Hired Help

[hchtx]

If this is in the wrong forum please let me know.

I figured most here would appreciate these pictures. I have been low on time and things needed to be done so I hired out the DE filter cleaning. That turned out to be huge mistake. The first thing the guy does is snatch the top of the filter housing off by the pressure valve.

Then to get the array out he stands on top of my equipment, including the filter housing:


And it goes down hill from there. He never washed out the bottom of the filter. Didn't pull the drain plug. As you can see the pool equipment sits on a pad, had he pulled the drain he could have rinsed it in place and made the array easier to pull out.

By the looks of the effort he put into closing the backwash valve. he had to put his whole body weight on it, he must have let a bunch of debris run into it.

A few days ago, I had to pull the backwash valve because it wasn't closing all the way and there was a bunch of calcified bits stuck to it. I backwashed the pool 3 or 4 times before the backwash valve was free of debris, it was a mess. Relubed it and it works fine now.

 

[kimkats]

I have a sad for you............a waste of money and time as I am sure it took more time to fix what he messed up than it would have to just do it.

 

[hchtx]

I have a sad for you............a waste of money and time as I am sure it took more time to fix what he messed up than it would have to just do it.

It absolutely did. The guy was on site for a grand total of 26 minutes. Trying to figure where the leak was coming from, unsticking the backwash valve, backwashing it, relubing it and putting it back together was about 2 hours.

Worst part was the owner of the company got belligerent when I complained. He was lucky his guy didn't crack the filter housing by standing on it.

 

[kimkats]

I would keep a VERY close eye on the pipes and such to make sure there are no hidden stress cracks from him standing on it! Gurrrrrr on the owners attitude! Show him the pics without saying a word and see what he thinks then!

 

[Dirk]

My x-pool-guy would routinely clean my cartridge filter four times a year. $150 a pop. I haven't cleaned it since I fired him, and the gauge is showing no signs of needing to (I have a very clean yard/pool setup). I plan on cleaning it next spring, for the first time. So that $600 bought me my IntellipH.

If you want it done right...

 

[hchtx]

I would keep a VERY close eye on the pipes and such to make sure there are no hidden stress cracks from him standing on it! Gurrrrrr on the owners attitude! Show him the pics without saying a word and see what he thinks then!

Funny thing you mention that. I sent him the pictures via email and his response...."You're a quack don't contact me again."

 

[BMK]

Funny thing you mention that. I sent him the pictures via email and his response...."You're a quack don't contact me again."

Does this company have a Facebook Page or Yelp or something similar? If so, I'd be all over it warning others to stay away and why.

 

[kimkats]

OH NO HE DID NOT!!! I say you make an invoice up to send him for the work YOU had to do to "fix" what his guy did!!!

 

[Arizonarob]

Kim did you wave your hand around snapping your fingers when you said that?

 

[ashtonfitzgerald]

I'd be all up in their social media with the pics and recount of the "service" provided by the company. You don't get far in business by burning customers, especially with repeat clients as the bread and butter...

 

[Dirk]

Don't let Dirk hear about this! He'll be all "You should sue the guy in small claims court! Here's how..."

Seriously, though. I actually owe a debt of gratitude to my pool guy, for what a deplorable job he did (don't make me list the numerous ways). His incompetence lead me to TFP, and if he had been even slightly less of a jerk I'd probably still be paying him, and still allowing him to ruin my pool and its water. Now it's getting done right, and I'm saving a ton of money. Thanks pool guy! (You'll get yours!!)

 

[kimkats]

Kim did you wave your hand around snapping your fingers when you said that?

You can bet I was! The look on my face was not a nice one as well!!! You don't mess with MY people!!!! GURRRRRRRRR

 

[hchtx]

Don't let Dirk hear about this! He'll be all "You should sue the guy in small claims court! Here's how..."

Seriously, though. I actually owe a debt of gratitude to my pool guy, for what a deplorable job he did (don't make me list the numerous ways). His incompetence lead me to TFP, and if he had been even slightly less of a jerk I'd probably still be paying him, and still allowing him to ruin my pool and its water. Now it's getting done right, and I'm saving a ton of money. Thanks pool guy! (You'll get yours!!)

I may or may have found my way to the County office where such things are handled. I probably wouldn't have even done that had he at least bothered to swing back by and take a look.

 

[Dirk]

If my guy (a pool guy that acid washed my pool into oblivion) had owned his mistake, and done the right thing, he'd still be servicing my pool. He did come back, but only to say it wasn't his fault. Huh? So he tried to skate, I went after him and clipped him for over $7K. I could'a let it go, but sometimes ya gotta fight the fight for the next guy. Your guy needs a good lesson learned, as did mine. Mine was in the ballpark where I didn't really have a choice. Yours is a tougher call. Would he change? Would you be saving the next guy? Probably not. (I probably didn't either, truth be told...) So what is the stress of it all worth in terms of getting even?

But if you go after him, even by sending him an invoice (which would be classic), ya gotta share, so we can all live vicariously!!

 

[PoolGate]

My neighbor's DE filter is 15 years old and sitting in the sun that whole time. If he stood on his filter housing it would probably crack.