blakemiller

I'm noob to pool ownership - new home we bought 1.5 yrs ago came with one. I had to fully drain the pool one month ago as we had to replace the water (it was over limits and at least 5+ yrs old according to the previous owner) along with some nearby construction over last few weeks, and some general maintenance in the area and on the pool. Figured knock it all out at once. Before I drained it, I learned about pressure and hydrostatic stuff so consulted with our local pool shop. He said shouldn't be a problem here in SoCal. I asked him about "needing to refill it right away" and he said no. But nothing was said about plaster drying out and cracking. Well, I left pool empty for 4 weeks and now I have 5-6 areas of substantial craking and "hollow spots". Possibly it wasn't clear as to how long I could leave it empty - I assumed indefinitely (w/o water table issues and the like here) Anyway - assuming I'm right with the cracking and hollow spots - what am I looking at in regards to repair? Do I need to chip out the loose stuff and re-plaster? Is this a DIY project? If subbing it out - how much can I expect to pay for such repairs. The overall condition of the plaster seems okay, but it does look pretty worn - lots of mild discoloration, a few worn spots, etc. Thanks Blake