Advice on Pool Quotes

[philboyj]

Split from other post by Divin Dave \
New pool build in Prosper, TX - looking for advice on these quotes


I am new to the forum and in the "research stage" at this time. Was curious to know if the price per liner foot mentioned by Divin Dave ( $ 920 / $ 850) is a reasonable way to getting a ballpark estimate.

I also wanted to mention that, in general, I prefer never to state my budget. I would rather provide any vendor with detailed specifications of the pool design and equipment specifications - just helps to keep the comparison apples to apples and prevents anyone from deviating.

I also wonder if there are any pool consultants who are available to be the "buyers" eyes and ears to ensure that the design specifications are being met - for a reasonable fee ofcourse. It is impossible for most average homeowners like me to ensure that we are getting exactly what we are paying for. From what it seems, most pool builders sub contract their work to other smaller vendors and even with a project manager, are they really looking out for my interests or just doing barely enough to get the project finished and move on to the next. From all that i have read, it can easily turn into a disaster.

Thanks to all for making this an amazing forum.

Hi Odin,


As for the pricing, one way of doing some comparison is to divide the price by the linear feet. It sort of evens out the playing field a bit.
The Gold quote is about 920.00 / linear foot.
The Riverbend is about 850.00/ linear foot.

If you were to compare apples to apples between the two companies, you may find you get a better price from Riverbend. Of course there are lots of variables and upgrades, but worth a consideration.

I hope this helps get you started

Im sure others will be along as well with some comments!

 

[Divin Dave]

Re: New pool build in Prosper, TX - looking for advice on these quotes

Hi,
If two PBs submit quotes for similar pools, then price/ sq ft is a good way to compare which is the more expensive.
Obvously upgrades such as premier travertine vs brushed concrete make a difference, or Pebble Tec vs regular plaster, or an in-floor cleaning system vs a drop in cleaner drive $ as all of these are more along the lines of luxury.

Do your research and learn about the differnces in pool equipment and deck and plaster materials as these are the largest price drivers.
When asking for quotes, ask all of the PBs to quote the same materials and equipment. That way you are comparing apples to apples.

If your schedule doesnt allow for a lot of research, then ask the PB for a quote with standard plaster and equipment as a baseline, then go from there for any upgrades.

hope this helps,

 

[texasgal]

Re: New pool build in Prosper, TX - looking for advice on these quotes

Not sure about the linear feet method. We are in Frisco and just build end of last year. Our pool is approx 17x36. We upgraded our tile (1x1 glass) and our plaster (primera stone) and our robot. We also have multiple elevations, raised walls, and more decking than the standard pool in our area. We spent $51,000. We didn't do a huge number of quotes, and in the end spent about $5,000 more than if we had gone with someone else. However our quote included fence rebuild (including a storage closet around the equipment) and full repair of the irrigation system. They included drip systems in the flower beds that were not originally there. We could have saved some money doing these ourselves, but for us it was worth going the all inclusive route to have one point of contact as we did not have the time for so much coordinating between contractors.

Friends of ours built a similar pool (got a bid from our builder but went with another) and saved about $5k from our price, they added a basic kitchen, but their pool was all one elevation, basic tile and basic plaster and they had to redo their fence on their own.

So all that to say we found the majority of the builders to be pretty much in line with each other based on what is included and what is not. If you can get the extras compatible you should have a pretty comparable comparison. I would go in prepared to ask about things such as water features, automation, etc. because the more you know about what you might want the closer you can get to the real price. And don't be afraid to ask if you really need something. We did not build a spa so we didn't really need automation. Saved us $1,500 or in our case gave us that much more to play with for add-ons.

I would suggest not going into it expecting a deal in this area. We built in the winter and only were able to take advantage of 2014 pricing over 2015. They are busy year round in our area and don't need your business. Good luck!

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Re: New pool build in Prosper, TX - looking for advice on these quotes

I'm confused with this thread and another thread with the same title but with two different username owners. Or whatever you call it. Is this regarding the same pool build?

Am I the only one confused?

Suz.
(don't mind me, I live in a state of confusion!)

 

[Divin Dave]

Re: New pool build in Prosper, TX - looking for advice on these quotes

My apologies Suz,
I should have made a note that this thread was split off from another. I made an edit on post 1 now, so hopefully it wont be so confusing.
Thanks for the heads up.