Two Incorrect Material Deliveries, Grout Failure, and My NSCB Complaint…read moreI am posting this review after giving Trident Pool Plaster & Renovation considerable time to address my concerns and after completing the original complaint and supervisory-review process with the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB).
My contract specifically called for Finest Fusion/Jewel Fusion 40% PR Glass for my pool finish. What occurred with those materials is the most concerning part of my experience with Trident.
On two separate occasions, materials were delivered to my property that did not match what I had contracted and paid for. I identified the discrepancies before installation, challenged them, and refused to allow the work to proceed with those materials.
This is not simply my characterization of what happened. I filed a complaint with the NSCB, and after its investigation and a subsequent review by the Compliance Supervisor, the supervisor confirmed to me in writing:
"The submitted evidence does indicate that incorrect materials were initially delivered."
The Board ultimately did not establish a violation because, according to the Compliance Supervisor, the incorrect-material issue was corrected and the contract-specified material was subsequently delivered and installed.
I want to be completely transparent about that outcome. However, it does not resolve what concerned me enough to contact the Board in the first place.
My concern was not simply that a supplier accidentally delivered the wrong product once. There were two separate material deliveries that I challenged before installation, and there was discussion of using other materials to create a field-mixed alternative rather than providing the factory-produced product specified in my contract.
What I found particularly troubling was that Trident's owner, Scott Walker, continued to maintain that the initially delivered material was correct. That position is difficult for me to reconcile with the photographic evidence I submitted and, ultimately, with the NSCB Compliance Supervisor's written acknowledgment after reviewing the case that "incorrect materials were initially delivered."
The contract-specified material was ultimately provided after I repeatedly challenged what had been delivered and refused to allow the non-conforming materials to be installed.
From my perspective as the customer, this raised a serious concern about attempted product substitution. Had I not researched the product myself, inspected and photographed the material delivered to my property, and stopped the installation, I cannot know what ultimately would have been installed.
Unfortunately, my problems did not end with the plaster-material dispute.
I subsequently experienced deterioration and failure of the waterline tile grout. Trident performed a repair, but the grout has begun failing again.
During this process, I contacted the manufacturer directly and obtained technical information concerning the materials and their proper use. I also submitted manufacturer documentation and laboratory findings to the NSCB addressing the grout/material and installation issues.
The NSCB Compliance Supervisor has now explained to me that the Board considered the grout issue corrected because there was no active grout problem at the time of its jobsite meeting. Importantly, because the grout is now failing again, he specifically advised me that if there are current/ongoing grout issues, I should submit a new complaint and the Board will investigate that concern.
Again, for complete fairness: the NSCB did not ultimately establish a violation in my original complaint. I disagree with aspects of the reasoning, particularly regarding the material issue, but prospective customers deserve to know both the Board's determination and the documented circumstances that led me to file the complaint.
My biggest concern is what this experience means for an ordinary homeowner.
A customer should not have to become knowledgeable about pool-finishing products, inspect product bags at the jobsite, photograph deliveries, research manufacturer specifications, contact manufacturers, and challenge a contractor simply to make sure the material being installed is the material specifically identified in the contract.
In my case, I happened to recognize that something was wrong before the materials were installed. Another homeowner might not.
That is one of the main reasons I pursued the matter with the Contractors Board and why I am posting this review. This is not only about my pool. I believe consumers should know about my experience so they can protect themselves and carefully verify that the products delivered to their property are the products they contracted and paid for.
If you are considering Trident, based on my experience I strongly suggest that you:
- Have every important material and manufacturer specifically identified in the written contract.
- Verify the product labels and packaging before installation begins.
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