Pool not to contract depth

[CPS Reno]

Dirk, that's a conversation wormhole that I wouldn't want to spend the time or effort to work through. I love my trade, but I'm unwilling to (again) put for the time/effort it would take to change an ENTIRE industry. My priority is making MY customers happy, not my competitor's customers happy. Heck, I only joined this site to help the consumers of MY industry enjoy the pools we enjoy providing. That is the time/effort I decided to put forth to help my industry's consumers enjoy more.

We get customers asking to help them build their pools themselves all the time and 99% of them have no idea how many aspects that are important to a proper pool project. It's not easy. I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be, nor will anyone ever be. Some profession's are easier to be closer to perfect than others. The profession I chose to support my family, and the families of the 8 employees I have, happens to be difficult to be perfect. I'm OK with that and I'm OK with the amount of customers that are happy that they chose us to build their pool.

Now please don't make me regret even attempting to help the OP understand why it's not an easy fix to get an entire industry to change and start using BOTH water depth and structure depth. I just wanted to help everyone understand.

 

[Dirk]

No worries, Randy. It was just banter. I think I can speak for everyone here at TFP when I say we very much appreciate your participation in this forum, and look forward to your contributions.

My earlier post was unfortunate in that I made it sound like I was targeting you specifically, when the actual audience was pool builders and their customers, collectively. Each can play a role in minimizing misunderstandings in general, and this water level issue specifically. Certainly no easy fix, I agree, but awareness would be the first step, and that was my only intention. I apologize if you took it another way, or if I offended you.

Regarding perfection... Nobody's perfect. Perfection is mostly unattainable. Those are givens. Mistakes during a construction project as big and as complicated as a pool are pretty much expected. That is not the gripe. Consumers that expect perfection are being unrealistic, and those that demand it are being unreasonable. But when a PB makes a significant mistake, he is responsible for making it right, no matter what. We have too many threads here that describe PBs dodging that responsibility, in various ways, and that's the gripe.

Everybody makes mistakes. How they are addressed sets the good guys apart from the rest.

Cheers!

 

[jimmythegreek]

Like I said, I get the customers point. I do a 3 page signoff on the plans, and I discuss it prior to breaking ground. Any pool less than 6' deep gets a few reminders from me too, especially a sports pool. I will tell you that a few times depth has come up after were done, like we never discussed it. Its overwhelming the decisions and the excitement to get ur dream pool, I think it sometimes is too much to process. Like CPO Reno stated, we have SO much to oversee on a build, and the plans show structure and my elevations with my benchmark for reference...its alot going on

I didnt read the beginning of the thread but saw the last post saying LDS confirmed the discrepancy. In this case it seems PB dropped the ball, and that's unfortunate, he should offer an addition or a credit

 

[Killfathobbit]

Sorry for the late update but the sun shelf is 9” to the wall as specified in the drawing so that would match up with the builders statement of wall height being used for depth and not water. Was never explained before the build which is unfortunate that water depth was assumed.

 

[Dirk]

OK, well that's not the smoking gun I was hoping for you to find. So you're going to have a sun shelf with only 3" of water over it? Maybe 4 or 5? I guess there's nothing bad about that, just not what I was expecting...

 

[Killfathobbit]

I didn’t want to make another topic page but I’m not sure if we’re being too hard on the PB or not. Anyway I get an email saying they’ll start backfill the week of March 29th so at least another month before they backfill and another month for deck screen and etc. So it will be May at least before the pool is complete. The schedule we got before they dug says should be done around March 23rd this is after 4 months of waiting for permits and then even start. So it will be 8 months to project completion from start to finish. I’m starting to lose confidence in the builder between the contract screw up and the endless delays. I understand there will be some delays but don’t tell us 3-4 months when it’s going to be double. The wife is 8 months pregnant and was wanting to enjoy the pool before another kid but that’s not going to happen. With everyone getting pools nowadays are we being too hard on the PB or should we be a little irritated at this point. Thank you

 

[ajw22]

You have every right to be irritated and can express the irritation to the Pool Builder but I doubt it will make any difference in when your pool is finished. There are loads of excuses builders have available right now. Just hope he stays with the schedule you have.

 

[TampaKathy]

I don't think you can blame them for permit delays unless they didn't turn the paperwork in but another month for backfill and deck seems ridiculous. I am in Hillsborough Co and have been waiting 3 months for a permit so far so I feel your pain...sorry it has been such a bad experience

 

[Dirk]

It's a pool sellers market right now. Doesn't excuse poor performance. Doesn't mean you can't complain about, or be hard on your PB. But it also doesn't mean there's much for a buyer to do about it.

For what it's worth, expecting a contractor to do what he says he's going to, especially what a contract says he's supposed to do, and calling him out on it if he doesn't, expecting him to make it right when he doesn't, isn't being hard on him.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Sounds like he has too many builds going at once. What I learned a while ago is its slower to build several pools at once by alot. It's easier to have 2 going max, and have them lined up waiting behind that. Its much faster and efficient too, but many PBs think they will lose the job so they sign and start the pool but are really slow thru the whole build