Freeform in MA

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Couple of developments:

We are getting a taylor kit, sales guy wasn't sure the model, "the startup guys" have it. I'm assuming they farm this out as well, since our sales guy gets very hazy on all that "the startup guys" handle.

Electrician was back today, ran conduit to both lights, back to near the house, and I asked them to run a conduit from house to beyond the pool to run low voltage in the future. They ran 3/4" conduit from equipment pad to beyond the pool. :brickwall: I definitely mentioned low-voltage lighting to the guy a while back, and he told me he'd have an outlet off the Jandy Aqualink power center I can use for the transformer, so I'm sure he just thought I wanted conduit for the LV lighting, but nope, I want conduit to run speaker wire from my basement to speakers beyond my pool. Not sure when, but a smooth conduit makes that easy!! Calling tomorrow.. let's see how that goes..

Trench for gas line was dug today with a mini-excavator.. yikes, we may or may not be in business. The electrician was supposed to come tomorrow AFTER trench and DURING gas install so they could coordinate. He just showed today. I'm hoping I have adequate spacing from his conduit, and then overall the trench depth and prep are correct.

My "awesome landscaper", who is reliable and communicates well, seems a bit green. He definitely showed he isn't familiar with the order of operations on the pool build. He also thought all he had to do with dig a hole, not prep the base with sand... ugh. Today was a tough day, things got done, but I was out cleaning up the trench this guy dug, crossing my fingers and hoping him driving over the electrical conduit didn't result in breaks, and scheduling him to show up tomorrow around 5a to bring back 2-3 yards of sand to lay a base for the trench for the gas installer and leave the rest on site for backfill.


So progress, but what a day..
 
kimkats said:
Oh my.................guess he has to learn somewhere but man that one could hurt if he learn what NOT to do on yours with this :(
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To think, this all could have been resolved if we didn't hinge our landscape design and construction on the services provided by one of the PB's guys. He pushed us into a corner and made us scramble to find a replacement and/or piece meal the work. We're still paying the aggravating price.

Should I be surprised that the PB's electrician is also unable to follow directions, show up on the right day, or be reachable? No. This PB is terrible, please please please I beg that anyone in the area stay away for your sanity.

I've seen a few thread titles on here say things like, "...and last pool ever..." I understand why, PBs out there really do ruin the experience for people.
 
blazin said:
Next uphill battle is they have decking schedule to start 8/3, finish 8/13. Uh, what? You're going to leave precisely 1 month to plumb the pool, tile, and coping? Guess it's back to squeaking!!

images
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Guess I didn't squeak enough.. asked a question about some fill they left on site and when they would plumb so he could just push it over the pipes.. and I was told we are now tentatively 8/8 for decking.. :drown: this company.. seriously.. terrible management.

I was quoted 8/3 before we had rain on 7/6, so I guess, maybe, there is a job that was doing pavers 7/6 that got bumped, and it's trickling down to pushing our 8/3 out to 8/8? Maybe? I call the bluff. I assume this means our Pebble Tec is not 8/13, but who knows.. maybe that's a hard date. I've got an open question elsewhere if Pebble Tec "installers" of all levels can apply the finish or only applicators. If only applicators can apply then maybe that is the local applicator's earliest availability, and whether my pavers and everything gets finished tomorrow or 8/12 it doesn't matter.

That'd be a great thing to communicate with your irate client, I mean, it makes total sense to continue to stack delays on top of your annoyed client and not explain why..
 
We have a commitment date of finish 8/13. They told me to order water for 8/14 12p delivery.. apologized for all the sales nonsense and we're finally honest.

30 concurrent jobs, 1 primary crew, 8-12 weeks is the norm, and they will do what they can to pull it in.

Pebble Tec is going in 8/13 barring rain that day, equipment breakdown, or some other major issue.

We'll see but I walked away thinking this time it was real
 
At least they are talking now. 30 concurrent jobs?????????? WAY over stretched! They need to learn to say NO when someone asks them to build a pool or at least tell them it will be a far off date to start so they are staggered better!

I would NOT order the water yet. See how things go and call in the order about a week or so out.

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
At least they are talking now. 30 concurrent jobs?????????? WAY over stretched! They need to learn to say NO when someone asks them to build a pool or at least tell them it will be a far off date to start so they are staggered better!

I would NOT order the water yet. See how things go and call in the order about a week or so out.

Kim:kim:
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Oh of course, most places I called need 2-3 days notice. So I'll let them get moving then I'll order.

Over stretched? No way!!

I totally agree, but PBs up here in the frozen tundra can only build 1/2 the year. So it's somewhat understandable, but yea there's gotta be some balance between overbooking and not being able to turn a decent profit.

So after our conversation they plan on the following:

Plumbing from pool/spa to pad + equipment - 1 Day
Coping - 1 Day
Tile - 1 Day
Paver Prep - 2 Days
Pavers - 2-3 Days
Pebble Tec Finish - 1 Day

Days until Pebble Tec - 34 days. So 8-9 days of work in the next 34 days. That's frustrating, but after our good talk today that level set our expectations with their real schedule, we can deal. But, as always.. we shall see..
 
Test kit question - I'm getting a Taylor k-2006 as part of my startup kit, where our season will be about a month, 2 at the absolute max, is there anything else I should pick up this year to supplement? I have no sense of how long a test kit should last ie how many times I need to test at startup over the course of a year and how long they "keep".
 
Are you sure it is the Taylor 2006 and not the Taylor 2005? If it is the 6 you are set!! That is one of the recommended kits! The regents are good for one year (some do last longer but it is best to replace after a year to be on the safe side). BUT I just thought of something.....when did the PB buy these kits? Have they been sitting in a hot warehouse? Heat degrades them so.....

Here is a pool care schedule: Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule This gives you an idea of what we use the most of.

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
Are you sure it is the Taylor 2006 and not the Taylor 2005? If it is the 6 you are set!! That is one of the recommended kits! The regents are good for one year (some do last longer but it is best to replace after a year to be on the safe side). BUT I just thought of something.....when did the PB buy these kits? Have they been sitting in a hot warehouse? Heat degrades them so.....

Here is a pool care schedule: Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule This gives you an idea of what we use the most of.

Kim:kim:
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Time shall tell.. what I'm thinking I'll do is determine whether or not to buy a new kit, once I meet the "startup guys". My PB keeps referring to "their" crew as that, which really makes me think it's another company they just give this work to. I believe these are the guys coming to train me in my automation, give me test kit, manual brushes etc, quote me on a safety cover, and a few other tasks. If they are a reputable pool service company in my area, I'll probably keep/use the kit. If it is from my PB, I'll steer clear.

Do these kits have a lot or date code or anything on them? You'd think if they actually degrade the companies would want consumers to know. I mean no better way to generate sales then to tell people goods are expired :twisted:
 

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If I'm reading the test schedule and the kit quantities right:

Taylor K-2006
25 Days of Chlorine testing -- Order/purchase lots of this? Need to do this daily, or multiple times a day during a SLAM, so should have these stocked and ready to go in a dry cool environment?
100 Days of pH testing -- Again, need to have on hand, but this is a decent starting supply.

50 weeks of TA testing ~ a year
50 weeks of CH testing ~ a year

CYA needed for startup, water adds, SLAMing - Should get a year out of this

This seem good?
 
You will need to get more chlorine reagent before too long with the K2006. Its easy to get quickly with an online order. No need to stock up now. Wait until the bottle you’ve got is close to empty.
 
blazin said:
So after our conversation they plan on the following:

Plumbing from pool/spa to pad + equipment - 1 Day
Coping - 1 Day
Tile - 1 Day
Paver Prep - 2 Days
Pavers - 2-3 Days
Pebble Tec Finish - 1 Day

Days until Pebble Tec - 34 days. So 8-9 days of work in the next 34 days. That's frustrating, but after our good talk today that level set our expectations with their real schedule, we can deal. But, as always.. we shall see..
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Back today, so far just grouting the coping. Just to keep them honest, we're 2 days in to a "1 day" job.. not sure they'll do natural Stone today and be finished either...
 
Done for the day.. guess they'll be back to finish in the future. 3 days for a 1 day job at minimum.

In other news, I checked out my closest ocean State job lot to find 4 gallons of shock @ 12.5% for $11.96 and a 20x40 8mil solar cover for $99.00

Brick and mortar with decent prices? I'm shocked.. pun intended
 

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