Liner replacement Disaster

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lungs414

LifeTime Supporter
Mar 18, 2012
158
Eastern Long Island,New York
Contracted with a pool liner replacement company in November of last year, still no liner. Low life company owner kept telling me he had to re measure , delays due to rain, and the new liner is coming in soon, busy on other jobs, blah blah blah. Finally decided about a week before the 4th of July to get another company in. Forget about the lost deposit, money can be mad and lost, TIME on the other hand is just lost. Sad to look at the once beautiful pool and yard is now a swamp. Was scheduled to have new liner installed yesterday, and of coarse the only day this week heavy rains. With expected temps this weekend of 104 plus another lost weekend.
I live in Suffolk county Long Island.
I was going to change the liner at the end of last year but figured what waste it on the winter. That turned out to be a mistake in hindsight.
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CHOOSE ON LONG ISLAND. HE STILL ADVERTIZES ON LONG ISLAND. WITH NOW BAD REVIEWS ON YELP.
 
While I tend to and try to be a big supporter of small businesses, I find that here in Suffolk you need to go with brick and mortar reputable operations. Not a small business that operates out of their house and van.

My pool was originally installed in the mid 90s, and when I needed I new liner 10 years ago i went back to them. In fact, they didn't even need to come and measure as they had all plans in their files. The best part is that they take credit cards for deposits and payments, so if they miss a deadline by the amount of time you experienced, you have the CC company in your corner with a dispute.

I used the company that has the large store on Vets Highway, west of the airport.

I don't use them for much of anything else, as I test myself, follow SLAM, buy my spare parts online and do my own openings and closings, etc.
 
I did use a "big" company". Absolute horrible experience. And to make matters worse he was recommended by the the liner manufacturer!!!!!! Thats how I choose him. I contacted them because back in November I actually spoke with the liner manufacturer owner. He couldn't be more quick to recommend him. He even to this day shows a picture of the 2 of them on his facebook page. When I contacted him after all my problems they refused to help with any info. I pleaded with them to just tell me if the liner was on order so I would know if I was getting a BS story from installer. They refused to say anything. I don't know who to be more mad at. I wound up calling my original pool builder who know longer builds pools and he placed a rush order on a new liner. Of coarse scheduled for install yesterday and it poured, postponing the instal yet again.

I called them back again after I got a new installer and asked if I could or the new installer could get the liner if it was made and they said no. I then told them I hope they made it and didn't get paid for it. Good luck on my custom sized liner if it was made.
Also the original pool builder refused to take a down payment, and said pay for the liner when the liner gets in and the balance on install.
Couldn't have been better.
 
I had my liner replaced last year with problems from the installer but minor compared to yours. The guy knew his stuff and the finished product was high quality but building gunite pools was obviously much more lucrative for his time. I could never get a call back for an update and he was constantly bailing on me because he "got caught up in other jobs". Once he got his crew on site, the guys were very nice working late into the night with flood lights and I secretly tipped them $20 each for having to put up with their boss' stupidity in planning. They rushed the install and didn't tamp down the poolcrete where the bullfrogs had burrowed for 3 months so I had 3-inch wide tunnels collapsing under my liner in the deep end. It took another 3 months to get them to finally come back and fix these by completely draining the pool again.

I agree with the previous comment about hiring "pool guys" operating out of their truck and I wish I had paid $300 more to get the pool store's people to do it. Latham Liners, while good quality liners, makes it very easy for anyone with some pool experience to become an installer for them but you aren't working with Latham directly to escalate anything.
 
kimkats said:
I am SO sorry this has happened to you :( Thank you for not naming names on here. Anyone in your area should PM you to get that kind of info!
Click to expand...
I actually did post the names of both. Wanted to warn other potential buyers about my loss. I had good intentions and was scolded about the reason why it is not allowed. I totally understand and didn't mean to intentionally break rules.
 
lungs414 said:
I did use a "big" company". Absolute horrible experience. And to make matters worse he was recommended by the the liner manufacturer!!!!!! Thats how I choose him. I contacted them because back in November I actually spoke with the liner manufacturer owner. He couldn't be more quick to recommend him. He even to this day shows a picture of the 2 of them on his facebook page. When I contacted him after all my problems they refused to help with any info. I pleaded with them to just tell me if the liner was on order so I would know if I was getting a BS story from installer. They refused to say anything. I don't know who to be more mad at. I wound up calling my original pool builder who know longer builds pools and he placed a rush order on a new liner. Of coarse scheduled for install yesterday and it poured, postponing the instal yet again.

I called them back again after I got a new installer and asked if I could or the new installer could get the liner if it was made and they said no. I then told them I hope they made it and didn't get paid for it. Good luck on my custom sized liner if it was made.
Also the original pool builder refused to take a down payment, and said pay for the liner when the liner gets in and the balance on install.
Couldn't have been better.
Click to expand...
I am truly sorry for your horrible experience. Sounds like you've lost most of the season, but hopefully you'll be able to enjoy August/early Sept.

It's amazing how this strong economy is simply bringing our the greed and the worst in businesses that simply cannot manage a heavy workload. They underestimate the proper time for a job, then they fall behind, then they simply push you to the back of the line if you are not a high profitable priority. Also, they assume it will never rain, so they never set up an allowance for bad weather and then the first rain day they push the blame their and boom-everybody is mad!

Best of luck.
 

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Had a a little problem with new liner. Installer found a defect.
New liner again going in tomorrow.
Original pool builder has been great not taking any money at all until complete. The good news is the manufacturer made the new liner in one day, rush delivery and once pool guy gets it installation right away.
 
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