Not sure if this is the best place to put this, but I am looking to get some help.. I am in process of having a house built in NJ in the area just outside NYC.. While building we decided to do a pool... We went to the dealer and had them put a package together for a 18x33 pool with all the "needed" accessories (lights, stairs, filter, pump, etc).. We paid a total of 11k which included a heater sized for the pool.. We talked to the installer that the dealer uses and he said that I would need an electrician to run all wiring, plumber to run piping for heater, and said that I would be better off getting my builder to do the excavation to get the dirt out.. So the actual pool installation from the dealer's guy is coming out to 2k.. This only includes the actual putting up of the pool and running the piping from filter to pool and those hookups.. It does NOT include plumbing/electrical/excavation.. So we finally got around to putting permits in so the builder put together an install package to include the plumbing, electrical, and excavation.. His price came back at $12,000!!!!!!!! So for an 18x33 semi inground (only going 2ft deep) is costing 25k.. That doesn't include any deck or "extras".. Can this be accurate? The edge of pool closest to the house is 26ft away from back of house.. We had planned on putting the pool equipment near the pool which puts the equipment roughly 30-35ft away from house.. I was expecting to maybe have to pay 5-6k TOPS for electrical/plumbing/excavation.. 12k seems so excessive.. I will admit I dont know anything about pools or building but I was quoted 30k for a full inground pool with basic concrete trim.. We purposely went with semi inground to avoid such a cost for a pool.. At most we figured EVERYTHING would have come out to around 18k, but that would have included dressing up the pool area with landscaping and whatnot.. I was just hoping that perhaps some people in my area (NY/NJ/PA/CT) could chime in to see if this could be accurate..
Semi Inground Installation Quote (Electrical, Plumbing, Excavation) HELP!!
- Thread starter fearthisinc
- Start date
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
I am not in your area, but I am doing exactly the same thing... its not cheap, but the price can be brought down 
The more you do yourself the more you can bring the price down.. The only other way is not dig down and hire a pool company to do everything, they will not do electrical but they know who will.
1. buy or find pool online that sells pools for your area, I went and picked up my pool froma company that sells pools but thats it.. found 8000 dollar 18x33 pool for 3500 (I bought no equipment from them because I wanted in ground nice equipment as my future plans are to use it and put in an in ground pool
2. I built the equipment pad and bought all equipment off amazon
3. I installed all equipment and ran all plumbing
4. I dug the ditches for plumbing and electrical
5. I hired out the electrical to bring the wire and connect everything correctly
6. The installer is digging down 1.5 feet, leveling and doing the pool install for 3000, I am connecting and finishing all plumbing to the pool.
maybe this will help you, here is my install
New above ground oval 18x33 install
The more you do yourself the more you can bring the price down.. The only other way is not dig down and hire a pool company to do everything, they will not do electrical but they know who will.1. buy or find pool online that sells pools for your area, I went and picked up my pool froma company that sells pools but thats it.. found 8000 dollar 18x33 pool for 3500 (I bought no equipment from them because I wanted in ground nice equipment as my future plans are to use it and put in an in ground pool
2. I built the equipment pad and bought all equipment off amazon
3. I installed all equipment and ran all plumbing
4. I dug the ditches for plumbing and electrical
5. I hired out the electrical to bring the wire and connect everything correctly
6. The installer is digging down 1.5 feet, leveling and doing the pool install for 3000, I am connecting and finishing all plumbing to the pool.
maybe this will help you, here is my install
New above ground oval 18x33 install
Not from the area but have a comment.
How many quotes did you get? When I am having work done I get at LEAST 3 quotes and try for 5 if there are enough trades people for the project. I make sure they all know I am getting more quotes as well.
This has worked in the past quite well for me. If I find someone I really click with but they are higher on something than another person I did not quite click with I will call the other person to give them the opportunity to meet or beat the lower price.
Good luck!
Kim
How many quotes did you get? When I am having work done I get at LEAST 3 quotes and try for 5 if there are enough trades people for the project. I make sure they all know I am getting more quotes as well.
This has worked in the past quite well for me. If I find someone I really click with but they are higher on something than another person I did not quite click with I will call the other person to give them the opportunity to meet or beat the lower price.
Good luck!
Kim
Thanks for the reply.. i thought about piecing it all out on my own but I am lost with all of this stuff and I am not very hands on with this type of stuff so I am left to leaving it to others.. I might just have to shop around with electricians and plumbers, unless the big part is the excavation.. I just cant imagine that anyone would ever charge this much.. Basically its coming out to 15k for all the installation requirements.. and that's not even including permit fees lol.. I just can't imaging going to a pool place and them saying the installation is double the cost of the actual pool.. Again, I would have understood something like 6 or 7k.. But 15k?!?! Just for installation? That is just insane, or at least it is to me..
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,785
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I would also be concerned that as quick as this pool installer seems to be about "passing the buck" onto another contractor (your home builder) to have work done, if there was ever a problem later, here's off scott-free. No warranty guarantee with this installer for anything someone else did. So yes, I would be concerned. Unless you chose to do something specific as a DIY, shop around for someone who will stick to everthing in one package and warranty all of the work required. Good luck!
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
You could look into a vinyl in ground pool, there are many companies that you can get quotes from and I bet it comes out close to where you are
That $12K quote does seem high. Presumably you house is not built yet and your contactor will need to do some sort of excavation for your house. He should already have his equipment on site, so he should not be factoring in any sort of additional transport fee. He would be using his equipment and labor that is already on site to excavate for the pool, and then to trench for utilities.
Same goes for using the trades (subs, or his own crews) for electrical and plumbing. They should already be on site for your house build, so it is only incremental labor and materials. Plus, since the house is under construction the electrician is going to have a much easier time getting from the service panel to where he needs to go (the walls being open).
-dave
Same goes for using the trades (subs, or his own crews) for electrical and plumbing. They should already be on site for your house build, so it is only incremental labor and materials. Plus, since the house is under construction the electrician is going to have a much easier time getting from the service panel to where he needs to go (the walls being open).
-dave
Plumbing the heater, electrical and excavation of 2' for $12000 is absurd. The excavation should be less than $1000. The plumbing should be less than $500. and the electrical should be less than $1500. Your builder probably needs to buy a bigger boat. You should get quotes from companies that install pools.
The excavation should only be a 1/2 day with a backhoe. I had a 20'-40' foundation for my garage excavated for $600.
I assume the heater is near the pool so the plumbing can't be too complex.
The electrical has some cost but isn't really a big job. A really big line for the heater and a small run for the filter.
The excavation should only be a 1/2 day with a backhoe. I had a 20'-40' foundation for my garage excavated for $600.
I assume the heater is near the pool so the plumbing can't be too complex.
The electrical has some cost but isn't really a big job. A really big line for the heater and a small run for the filter.
Thanks for all the input.. I am definitely going to shop around.. The builder just got back to me with the cost breakdown, but first let me just say this.. The pool installer does have electricians/plumbers/excavators/etc that he uses and I am having him quote out using his guys.. However, with that said, he just offered that we use the guys on scene as he figured ti would have been cheaper for me since they will already be on site.. If he uses his guys its more of a "new project" cost for them.. Anyway, here is the breakdown from my builder:
1) Provide and install a gas line from gas meter to the pool heater - all underground poly pipe with elbow risers 2" - blk iron steel pipe above ground - $2,700
2) Provide and install sewer ejector pump with alarm - $1,020 (I dont think this is for the pool and think he added this by mistake because we had this installed in our basement, but just in case it is for pool)
3) Provide and install concealed electrical connection to pool equipment with shutoff box, provide 1x cat 5 run, bonding wire, and 3x outlets - $1,440
4) Provide machine and operator to excavate pool and trench for gas and electrical line. Provide yellow sand for trench only - $2,760
5) Provide trucking to dispose excess dirt from pool excavation $3,600
I know here in NJ that getting rid of dirt can be expensive.. If I recall right they have to get it tested before it can be dropped, HOWEVER they have already removed dirt from when they did the original excavation so they must have had the dirt tested at that point.. I am just surprised because they have a bobcat excavator at our site that they have been doing back fill and moving dirt around and I KNOW that it is more then capable of digging out a 2ft deep hole.. So to charge me almost 3k just for that is really messed up.. As for the dirt transport and disposal.. That is another hard to believe one.. I mean how much dirt could there really be from a 2ft deep hole? Two trucks, maybe 3 tops..
1) Provide and install a gas line from gas meter to the pool heater - all underground poly pipe with elbow risers 2" - blk iron steel pipe above ground - $2,700
2) Provide and install sewer ejector pump with alarm - $1,020 (I dont think this is for the pool and think he added this by mistake because we had this installed in our basement, but just in case it is for pool)
3) Provide and install concealed electrical connection to pool equipment with shutoff box, provide 1x cat 5 run, bonding wire, and 3x outlets - $1,440
4) Provide machine and operator to excavate pool and trench for gas and electrical line. Provide yellow sand for trench only - $2,760
5) Provide trucking to dispose excess dirt from pool excavation $3,600
I know here in NJ that getting rid of dirt can be expensive.. If I recall right they have to get it tested before it can be dropped, HOWEVER they have already removed dirt from when they did the original excavation so they must have had the dirt tested at that point.. I am just surprised because they have a bobcat excavator at our site that they have been doing back fill and moving dirt around and I KNOW that it is more then capable of digging out a 2ft deep hole.. So to charge me almost 3k just for that is really messed up.. As for the dirt transport and disposal.. That is another hard to believe one.. I mean how much dirt could there really be from a 2ft deep hole? Two trucks, maybe 3 tops..
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Still seems high to me
An unless you are doing something in your pool that you should not be, you do not need a sewage ejector pump.
An unless you are doing something in your pool that you should not be, you do not need a sewage ejector pump.
Appreciate the input from everyone.. Just thought I would add that the builder tried to say that "no one is taking dirt so the price to get rid of it went up".. I decided to talk to the pool installer and inquire if he could price out what it would cost to get an excavator to come in and do the dirt.. His prices DESTROYED the builders..
Excavation - $1700
Dirt Export - $1800
Backfill - $600
So that comes to a total of $4100 and that's if I need him to do the backfill.. We were contemplating a deck so he said the backfill price may go down if we went that route.. So $4100 compared to $6400.. $2300 difference.. But the best is that we just got a call from a friend of a friend who said that as long as we have the environmental certificate for the soil they would take it for FREE!!! So much for "no one is taking dirt".. I am trying to think if I should even ask the builder to beat the price.. I am kind of annoyed that I just gave you a 500k project to build my house and when it comes to digging a hole in the yard you try to screw me over.. But im starting to think I should just use the guy that the pool installer recommended.. I am sure they work together all the time and they dig holes for pools.. I know the hole has to be level within an inch or something like that.. Not sure if I should leave this to the guy who was trying to rip me off or give it to at least someone that is honest.. But in the end the best news is finding out we can save from the dirt export.. So that saves another 1800... Now if I can just get that plumbing quote down..
Oh and the builder said he put the ejector pump in with the pool quote, but it was just the ejector pump for the basement.. He combined the two quotes instead of separate billing..
Excavation - $1700
Dirt Export - $1800
Backfill - $600
So that comes to a total of $4100 and that's if I need him to do the backfill.. We were contemplating a deck so he said the backfill price may go down if we went that route.. So $4100 compared to $6400.. $2300 difference.. But the best is that we just got a call from a friend of a friend who said that as long as we have the environmental certificate for the soil they would take it for FREE!!! So much for "no one is taking dirt".. I am trying to think if I should even ask the builder to beat the price.. I am kind of annoyed that I just gave you a 500k project to build my house and when it comes to digging a hole in the yard you try to screw me over.. But im starting to think I should just use the guy that the pool installer recommended.. I am sure they work together all the time and they dig holes for pools.. I know the hole has to be level within an inch or something like that.. Not sure if I should leave this to the guy who was trying to rip me off or give it to at least someone that is honest.. But in the end the best news is finding out we can save from the dirt export.. So that saves another 1800... Now if I can just get that plumbing quote down..
Oh and the builder said he put the ejector pump in with the pool quote, but it was just the ejector pump for the basement.. He combined the two quotes instead of separate billing..