 2006, the company has plastered over 30,000 pools and the company’s reputation for quality, service, expertise and integrity is second to none.

From the smallest details to the largest, most difficult projects, Gardner has consistently been the preferred supplier of pool plastering in Southern California. Every project Gardner undertakes meets the same strict standards developed over years of providing unparalleled service to the company’s many customers.

Meet the Business Owner

Scott M.

Business Owner

Scott got his start in the pool industry at the age of 24 working for California Pools, a pool builder, digging ditches for plumbing. Over the years, he slowly moved up in the business and became a superintendant. After working for them for 4 years, he opened, with his father and brother, his own pool construction company called Trimac Pools. They built high-​end pools in the San Diego area. Having decided to stay in the industry but to change focus slightly from building pools to remodeling them, they bought Gardner Pool Plastering. His dad passed away 2 years ago this past January. Over the years, they built up Gardner from a small plastering company to a complete remodeling business with three branches in Southern California.

Personal Touch: Scott has been playing basketball 3 days a week at 4:30 in the morning for 25 years.

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18 reviews of Gardner Outdoor and Pool Remodeling

No registration required
Place rating: 1
La Habra, CA
Gardner Pools renovated our pool. Re plaster, new tile and decking work. After 5 years the tile is falling off. After a call to the office we were told sorry you are out of warranty.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
We recently had our pool and spa renovated and refinished with PebbleSheen in Desert Gold with Bead Crete crystals and ShimmeringSea shells. We met several pool companies for bids. Gardner stood out clearly as the most professional and amiable so we chose them. Every employee we met or talked to over the phone, were exceptional! They were also very patient as we visited many other customers of theirs (they gave us a list) which both helped us decide on colors, and each gave us excellent reviews of Gardner’s work. Scheduling the work was wonderfully efficient, with everyone very polite. The work itself was extraordinary! They arrived on time every day, the manager or each day’s task introduced himself, explained their plans, and gave us his timeline. The crews were incredibly efficient, polite, and cleaned up completely after each day’s work on time. It was exciting to watch them work together, almost like a symphony orchestra. When weather necessitated a change in schedule, Gardner worked diligently to match the change with our personal needs. The end result was more than we could have hoped for! We love it. We now spend considerably more time in the pool than we ever had previously. There have been absolutely no problems at all since the work was completed. We most strongly recommend Gardner to anyone considering a pool remodel!
Place rating: 1
Carlsbad, CA
Gardner resurfaced my pool in Olivenhain a few years ago and I was unhappy day one! They pushed a «quartz finish» that did not look at all as advertised. In addition they chose the colors of the drain covers (contrasting) and didn’t offer me a choice. Our neighbors commented on how the pool looked like a 20 year old finish. Two other pool contractors came by and said my pool looks like it needs to be refinished yet I had just had it completed by Gardner weeks earlier. I called Gardner to please come look and discuss. The owner said he would redo it but I would have to pay all over again. We did redo the pool… but not with them. We used Poolscapes Unlimited and were super happy with the outcome (and it has held up nicely for several years). I am writing this after a few years so I am not as angry as I was originally… but still I am so bothered by how poorly Gardner handled our pool. I would not recommend doing business with them.
Place rating: 1
Irvine, CA
I have never written a negative Unilocal review prior to this. I am not a complainer, but this one really takes the cake. Gardner replastered my pool at my Irvine home earlier this year. Almost immediately after, I noticed that there were obvious and visible cracks in the plaster — especially in the jacuzzi. I called Jessica Navarro to complain. I sent photos (which I would be gald to share with you). She agreed that the cracks looked serious in the photos. She scheduled a visit for someone to come out to visually inspect the cracks. Josh came to my home and viewed the cracks. He also agreed that they were serious, but advised me that my contract with Gardner exonerated the company from any plaster cracks. «WHAT???,» I responded. I just couldn’t believe that a pool plastering company would protect itself against cracks in the plaster! After all, that it’s job, to properly replaster a pool. In any event, I reviewed the contract and, sure enough, Josh was correct. Notwithstanding, Josh agreed to send someone to do something to lessen the appearance of the cracks. Whatever they did one day while I was gone, it didn’t work. I apparently have no recourse but to live with cracked plaster. Everyone who uses our pool comments on the cracks. I am so disappointed.
Place rating: 5
Mission Viejo, CA
Gardner did our recent spa resurfacing at our Mission Viejo home with the pebbletech finish and we would certainly recommend them without hesitation. Shortly after completion, we had some major leakage and they sent a leak detection service several times until the problem was found, which they fixed. We then had another leakage problem and we called Josh about it. He came out, took a look and identified the problem as being with the spa equipment. We tried to fix it ourselves but realized that it needed a brand new part. Josh was kind enough to order it for us so that we got it at his price. Gardner’s «after the sale» service has been superb, even if it took a little bit of time the first time to get the leak detection folks out. We would highly recommend them (they were recommended by our original hardscape and pool contractor to do the remodel).
Place rating: 1
Carlsbad, San Diego, CA
Shady business. Their business is definitely all about quantity over quality. I got my pool resurfaced with pebble sheen by these guys because they told me they were the only ones in town that were licensed to do so. Found out later that that doesn’t mean squat, but anyway…
1. They chiseled my pool wall into a wavy mess and then refused to fix it. Just plastered it and kept going.
2. They messed up my pool lights then said sorry the contract states that we can never be held responsible.
3. They broke my leaf catcher on one of my pumps — careless.
4. Broke the seal on my other pump — careless.
5. The «start up guy» came to clean my filters. He showed up unannounced when I wasn’t home and said that he wouldn’t be there if I tried to come home to talk to him (10 minutes). I did come home to find my pool dirtier than I’ve ever seen it before. I’m pretty sure he dunked my filters in the pool to clean them!
6. They left a giant pile of my old plaster on my patio (blocking my pool equipment) for two weeks. They were too busy to have someone haul it away.
Their response to everything was «tough luck buddy you already paid us.»
If you happen to try your luck with these guys then do not pay them until everything is right.
Place rating: 1
La Mesa, CA
Gardner resurfaced my pool a few years ago and now I have a big rebar rust stain that is going to cost a lot of money to fix. They don’t fix this, btw. It’s in the contract that they aren’t responsible for this so BUYER BEWARE! This should be something that does not happen!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
This company does fantastic work. They resurfaced my grandmothers pool about four years ago. The pool has looked amazing ever since. They laid beautiful brick along the edge, laid special sparkly stuff into the plaster, and when the sun hits it, the whole pool shimmers. The best part is the marble turtles that are enlayed on the bottom. It is really, really, beautiful.
Unfortunately, when the pool was originally laid, the rebar was not deep enough and our pool developed a rust spot. :(since none mentioned it during the resurfacing, this company completely took responsibility for the issue, and graciously patched the spot for us.
The customer service was not only excellent this time, but my grandmother has never had anything but great things to say of them. The guys that came out got along so good with her, that by day two of our patch job they showed up with a card for her, and she had coincidentally had hot muffins from the oven waiting for them. That type of thing is rarely seen from a company in today’s world.
I highly recommend them, and we in fact regularly have clients of theirs to the house to see the amazing work they do. 5 stars all the way.
Place rating: 2
San Diego, CA
They were among the cheapest quotes I received and seemed to be reputable, so I had them plaster my pool. Work came out fine, they workers were a bit shady tho (used one of my nephews shirts to tie on their hose). My major issue with them and the reason why they are receiving two stars, is due to the fact that my pool guy advised me that I may have a leak and that I should call Gardner and have them check out their work (since it is under guarantee). Well after calling and speaking to Carla, and waiting on a call back that never came and leaving a weeks worth of messages, I finally got a hold of her in the office. Bottom line they said they will come out but if it is not a leak in the pool or if they feel the leak is not due to their work, they will charge me $ 125! Since when does a company charge to come inspect their own work? that is a poor excuse for customer service. If your looking to get a cheaper deal I recommend them, but beware of their poor customer service and shady employees!
Place rating: 5
LA JOLLA, CA
Gardner helped us renovate a 20 plus year old pool and spa. The quality of work and professional manner demonstrated great quality. We selected this company because we had three different recommendations from neighbors. The design and update recommendations were very helpful and proved to be good. The scheduling and work plans were very efficient and always very well cleaned after a day of work. We had five estimates, from various companies, some were slightly less expensive, but the Pebble TEC surface and the guarantee were very impressive. The color recommendations were just what we needed. Office staff and schedulers were very helpful. We would definitely recommend Gardner Pools.
Place rating: 5
La Quinta, CA
We built our home and pool 18 years ago in La Quinta, CA. Our pool was in dire need of updating and refurbishing and we had been putting this off because of the difficulty of finding a reputable contractor to consult with our project. We were stuck as to who to call. We have heard horror stories of unreliable and incompetent work.
We called Gardner Pool and Plastering for an appointment. Kent Westfall arrived and from there to finish this project has been so smooth, so smart and we are OVER THE TOP HAPPY WITH THE RESULT. From the 1st appointment to the last, Kent Westfall has listened to our needs and has provided us with intelligent information so that we could make an informed decision. Our decision to go with Kent Westfall and Gardner Pool was easy. Our work included, Pebbletec Sheen, new water line tile, updating our drain to the current recommended, new light, a pool entry rail, a variable speed pump, an ozone system and a new deck.
It is difficult to describe the beauty of this project. The daily work was done by a very busy and professional crew. They were here every day at the EXACT time that was scheduled. They worked all day very hard. We never saw them lounging around or wasting time. Every day the property was cleaned up and organized. Whatever interaction we had with the crew was polite and respectful. They were wonderful.
Our project is completed and we are so happy and proud of our «new pool» and the wonderful service, every step of the way. Kent Westfall was here during the project and checked with us frequently to advise and listen. THERE WAS NOT ONE HITCH IN THIS PROJECT.
I would recommend Gardner Pools to everyone and especially to the professional, Kent Westfall.
Andrea & Al Dooley
Place rating: 5
Carlsbad, CA
We had a spool (large spa, small pool) that needed to be replastered. Tom Cox did the estimate for us and was very helpful with the selection of the finishes and he had suggestions to keep the cost down. Everyone showed up when they were scheduled and all were very polite and professional. Our spool looks great! They did replace the light and it’s not working. Someone is coming next week to repair that. Overall, I highly recommend Gardner Pool Plastering to anyone that needs to have their pool replastered.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
We contracted with Gardner to refurbish our 27 year old pool & spa in the Del Mar area. Our local rep, Tom Cox, was nothing but professional and tremendously helpful with his knowledge. Having remodeled our home five years previously, we had become very skeptical non-​trusting of contractors. However, the Gardner team rolled in precisely on schedule to start and finish the project. We had absolutely no confusion, misinterpretations or disputes of any kind. We were beyond pleased with the new beauty of our pool and Gardner rebuilt our faith in contractors. You will not be disappointed if you choose Gardner.
Place rating: 1
Chandler, AZ
Gardner came recommended by Leslie’s Pool so we had them over to quote both pool replastering and new decking, but asked them to price it separately just in case we wanted to split the cost over two year, no problem. After not hearing from them for over 1 ½ weeks, we called to ask where the bid was at, we were told that because we didn’t want to do the two remodels together, the estimators manager told him they didn’t want to do the job. (Oh, and they provide a «financing» flyer, so who know what we’d opt for) So, when were they going to tell us? Never. If you don’t need or want the business, take the high road and say so. If I have customer service problems on a bid, what will YOU experience if YOU give them the job? Something to think about.
Place rating: 1
La Mesa, CA
DO NOT use this company. Gardner made a complete mess of my pool re-​plaster and refused to back-​up their product. Poor workmanship, terrible follow-​up and an owner that could care less. Blame was placed everywhere except with themselves and as the reviewer below stated they said chemicals was the issue. Not true pool balance was confirmed by outside sources. Because of their shoddy work I now have to spend another 6K for someone else to do the job right. Don’t make my mistake and assume because they are a large company you are safe. Shop around there are many hungry and capable smaller outfits that would love to please. Not these guys.
Place rating: 4
Santee, CA
After 40 years it was time to have our old Anthony pool re-​plastered. We had a hard time deciding what plaster to use, and what color. Gardner gave us little samples to take home, but we just couldn’t picture any of them. So they gave us references, and we started checking out several pools they had done. We originally were looking at regular plaster because of the cost, but everyone said it doesn’t hold up well, and would probably need to be re-​done in five years or so. We changed our sights to Pebble Fina as it was supposed to wear better. In the end we upgraded to Pebble Sheen, and chose White Diamond because it was beautiful, and didn’t have colors in that would show staining, and discoloration. Be sure to go out, and look at pools before you decide on type & color. You’ll be glad you did. Gardner did a professional job for us, and our new pool looked great! Unfortunately we didn’t get to use it until the Spring. When we did we found tile grout missing in several places. After the last pool we were made aware that coping can cause tile problems, so we re-​checked them. Found 22 copings that were re-​attached had come loose again. Called Gardner, and after 3 days finally got a call back from scheduling. 2 weeks later a crew came, re-​attached copings, and fixed tile & grout. Looked great once again. Gardner stood behind their work, and made it right. My only complaint with this company is that they are not real good on returning phone calls, which made us feel like they didn’t care much. But the guys who worked on our pool made up for it. They were fabulous. We were amazed how long & hard they worked. Each member of the crew was a specialist. The resulting pool was everything we had hoped for. I highly recommend Gardner Pool Plastering.
Place rating: 3
Carlsbad, CA
I’ll start by saying I’ll use Gardner again. Next time, I’ll be more careful and hold their feet to the fire.
They underbid it a little bit, stuff like saying there was only one damage spot bid when, in fact, there were 4 visible to my untrained eyes, before chipping. That’s an extra so many dollars, etc.
Their scheduling and follow up were also poor. But, when they were there, they did a good, quick job. Maybe too quick. They neglected a sensor that I am just going to buy and install myself, rather than hassle with them. They also didn’t test the lights and it took me a month before the wiring was right (their subcon startup guy finally fixed it).
The sales representative was fantastic and came back a time or two to ensure it was going well.
The actual plastering process was a sight to behold, a real work of art.
They included salt in the quote, but not startup chemicals. That’s fine, but after paying for hundreds of dollars of chemicals, I loaded up on salt, only to find out that was included, having to take it back (a half ton, ugh). No big deal, I just missed it or they never told me, likely the latter.
My recommendation: consider Gardner’s quote, but realize that you have to educate yourself quickly on pool chemicals and maintenance and keep on top of them with what they say they are going to do, when, and for how much. Don’t be bashful about asking them questions.
They appear busy, but are helpful and friendly. That activity helps keep your price down, so take advantage of the friendliness.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
This pool company plastered my spa and I have been very happy! The are respectful to the property. They listened to me when I had special requests and concerns for the area in La Jolla. I have used them in other properties and they are very good about making sure permits are in place. Top notch company; i will only use this company to plaster my pool!