New Build (Already in Progress) Mt. Airy, Maryland

[kimkats]

Showed all of the pics to hubby and did not give him a chance to read anything. I went back and forth a couple of times showing him the pics. I told him one of them might have a boo-boo. He could NOT find it! Even after I showed him each picture with the knowledge to look for a boo-boo! SO it is GOOD! Good job telling the PB you are going to keep it like it is.

Kim

 

[kristmas]

Really? That's great! Knowing that there was an impartial opinion that nothing looked too out of place makes me feel so much better!

 

[Captchaos]

So when is plaster? This is the last week of the month.

 

[kristmas]

Grrrrr. Don't ask. I was thinking the very same thing this morning so sent PB a message asking. He said not this week. With a bunch of excuses about getting railing and b-ball net installed. I was so mad, I didn't even respond.

Incredibly FRUSTRATED!! But happy for you

 

[riley00dog]

[emoji35] so frustrating. At least your pb actually replies to your messages.

 

[Captchaos]

Grrrrr. Don't ask. I was thinking the very same thing this morning so sent PB a message asking. He said not this week. With a bunch of excuses about getting railing and b-ball net installed. I was so mad, I didn't even respond.

Incredibly FRUSTRATED!! But happy for you

I can only imagine--oh wait, no, I can actually relate!

I wonder if they only have specific companies who can handle the Wet Edge product. Maybe that's part of the delay? The guys who did my pool had shirts with different company names and I looked them up. The company who did it was in Rockville and the other two companies on the guys' shirts were in PA and FL. I wonder if these guys travel season to season?

 

[kristmas]

[emoji35] so frustrating. At least your pb actually replies to your messages.

yes, at least I got that going for me!

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I wonder if they only have specific companies who can handle the Wet Edge product. Maybe that's part of the delay? The guys who did my pool had shirts with different company names and I looked them up. The company who did it was in Rockville and the other two companies on the guys' shirts were in PA and FL. I wonder if these guys travel season to season?

I bet that is part of it. Wet Edge requires 'certified' installers. And I don't think there are really that many in Maryland. Was the one in Rockville Pearl or something like that? I think that is the name I heard thrown around as the name of the sub. But I might have heard wrong.

I also wouldn't be surprised if there are seasonal/migrant workers in this line of work. Go to the northeast during summer and the warmer climates during winter. Always stay busy and get work. Makes sense to me.

 

[Captchaos]

I bet that is part of it. Wet Edge requires 'certified' installers. And I don't think there are really that many in Maryland. Was the one in Rockville Pearl or something like that? I think that is the name I heard thrown around as the name of the sub. But I might have heard wrong.

I also wouldn't be surprised if there are seasonal/migrant workers in this line of work. Go to the northeast during summer and the warmer climates during winter. Always stay busy and get work. Makes sense to me.

Wilcoxon Construction did mine. I'm not sure if they are Wet Edge certified or not.

 

[bmoreswim]

My plaster guys moved north and south. PB said they would be back north in May. And they were.

 

[kristmas]

Well after ANOTHER week of NOTHING happening I sent a polite but very firm email to my PB. Then got crickets. Texted today nicely asking for a response to my email on Friday. I was so worked up after not hearing anything and none of the promised work being done last week that I actually thought they might be walking out on me.

Finally get a phone call this morning. It didn't go well. You would think with all the delays we've had that the VERY FIRST thing out of his mouth would be "I'm so sorry". But no, I got what I believe are more excuses about the weather and terrible spring, and on and on. I just don't think I buy it anymore. I confronted the PB about me being told that I was 'scheduled' for plaster at the end of June. He did apologize that I was told that and informed me that I am now truly 'scheduled' for plaster on 7/23. I'm beside myself angry.

I don't even have my equipment yet! I made him personally guarantee me that all my equipment, basketball hoop, stair rail and grading will be done before the 23rd. We'll see what happens.

If everything isn't done by then I pretty much plan on withholding the last check until it is. Will I be in breach of contract? Yes. Do I care? No.

 

[Captchaos]

I can't believe you are still dealing with this. I saw in another thread you said your dig was in the middle of February. This is unbelievable that you still are not completed. I would absolutely start withholding payment at this point. If there is one thing you can learn from this section of the forum (besides how to get trouble free pool water!) it's that schedules are nonexistent in the pool building industry. I am okay with delays to a large extent as many things can happen, but what really drives me mad is no communication. If you're not coming or going to do what you said you were going to do, call me and tell me that. This is project management 101.

Have they been asking for payments during this period of no work being done? It seems like nothing has been done in your pool except maybe tile and coping in like two months.

 

[kristmas]

but what really drives me mad is no communication. If you're not coming or going to do what you said you were going to do, call me and tell me that. This is project management 101.

Exactly. But be proactive instead of reactive! I can also understand some delays. By the time I get plaster it will be nearly 8 weeks past my contractual finish date. I just don't accept that some bad weather in April does that.

Have they been asking for payments during this period of no work being done? It seems like nothing has been done in your pool except maybe tile and coping in like two months.

The last payment I made was on the first day of paver installation.

Basically it seems that they have done one thing per month since the dig/plumbing/steel. In April the ONLY thing they got done was the copper bonding wire (and inspection) and trenched the electric from the pool light to the pad. The waterfall was done in April but that was the contractor that I hired.

Then in May let's see...coping. Oh and at the very end of the month and into June 1st or something they got the paver decking done. Then an entire month to get tile done. Ridiculous. And I said to the PB, well weren't we put on the plaster list in the beginning of June? I got some double-talk BS answer.

I am sooo glad that your pool is done and that you are beyond most of these headaches. I hope you post some more pictures soon because I'm living vicariously through you!

 

[Captchaos]

Exactly. But be proactive instead of reactive! I can also understand some delays. By the time I get plaster it will be nearly 8 weeks past my contractual finish date. I just don't accept that some bad weather in April does that.



The last payment I made was on the first day of paver installation.

Basically it seems that they have done one thing per month since the dig/plumbing/steel. In April the ONLY thing they got done was the copper bonding wire (and inspection) and trenched the electric from the pool light to the pad. The waterfall was done in April but that was the contractor that I hired.

Then in May let's see...coping. Oh and at the very end of the month and into June 1st or something they got the paver decking done. Then an entire month to get tile done. Ridiculous. And I said to the PB, well weren't we put on the plaster list in the beginning of June? I got some double-talk BS answer.

I am sooo glad that your pool is done and that you are beyond most of these headaches. I hope you post some more pictures soon because I'm living vicariously through you!

I would not make another payment until the pool is completed. I am assuming this is a large company so maybe they don't really care if you pay or not, but it is your leverage either way. I'm sure you have already done this, but I would ask for a firm schedule of completion as you are well beyond the contracted date. You might even want to do this in person.

Regarding being put on the plaster list in the beginning of June, it seems to me that nothing is being lined up ahead of time. Maybe they were waiting until the tile was done before they even scheduled it. I'm not saying that it is right, but this may be the case. I guess it's also possible the plaster company says, "Call us back when you're ready and we'll get you on the schedule." That is sort of the impression I got for ours in that we weren't really "on the schedule" until everything was done, sort of like those restaurants who refuse to seat you until the whole party is present (I HATE those places...).

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By the way, I will post more pictures in my thread soon but it is really nice once it is finally completed! My wife even said to me the other day, "You know, it doesn't seem like it took that long now that I think back to it?" I nearly flipped my raft over.

 

[kimkats]

No words just a big SIGH...........just tell the truth..........you oversold yourself PB so fess up and say you are on the list to be done.

 

[riley00dog]

Oh that is so frustrating. I really feel for you. Read your contract for the fine print. Ours says final payment must be made even if there are small defects to repair but can be withheld if major defects or contract not completed. Since our contracted items aren’t completed final payment has not been made. I agree that it sounds like they are not scheduling in advance. We have had this problem too (I can only assume).

 

[PoolguyinCT]

I’m not plowing through this thread yet... but man!! The beautiful mount airy lodge jingle is ringing my ears!! Haven’t heard that in about 35 yrs.

 

[kristmas]

I’m not plowing through this thread yet... but man!! The beautiful mount airy lodge jingle is ringing my ears!! Haven’t heard that in about 35 yrs.

ha! I had to google that to find out what you were talking about, lOl!

 

[kristmas]

Oh that is so frustrating. I really feel for you. Read your contract for the fine print. Ours says final payment must be made even if there are small defects to repair but can be withheld if major defects or contract not completed. Since our contracted items aren’t completed final payment has not been made. I agree that it sounds like they are not scheduling in advance. We have had this problem too (I can only assume).

Thanks Riley...I know I'm not the only one who has gone through this, but oh my is this stressful. It is literally ALL I can think about! And I feel just so awful for my son. He has been waiting and waiting for this thing to get done.

Funny, our contract does not say anything like yours. In fact is very vague in general. For the payments it just says xxx and such amount due on first day of excavation, concrete, pavers, etc.. Just like it doesn't state that there are any penalties (on the PB) for not completing by finish date. To me, that leaves everything open for interpretation. My plan is to ask for some extras (well possibly demand) like seeding my yard and paying for the fill water. I don't think they'll go for it but it doesn't hurt to try. I don't feel like I have much leverage except for that last check.


In other news...

I spent about 3 hours yesterday cleaning out all the debris from the pool. What a job! There was so much dried up mortar and dust/rocks/concrete from all the tile, decking and other things but it looks much improved. Also had to lug out the giant plastic tarp which was housing a multitude of gross beetle bugs (eww) and about 35 adorable little tree frogs that had taken up residence. I felt bad relocating them but I'd rather do that than let the 'clean up crew' just sweep them up with the garbage. Still have a swamp in the deep end, but I'll let the PB deal with that!!

 

[kristmas]

I would not make another payment until the pool is completed. I am assuming this is a large company so maybe they don't really care if you pay or not, but it is your leverage either way. I'm sure you have already done this, but I would ask for a firm schedule of completion as you are well beyond the contracted date. You might even want to do this in person.

Regarding being put on the plaster list in the beginning of June, it seems to me that nothing is being lined up ahead of time. Maybe they were waiting until the tile was done before they even scheduled it. I'm not saying that it is right, but this may be the case. I guess it's also possible the plaster company says, "Call us back when you're ready and we'll get you on the schedule." That is sort of the impression I got for ours in that we weren't really "on the schedule" until everything was done, sort of like those restaurants who refuse to seat you until the whole party is present (I HATE those places...).

I think you totally hit the nail on the head with that analogy! And I think we only just got on the schedule because of my email/text/phone call. My bet is he scrambled and got it done right before he called me. Ugh.

My wife even said to me the other day, "You know, it doesn't seem like it took that long now that I think back to it?" I nearly flipped my raft over

Well that put a smile on my face, haha! I'm glad she thinks so!

 

[riley00dog]

Eww glad you got that mess cleaned up. Sounds like really hard work though. Our pb is a member of spasa which is a pool and spa board here. Not all pbs are on it. It’s a standard contract that they fill in the blanks. Unfortunately ours has no compensation listed for running over time. I kind of knew we would - with no compensation there is no real incentive for them to rush. Definitely ask for a few freebies. It can’t hurt. If you phrase it properly they might not be able to say no. My boys were the same. They watched the warm weather slip away as the pool got further behind. I felt so bad for them and now we are in the middle of winter. Hang in there. It will get done but I honestly feel your frustration. It is all consuming.