Newbie in Phoenix needs help! Is this a good deal?

[LostInAZ]

Hi, one of the local pool builders in Phoenix is offering the following package. I'm a complete and total beginner at this stuff! Is this a good deal? What questions should I be asking? What don't I know that I should? If anyone has experiences with Dolphin Pools, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks!

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EcoSmart Base Package
$23,495 + TAX AND PERMITS

PACKAGE SPECIFICATIONS
-Pool Design – Any Shape
-Pool Size – up to 75’ perimeter
-Surface Area – up to 350 Sqft
-Depths 3’ x 5’ x 3’ or 3’ x 5’
-(1) 6’ Loveseat and 24’ Steps and Benches
-Engineered Construction Plans
-Professional Layout
-Public Liability Insurance
-Negligent Property Damage Insurance
-Workman’s Compensation Insurance
-Advanced Energy Saving Designs & Systems
-SAVE money every month… year after year…

EXCAVATION
-Standard Backhoe Excavation
-Vertical Wall and flat floor Excavations
-(Narrow Access, Unusual Soil Conditions, Hard Digs and Caliche Will Result in Added Expense)
-Soil Removed the Same Day of Excavation
-Quality Hand contouring and forming

ELECTRICAL
-20’ – Pool Light conduit run
-50’ – ½ “Electrical conduit
-Universal Color Logic L/V LED White

DECKING
-Commercial Grade Concrete mix 3000 PSI w/fly-ash
-240 SQFT of Deck with Acrylic Lace Overlay
-Standard Choice of Colors of Decking
-6” Turndown Moisture Barrier on all Decks

TILE
-A-Grade Tile Selection for Waterline Tile

STEEL SCHEDULE
-Industry Leading 5-Bar Bond Beam (5) #3s
-70% MORE Steel in Bond Beam than Our Competitors

PLUMBING
-Hydraulically Engineered Design
-(Completely Pressure Tested During Construction)
-Schedule 40 N.S.F. Approved PVC
-2” Plumbing runs 15’ Run
-Skimmer and Main Drain Plumbed Separately
-Automatic Water Leveler with 40’ Run
–Separate Pool Vac Plumbing 25’ Run
-Dual Safety Drains with Anti-Vortex Safety Covers
-(4) Adjustable Looped Surface Returns
-Worlds most advanced skimmer (ECO-Skim)
-NO Heat bent plumbing EVER…

SHOTCRETE
-6.5 Sack Flyash and Fibermesh Shotcrete Mix
-6” Minimum Thickness Walls and Floors
-6” x 12” Bond Beam
-8”-10” thick in Coves, Stress Areas, Benches and Steps
-Up to 24’ of Steps
-6’ Bench/Loveseat
-Limited Lifetime Structural Warranty

ECO-EQUIPMENT
-Highly Efficient “QUIK-Skim” Skimmer
-Energy Saving “TRISTAR” Circulation Pump
-Time Saving Automation 24 hr Time Clock
-Water Saving 330 SQFT Hayward Cartridge Filter
-Efficient Hayward Automatic Pool Vac
-3-Way Adjustable Valves for Skimmer/Main Drain

CLEAN-UP
-Complete Construction Debris Clean-Up

INTERIOR FINISH
-‘Ultra Poz” Interior Finish (7-Year Warranty)

START-UP
-Dolphin Pools’ Pool School
-Start-Up Chemicals

 

[ajw22]

Depends what you are looking for. I think this is a low end package to build a small pool that uses flowerly marketing phrases to make It sound like you are getting a lot. Like “Time Saving Automation 24 hr Time Clock” is a less then $100 timer.

 

[bmoreswim]

It's a VERY small pool. Max size is 22.5' x 15' (for a 75' perimiter). 15' wide is not too bad, but 22.5' long is super small. The approach I always recommend is to give the PB's your specs on various things and let them price your pool. They won't spec it the same as you request, but it's to get the most comparable then you negotiate from there. Build your pool, not theirs.

 

[LostInAZ]

Thank you very much for the replies!

Our current house is not our forever home. I imagine we'll be there another 5ish years. I did not want to spend $50,000ish for a decent pool given our time frame. The next house will absolutely be loaded in terms of the backyard and pool, but those days are a few years out!

That said, we would very much enjoy a small pool if the price is right. Our current backyard is small and all desert landscape, so this package caught my eye. We don't have kids yet (working on it), so the specs should be okay for the next 5ish years until we outgrow our space.

What else should I know about this offer? Any idea how much I could negotiate it down? What are the "gotchas" that the PB is likely to use once we start negotiating?

 

[bmoreswim]

That’s a different scenario than I was thinking. Honestly it’s not a terrible package for a short term pool. Make sure you get a two-speed pump instead of a single speed. It doesn’t specify.

You will also want to add a saltwater chlorine generator (SWG) for chlorine production. You would want a second timer for the SWG to ensure it only runs inside of the pump run times.

Using pucks to chlorinate is problematic over a season. Only other good choice is using liquid chlorine DAILY.

A robot is better for cleaning than what he will include. But at least $700. You can get by with the other for 5 years if money is priority one.

 

[ellsian]

Heeey that was my builder. Stay on top of them and watch construction, I caught a few mistakes myself. They had a package when I built that included in-floor cleaners, you should look into it. I'm pretty happy with my own! Living in an area with little to no leaf debris makes the in floors a pretty good option, I think.

 

[bmoreswim]

I agree that your area of the country is one that in floor cleaners seem to have the best results. Though they are still a source of issues mechanically over the years.

 

[ellsian]

I agree that your area of the country is one that in floor cleaners seem to have the best results. Though they are still a source of issues mechanically over the years.

Definitely, I've had to replace a few pop ups every single year. That gear box is going to go sometime soon too.