Hi all! I am hoping to recreate or perhaps surpass the pool we had when we lived in CA. That one was 16x32 with an auto cover and raised 6x8 spa. Hayward equip. Now I am in a new state (NC) have 3 quotes from pool builders in my area. We were limited by our small yard in CA, and wanted a bit bigger size this time around, so we are planning on 18x36 with 6x8 spa. Well, I started out at 20x40 but pool builders in my area are more than double what we spent in CA 6 years ago, so I shrunk it a bit. I'm trying to not stress too much about the not too distant past, but I really want to be better prepared than I was last time. I knew nothing, but we had a highly regarded builder so I felt safe in their hands and we had a flawless build. Now it seems there is the post-pandemic effect of having more people wanting to have pools and builders can charge what they like, take however long, and people will pay. Myself included!
Anyway, I have 3 quotes and they are vastly different(by about 20%), although all based on my drawing which I sent them which I am attaching. Two quotes are with Hayward although without model numbers, how can I tell if they are using the same items? The third quote is much less and they use Pentair. They did leave off the pool heater, so that accounts for some of the difference. My husband made a spreadsheet to try to decipher what was the same and what was different from the 3 quotes. By and large, the features were similar with a difference of a pool light here, 2 extra spa jets there. In the end, I don't know what it is that I don't know and I feel a bit nervous that I will either be taken to the cleaners by the highest bid, or get baited and switched by the low bidder. Middle bidder and low bidder have mostly very good ratings online and just a few not so good ones that may or may not have been pandemic related problems. Highest bidder is well known as the best but most expensive in our area. Only stellar reviews found online, but not sure if businesses can scrub them these days.
Any advice on how to sort through bids? What to ask a pool builder to determine if they are full of you know what or on the up and up? I want to set myself up as much as possible for a successful build. I am also attaching pics of our beautiful pool in CA as what I am going for.
Thanks so much!
Anyway, I have 3 quotes and they are vastly different(by about 20%), although all based on my drawing which I sent them which I am attaching. Two quotes are with Hayward although without model numbers, how can I tell if they are using the same items? The third quote is much less and they use Pentair. They did leave off the pool heater, so that accounts for some of the difference. My husband made a spreadsheet to try to decipher what was the same and what was different from the 3 quotes. By and large, the features were similar with a difference of a pool light here, 2 extra spa jets there. In the end, I don't know what it is that I don't know and I feel a bit nervous that I will either be taken to the cleaners by the highest bid, or get baited and switched by the low bidder. Middle bidder and low bidder have mostly very good ratings online and just a few not so good ones that may or may not have been pandemic related problems. Highest bidder is well known as the best but most expensive in our area. Only stellar reviews found online, but not sure if businesses can scrub them these days.
Any advice on how to sort through bids? What to ask a pool builder to determine if they are full of you know what or on the up and up? I want to set myself up as much as possible for a successful build. I am also attaching pics of our beautiful pool in CA as what I am going for.
Thanks so much!