Shopping like you are buying a car
Pool construction, like most custom construction projects, is coordinated through many specialized trades. All of these different trades offer varying degrees of standards and attention to detail. Unlike a car manufactured in a factory under controlled conditions, a pool never has the same engineering features exacted to detail. So, much of what you don’t see is what impacts the future cost of your pool ownership.
Not asking enough questions
Do not assume every builder is going to educate you, or is capable doing so, for that matter. The more you know and understand, the better buyer you will ultimately be. This helps you and your pool contractor. Do your homework. Check every contractor out thoroughly, call references, and be sure the contractor is who they say they are. Consider the saying, “If you think the cost of a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur.”
Assuming swimming pools cost less to build in the wintertime
We have seen increases in steel prices, concrete shortages, gas increases, and insurance premium hikes every year. Swimming pools never get cheaper as time goes on; in fact, most price increases come towards the end of each year and take effect January-April, such as the pool equipment itself.
Focusing on the aesthetics and not the mechanicals of the project
Hydraulic design, flow rates, pipe size, pump and filter types, chemical management systems, and many other factors will make a difference in the ability of your swimming pool to stay clean and sanitized.
Shopping based strictly on price.
Usually if a deal seems too good to be true, it is! If you shop for price alone, you are destined to be disappointed. Bottom line: you usually get what you pay for—equipment, experience of the personnel, etc., all plays a big part in the pool cost. There are many factors to the cost of the pool, such as shotcrete vs. gunite, experience of the contractor, type/size of the pool equipment, the amount of excavation time included in the contract, and extras most companies don’t (BUT SHOULD) include: mastic, tile trim, an auto chlorinator, startup tools, plumbing, pool sweep, and dedicated suction line. All of these things add up to thousands of dollars in costs that other companies hope you’ll overlook. I can only promise that every pool we build uses the same equipment and standards that go into our pools—NO EXCEPTIONS.