Pool equipment installation

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Freeway56

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Sep 4, 2015
16
Ca
Good morning ,

What is the going rate for pool equipment install I got quote and felt like I was being taken advantage. I have Pentair Easy touch with IC40, Pentair VS pump, Pentair filter . I have purchased all the valves(2way,3way,check valves, etc.)for the install . I have 220v running to the easy touch for the pump but the power isn't live. Thank you for your help in advance.

Best
Mark
 
I have experienced, and consistently here/read about, incredibly unreasonable markups for pool equipment installation. These guys don't work by the hour. I probably paid close to double for my gear. That's probably what you're seeing. Usually these guys will bury the markup in the cost of the product, but since it sounds like you purchased most of everything yourself, they have nowhere to hide it.

Pentair facilitates this practice (IMO) by honoring a one-, two- or three-year warranty only if you get your stuff installed by someone authorized to do so. DIYers get a paltry 60-day warranty. So you might be stuck if you want a warranty. The standard line is "Hey, I gotta feed my family!" My standard response is "Hey, so do I!"

Call around, see if you can get someone to do it for less. Don't limit the circle of search. You might find someone an hour or two away that's willing to come to your location if the job is big enough. I did, a couple times. If I understand it correctly, you don't actually need a Pentair-authorized dealer to do the install, only a "professional" as defined by Pentair. But if you go with someone "on the fringe," be sure they understand the nuances of pool equipment installation (like bonding, GFCI requirements, etc), and that Pentair will recognize them as authorized, in terms of your warranty.

By the way, please check that the EasyTouch you're about to install does NOT have an "L" in its model number. As in PL4 or PSL4. If it does, return it! You do not want an "L" series ET.
 
Mark,

You need to tell us more... What was the scope of the bid, and how much was it?

Did you buy all the equipment already?

Did you ask for the bid from a pool builder, a pool service guy or ??? Does the bid only include the install or do you expect them to carry the warranty when there is a problem.

While not brain surgery, it does take some knowledge and skill to install an automation system. The bigger the company doing the install the more expenses and overhead they will have.

I don't personally believe in the "I've got a family" rule.. But I do believe in the "I've got a skill, that I don't plan to give away for free" rule.. :p

I am surprised that the valves were not installed by the plumber... :confused:

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jim ,
I bought all the equipment from Sunplay with all the fittings. The only thing I didn't have was the 2" pvc for the plumbing.The quote was for $1100.00 to hook up the pump to the easy touch, install the filter, install the IC40 which plugs right into the easy touch also. Electrical wire for roughly 3ft with flex conduit for the pump with a 220v breaker.The company that remolded the pool wanted $2200.00 to install the equipment that's why I didn't go with them. By the way no warranty was discussed. Thank you for your time Jim
 
Mark,

Assuming that the price also included the internal wiring off the ET, and necessary GFCI breaker for the pump and GFCI for the pool light, initial programming of the ET, installing the water feature actuators and then testing the system to make sure it all works, then I would say that the price you were quoted is not that bad. A little high for Texas, but not that bad for California.

But.. the only way to tell for sure is to get several quotes and compare them.

Thanks for the additional info,

Jim R.
 
Jim,

I would say the same thing Jim but there is no pool light so no need for GFCI breaker .There are no actuators the water feature valve will be manual(3way) and I'm going to program the ET myself. I think I'm going to plum the equipment myself at this point and just find somebody to wire the pump and ET. Thank you Jim for the info.

Best
Mark
 

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Mark,

Good luck with your project.

Remember us if you run into a problem and we will try to get you pointed in the right direction.

I think not automating your water feature is the wrong approach, but it is your pool and your decision.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
average is 100 an hour for installs plus materials and a markup on them. to do a full equipment install and wiring its a couple hour job maybe even a full day if he takes his time and does it nice and neat. a thousand bucks isnt a bad quote esp if you got 2200 from PB
 
Do not forget truck charges. I think it’s reasonable what you quoted. Most pool stores or service companies have a right to make profit on their equipment. I bet had you shopped around your pricing with install would be similar to your buying online and needing it installed. Not only that, but you would of established a relationship. IMO buying online is for DIY’ers who are going to do it themselves.
 
Pool_Medic said:
Do not forget truck charges. I think it’s reasonable what you quoted. Most pool stores or service companies have a right to make profit on their equipment. I bet had you shopped around your pricing with install would be similar to your buying online and needing it installed. Not only that, but you would of established a relationship. IMO buying online is for DIY’ers who are going to do it themselves.
Click to expand...

Here's what rubs me. You can buy a Pentair SWG and its transformer for about $1000 on Amazon (and those sellers make money at that price point, so there is already mark up there). It would take a competent installer about an hour to install it, plumbing and electrical. Let's give him a hour of drive time, and 50 bucks for the vehicle expenses. So we're up to, what, $1250? Let's call it $1300 for incidental parts, etc. Explain how a PB can charge $2400 for the same components when added to a build, in which he's already raking in profit for the project, and is already assembling a whole pad of equipment, equally marked up. That is gouging. 10 to 15% markup is pretty standard for construction (or rather it used to be). That's walk-away-with money, after everybody's been paid, including all his subs and employees. But these guys are gouging consumers with this near-100% markup, of retail pricing, on jobs for which they've already built in their profit margin. They're double-dipping and the component manufacturers not only allow it, they facilitate it (with the warranty model).

And because pool contractors are all busy, they can all do it without worry about their competition undercutting them. I get the laws of supply and demand. Where are the rules of fair play?

:rant:
 
So why aren’t people buying parts for their vehicles and taking them into their local dealerships to get installed. If you have the knowledge to buy something online, go the extra mile and learn how to do things too. If this online nonsense keeps up, B&M won’t exist. We all love to pick on pool companies but are you willing to let them look at your work and critique costs and mark ups?
 
Pool_Medic said:
but are you willing to let them look at your work and critique costs and mark ups?
Click to expand...

Absolutely! I charge a very fair, and industry-standard, hourly rate for my services, which I disclose up front and itemize afterwards, and charge for goods and special services exactly as disclosed in a price list, furnished upon request. Just as a lot of contractors once did. I don't formulate a project's cost based on "what the client will bear," which is how most contractors now charge...
 
So you make profit on every one of those items. Yet a pool company is just supposed to do a one off at the same rate as a client who he built a pool for and made big profit, big profit that helps offset his cost of a store, staff, inventory, insurance etc. Certainly that one PB upped his charges, why shouldn’t he. You might be shocked to see just how little a margin is made on equipment when the smoke clears. My point is this, you would not buy your auto parts online and then take them into your dealer and expect to just say the regular hourly price. You also have regular clients obviously, but most pool companies do not.
 
Thanks for haulin' us back onto the track, Jim.

Mark - if you have a question about the estimate, I don't see anything wrong with you politely asking the provider to break it down for you. As in: "Gee, that's more than I was hoping for. Can you explain the charges for me?" or something similar. How much is materials. How much is labor. Travel charges, etc. You're not entitled to an answer, and you run the risk of insulting the contractor, but if one of them is willing to answer honestly, that might (1) give you a good sense of his integrity, not to mention what you're paying for, and (2) might make you feel better about paying what he's asking, and determining if it's fair. I know that would work that way on me. The previous counterpoint to my rants regarding how I might not understand what is involved in providing good service is totally valid.
 
If you don't like the price then move on.

There are plenty of people that can install this equipment - their knowledge and capabilities are the reason that you're having someone do the work for you anyway. They should be paid accordingly.
 

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