BUYING A POOL
We hate to admit this but we were late to the game in understanding this very simple truth about Pool Shopping. Believe it or not, buying and shopping for an in ground pool is an emotional experience whether it be stressful, anxious, frustrating, infuriating, relaxing, laid back, enjoyable or at times overwhelming. At Pool Pros our goal is to make the process as easy and stress free as possible. So you can get to enjoying your pool asap. To help you in the pool shopping process we created a pool shopping guide that includes a glossary of common pool industry terms that you will hear throughout the pool shopping process. With that we have created a check list of sorts for you to check items off as you progress through the pool shopping process. We also included resources on how to properly vet your pool builders and a breakdown of what to expect during each stage of the pool shopping and pool installation process. Lets dive deeper!
WHY A POOL
The first step in shopping for a pool is asking yourself why you want a swimming pool to start with? For some it may be the desire to have a place to bring your family together to create memories. For others its to recreate memories from your youth with your family. Some may simply want to add a statement piece to add to their home and some it may be strictly for exercise. Or it could be all of the above.
WHAT NEXT?
Now that you have determined why you want to purchase a swimming pool the next step is to determine if your backyard is capable of having a swimming pool. The best and quickest way to do this in Wisconsin is to call Diggers Hotline to have your yard marked for any underground utilities. This process can take several days so while you are waiting on that you can contact your HOA if applicable and ask about any restrictive covenants that may prevent you from installing a pool at your home. The next step from there is to contact your local municipality to see if you are able to install a pool at your property along with finding out what the local setbacks would be for a pool on your property. A setback is typically the distance your pool has to be away form your home, lot lines, fences, outbuildings, etc that are on your property. Once you have the setbacks you can grab a tape measure and head out into your yard and start measuring to see if you have enough space within those confines to fit a pool. The last step would be to check your counties G.I.S or Geographic Information System for your property. If your county has a GIS you will be able to use the software to determine if there are any wetlands, flood zones or ESA (environmentally sensitive areas) in your yard that may affect the placement of your pool. Once you have all this leg work completed the next task is to determine which type of in ground swimming pool is for you.
POOL TYPE CONSIDERATIONS
Before you skim past this section please watch this video above where you will learn about the 3 different types of in ground swimming pools and the advantages and disadvantages of each type. A fiberglass pool may be a good fit for one family and a vinyl liner pool for another, or if you are looking for a custom pool maybe a gunite pool will be the best option for you. This video will help get you pointed in the right direction to help you pick a pool that is best for your situation. Once you have honed in on the pool type thats best for you, you can now dial in the best pool builders of that type of pool in your area.
GATHERING RESOURCES
Now that you have determined you have room for a pool and have figured out which pool type is best for your pool project, its now time to start gathering resources to provide to potential pool builders. Watch this short video above to help you get your documents in order to make the process easier when it comes to vetting your pool builders and getting pool quotes.
DESIGN PLANNING
I know this may seem like jumping the gun a bit but in all likelihood spending some time to come up with a preliminary idea for your pool project design can help speed up the process when you finally find the right pool builder. The first step we (Pool Pros) recommend is to go on Pinterest and search In Ground Pool Project Ideas. This will give you A LOT of food for thought when it comes to designing your pool layout.
The next step would be to start considering what type of pool patio you prefer and how much pool patio space you will need. The amount of pool patio space you need will be determined by the type and size of patio furniture you choose which could be anywhere from lounge chairs to a dinning table to a couch and coffee table setup, to an outdoor fire pit, covered porch etc. The video below will help guide you to formulate the amount of pool patio space you need based off these items. This will give you more information to provide to your builder once you select one which in turn will help speed up the process of getting quotes back and scheduling your project.
POOL ACCESSORIES
The next step is to determine if you want to add any pool accessories to your project. Automatic Pool Covers are a big one for any pool project. Automatic Pool Covers are expensive though and do require some long term costs to maintain. However an automatic pool cover is a great layer of protection to have for your pool project. When the pool is covered no one can access your pool, which is great. Below is a video that goes over the pros and cons of automatic pool covers. Hand Rails, Slides and waterline tile are common accessories that are added to pools that need some consideration as well. Remember at this point you are simply gathering ideas for what you may want to add to your pool project. Nothing needs to be set in stone. Right now you are planting a seed of ideas that once you meet with your pool builder will be turned into your pool project.
POOL COLORS
Once you have a pool type, amount of patio space and pool accessory ideas picked out the next step is to start selecting pool colors. Not just for the pool but for the entire project. Coordinating the colors of the pool, pool tile, pool coping, pool patio, automatic pool cover fabric, pool accessories and any existing backyard features is always a top consideration. If you can have a rough idea on how you prefer to coordinate your pool project colors that will make the design process smoother when it comes time to finalize it. Here are a few links to pool color related articles if you choose to dive deeper into pool color
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VETTING POOL BUILDERS
Now that you have performed all of this research it is time to start looking at pool builders and start the vetting process. Earlier on in the process you narrowed down your pool style to one type of pool, either fiberglass, vinyl liner or concrete pools. Now its time to focus on who the best builder is for you that specializes in your preferred type of pool.
Vetting a pool builder can be a very difficult task these days with social media, ad campaigns, videos, a.i misinformation and corruption everywhere. Pool Builders can really puff them selves up to look like something they are not and we are here to expose some of the tricks that pool builders use to trick some pool shoppers into buying a pool from them. First we will go through the steps we recommend to vet pool builders and then we will expose some tricks used by less then ethical pool builders to sell pools. Providing you with this list of red flags is not meant to scare you away form buying a pool, its designed to reinforce how important the steps we outline for vetting pool builders is to ensure you are hiring a quality pool builder. This is a long read so get cozy.
THE VETTING PROCESS
Creating lists to properly vet your pool builder is the best way to start your research. Below are a few ideas of the different lists we suggest you create.
Create a list of local pool builders in your area that specialize in the type of pool you prefer
Create a check list of qualifications you desire in a builder.
Create a list of all key employees within each business that will take part in creating your pool project. I.e.: Owners, Sales Person, Foreman, Crew Members and Sub Contractors.
Create a list of the direct industry experience that each of these key employees retains
Create a list of actual qualifications of each pool builder. Industry training, Industry Certifications, Industry Awards and Recognition
Create a list of the length of time pool builders have been in business and demand that number be proven. Don't take anyone's word for it.
Create a list of how many pools each pool builder has built with proof they actually built them.
Create a list of other businesses that are owned by the owner of the Pool Company
VETTING RESOURCES
Now that you have the lists, its time to start digging. Here are a few tips we recommend using to help corroborate the info provided by your potential pool builder.
BBB: Do a quick search on the Better Business Bureau Website. If they dont have at least an A rating find out why. If they dont come up on the BBB thats red flag number one.https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/wisconsin
Website: Does your potential pool builder have a quality website? If they dont have the resources to have a quality website in this day and age that is another big red flag!
PHTA Member: Check with the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance to see if your potential pool builder is a member. The PHTA is a trade association that writes building codes and creates sets of best practices that are used by quality pool builders across the world. If they are not a member then they do not have access to the building codes and training opportunities necessary to provide the knowledge to properly build a pool. Here is the link to search for your pool builder https://portal.phta.org/Directories/Company-Directory
Registered Dealer: Check with the manufacturer of the pool equipment being offered by each pool builder to see if they are a registered dealer. Here are links to the big 3 manufacturers. If your potential pool builder is not listed that is another red flag. https://hayward.com/dealerlocator https://www.jandy.com/en/locator https://www.pentair.com/en-us/find-a-dealer/pool-spa.html
Industry Certifications: Find out if your pool builder has any industry certifications. Industry certifications are not given but earned through required training programs and strict testing along with required continued education classes to ensure that knowledge sticks. The best would be the Certified Building Professional and Certified Service Professional from the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. Here is a link to search if there are any CBP's or CSP's in your area. https://portal.phta.org/Directories/Company-Directory
State Registration: Ensure your potential builder is legit and set up with the state you reside in. This info will typically tell you the date they were originally set up as well so you can vet that as well. Here is an example of the info that can be found for businesses in Wisconsin at this link https://www.wdfi.org/apps/corpsearch/search.aspx
CCAP: In Wisconsin the State provides a Consolidated Court Automated Program Database where you can search for court cases in the state. We recommend using this to search the name of the pool company, the business owners name, and the names of all key employees and any associated subcontractors in the state you live. https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/offices/ccap.htm
Ownership: Verify the ownership of each pool company. If its owned by another company, is a DBA or is owned by someone other than what is being told to you, its another red flag!
Industry Recognition: Does your builder have awards for pool projects, similar to the PHTA Gold Standard and International Gold Standard Awards. If not that should be a red flag!
Google Reviews: While this is helpful there are the occasions where trolls can provide bad reviews and reviews may be provided accidentally providing a false reality. Also some companies have their employees provide them with 5 star reviews to pad the stats. So make sure you really read through the reviews and weed out the bogus ones. It will give you a better idea of what the true ranking is. Also take into consideration the response to any bad reviews by the pool builder. If they dont reply they are running from the review and are not taking accountability. To me thats another red flag. See an example here.
Display Pool: Ask to see the pool builders work first hand. Most pool builders that are truly invested will have an operating display pool that you can see. If not ask to see a clients pool. - If they cant, mark them off the list.
Pool Service: If you are hiring a pool builder be sure they offer pool service and at the minimum offer pool openings and closings. If they dont thats a major red flag.
Actual Employees: Make sure that the company you are vetting has actual employees. We are seeing this more and more but some companies have no employees and simply sub contract out all the work. So you could have a dozen or more companies working on different parts of your pool project. Be sure this is disclosed to you before you sign the contract. It can be frustrating when you hire one specific company to build your pool then have another company show up to do the work. In this case your pool company is little more than a middle man or project manager. Vet the employees as well. After all, these workers will be in your backyard and around your family for weeks at a time. You want to make sure they are the kind of people you want in your yard.
RED FLAGS
There are a lot of red flags to look out for when buying a pool but there are the most common concerns we have come across when trying to properly vet your pool builder.
1: Outlandish Installation Claims: When trying to properly vet your pool builder be wary of pool builders claims of how quickly they can build your pool. While the goal of every pool builder and pool owner is to have their pool built quickly, there are some over the top claims made by alot of pool builders these days that are just misleading. The biggest one is the 3 day pool installation. While it is true, a pool can be installed in 3 days, its not exactly the hole truth. The pool and its equipment can be installed in that time frame typically, but that is not a completed project. There would still need to be landscaping clean up, patio installation, possible hardscaping etc. The total lenght of time it takes to build a complete pool project is close to 2-3 weeks.
2: The use of inferior materials: Flexible PVC is definitely a no no when installing any type of pool, however pool builders that have little to no experience often use flexible pvc because it is quick, cheap and easy. If your potential pool builder is using flexible pvc we recommend removing them from your list. Here is an article about why Pool Pros does not use flexible PVC.
3: The use of ineffective or improper pool equipment: This is very common with inexperienced pool builders especially in Wisconsin. Alot of new pool builders try to push Heat Pumps on their clients without an honest explanation of how they work. In general there is nothing wrong with heat pumps unless you live in Wisconsin and have a short swim season. See heat pumps only heat the pool when it is warm out. It has to be above 58 degrees for a heat pump to work and even at that temperature the heat pump will not heat efficiently. The warmer the outside temp the better a heat pump will heat. This eliminates the heat pump from use in Wisconsin unless you want to lose the first few weeks and last few weeks of the swimming season. Because our seasons are so short we need to heat our pools up fast and the only way to do that is with a natural gas or propane pool heater. Or at Pool Pros we like the new Hybrid Pool Heater from Pentair that is both a natural gas heater and a heat pump. You can use the gas heater to get the pool up to temp quickly for the early and later portions of the season and then use the built in heat pump to heat more economically during the season. To offer only a heat pump is doing a huge disservice to pool owners.
Here is a great article about the difference between heat pumps and gas pool heaters.
4: Contracts: Be wary of a pool builder who has a very vague contract that doesn't clearly outline what is included. A contract is a legally binding document that should be created by a lawyer and not some chicken scratch on a piece of paper. If its not in the contract, you wont get it. So ask about seeing a copy of the contract before you sign and go over it. If you have questions or concerns, now is the time to ask.
5: Payment Schedule: If a builder is asking for an unfair payment schedule structure be wary. Pool Builders that are not fiscally sound companies like to "rob Peter to pay Paul" so to speak. To do this they will ask for 50% or more for a deposit and ask for the remainder of the payments long before they are done. This is generally because they don't have the resources to fund the pool build and supplies themselves. They are relying on you the pool owner to carry the burden of over extending payments to cover the builders ineptitude. At Pool Pros we have our payment structure broken down into 3 payments in a pay as you go scenario. We require a 33% deposit with the signed contract, then the remaining payments are due at specific progress points of the project. This way we dont out work the payments and the pool owner does not pay for something they have yet to recieve.
6: Change Order Policy: If you the pool owner make changes to the pool project those changes need to be made on a written change order. If there is no written and signed change order dont count on those changes being made. It is common practice for all change order payments to be due at the time the change order is signed. Change orders are good and protect the clients but they can also be used by less than ethical pool builders to add more cost to your project. We have seen cases where someone hired the lowest cost pool builder and then once the pool project started the builder started requiring change orders for additional work that the client thought was part of the original agreement. Come to find out the work that was not covered in the original agreement and cost the pool owner thousands of additional dollars they werent anticipating. Be sure you have all factors of your pool project addressed prior to signing a contract or you may end up with unforseen costs and change orders. Which leads to the next red flag.
7: Lowest Priced Builder: As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This is especially true with fiberglass pools. Most reputable pool builders that have been around for a while are all pretty close in price generally speaking. When there is one quote that is considerably less than the others that should be a red flag. That either means they are using inferior products, inferior labor or are not properly setting there prices to create a sustainable business that can properly, professionally and efficiently care for thier clients. This is generally the case with new pool companies that have little experience running a business and or limited experience building pools. If you are a risk taker and like to gamble you may win or you may lose. A swimming pool is a large investment to gamble on and the cost to fix them after the fact is often more than the cost of hiring the best pool builder from the start. Always be wary of the lowest cost pool contractor or any contractor for that matter.
8: Pool Selection: At Pool Pros we believe in letting the clients pick the pool model and color they want. This however is not the case with other fiberglass pool builders. Often times fiberglass pool builders will try to force you into buying the pool shell, size and color they have in stock, which is often not what you may want at all. We field calls like this every year where clients tell me how thankful they were that we allowed them to pick the pool. That just blows my mind, but some pool builders let their egos get in the way of providing what the client wants and will only do what they want. Its kind of the complete opposite of the way things should be. We are in business to give clients what they want not what we the pool builder wants. SMH! If a pool builder is forcing you into something you dont want its time to remove them from you list of potential builders.
9: Fake Portfolio
Some pool builders, mostly new pool companies that have little to no experience will use photos that they have taken from manufacturers or downright stolen from other builders and claim that they are their own. Sounds crazy but it happens to us (Pool Pros) a lot and we are a very small pool company. Pool builders will do this to lull unsuspecting clients into thinking they are something they are not, an accomplished pool builder.
10: A.I. Based Websites and Content
This is going to become a growing concern not only with pool builders but any website moving forward. We have seen entire websites created using A.I. along with an immense amount of content that simply couldnt be created by a human in that span of time. The content is created when A.I. crawls the internet and gathers up all the knowledge and content created by experienced pool professionals and then turns it into something that can be used unethically by pool companies that would not be able to create the same content because they may not have the same level of experience or knowledge that was stolen by a.i. to create the content. We will use blogs for an example. At Pool Pros we write all of our blogs by our very own human employees based off the last 28 years building pools. It can take 8 hours or longer to write some articles. A new pool company with no experience at all building or servicing pools can use a.i. to create that same article in seconds. They can then post this and hundreds if not thousands of similar articles on their own website which will boost their google ranking and perceived credibility as a pool builder. With no merit at all. All along having little to no experience with pools. The internet will put them first during your google searches, etc. So while slick new websites and content are great, nothing can top personal experience in a trade. So even though a website may look nice and have a ton of great video and blog content, be sure that all the hype is warranted and that the owners, employees and anyone working on your project has the real world experience and know how to build you a proper pool.
POOL QUOTES
Once you have narrowed down the pool of pool builders (pun intended) to 2 or 3 its time to get quotes from each of them. Generally speaking most high quality pool builders are going to be within a few thousand dollars of each other. If one jumps out at as really high or really low its time to start asking questions. Be certain you are comparing apples to apples and not apple to oranges. Not all pool equipment and installation practices are the same so be sure you know the differences in quality of any varying pool equipment and processes that may affect the cost. Experience does come with cost so keep that in mind when reviewing quotes. Once you have settled on a pool builder its time to get familiar with what the process of the pool installation looks like.
POOL INSTALLATION
Now that you have hopefully picked a solid pool builder, have signed the contract and have your pool installation scheduled its now time to think about the process of completing the pool installation.
Keep in mind the process varies quite a bit based on the type of pool. Concrete Pools take longer to build, vinyl lined pools take the second longest to build and fiberglass pools are the quickest. So lets break it down
SITE PREP
The first step in any in ground pool project is site prep. At the time of site prep the pool builder will show up and drop off equipment like an excavator, a skidsteer, pipe, etc. Then they will setup a laser level and shoot grades to ensure the pool is set at the elevation you requested. The pool is then staked and marked out with paint.
DIG DAY
Dig Day is pretty simple, the pool gets dug and in most cases the spoils get removed by dump truck and stone for the pool base is brought in and graded out.
CRANE DAY
If you have a fiberglass pool on this day your pool is set typically using a crane since its the safest option for setting a pool. The pool is set, levelled and the plumbing from the pool to the equipment pad and pool light install is completed.
FILL BACKFILL
If you have a fiberglass pool now your pool needs to be filled and backfilled at the same rate. This can take a few hours to complete depending on water availability.
POOL EQUIPMENT
At this point your pools filtration and heating system are installed along with the electrical supply and gas to run your pool equipment
BOND BEAM or CONCRETE BASE GRADING
If you have a fiberglass pool, once the pool is filled and backfilled a 12" thick concrete bond beam is poured around the pool. This beam is set low to accommodate the installation of pool coping. If you dont have pool coping then the bond beam is incorporated into the concrete pool deck where it is graded and formed for the pool deck pour at this point.
POOL DECK INSTALLATION
At this point your pool deck or pool patio is installed. If you have a concrete pool deck it typically takes 1 day to form and grade then another day to pour and finish. A standard broom finished concrete is a pretty quick process, however if you upgrade to stamped and colored concrete this can be a more time consuming and messy process. A paver patio can at times take a week or 2 to install. There is a much larger amount of physical labor that is very time consuming when installing a paver patio.
POOL START UP AND CLEANING
Once the pool deck is completed its now time to fire up the pool equipment for the first time and get the pool cleaned up. This can take an hour or 2 to complete. We typically perform a walkthrough at this time to show you how your pool equipment works and how to properly care for your pool moving forward.
SITE CLEAN UP & LANDSCAPING
The final step of your pool project is typically cleaning up the site, re establishing the lawn, adding any landscaping features and fencing you chose for your pool project. This can take anywhere from 1 day to a few weeks depending on how elaborate your pool project design is.
POOL LINGO GLOSSARY
The amount of lingo or Pool Industry terminology you will be introduced to during the pool shopping process can be enough to make you question getting a pool altogether. So to help you better understand these phrases and terminology you may hear during the process of shopping for a pool we (Pool Pros) has created a glossary specific to what you can expect to hear from varying pool contractors that you talk to. We will provide definitions for each along with recommendations and advice on what to expect when you hear each phrase for your pool builder.
Pool Deck: The finished surface surrounding your pool.
Pool Patio: Same as above
Broom Finished Concrete: This is your standard concrete finish that you see on driveways and sidewalks.
Stamped Concrete: This is an upgrade feature that imprints different textures into the concrete like stone or wood patterns.
Paver Patio: This is a pool deck constructed with the use of individual pieces of precast concrete hand laid in a pattern to form your pool deck.
Natural Stone Patio: This is a pool deck constructed using pre cut pieces of natural stone that are hand laid in a pattern to form your pool deck.
Pool Coping: Pool coping is the concrete, paver or stone that covers the very top edge of the pool
Cantilevered concrete: Cantilevered concrete that goes over the top of the pool and overhangs the top edge of the pool by a fraction of an inch.
Pool Shell: A pool shell is the body of a fiberglass or gunite pool. Sometimes refered to as tanks
Flex Pipe: Flex Pipe is flexible pvc and should not be used for swimming pools.
Rigid PVC: ASTM1785 Schedule 40 Rigid PVC is the correct pvc for use in swimming pools
Pool Equipment Pad: Typically a 4x8 concrete pad that your pools filtration system sits on This should be a non combustible material and definitely not plastic pads.
Hand Rail: Hand Rails are what it sounds like. A rail that helps swimmers get in and out of the pool. Every pool should have one.
Automatic Pool Cover: This is an automatic opening and retracting cover that is operated with a key pad or touch pad. If you dont have the key or the touch pad the cover cannot be operated.
Winter Cover: Typically a mesh cover used to safely cover your pool for the winter. This is not the same as an automatic pool cover.
Pool Opening: Each spring your pool will need to be un winterized and started up for the season. You can do this yourself or hire a professional to have this completed.
Pool Closing: Each fall your pool will need to be winterized. This includes blowing out and plugging of all the plumbing lines, and draining the water from the pool equipment to prevent freeze damage over the winter. This should be done by a professional pool service company to prevent costly repairs.
Haul Out: Haul out is the removal of excavated material from your pool excavation
Pool Chemistry: It is the measure of current state of your pool water. Calcium Hardness, Free Chlorine Total Chlorine, Alkalinity, pH, Conditioner, Water Temperature and TDS are all components taht make up water chemistry.
Pool Balance: Pool Balance using the Langlier Index is a measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is. A clear pool is not an indicator of a balanced pool.
Pool Maintenance: The routine cleaning and care for your pool
Pool Tile: Tile that is installed at the waterline of your pool. It has an aesthetic and functional use.
Waterline Tile: Same as above
Gelcoat: Gelcoat is the interior finish of a fiberglass pool
Dig Set Fill: This is a common phrase for fiberglass pool builders but is when a builder is doing a minimal amount of work on your project. They dig the whole, set the pool, fill and backfill and they are done leaving you to do the rest.
Water Delivery: This typically means that a large bulk tanker truck is brought in to fill your pool in a timely manner.
Sump Pipe: This is at a minimum an 8" diameter pipe that goes down below the bottom of a pool and allows a pump to be slid into it to pump out any ground water.
Bond Beam: For a fiberglass pool this is typically a 12" thick concrete collar around the pool that locks in and stiffens the top of the pool that prevents it from moving in the future.
Pool Delivery: This is how a fiberglass pool shell is brought to your home for installation. Either your pool builder has the means to deliver it or it is shipped direct from the manufacturer.
Setting the Pool: With a fiberglass pool the pool shell needs to be placed in the ground and the most effective method is with the use of a crane to take the pool from the delivery trailer to the excavated whole in the backyard.
Crane: A crane is the safest and most common method used to set a fiberglass pool shell
Excavation: This is the process of digging your swimming pool.
Pool Bonding: This is a required electrical safety feature that brings all metal components around a pool to the same electrical potential. This is mandatory on all pools.
Electrical hook up: This is the work performed by a license electrician to connect all of the pool equipment to its properly installed power source so that it can function properly and safely according the NEC and or local code requirements
Gas line installation: The process of connecting a natural gas or propane pool heater to your gas source ie a bulk propane tank or a natural gas service meter. This must be done by a licensed plumber and according to state and local code requirements.
Grading: Is the process of smoothing out an area in your yard or brining the ground to s certaian height for either a pool deck or lawn installation
Rough Grading: The process of grading that is within a few inches of its desire outcome. It may have an outcome of slightly lumpy or uneven soils
Finish Grading: Finish Grading is a solid flat smooth and ready for seed or ready for a patio to be installed with no other raking or adjusting. This typically involves hand raking to dial in a near perfect surface.
Site Clean Up: Site Clean up is the process of removing any left over material on the site, fixing and or restoring a lawn,etc.
MORAL OF THE STORY
A swimming pool is meant to provide your family with a lifetime of happy memories and the process of shopping for a pool should not be difficult or stressful. If you follow the outline above that Pool Pros has created it should provide you with enough confidence to know that you are making the right choice for your pool project.
SHAMELESS CALL TO ACTION
When you are ready to dive into pool ownership call Pool Pros @ 920-771-0107. Our in house designers are waiting and ready to help get you started on the path to creating the pool of your dreams.
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