Best time to build if it can't be the summer

[JamieP]

We live in the north Texas area and are beginning the process of interviewing builders. With all the rain we've had it's to be expected that they are all backed up on their jobs. I've come to terms with the fact that even if we pick a builder and get in line, the pool may not even be started until September, so we would get little use, if any, this summer. We don't like the idea of having our pool built amidst the hectic rush of other builds anyway, so if we were to wait, do people have opinions about the best non-summer time to build? What would make one time better than another? Do you think being willing to wait until some down-time would help with cost?

Also, we've decided to interview some gunite builders too, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

I vote early spring, so that you can keep it up and running and not close it over the winter (not that you would do that there anyway).
Just more likely that you would spend the time in the spring brushing and maintaining it in anticipation of swimming soon than if you did it in the fall and neglected it over the winter.

 

[bmoreswim]

Ours ended up being perfect for MD. Dug pool in Valentine's Day and swimming by Memorial Day. I'd say start as soon after New Year's as possible. Not for cost because I don't think that plays into it much but just for convenience and timing.

 

[currentking]

i have heard that some companies will offer deals during the winter to keep business going through the slow time. At least that is true here in Florida.

 

[wiredog]

Jamie,

In the same boat and location. I have 3 bids coming in soon, my thought is start excavation in late February.

 

[JamieP]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. It does sound like early in the new year is the time to choose. I don't think I'd like our first experience of pool ownership/maintenance to be over the winter -- all work and no reward!

Wiredog, you're pretty close to us! Mind if I ask who will be giving you bids soon? Feel free to pm me if you are willing to share.

 

[spool]

We have rough winters in these parts. Many pool builders start the dig and gunite towards the tail end of the year. Then come back early spring and finish the rest. Usually some cost goodness with that method.

 

[Deepwater]

We are just finishing up the build in Dallas - will be nice to have it for the rest of the summer, but the landscaping (aside from sod) will have to wait til the fall/winter, as you don't want to be planting in the Texas summer. That's potentially a consideration as well...

 

[QingGuy]

Here in Vegas I had several subs tell me Novemberis the time to build to get best prices. Said there were no issues with temps, however, someone did tell me plaster does better applying in extreme heat vs cold.

 

[JayBauman]

I've built 2 pools over the last 4 years, and the excavations started in October each time. In both my cases, this was somewhat of a slow time, so the builds went very quickly and I got a lot of individual attention.

Both times, the pools were completed in early December, which of course was too late for swim season. However, it did give me several months to learn how my pool behaved while the water was still cold and to figure out how to keep my chemistry balanced.

I ended up doing winter builds to avoid the "January 1 price increase" that my PB said was coming. This may or may to apply to you, but the price increases were quite substantial in both scenarios for me.

 

[JamieP]

Thanks for those varying insights. Jay, you make a good point about starting in October to have more individual attention and to learn pool chemistry while the water is cold. It would also be nice to beat the new year prices increases. I went to see your last year's pool build and was extremely impressed. You had an awesome pool builder and the end result was amazing.

I guess we'll just bring up the idea of a delayed build with the pool builders we interview soon and see what they tell us. It's helpful to know the pros and cons of various off season build times. Thanks everyone!

 

[DFWguy]

Most of the builders I talked to offer off season discounts.

 

[Mario P]

Ask builders about price discounts during off season.
Ask them when off season starts and ends.
Understand that your design will have a lot to do with timeline -- 3' deep 8,000gal pool with 200SqFt of brushed concrete deck vs. 10' deep 40,000gal custom pool with 6000SqFt worth of oasis with grado, diving shelves, poolhouse, etc. will to a degree determine your starting and ending point.
New year prices are easily mitigated by signing contract Dec. 23rd; right in time for Christmas present to family. I got each one a small pool toy/float for Xmas.
Do NOT give large deposits until work is about to commence. There is no reason to give more then 5% of pool's price to gunite builder. Fiberglass on the other hand will require payment before he orders the shell.

 

[Sandissimos]

We had ours built in the Autumn too. They started in October & finished the first week of December. We felt it was a good time to do it because the pressure of getting it done to swim in just wasn't there. It had a winter cover on afterwards & then I finished the landscaping in early Spring, so we were ready to go for this year's swim season - perfect!

 

[far3171]

I personally didn't like the idea of our pool build at the end of season for one reason only. Most pool builders give a warranty on labor, in many cases that warranty is for only 1 year. Now that your pool was finished in September, it's time to close your pool and re open in late spring, enjoy your 4 months of warranty.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Sunbaby]

I had a very long talk with a friend of mine who is the GM of a large Pool company here in TX regarding this. He went line by line with me on all of my bids and such and answered all my questions. (I didn't go with his company - he specifically told me ahead of time that they would be 5-10K more when he looked at my bids). We were trying to decide if waiting would be worth it financially. He said do NOT get your bid till September if you want a discount, but that is isn't a huge discount and make sure to ASK for it.

An important point he mentioned, here in TX - you don't want to build in December - the reason - their best workers all go home (to Mexico) for the month. He said they still build pools - but you have the newer, inexperienced crews working your pool. If you build late in the year - insist on no work in December and finishing it in January.

 

[Yev]

Jut so you have a different view point, for me, I would vote for getting it done in the fall after the pool season is over. Building a pool tears up your yard. Once the pool is complete, there will be grass that needs to be patched and planted, new landscaping beds that have to go it, etc. If you build in the fall, you can get everything done in the fall. That way, when you open the pool in the spring, you have a completed project. If you do it in the spring, your first year of the pool will likely feel like it is an incomplete project as you will be dealing with landscaping, grass, etc.

Of source, if you can afford to lay sod rather than seed, and you can afford to have someone plant your landscaping, put down your mulch, etc, then this idea probably doesn't matter to you.

 

[JonnyB]

I would go for Oct. If El nino continues as they predict might as well start in the Fall. That way you have plenty of "buffer" months with rain delays