Pool Upgrades

[Dave826]

I am hoping to get some help with some upgrades for my pool. We have a vacation home that we rent in FL and that is managed independently. Needless to say, things don't always go as planned and I want to get some visibility as to the status of the pool from our home in NY. After some research I am thinking about settling on the Intellitouch i5+3 with Screen Logic and an indoor control panel. We got to speaking about some other issues I have had with the pool and I am now considering some additional upgrades, including a Pentair VF pump, IC-40 Chlorinator, and Intellibrite Lights. Unfortunately, I have very little experience with any of this and can't determine if the pricing is appropriate. My biggest issue is remote access to the pool controls from NY, the other items just seemed to make sense given some research I did. My primary question are centered on installation and equipment costs. I am being quoted around $9,500 for all of the above, including installation and tax. From what I can see the Pentair equipment is being priced at about 40% more than what I could get through internet dealers. I realize they need to make a profit, but is that reasonable? The labor is about $1,400. Any insight as to whether the Pentair system is a good choice for remote control of the system would be really appreciated as well.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

That kind of markup is quite common. It is almost always possible to find better prices than that, or buy the equipment yourself and then have someone install it. Sometimes the more expensive companies end up being a better deal overall once you include support and maintenance issues, but that varies quite a bit. There are many ways to go here and none of them is always better than the others.

Remote monitoring can be very valuable in some situations, but remove control is rarely at all useful.

The Pentair VF pump is exceptional, but for automation I tend to prefer the Hayward systems over the IntelliTouch.

 

[Dave826]

Thanks for the response. The main purpose of the remote control is to be able to lower the pool heat when the management company leaves it on. I suppose monitoring it could be enough since I could call and have someone correct it but I like knowing I can do it myself after getting some $1K electric bills. I am going to look at the Hayward equipment, I haven't heard about much but Pentair. I am glad I found this site, there is a ton of information.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Another great feature with the Intellitouch is the ability tap a video connection via Screen-Logic so you can see remotely. It is strongly suggested that Dynamic DNS or a fixed IP address be set for your Florida property's internet access so you can access it easily. Most ISPs assign addresses on the fly. These addresses are subject to changes on the fly. A fixed address doesn't change and D-DNS services can track changed addresses and resolve it to a name.

I am not aware of a Hayward system that can be controlled remotely over the Internet without a robust Home automation system.

Internet sales are sometimes risky in that they may be Gray-Market, refurbed, etc... There may be warranty and support issues or more specifically, the lack there of. Careful buying may help that. It's great for the DIYer but as a service professional, if I didn't sell it, I won't install it at the same price as if I sold it and I won't support it for free as I would if I had sold it.

A job of this size should be shopped. Don't let be the only deciding factor though. Ask a lot of questions, even if you know the answer before you ask.

Scott

 

[JasonLion]

The AQ-CONNECT add-on unit provides remote Internet access to Hayward automation systems. It is quite new and I can't tell if they are shipping just yet or not, but it is scheduled for release right about now.

 

[bk406]

Internet sales are sometimes risky in that they may be Gray-Market, refurbed, etc... There may be warranty and support issues or more specifically, the lack there of. Careful buying may help that. It's great for the DIYer but as a service professional, if I didn't sell it, I won't install it at the same price as if I sold it and I won't support it for free as I would if I had sold it.

This is good advice. Most professionals do make a little money on materials. Thats one way they stay in business. It also means they stand behind what they sell and support it. I've delt with both kinds of contractors, those that make a little on materials, and those that only work for the labor and a little profit. I much prefer the former. You get better service, and they stand behind the work.