Need advice on this bid. Seems high

Jun 5, 2012
8
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Pool Dimensions 35’ x 21’ Interior

Pool Perimeter 112 linear feet

Pool Surface Area 567 square feet

Pool Depth – 3’6” – 6’0”

Benches 16 linear feet

Steps – 28 linear feet

Sun Shelf – 84 square feet

Spa Dimensions 7’ x 7’ level with pool beam

Spa Perimeter – 28 linear feet

Surface Area – 49 square feet

Depth – 3’6”

Tile dam wall, $10/ft allowance

Total Gallons – 19,100 (adjusted for sun shelf & benches)
APPROVALS – Phase One
City permit – All fees and inspections included (if applicable)


Insurance – Two million dollars General Liability Insurance

Layout – Pool design will be marked in the yard for homeowner and city approval prior
to excavation

EXCAVATION – Phase Two
Fence – Removal of fence as needed

Rock – Complete rock excavation included

Materials – All excavated material will be hauled away unless specified
STEEL – Phase Three

Pool Shell – 1/2” steel on 10” centers, both ways or per engineered plans (if applicable)

Pool Bond Beam – 1⁄2” four bar beam

Alternate Stress Bars – as needed
PLUMBING – Phase Four

Pool pipes –Schedule 40 PVC

4 – 6 directional inlets, depending on pool design & environmental issues

Pool Skimmers – Two Pentair independently plumbed for optimum control

Pool Drains – Two VGB compliant Anti-Vortex

Spa Pipes – up to 3” suction

Spa Jets – six standard jets with rotating returns

Auto Fill Line with Dedicated RPZ Valve

Cleaner Line – one independently plumbed to 3⁄4 HP booster pump
ELECTRICAL – Phase Five

Complete electrical connection of all equipment and lighting

Includes all in-ground service with all terminations, grounding, bonding & mechanical installation

All electrical shall meet local and national standards including ground fault interrupters

Lighting and equipment is bonded and grounded for safety

Safety inspections included

GUNITE – Phase Six
Concrete – dry mix gunite rated to exceed APSP building standards

12” bond beam, 8” – 10” floors

All above grade walls to be 12”

All exposed gunite and concrete to be underpinned
TILE & COPING – Phase Seven

Pool tile – 6” frostproof band at waterline

Allowance - $10 per SF

Pool coping – saw cut limestone
DECK – Phase Eight

Reinforcement – 1⁄2” Rebar on 10” centers both ways

Deck material– 1,150 sf of spray deck

Demo & remove existing patio

Turndown beam – 270 SF

Drainage pipes – as needed

16 LF of limestone steps

62 LF of raised planters with chopped limestone fascia

Includes limestone screen wall for AC unit 8’ x 4’ tall

PLASTER – Phase Nine

Pool & Spa interior – custom mix mini pebble level 1
CLEAN UP – Phase Ten
Complete job site clean up
POOL SCHOOL – Phase Eleven
Pool Builder *edit* will provide a complete pool side Pool School to instruct the homeowner on the
proper maintenance of the pool

EQUIPMENT
Filter pump – Pentair Intelliflo 3HP variable speed

Filter – Pentair DE FNS

Filter valve – Pentair 2” multiport

Cleaner – Pentair Racer with 3⁄4 HP booster pump

Automation – Pentair Screen Logic Bundle for mobile devices

Sanitizer – Rainbow 320 automatic chlorinator

Pool lights – two (white) Pentair Intellibrite 5g LEDs

Spa light – one (white) Pentair Intellibrite 5g LED

Spa Heater – Aqua Comfort electric heat pump

Valves – premium brand valves

Maintenance equipment – 16’ telescopic pole, vacuum head and hose, 18” brush, net & test kit

WARRANTY

Pool shell – lifetime

Plaster – Lifetime on mini pebble

Pentair equipment – three year manufacturer’s on part & labor

Plumbing – three years

Electrical – three years

Sanitizers – Two years
BY OTHERS/HOMEOWNER

Reroute sprinklers and utility lines if required

Pool barrier (fence) unless otherwise specified

Door and window alarms, if required (2017 UL Certified)

Landscaping, grass

Upgrade or modify existing electrical or gas meter (service)

Gutters and drains

Water supply for filling of pool and for construction use

Supply accurate property survey sealed by land surveyor (any additional surveys, fees or
engineering that is required by City, HOA or MUD, will be homeowner’s responsibility.)

Upgrade fence, gate, latches, railings & alarms to pool code

PRICING (All prices valid for 30 days)
$112,800

OPTIONS

Cabana/Kitchen – 23’ x 14’ cedar construction, T-111 cedar ceiling, electrical hook up for
fan, 12’6” outdoor kitchen with two electrical outlets, 20 LF raised benches +$46,100

Water Sheer Wall – raised 12” – 18” tall x 37’, chopped limestone fascia, one 18” water
sheer, electric actuator for water control +$2,800

Deck upgrade to travertine, level 1 +$13,200
 
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Sounds high to me. Have you gotten any other bids? Best to get a few and compare. Just curious, what part of the country are you in? That seems to have a bearing on price fluctuation, but $113k..... sounds high.
 
Sounds way high to me. Is there anything specific to the location that would make the build difficult (e.g., excavation by hand or rocky soil)?

I just had a similarly sized and spec-ed pool built in the Houston area (see sig) for little more than half that.

So something isn't right. But it might just be going prices for central TX.

Definitely get another quote or two. Good luck!
 
Without knowing location, site constraints and seeing plans its impossible to really give an informed opinion. The one way to get reasonable pricing comparisons and opinions is to get a couple of bids from different contractors on the same basic plan.
 

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I know this builder. They built my neighbor's pool and came highly recommended by them. It is a family/friends company and all employees are either family or friends of the owner. The person that does the quote also oversees your job. Plus they don't do that many pools a year so they can be selective with their pricing and I guess enough people pay their prices for them to stay in business. With that said they were my highest bid for the smallest pool. Your pool is bigger, has more deck, and has a spa. My quote was 65k from the same company. So given you are getting the spa, more than double the deck area, and more than 100sq ft of pool than what they quoted me. You can see their pool they designed for me in my build thread. It is on the first page.

I think the pool they build is top notch but their quotes for such a high dollar have very basic materials. I chose to use another builder and while it was a big pain and it was obvious that this builder is more efficient and gets the job done I am way happier with the pool I got in the end than what they would have built for me.
 
You should try to get at least one more quote. I know it's hard, we contacted 5 pool companies, we indicated that we had the money to pay for the pool that we wanted, and we got one quote after about 2-3 months of trying. Our lot is more difficult than most but still... pool builders in Austin can pick and choose.

The rock in Austin is a beast. I would bet a large proportion of your bid is excavation. You also have a lot of deck and stone.
 
I would agree with the other posters here that it seems a little high as well. We are currently in the middle of our build with an Austin builder. We are in Leander. It is my second pool to build in the Austin area and I interviewed many builders between the two pools. Having just built our house last year and all the things that go with that as far as dealing with trades or contractors here, I can say that it is their market right now. There is so much construction and growth in this area that even getting someone to keep an appt. is a feat. Pricing is also just rising so I guess if we don't like it, there are others waiting behind us to give them business. That being said I am very happy with our builder and how things are going. Constant communication, onsite daily, many many years experience, and thanks me for the business every time he sees me. Keep interviewing until you get that comfortable feeling and good luck!
 
I would agree with the other posters here that it seems a little high as well. We are currently in the middle of our build with an Austin builder. We are in Leander. It is my second pool to build in the Austin area and I interviewed many builders between the two pools. Having just built our house last year and all the things that go with that as far as dealing with trades or contractors here, I can say that it is their market right now. There is so much construction and growth in this area that even getting someone to keep an appt. is a feat. Pricing is also just rising so I guess if we don't like it, there are others waiting behind us to give them business. That being said I am very happy with our builder and how things are going. Constant communication, onsite daily, many many years experience, and thanks me for the business every time he sees me. Keep interviewing until you get that comfortable feeling and good luck!

getting ready to do a new pool build (ugh). My last pool builder went bankrupt in a nasty way so Im looking for a new one and reviewing builder threads.

I just wanted to add while the austin limestone is a pain it doesnt add that much to the build. It costs about 800-1000 for an excavator per day, it might take 2 weeks to hammer out the rock (but probably less) so about 14K plus dump trucks to haul all the fill.
 
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