Depending on what the plaster surface damage is to the pool, it really is pretty easy to repair the plaster on your pool. You just need a chisel, or a small angle grinder if you are really handy, a hammer, a trowel, some water and a sponge. they sell pool patch kits for all the pool surfaces. look for pool plaster patch kits and you will find an easy to use solution.
The fittings might need to be replaced. The plaster can be applied over the old plaster. Remove the lights and covers and tape them up. A pool plasterer would give you info on the replaster. It's not really necessary to talk to a pool builder about this, but the plasterer.
Break out the old plaster and plaster over the area to seal the plaster surface. It is best to lower water level in the pool first but there are patch materials that work under water.
You drain the water then plaster the walls from inside
It makes very little difference
It makes very little difference
No
Sounds like you have a repair issue--plaster, a big leak or something else expensive. Bring in a professional to analyze the issue.
Repairing the step may be accomplished by using plaster patch found in some pool stores. You may have to drop the water level below the step involved. For large areas this may or may not work. k
The finish plaster is normally white all the way through. It sounds like you are dealing with a pool that has been replastered by the method of putting a "brown coat"/"scratch coat" (the gray plaster you noted) over the original finish plaster surface, and a new finish coat of white plaster on top of that. The scratch coat more like a thin concrete than plaster (doesn't have the white marble dust in it) and is used to get a better bond to the old surface.
Yes,you just need to patch the plaster first.
First you have to determine if is in fact a painted pool. If it is a plaster pool then usually there is no paint unless it was painted because of age and damaged plaster. You most likely do not want to paint a plaster pool - have it acid washed to clean plaster. Not sure how to determine what type paint. You would have to have the paint chips anaylized to determine if it is a chlorinated base paint or epoxy paint. Ken
No, salt does not damage the plaster. Improper water balance will.
Depending on how badly it is broken
used to repair the ceilings