Well I've been going back and forth for weeks with doing a DIY pool or going with a PB. My last PB did me so bad that I had a very hard time trusting another PB. After getting tons of quotes and comparing prices I decided to go with a PB. I would have saved about 8K and while that is significant, I just don't have the time or patience.
However I needed someone I could trust. Finally, we believe we found them. One thing I noticed, and this is probably standard is that most contracts have 95% of the money before the pool is close to being done. I wasn't doing that again. I actually found 2 PB's I was happy with and I told them both the same thing: I can not do a final payment of 5%. Unfortunately the incentive to finish is gone. I proposed a stronger down payment but a final payment of 15% or I was just going to do it myself. One guy said "NOPE" and the other guy needed a week to consider it and said they felt good about me so they did it.
I can certainly see their side of it. They want to get paid. I get. I explained to them that I want them to get paid but their contract is heavily weighed in their favor and the only thing I had to protect myself was holding back cash. Of course I hope this is never an issue but unfortunately I've been burned before.
Lastly I was not happy with the pool heater they wanted to sell me. I really wanted a Raypak and I showed him the one I wanted. They agreed to install it and maintain it for $600 - so I was actually happy with that as the heater they had they wanted 5500 and I found it online for like 2495.
Ok... Enough of that. The deposit was paid tonight and now the process will begin. Being it's the end of March already I don't think I will see anyone outside until maybe the end of April. I am guesstimating the pool will be ready by August.
I will take plenty of pictures and I am going to order a Brinno Construction Camera to time-lapse the entire process. I'm sure it will be quiet the next 4-8 weeks but ya never know!
I'am STILL colorblind and I still have my old LaMotte Color-Q test kit. I know that is not the preferred method here and I will buy the recommended test kit and give it a shot. At some point in the future I am going to run a test video and see how close they are and post the results/video here.
Full disclosure: My last pool I only used what we called back then the BBB method. BBB and my LaMotte and my pool NEVER had algae or issues. Always crystal clear and all I used with pool store bleach (Pinch A Penny sells it in Florida and probably everywhere by now) and a little muriatic to control the PH.
I work at home so I loved having a pool to maintain as it kept me somewhat busy in the afternoons when my work slowed down. Looking forward to having my laptop on the deck with a hot cup of coffee this summer working!
Cheers - pictures to come...
However I needed someone I could trust. Finally, we believe we found them. One thing I noticed, and this is probably standard is that most contracts have 95% of the money before the pool is close to being done. I wasn't doing that again. I actually found 2 PB's I was happy with and I told them both the same thing: I can not do a final payment of 5%. Unfortunately the incentive to finish is gone. I proposed a stronger down payment but a final payment of 15% or I was just going to do it myself. One guy said "NOPE" and the other guy needed a week to consider it and said they felt good about me so they did it.
I can certainly see their side of it. They want to get paid. I get. I explained to them that I want them to get paid but their contract is heavily weighed in their favor and the only thing I had to protect myself was holding back cash. Of course I hope this is never an issue but unfortunately I've been burned before.
Lastly I was not happy with the pool heater they wanted to sell me. I really wanted a Raypak and I showed him the one I wanted. They agreed to install it and maintain it for $600 - so I was actually happy with that as the heater they had they wanted 5500 and I found it online for like 2495.
Ok... Enough of that. The deposit was paid tonight and now the process will begin. Being it's the end of March already I don't think I will see anyone outside until maybe the end of April. I am guesstimating the pool will be ready by August.
I will take plenty of pictures and I am going to order a Brinno Construction Camera to time-lapse the entire process. I'm sure it will be quiet the next 4-8 weeks but ya never know!
I'am STILL colorblind and I still have my old LaMotte Color-Q test kit. I know that is not the preferred method here and I will buy the recommended test kit and give it a shot. At some point in the future I am going to run a test video and see how close they are and post the results/video here.
Full disclosure: My last pool I only used what we called back then the BBB method. BBB and my LaMotte and my pool NEVER had algae or issues. Always crystal clear and all I used with pool store bleach (Pinch A Penny sells it in Florida and probably everywhere by now) and a little muriatic to control the PH.
I work at home so I loved having a pool to maintain as it kept me somewhat busy in the afternoons when my work slowed down. Looking forward to having my laptop on the deck with a hot cup of coffee this summer working!
Cheers - pictures to come...