Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Please

[Taylor1584]

We have a pool. I have been given the gift of a spa to be built to attach to the pool. Which is much needed due to chronic illness end of TMI, sorry. Anyway, we live in Richmond, Texas, southwest suburb of Houston and need to find a capable and reputable builder. Any recommendations? The pool we inherited with the house when we moved here from the Midwest. I did contact the original builder and he said he couldn't be bothered, so not going that way.. so please help with recommendations so I can enjoy my Christmas gift.

Thanks everyone

 

[Andiejj]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

I am using Encore right now for my pool and spa build. This is our second go round and so far the spa is a way better build then our previous one by Sunset. Honestly I would probably spend the money on a stand alone spa rather then build a spa. I have been in some really awesome spa, way more customized and comfortable then a built in but that is just my 2 cents.

 

[Taylor1584]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Andrea,
I will check into Encore and investigate the ready made, hadn't really thought of that. Appreciate your taking the time to respond. Can anybody else out there in the Houston area recommend a pool builder.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[circupool]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Hi Chris,
Since I'm about 40 miles north of you in Hockley, I thought I'd put in my two cents: I have a big, gorgeous in-ground spa connected to my pool but if I had it to do over again, I'd go with a good quality above-ground, self-contained unit. My inground spa is so expensive to heat that I turned off the gas valve and put a lock on it to keep my teenagers from using it...I figured it took about $25 worth of gas to bring it up to temp in warm weather and as much as $40 in the winter. Plus, even with the largest heater available, it takes hours of foresight before you can jump in.
A self-contained electric powered spa will get a lot more use. It has a lid so it stays hot all the time and since the ground is not sucking all the heat away, it only costs about $35 per month to operate.
Lastly, you will find it difficult to find a pool company that is eager to append a spa to an existing pool. They will not want to be on the hook for any structural problems you may have in the future. If you find someone, be sure and check them out thoroughly. In addition to the BBB, you can visit the county clerk's website and look up their DBA filing to see who owns the company and then you can check with the secretary of state website to see if they are in good standing. Try mightily to get a reference from a recent customer. There are a lot of builders, including some with long positive reputations, that are in poor financial condition right now and you don't want your deposit to be used to finish someone else's pool!

 

[HouTex]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Hi Chris,
Since I'm about 40 miles north of you in Hockley, I thought I'd put in my two cents: I have a big, gorgeous in-ground spa connected to my pool but if I had it to do over again, I'd go with a good quality above-ground, self-contained unit. My inground spa is so expensive to heat that I turned off the gas valve and put a lock on it to keep my teenagers from using it...I figured it took about $25 worth of gas to bring it up to temp in warm weather and as much as $40 in the winter. Plus, even with the largest heater available, it takes hours of foresight before you can jump in.
A self-contained electric powered spa will get a lot more use. It has a lid so it stays hot all the time and since the ground is not sucking all the heat away, it only costs about $35 per month to operate.
Lastly, you will find it difficult to find a pool company that is eager to append a spa to an existing pool. They will not want to be on the hook for any structural problems you may have in the future. If you find someone, be sure and check them out thoroughly. In addition to the BBB, you can visit the county clerk's website and look up their DBA filing to see who owns the company and then you can check with the secretary of state website to see if they are in good standing. Try mightily to get a reference from a recent customer. There are a lot of builders, including some with long positive reputations, that are in poor financial condition right now and you don't want your deposit to be used to finish someone else's pool!

Yikes, that is not close to what I'm experiencing. My in-ground spa (it's about 10' x 7') takes about 75 minutes to heat up in the winter and far less in the summer (we are at 93 degrees or so anyway!). I can use mine several times a month and I barely notice a difference in my natural gas bill.

As far as a recommendation I wish I could recommend someone, but my builder (who is no longer in business) walked my job and cost me about $13k. I would go with someone who has been around a long time and is more than just a guy in a pick-up truck.

 

[Flippy]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Hi Chris,
Since I'm about 40 miles north of you in Hockley, I thought I'd put in my two cents: I have a big, gorgeous in-ground spa connected to my pool but if I had it to do over again, I'd go with a good quality above-ground, self-contained unit. My inground spa is so expensive to heat that I turned off the gas valve and put a lock on it to keep my teenagers from using it...I figured it took about $25 worth of gas to bring it up to temp in warm weather and as much as $40 in the winter. Plus, even with the largest heater available, it takes hours of foresight before you can jump in.
A self-contained electric powered spa will get a lot more use. It has a lid so it stays hot all the time and since the ground is not sucking all the heat away, it only costs about $35 per month to operate.
Lastly, you will find it difficult to find a pool company that is eager to append a spa to an existing pool. They will not want to be on the hook for any structural problems you may have in the future. If you find someone, be sure and check them out thoroughly. In addition to the BBB, you can visit the county clerk's website and look up their DBA filing to see who owns the company and then you can check with the secretary of state website to see if they are in good standing. Try mightily to get a reference from a recent customer. There are a lot of builders, including some with long positive reputations, that are in poor financial condition right now and you don't want your deposit to be used to finish someone else's pool!

Not to hijack the thread but it cost nowhere near that amount to heat my spa. Are you sure you are not heating the entire pool? My spa heats up in about 15 minutes in the summer and 30 in the winter. It was costing me about 3 to 4 dollars an hour to run the heater last year when I figured it out. Not to say your suggestion about a stand alone spa is bad btw.

 

[Taylor1584]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Flippy,

Do you have any recommendations for a pool builder, we may do some remodeling of our in ground pool at the same time.

Anyone else feel free to chime in with recs. Is it not OK to post names? I have seen other recs and do not use listing builders on these forums. I am starting my search locally in Richmond 77469 just because it's more cost effective for a crew to drive 5 miles than 35. I am however willing to work with a builder from the greater Houston area, though with gas prices I can understand if they don't want to drive if they have work in their general area. Surely there must be some pool builders that regularly do good work, provide decent customer service, and are just nice to work with.

 

[Flippy]

Re: Need recommendation for pool builder in Houston Help Ple

Flippy,

Do you have any recommendations for a pool builder, we may do some remodeling of our in ground pool at the same time.

Anyone else feel free to chime in with recs. Is it not OK to post names? I have seen other recs and do not use listing builders on these forums. I am starting my search locally in Richmond 77469 just because it's more cost effective for a crew to drive 5 miles than 35. I am however willing to work with a builder from the greater Houston area, though with gas prices I can understand if they don't want to drive if they have work in their general area. Surely there must be some pool builders that regularly do good work, provide decent customer service, and are just nice to work with.

Sorry, we bought our house with our pool already built. I am not sure who the builder was, but they did what I would consider a good job. There are several folks on here who live in the Richmond area and just had a pool built. They might be able to point you to some builders. Good luck.