I hear you, but **** just trying to get a drawing correct drawing from them is proving hard. **** I did a drawing of the pool and spa and emailed it to the designer 2 wks ago, he showed up at the house last wed. with his laptop and showed me a rendering with the spa on the opposite side????? Said he would flip it and get it us in a few days. Left a msg this morning, still have not heard anything. Not getting a "Warm Fuzzy" on this. They have a promo for the salt system $1780 off for all contracts completed by 5-31. So there is some urgency, but we don't even have a freaking rendering of what the pool looks like.
It crazy that there is no feedback on their Orange County, CA office. There are good reviews on the San Diego office, and a couple no so good. If they are doing 25-30 pools per year out of OC you figure they either all went in perfectly or nobody in OC writes reviews or stumbles across this site, AL, YELP, or Houzz.
I don't think I am breaking any rules but Mission Pools is who is in the #1 slot. I am meeting with California Pool later in the week. They have been around since 1952.
Perhaps I will just move and purchase a house with a pool, lol.
Too many red flags for me, and I tend to be gullible or far too trusting. Here's a list of what you wrote:
1. proving hard to get a correct drawing from them
2. took them 2 weeks to get back to you
3. what he did bring had the spa on the opposite side
4. you had to call him and leave a message when you didn't hear back after a few days
5. still have not heard back from him since you left a message
6. your gut instincts are telling you it isn't good; no "Warm Fuzzies" on this
7. there's a deadline on a promo (I hate those pressure tactics; he wants your business but only by a deadline, then why haven't they been on the ball? Besides that, you aren't buying 2 for 1 burgers.)
8. you should be allowed time to make adjustments and additions to your design before you sign a contact
9. way too quiet on the review fronts
One or two of these alone might not be so bad, but NINE issues???? So long, smell ya' later!
It's tempting to get the interview phase behind you, I know. But be patient. I was between two PB's. One was young, new, a local Cy-Fair HS graduate, triplet daughters (HAS to be good, right - little old lady thinking), enthusiastic, strongly recommended by my paver/landscaper guy. The other had years of experience in many phases of pool building and tons of people and pool repair men giving him great reviews on the internet. And I was able to read years of his posts, advice and philosophy regarding the pool industry.
Now it seems like a no brainer, but at the time, my emotions were getting the best of me. I finally asked myself, with which builder would I worry less. Then the answer was instant.
I wouldn't feel good about your situation at all. And like I said, I tend to trust, at least in some situations, too easily.
Find another Pool Builder. Good luck. Suz.