DIY vs. Pros

[PureLuck]

Ok, just wanted to share.
This is the best forum!

We bought our house 8/2015

Paid the pool company "professionals" $325 to close the pool. (Plus the cost of chemicals that we bought)
April 2016- paid to have them open the pool.
Here is the breakdown:
* Took off cover- laid it on lawn to dry ( we had to roll it up and put away)
* dropped in ladder
* Took out plugs(dropped 1 in murky water and left it)
* Turned on pump
* Put in chemicals (again that we paid for)
$425 paid
- they did not test water, never came back to put in filters, and left cover on freshly mowed lawn.
--- also, murky green water they blamed on a mild winter

Forward to fall 2016-
Thanks to help from all you, we closed the pool ourselves in a few hours. Longest part was draining out some of the water.
Cost: $8.00 for chlorine

(Very mild winter, Warmer than last)
We were scared to open up a green mess.

Nope! Just some debris and dirty stuff.

Started pump, didn't drop any pieces into the pool, and saved us tons of money.

TFP rocks! And those "pros" should learn something from this forum.



Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Texas Splash]

That's awesome! Fantastic testimonial. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Nectarologist]

Awesome! Makes you want to show the pool company how it should be done but they won't listen so not worth your time. How did you clear the lines of water? Just let gravity take over once the water level was low enough I assume?

 

[PureLuck]

Awesome! Makes you want to show the pool company how it should be done but they won't listen so not worth your time. How did you clear the lines of water? Just let gravity take over once the water level was low enough I assume?

Actually, we used a wet dry vac. It was pretty easy. I was worried that it wasn't going to work as it is 9 feet deep. But, we got bubbles out of every part.
People here helped me with my worries, and it was all good.

(Just wish my little icon with the supporter thing showed up on my taptalk - as we love tfp, and support it)

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Rollercoastr]

those "pros" should learn something from this forum.

Maybe not! From where I'm sitting, the "pros" have found a way to charge a lot for doing very little. Great business model! :grrrr:

 

[PureLuck]

I keep telling my teenage son that he could go around offering his services for half the price of the pros and make a killing!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. D]

Until I got wise on this site I would take a bottle of water to the Jewelry Store, I mean Pool Store and could never get out of there without dropping $100 to $150 in chemicals.

 

[blakeusa]

The larger local pool company in my area does not remove any equipment from the elements (which I think is not good to leave a $8K of pumps, chlorinators, heaters etc) sitting outside all winter in CT / New England. That is just the start... I just think its worth a couple of hours to remove it and put it in a warm garage or at least an indoor area. They say it is not recommended to move the equipment...

 

[poolnorthernva]

Congrats on the do it yourself! We did the same this year.
We ran into a self inflicted snag when we turned on the equipment, we had not opened the air flow in the filter so our pump kept shutting down.
My wife and I went back inside after 40 minutes, I'm furiously writing up a TFP help me post and then she says... you know, maybe we need to open the valve at the top of the filter..... Dooh! We cleaned our filter several times in the past and know what to do, why should this be different.

So the pumps all worked in the end.
Thanks to TFP we saved $400

 

[PureLuck]

Congrats on the do it yourself! We did the same this year.
We ran into a self inflicted snag when we turned on the equipment, we had not opened the air flow in the filter so our pump kept shutting down.
My wife and I went back inside after 40 minutes, I'm furiously writing up a TFP help me post and then she says... you know, maybe we need to open the valve at the top of the filter..... Dooh! We cleaned our filter several times in the past and know what to do, why should this be different.

So the pumps all worked in the end.
Thanks to TFP we saved $400

I spent my first season skiing just the opposite of that. I was vacuuming with all returns open. Would take me 4 hours to vac. ? TFP saved me there as well!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk