So we have gotten 5 bids. They are all pretty similar. One may be better price on the sunshelf but very expensive for lights etc. so we are conflicted on who to pick. My biggest concern is none of them really have tried to sell us on picking them. They all seem to take days to respond to questions. No one has drawn us up a picture of what it will look like or even ideas. When we ask questions after the not very detailed estimate, we get one word answers. Not one builder has even measured our backyar even when they come out here. They all have been like this. I’m not sure if I’m being picky but we have not had the best luck in the past of ofpicking out a contractor and don’t want to make a mistake. This is going to be a $70k-$80k project so o you would think it was more professional. There was one who started great but I asked her a question over a week ago with no response. Should we keep looking? Is this normal and just go with the person that is the most knowledgeable.? I know I shouldn’t just rely on quick responses as I have done that in the past and we had a messed up project as he could respond quick because he didn’t have much work for obvious reasons. Any advise or help would be appreciated.
Picking out a pool builder after bids
- Thread starter ivparker
- Start date
In my experience most subs asks for your home survey, did they ask for that? That will give them all the measurements they need. Out of the 5 I interviews (and still haven't picked one) only two came out to my property, none of them measured. They were here doing their sale pitch.
Have you checked reviews online?
Have you checked reviews online?
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,279
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I will say that the cost of the project is somewhat irrelevant to the service received because 90% of the pools are $40-100K in your area. You are working with contractors (hear me out contractors) and many of them do really good work but are not the best at customer relations or communication. However, if you were to spend $200K, then you'd likely be working with a contractor that had developed or learned the skills that customers at that level expect. Think a Lexus dealership service department versus Toyota.
I'm not sure what to suggest for you to get better responses, except perhaps to make them prove themselves. Tell them that your not really impressed by the level of detail and engagement you are getting in your responses. And that you want to be an involved owner in the process, but for that to work, they need to be willing to explain things in detail so you can be on the same page. Of course for 4 or 5 of those 5 builders that will likely go over like a lead balloon. But maybe it will allow one to wake up and rise to the occasion for you. Just a quick thought.
It also doesn't surprise me that a northern builder doesn't show the fancy video designs or even nice pictures that the sunbelt builders do. It's just not something they may have invested in, monetarily or training wise.
I'm not sure what to suggest for you to get better responses, except perhaps to make them prove themselves. Tell them that your not really impressed by the level of detail and engagement you are getting in your responses. And that you want to be an involved owner in the process, but for that to work, they need to be willing to explain things in detail so you can be on the same page. Of course for 4 or 5 of those 5 builders that will likely go over like a lead balloon. But maybe it will allow one to wake up and rise to the occasion for you. Just a quick thought.
It also doesn't surprise me that a northern builder doesn't show the fancy video designs or even nice pictures that the sunbelt builders do. It's just not something they may have invested in, monetarily or training wise.
iv,
I can't see how anyone can give you a bid without knowing what the pool is going to look like, the size, and the equipment...
I would keep looking.. Easy for me to say, as there are more pool builders than pools down here..
We had different responses to our bid requests.. But the one that got our business, has freelance pool designers that don't get paid unless the pool gets built. Our designer was great.. The yard was measured first thing and they called for the utilities to be marked before their visit. We sat down with the designer in our house and described what we wanted.. In a couple of weeks, we went to their office where we saw our design on a large TV.. We told the designer what we liked and did not like and she made changes on the spot. We did not get a quote until the design was finalized.. They would not give us a copy of the design until the signed the contract, but they did provide a quote based upon the design.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I can't see how anyone can give you a bid without knowing what the pool is going to look like, the size, and the equipment...
I would keep looking.. Easy for me to say, as there are more pool builders than pools down here..
We had different responses to our bid requests.. But the one that got our business, has freelance pool designers that don't get paid unless the pool gets built. Our designer was great.. The yard was measured first thing and they called for the utilities to be marked before their visit. We sat down with the designer in our house and described what we wanted.. In a couple of weeks, we went to their office where we saw our design on a large TV.. We told the designer what we liked and did not like and she made changes on the spot. We did not get a quote until the design was finalized.. They would not give us a copy of the design until the signed the contract, but they did provide a quote based upon the design.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Pretty much all pool builder now these days hire subcontractors for specific jobs and they oversee the operation with a project manager. Ask your pool builder how many times will the project manager be involved and take that into consideration. On my pool build, the PM only came to inspect about 3 times and we have had so many issues due to him being inexperienced.
Yes. We also are having to have a retaining wall built. This landscaper had within a hour an estimate and 3 very simple drawings of pool, retaining wall and decking design we were thinking of. We are only having them bid for retaining wall but they gave us a nice drawing. The kicker is... they are our seed and landscapers and haven’t done the greatest job when we hired them to hydroseed and fertilize our lawn. We have shaded area that just isn’t growing grass and their solution was for me to just buy some shade seed and put it down but I paid them per sq ft to seed all of it. That’s our problem. We hate arguing with people so just let it go.
I wish we can get something like that.iv,
I can't see how anyone can give you a bid without knowing what the pool is going to look like, the size, and the equipment...
I would keep looking.. Easy for me to say, as there are more pool builders than pools down here..
We had different responses to our bid requests.. But the one that got our business, has freelance pool designers that don't get paid unless the pool gets built. Our designer was great.. The yard was measured first thing and they called for the utilities to be marked before their visit. We sat down with the designer in our house and described what we wanted.. In a couple of weeks, we went to their office where we saw our design on a large TV.. We told the designer what we liked and did not like and she made changes on the spot. We did not get a quote until the design was finalized.. They would not give us a copy of the design until the signed the contract, but they did provide a quote based upon the design.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Yes, we gave them home survey and I did check reviews online. I never even called any that had a bad review. One builder that I had hoped for keeps bidding me a 16 x 13 deep sunshelf. It is too big as it won’t fit. I have told her numerous times and she just says she doesn’t understand. I explained again but no response. We just don’t have the space. We can only do 16 x 8 sunshelf (sunshelf attached to rectangle pool)
An approach we took was to hire a landscape/pool designer to do our pool plans, so we can send a final design and equipment list to various contractors to get pricing. This should allow you to get apples-to-apples comparisons from various different builders.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,279
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
"You will buy the pool I design for you, nothing more, nothing less." Said more than one PB.
Last edited:
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,279
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I did a similar thing except I did the equipment legwork and project design and asked for bids based on that. Some of the PB's followed it closer than others, but it was a big help in the A to A area.
Wow, I wouldn't feel too great about that either. Are you in a small town? It seems to me that in a small town the service providers often take the attitude of "who else are you going to go to?". Yikes. I am of the opinion that for $70-$80K you absolutely should expect good service. Heck, that would be over $100K Canadian!!! Here in Ottawa, you would have much better luck than that if you were shopping the pool builders. I wish I could offer you some good options, but I don't know your area at all.
The pool building market is crazy right now and PBs dont need to work hard for jobs.
I was collecting bids around November and December. I even had PBs decline because they had a full work schedule through June already.
Some PBs threw high bids at me just to see if I would accept.
My warning to you is communication only gets worse as the project goes along. If it is bad now imagine how it might be when you are locked in a contract with them.
And if they say you can call their cell just laugh to yourself. Ignoring texts and calls is easy for a contractor.
Pool construction seems to be a very un professional build at their own pace industry.
As for the pool we have a 20x7 shelf and love it so far. it is on the long side of the pool and forms an entryway
*edit*
As for communication. You don't want someone who is free and responds to your instantly. A good PB should be busy. Do they respond in a reasonable time? 24 hours? Do they give you details and listen or just "ya ya uh huh sure". Do they keep promises and deadlines? Do they have details for you? Pool equipment with actual models or just "ya a pump". That is the stuff to look out for right now.
I was collecting bids around November and December. I even had PBs decline because they had a full work schedule through June already.
Some PBs threw high bids at me just to see if I would accept.
My warning to you is communication only gets worse as the project goes along. If it is bad now imagine how it might be when you are locked in a contract with them.
And if they say you can call their cell just laugh to yourself. Ignoring texts and calls is easy for a contractor.
Pool construction seems to be a very un professional build at their own pace industry.
As for the pool we have a 20x7 shelf and love it so far. it is on the long side of the pool and forms an entryway
*edit*
As for communication. You don't want someone who is free and responds to your instantly. A good PB should be busy. Do they respond in a reasonable time? 24 hours? Do they give you details and listen or just "ya ya uh huh sure". Do they keep promises and deadlines? Do they have details for you? Pool equipment with actual models or just "ya a pump". That is the stuff to look out for right now.
Tough question, I would have a hard time picking any of them based on what you described.
Sadly this is what sets the going rate for most of the trades. If an electrician/plumber/mason etc is getting $20k jobs, he tells the next 10 people it’s $25k. And enough people bite that $25k becomes the new rate.
Ehhh. Not really a small town. We live in the suburbs of Grand Rapids. Most builders only do about 20-30 pools a year. So you would think they would want our business. There is one company we would love to get a quote with but we have called 3 times and they say they will call us back but never do.
Your sunshelf sounds like what we were thinking as well. Kind of like a big step but sunshelf off the long side of pool. Unfortunately we have a drainage easement in the back of our lot we have to avoid so can only go 8 deep and 16 ft would give us only 4 ft between it and our patio.. so we are maxed out there. We have 9 kids so thinking biggest we can get the better.
I'm a visual person so here is what it looks like if it helps you. My swimming space is 16' wide. The shelf adds 8' more to the width (24' total)
What is the working space you have for a pool?
I'm confused by 8 deep and 16. 8x16 would be a tiny pool for 9 kids.
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Just my .02, with 9 kids i would be trying for as many gallons that i could fit in my backyard. You'll have an 11 person party every weekend before inviting anybody else over. I get the whole sunshelf idea. I do. But its for relaxing at a resort on vacation. Or having a slice of that in your own backyard. For people who have peace and quiet and can do that. With 9 kids you need as much swimming space as you can so that they all can do as they wish and not have to take turns here, there and on the sunshelf.
No sorry. I must have said it wrong. The pool itself is 16 x 36 rectangle. Then on the long side we will have a 16 wide and 8 ft long sun shelf. Essentially making the pool look like a L. But the part sticking out is a sunshelf. It also acts as the steps. This will be a vinyl pool so I also was trying to avoid having white plastic steps.
