I had two contractors bid my pool, the first to come out was actually the second choice due to the first one recommende by a co-worker was vacationing in Mexico and didnt return my call or have a voicemail/website set up to say they were out of comms range.
We went over size/depth and amenities, equipment, etc and he met our budget, even though we didn't tell him and he didn't ask up front.
Original choice finally gets back with us two weeks later and comes out and sees the spraypaint on the ground (that's what you call a clue...
) and goes over the same stuff. but he proceeds to step in it by continually telling the wife AKA BOSS/CFO "no, you dont want that rock, you want this tile on the waterfall, and no, you dont want sheer decents, you want scuppers.. umm.... not wise...
Works up a bid and come in 11,000 dollars higher. Told him we appreciated it, but going with another contractor.
He wanted to go over the bid to make sure "they werent cutting corners on anything", I called our choice and asked fi I redacted all the company info if I could provide the bid and he said "fire away, I will always stand behind our work, and here is a 23 page single spaced list of all our referals.
Mr. No then proceeds to tell me he could suddenly also build the pool for the first company"s price.
Well, no you can't. you gave it your best shot and came 11 Grand over the other guy and now you have thrown a big red flag up to me after seeing the other bid and I now a major question in my mind of :
A.) you are going to cut corners to meet the other bid, or
B.) you were really padding the bill.
The first bid actually included a better pump and the largest cartridge filter Pentair makes vs a medium sized one from Pentair.
Through a TON of research from this forum, I knew going in both were building to a high standard for the structual aspect of the shell and reinforcement, and through local research of both builders websites/social media posts, that both builders utilize the same subs for Gunite, flatwork/decking and for the most part, the tile and rockwork installers.
I asked no questions of either contractor that I didn't already know the answers too.
Knowlegde is powah, don't ya know.....
Mr. No still builds a quality pool and has many satisfied customers, but the builder we chose did an outstanding job for us, and did admit that I kinda pushed his comfort envelope a little bit, but he said that it has helped with other customers after us to have a couple new options to offer.
Helps too that I was so pleased with their work that I have refered 5 people to them that have ALL went with them to build their pools this last year.
They do no advertising and are pretty much 100% referral.
When they dug ours, they ended up doing 68 pools in 2017.
They will finish this year at almost 130..
Finished product:
We went over size/depth and amenities, equipment, etc and he met our budget, even though we didn't tell him and he didn't ask up front.
Original choice finally gets back with us two weeks later and comes out and sees the spraypaint on the ground (that's what you call a clue...
) and goes over the same stuff. but he proceeds to step in it by continually telling the wife AKA BOSS/CFO "no, you dont want that rock, you want this tile on the waterfall, and no, you dont want sheer decents, you want scuppers.. umm.... not wise...Works up a bid and come in 11,000 dollars higher. Told him we appreciated it, but going with another contractor.
He wanted to go over the bid to make sure "they werent cutting corners on anything", I called our choice and asked fi I redacted all the company info if I could provide the bid and he said "fire away, I will always stand behind our work, and here is a 23 page single spaced list of all our referals.
Mr. No then proceeds to tell me he could suddenly also build the pool for the first company"s price.
Well, no you can't. you gave it your best shot and came 11 Grand over the other guy and now you have thrown a big red flag up to me after seeing the other bid and I now a major question in my mind of :
A.) you are going to cut corners to meet the other bid, or
B.) you were really padding the bill.
The first bid actually included a better pump and the largest cartridge filter Pentair makes vs a medium sized one from Pentair.
Through a TON of research from this forum, I knew going in both were building to a high standard for the structual aspect of the shell and reinforcement, and through local research of both builders websites/social media posts, that both builders utilize the same subs for Gunite, flatwork/decking and for the most part, the tile and rockwork installers.
I asked no questions of either contractor that I didn't already know the answers too.
Knowlegde is powah, don't ya know....
.Mr. No still builds a quality pool and has many satisfied customers, but the builder we chose did an outstanding job for us, and did admit that I kinda pushed his comfort envelope a little bit, but he said that it has helped with other customers after us to have a couple new options to offer.
Helps too that I was so pleased with their work that I have refered 5 people to them that have ALL went with them to build their pools this last year.
They do no advertising and are pretty much 100% referral.
When they dug ours, they ended up doing 68 pools in 2017.
They will finish this year at almost 130..
Finished product:
