Very new to pools...Need advice (build started 5/30/20)

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For a gunite pool? That would be really quick. Do you have rock or expansive soil issues where you are?
 
Chris - I’m in Prosper (north of Dallas) and I’ve heard all the same things regarding salt from the builders as well. I’m still going through the design process and it’s definitely an exhausting process. This community has been great in getting a quick education.
 
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chris8725 said:
So Builder 1 comes with 2 skimmers. Is that good for me?
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Whether or not you need two skimmers depends on the size of your pool and the expected debris load from trees and shrubs. Do you have a lot of tree debris drop or blow into your yard? My next door neighbors had 4 tall Crepe Myrtle trees that used to drop a ton of pink flowers into my pool all summer long. They would clog my skimmer in a heartbeat!
chris8725 said:
Once the contact is signed builder 1 says he will be completed in 6 to 7 weeks. That includes time frame of getting permits
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Take any builder's time estimate and double it. They are giving you best case scenario with no hiccups in the building process. It may be they are not as busy as normal right now due to all the Covid 19 issues, but there will still be the usual headaches any project has, defective products, delayed shipping, lost orders, weather delays, ect...
chris8725 said:
Does that sound normal to yall?
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Anyone who is after your buisness is going to present themselves in the best light possible. Ask if they have any references from customers they can share. Try and contact a couple and see what they say about the building process and the final product. You can look for reviews online, but you will find far more negative than positive for any builder. People like to complain, and sometimes its for very petty reasons. Take it with a grain of salt.
 
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Chris,

You want to have two skimmers and four (or more) returns..

Time frames are far from being fixed. It matters not what they say, it only matters what they do.. Things happen, it rains, they hit rock, a dump truck runs over their best guy, etc, etc..... It will take as long as it takes... I would plan for longer, and be happy when it comes in on time.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
zea3 said:
Anyone who is after your buisness is going to present themselves in the best light possible. Ask if they have any references from customers they can share. Try and contact a couple and see what they say about the building process and the final product. You can look for reviews online, but you will find far more negative than positive for any builder. People like to complain, and sometimes its for very petty reasons. Take it with a grain of salt.
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What Zea said.

I would make sure to get references and check them. Online reviews should definitely be taken with a grain of salt because it is easy to hide behind a keyboard and type a bunch of stuff and disappear. And when I read those types of reviews I usually just shake my head and think "really? How else did you expect that to go?"

When I requested a list of references from my PB, they asked me how many I would like. When they sent me the list it had at least 30 names on it. 5 of which my wife personally knew (and we had no idea that they used this PB). They said they were happy to provide me more if I wanted. They also asked us if we wanted to go see any of their previous work. They would arrange a visit with past customers if we wanted. Not just in progress stuff, but people who had been using their pools for a while. That impressed me. I also asked them, of all of the customers they have had, how many would be a reference for them. They were honest and said most of them, but there were a few that they had that no matter what they did, nothing was going to please them. I respected that they admitted that not all would be a good reference.

You are miles ahead of me. Good for you for doing a much better job of researching. Surprisingly, for some reason, this was the one thing that I did virtually no research on prior to signing the contract. I had zero knowledge of building a pool. I am very fortunate to have selected a good PB that did just about everything right. Had I known then what I know now, they would have done everything right, because I would have known what to ask them to do. That is the only reason I have to complain about my PB, is my ignorance. Nothing that they did in particular.

As far as time frame, my PB said 8-12 weeks, in a perfect scenario. We built last winter over the holidays. Build started November 7th and plaster was done Jan 26th. That was a little bit over 11 weeks. They turned it over to me on Feb 18th. Which would make it a little over 14 weeks. So depending on what you consider completed, I would say they hit their estimate. And we did not have perfect conditions. Lots of rain and delays with receiving the coping color.

Good luck with the decision! It is definitely a tough one.

--Jeff
 
I did look up reviews online and each builder had excellent ratings. Both BBB+ credited. Builder 1 has zero complaints in 35 years and left 4 sheets of references that covered their last 6 years of builds. Builder 2 had three complaints in 50 years(all resolved) but didnt leave any references so I will need to ask for some.
 
For the robot cleaner, I have read on here its probably cheaper to buy it seperate from the builder. Would you guys still ask them to place an oulet for it or should I have an electrician do it later. I do have 2 plugs that will be ~15ft away. Will that be close enough?
 

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That build time seems really optimistic. We're in DFW also and all of the builders we consulted with said at least 9 weeks, not including 30 days for permits. Additional time 1-2 wks for any outdoor structure etc.
 
I always suggest to do a job line INSTEAD of a time line for any kind of construction.
-sign the papers
-mark the yard with paint
-set the forms
-dig the hole
etc.

That way there are no hurt feelings as the dates are almost never met.
 
SWEET!!! OH YEAH!!! Let the mud/dirt begin!!! AND it is done!

Now it is time for your first job as a pool building/owner! Run out there with your plans and a tape measure. Is it long, wide, deep, ect enough? Add about 8" for the steel, shell, and plaster. NOW is the time to tweak or fix as needed.

Kim:kim:
 
oh
chris8725 said:
Thanks MK,
Bulider number 2 also told me that a robot cleaner isnt worth it. From what I read on here, it is. Im not familiar with anything so i need to ask are robots without wires or with? He said it sucks having to go into the pool in the winter when it dies. I thought they had a direct connection
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man these guys are brutal. the one thing I would do over again even if it was thousands would be a robot! oh my it makes my world so easy! I have mine in now for a few hours. I literally have never used my manual one since I got it. even when I opened this spring we used the robot only cause my builder had no one working cause of cover so I opened with him since I have known him my whole life. he said can we just use the robot I said ya lets try and see. once we were all open I said ya go home it's clean. don't pull out the manual one. I swept my steps and let the robot run for a few more hours. all good.


salt. I have salt. I love it. I won't use me as an example cause its bias. my neighbor who I fish with weekly just got salt. out of nowhere the other day on the boat while it was quiet he goes. Jim can I tell you how much I love my salt? I laughed. I said I know. it is great. he said he can't believe why he didn't do it 20 years ago.
 
chris8725 said:
Thanks Jim,
This confirmed my research. I appreciate your comments.

So Builder 1 comes with 2 skimmers. Is that good for me?
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always good regardless. my builder always uses 1. I said 2. he said, come on. I said 2. period. I lie to you not every pool since mine gets 2 now. he said, why haven't I been doing this. he is a good builder he really is but he has been in business for over 40 years and I feel they just do what they learned and do it over and over again cause in reality it does work.
 

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