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Swimming Pool - In-Ground

Pool Shopping

Who Is Building Your Pool? And Why Does It Matter?

The first thing you will need to determine, is who is actually going to build your pool. This is not as clear as it may seem.

You will probably go to a pool store, and that is where you will sign the initial contracts, but that company will not be building your pool in most cases. They will have an agreement in place with a pool construction contractor, who will do the actual building.

You can confirm this by asking what contracts you will need to complete. Ask for a copy to review. If you will sign a contract for the pool components and one for construction, then you know a contractor is involved.

Why is this important? For two reasons.

First, it will determine who really controls the construction schedule. 

Second, it will be the company who does the real work so you will want to check their references.

So how can you use this information?

I will tell you by example. The pool company gave us a May 15th start date. 

In mid-June the contractor sent someone to mark and validate the site location. He told us that the schedule was already in place and he did not see a start date until later in the summer. 

He also said the pool company always lies, giving you one date so that you sign up, knowing the start date is much further in the future. 

He concluded by telling us that the contractor always is considered the source of the delays, when in fact the schedule is in place from the last fall when construction had to stop, with last years jobs scheduled first, followed by any new deals. The pool company was aware of the start date, but lied to close the deal.

While this may not be true of the pool company you work with, from what we have learned it seems to be a standard industry practice. But you should not let this stop you from getting a pool. We tell you this so that you an have the right expectations, and be able to better plan your life around the construction. 

Additional Insights

You may want to work directly with the contractor, cutting the pool company out of your transaction. 

If you can get the name of the contractor before signing any agreements, and you are happy with their references, you could approach the contractor directly. This would mean that you would have a better handle on the actual building date of your pool. It only makes sense to follow this option if the contractor can also supply the pool building materials.

The pool company usually makes 40-60% profits. If they are a wholesaler, like many are their profits can exceed 60%.  You can use this info in two ways: First, you can negotiate the price of your pool hardware (but typically not the not the labor, since it is subcontracted). Second, you can get a hardware quote then try to do better either on eBay or via the pool builder. Builder's usually have a source, but will probably pay a higher price then the pool company, reducing their ability to discount.

Evaluating Equipment Choices

Liner

The liner is really the most important choice you make since it is the most visible part of your pool. 

The first step is to decide the thickness of the liner. Standard sizes are 20mil and 28mil. The thicker the liner, the more durable. 

You can also find 40mil from some vendors. We chose this since we have two dogs, and were worried about them getting into the pool by accident. In most cases you don't need a liner this thick.

Steps

There are a lot of step choices. They come in a number of shapes and sizes. And they even offer a number of extras, like seating and even Jacuzzi type jets. 

Would you like a sitting area? Do you want to have a place people can hang out? Steps can also be a design element. Take a look at possible options by looking at sites on the net. Think about the steps you would like and then do some comparisons on price. Have a few choices in mind with their costs before heading to the pool store.

Filter & Pump

The filter and pump system is the heart of your pool. You need to be sure that it is a reputable brand with a good track record. And you need to be sure the pump is rated to handle the volume of water in your pool. 

Deliver Of Equipment Issues

Once the pool hardware is delivered to your home you will be expected to pay for it. You do not want the equipment delivered and sitting waiting for the construction start. Make sure you have agreement that the equipment will not be delivered until the hole is dug. That way you are sure you have it as the real work is started. They will not need the equipment on the day the hole is dug, so it can be delivered on that day. I would not let the pool store make any excuses since they are only going to be moving your pool equipment from their warehouse. 

I had to insist that the equipment not be delivered until I was sure that construction was actually going to start. 

You need to check if you are expected to have the equipment delivered and stored on your property for some period of time.  We were expected to keep all the pool equipment in our garage.

When the pool equipment is delivered, carefully compare the delivered items with the list of items you contracted for when you signed the agreements. Be sure everything is delivered. Also make sure you are getting the right equipment. Example: we bought an in-ground pool, but received an above ground pool chlorinator (used to provide an even flow of chlorine to the filtered water). We made a note on the shipping receipt and got the correct one the next day.

Checklist

Below is a checklist that will help you get organized before you start to shop at local pool stores. As part of this process find two or three pool stores in your area so that you can visit each and comparison shop.

Right click to save the file to your PC. It was created in the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.

Checklist

Summary

It seems like a painful process, but it does not have to be. If you read through this whole site you should be armed to minimize hassles and have a reasonable idea of your install date. (Remember, bad weather, in your region, not actually at your home, will delay ongoing construction, and cause your scheduled date to be later then you expect).

Now that the process is behind us, we love our pool and are happy we went through it.

We hope you have a better experience based on what you have learned here.

Good Luck and have fun next summer.

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