O/B - Cost for Pool Plans

[sheree202]

We've decided to hire someone to design our pool plans. He is asking for $1135 which includes: 2d pool plans, engineering plans (including building slide into hill) and trade specific contractor sheets for bids and building. Does this sound like a fair price? We are really trying to keep costs down as much as possible, but this would take a lot of early stress off of me.

The cost would be $295 less if we decided not to buy the contractor sheets.

 

[bdavis466]

Is engineering included as well? It impossible to know if the price is fair without knowing more details of the pool and what all the designer is including in the package.

 

[gwegan]

I agree with the above. I also think what you are getting may be overkill for Georgia. I've never seen residential pool plans with trade specific sheets.

 

[sheree202]

I was wondering if it was overkill. The pool plans would be 2d plans of my property with pool for $495. The engineering plans would be an additional $340. The high price of the engineering plans is because the pool would be built into a slope and a slide built into the slope as well.

 

[BigEinAZ]

Trade sheets COULD pay for themselves unless you are construction savvy enough to prepare your own. Even then, what is YOUR time worth? With trade sheets, You can be certain all your bidders are bidding the same quantities. You'd be surprised how many trades people can't add a column of numbers twice and get the same answer. I see it every day . . .

 

[sheree202]

I hope this somewhat answers your question...I'm planning an average size free form salt water pool. The back would be built a few feet into a hill that is in our yard with a water slide also built into the hill. I want a tan ledge with bubblers and a few deck jets around the perimeter of the pool.

http://www.paradiseslides.com/fullpanel/uploads/files/PS17R-S.pdf

Is engineering included as well? It impossible to know if the price is fair without knowing more details of the pool and what all the designer is including in the package.

 

[gwegan]

If it includes the engineering for the hill that may be a good price. But it may not. Prices vary around the country, so the best way to see if you have a price is to get multiple bids. It sounds like you want to know whether your price is fair when it consists of pool plans, pool engineering, and a small amount of pool engineering to deal with your slope issue. Lots of variables there.

I'm not sure what trade specific plans would look like. Few pool plans show details for plumbing or electrical. Specifics for the pool structure are often a standard set of structural drawings for typical situations. You would need specific plans for grottos or waterfalls or built in slides, but even those plans are very basic in the pool industry and a great deal of reliance is placed on the builder to construct the structure in the field according to code, equipment manufacturer specifications and industry practice. Brian posted some pool plans in your other thread that included some trade specific details included on the main sheet.

 

[sheree202]

I paid a company to design my pool plans 2.5 weeks ago and I still haven't received anything from them. When I paid I was told I'd have rough plans in a few days and with making changing I should have final plans within 2-3 weeks. I called Monday and she apologized and stated that she'd try to get me something by the end of the day......still nothing and it's now Thursday. Is there a normal acceptable time for something like this? I was really hoping to have the plans submitted for approval by now.

 

[JamieP]

That's frustrating! I felt we were strung along for way too long by the engineer we hired to do our plans, but we didn't pay him until the end. Hopefully you will get some tangible results soon.

 

[sheree202]

Thanks, Jamie. It is so frustrating. I'd imaging the engineering plans will take the most time and we haven't even gotten to that part yet. SIGH...I suppose this process will teach me more patience.