Your Pool Is Finished. Here's the Final Walkthrough Checklist to Make Sure It Was Done Right

The last day of a pool project feels like a finish line. It's really a checkpoint — and the hour you spend walking it carefully is the best protection you have.

After weeks of planning, permits and crews, it's tempting to sign whatever is handed to you and think about the first swim. Slow down for one afternoon.

The final walkthrough is when problems are cheapest to fix. The crew still knows the job and the final payment hasn't left your account yet. After that, every small issue becomes a phone call and a conversation about who is responsible.

This checklist works for both a brand-new pool and a complete resurfacing. Some items apply only to new construction, and we've marked them.

Quick answer: A good final walkthrough checks six things: the interior surface, the tile and coping, steps and benches, the equipment, the safety features and the paperwork. Walk it in daylight, with the contractor present, before the final payment. Write down anything you see, photograph it, and get the fixes and their timing in writing.

Before You Start: Set Up the Walkthrough Properly

Schedule the walkthrough in daylight, ideally mid-morning or early afternoon when the sun shows the surface clearly. Ask the project lead to be there, not just a crew member who worked one phase.

Bring your contract and written proposal (to compare what was promised with what was delivered), a phone for photos and a notepad for your punch list.

If the pool is already filled, that's normal for a resurfacing: the water protects the new finish, and it actually makes uneven color easier to spot.

1. The Interior Surface

This is what you paid for most, so give it the most time.

Color and appearance

Walk slowly around the pool and look at the floor and walls from several angles. Some natural variation is normal, especially in pebble finishes, and new finishes keep evolving in color during the first weeks of curing. What you're looking for are obvious blotches, streaks or patches that look clearly different from the rest.

Texture

If the pool is still empty or you can reach the surface, feel it with your hand on steps and benches. Pebble finishes have a textured feel by design, but there should be no sharp edges, loose stones or rough spots that could scrape skin.

Hollow sounds and cracks

On an empty pool, a contractor can tap the surface to listen for hollow-sounding areas, which can indicate the new finish isn't bonded well (often called delamination). Ask whether that was checked. Look along the walls, floor and around fittings for cracks. Hairline marks should be pointed out and discussed now, not discovered later.

2. Tile and Coping

The waterline tile and the coping (the cap around the pool edge) are what everyone sees first.

• Straight lines: Sight down the tile line from each corner. It should look level and even, without waves or dips.
• Grout: Joints should be full and consistent, with no gaps, holes or smeared haze left on the tile face.
• No loose pieces: Press gently on coping stones and tile near steps and corners. Nothing should move or sound loose.
• Clean edges: The transition between tile, finish and coping should look intentional, without chips or ragged edges.

3. Steps, Benches and Sun Shelves

These are the areas people touch every day. Check that steps are even and edges smooth, and that any sun shelf matches the planned depth and size.

4. Equipment

You don't need to be a technician, but you should see everything run before the job is closed.

• Pump and filter: Ask the contractor to start the system. Listen for unusual grinding, screeching or rattling, and look for drips at the pump, filter and valves.
• Pressure gauge: Ask what the normal filter pressure reading is for your system and write it down. That number becomes your baseline.
• Heater, lights and automation: Ask to see each one operate, and ask for a quick lesson on the controls.
• Electrical safety: Pool electrical work involves bonding, grounding and GFCI protection. Don't try to judge it yourself — ask whether the electrical inspection passed, and have the licensed electrician or inspector confirm everything is in order.

5. Water Level, Skimmers and Deck Drainage

Check that the water sits at the correct level on the skimmer opening (usually around the middle — ask your contractor what's right for your pool). Skimmer lids and baskets should be in place and working.

Then look at the deck. Water should drain away from the pool and away from the house, not puddle near the edge or flow back toward your doors. If you can, hose down a section and watch where it goes. If the project included new decking, this is the moment to raise any concern about slope or finish.