One thing I forgot to note is that my kids and one of the neighbor kids were playing in our pool when it was about 1/4 full. They said it was funner than a full pool. It won't be too often they ever get to do that again. One thing I've noticed about our Stonescapes mini Tahoe Blue is that it has pretty pieces of alabaster shell that shine really nice in the sun. I don't see anything like that in the sample we were given to look at so it was a nice surprise.

If coping and tile are done and sealed correctly, shouldn't matter what Time of year is done. I would think that an experienced PB in NJ would know what to do and teach what you should do as pool owner. Also,doing it now means there is a bigger selection of builders as pool season is slow in your area.

Sorry what is it you are going to do DIY What does the kit do?

I don't know if you are still working on this, but in rare cases people sometimes choose to use glass tile for the entire pool. It might be cost-prohibitive to your project, but properly installed glass tile can last a generation or more, whereas plaster and pebble finishes will need ongoing maintenance.