New pool building Plaster or Pebble?

[SFBayArea]

Is that true that Pebble outlasts plaster for at least 10 years?
I am building a pool and just yesterday sprayed gunite in it. In my contract I have a plaster, however, my contractor told me that with moderate care for the pool the plaster will last me between 5-7 years before seeing significant discolorations. On the other hand he said if I do pebble, he said it will last for at least 15-20 years. Is that statement in general true? I have a choice of adding only $3k more and get pebble instead of plaster. I am thinking if pebble worth another 3K or not. What do you guys think?
If Pebble indeed better, are there any particular brands or types I have too ask my contractor to install?

Thanks.

[czechmate]

You have at least 10 days to educate yourself from independent sources. Go to a local pool tile warehouse. They sell all various applications to the contractors . And they get all the back feed from them and the pool users.
My advice would be stay away from pebble and do a Diamond Brite quartz mix.
I am extremely pleased with it. My plain marcite lasted 24 years.
(So the guy is either diletant or a crook!)
But don't take my word for it. It is your money, so do your homework.
You do not buy your cars this way, asking what is better on the Net either, right?
Bad choice in car is remedied few years later by selling it. You can't sell the pool, Sir.

[czechmate]

One more and important thing I forgot to add.
Pebble will add close to 30-40% of surface. How much exactly, is debatable.
What is not is the fact, that it ads a surfaces that are not directly challenged by the flow of chlorinated water.
Those are the surfaces where algae takes hold first and those are the surfaces due to the nature of the multifaceted finish, that are pretty difficult and exhausting to clean with a brush.
Simple maintenance is very important to a pool design. And pebble surface is too far from the notion of maintenance simple surface.
And of course, I should also mention that it is not only kids, that complain about feet abrasions in the pebble pools all the time.

[SFBayArea]

Thank you for the reply. I actually decided to for sure stay away from the pebble tech, but been thinking about pebble sheen or wet edge satin, which are much finer material. I wonder if these finer materials add same amount of area for the algae?
What is Diamond Brite quartz? What is the lifetime for the Diamond Brite?

Thanks.

[czechmate]

Diamond Brite is a composition plaster made from small particles of colored quartz and fine white portland cement. Properly applied, under proper care and withstanding a structural problem of a shell itself, it should last 25- 30 years or longer.
The marvel of this surface finish is given by its structure. Millions od small hard stone particles embedded in a plaster with such a density, that to my estimation only about 10 percent of the finished surface is an actual plaster material.
And this fact is the huge advantage in the future maintenance.
Plaster life is affected from two sides. Organic, where algae formation will grow deep into the concrete. ( Minimizing the hold and entrance chances of the algae you minimize its successful start.
Than there is a chemical one, where chemical imbalance of water itself will destroy the plaster finish. Either by decaying it, or by depositing calcium on top of it. (Which can happen in winter month without any warning).
Go to You Tube and look at Diamond Brite.
Consumer is often the best guide,

[SFBayArea]

Thank you. I did some research on the diamond brite and convinced now that this is the type of finish I want to do. The only problem is my PB never heard of diamond brite . Is there an easy way to find Diamond Brite installer in the area?
Also, I've seen many debates on the web about the choice of color for the finish. Since I decided not to install any heating elements for the pool, I am thinking that I need to go as dark of a pool color as possible to get a warmer water. I've been thinking of doing Tahoe Blue mixed with Onyx, maybe 70/30%. What do you think?

[jack45estreet]

Diamond brite is the worst finish on the market. If you pay up to get their quartz finish, you can be sure to be inundated with ugly calcium scaling for the life of the pool regardless of how many times you make the contractor acid wash the ugly surface. My 20 year old finish looked far better than my one year old Diamond brite. Wish I never heard of this company. By the way, Diamond brite's view of "midnight blue" is actually baby blue.