Our Big Wet Dream (pool construction from start to finish) (moving, area)

[Messing About]

No, haven't paid in full. The contract has payments scheduled as construction progresses. The next payment follows completion of the deck work. We shall see what happens the rest of this week. The owner called my wife, which is rare, and explained that his foreman is hospitalized with a personal medical condition but that the tile guy would be back on the job on Wednesday. Can't help but wonder if someone shared this thread with him. I did tell the salesman, Dennis, about this thread just after it started.

Like I've said earlier, we like all of the workers...they are polite and respectful and stay very busy when they are there...it's just that they are so rarely there.

[Sea Ray Mark]

MA, I had Dennis out to my house back in early May after hearing your rave reviews of how well he did with design and pricing. I also told him about the thread when he asked how we heard of his company but I get the sense that they're a bit old school and unsophisticated in their marketing efforts so I don't expect to hear from them on this site. I think it would be helpful to your project to be on the phone with Dennis if you're unhappy or they're not delivering what he promised you. He's the one that sold you on the company so maybe he has the ability to persuade the construction side of the business to fulfill his promises. Mark

[Messing About]

Good points, all of them, Mark. Thank you.

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by Satsuma

I'm wondering if you have already paid for the entire pool or if you would have some leverage on the contractor by withholding payments?

You NEVER pay in full until the work is completed to your satisfaction and the agreed standards. All large projects like this are paid in installments as the work progresses through stages.

[Messing About]

Work in progress!
Live shot from my security cams as I work in Rockville, MD.

[nphomeowner]

Glad someone showed up!!

[Ted Bear]

That guy isn't smoking in your pool , is he? Your contract should include language about that, as well as dealing with litter, waste and left over construction materials.

Welcome to the joys of pool building. It is a one and done process, and they are probably juggling several installations while they are doing yours. You are at the stage where you can't fire them, so you have to grin and bear it. They know that. So they start a bunch of jobs, trying to keep everyone a 'little' happy, and hope no-one balks. In the end, it will "all be good", I am sure.

Back to the vinyl/shot Crete pool conversation. In the cold climes many are turning to vinyl to help overcome the issues associated with cracking, and leaking. Not NJ or VA cold, but upstate NY and Vermont cold.

In the 'old days' it was considered, as someone said, a "cheap" pool if it had vinyl. Now, it is just the opposite. The vinyl pools are more decorative, last as long, with proper maintenance, as does cement, and most importantly, they are 'softer' on the feet and body. They have a luxurious feel to them rather than scraping your feet along on concrete, and are easier to keep the smooth surface clean. They are impervious to chemicals and sunlight as well.

Personal choice in the end. I had a tremendous vinyl pool and was extremely happy with it...until the pool company used chlorine to close it one year.....instead of the synthetic baquacil with which the water was treated. Instant vanilla milkshake!

[Messing About]

He is in fact smoking...good eye. I don't make issue with it so long as he is not discarding his butts on my lot. I work for contractor with 22k Employees. We wouldn't allow smoking while engaged in work but I don't expect that standard from a company with a dozen or so EE's and a bunch of subs.

Of course they will remove all trash. They are quite clean workers.

Interesting comments on the vinyl liner pools. One of my snowbird neighbors just replaced the liner of their pool at their real home on Long Island, NY....after 30 years. I'm from AZ so it's concrete or Pebble Tec for everyone their. We had Pebble Tec in our last pool in AZ but went with the regular old quartz finish for this one, instead opting for a bigger deck, bigger caged area, raised decks and water features.

We actually had 3 workers today. Brick coping guy and the 2 concrete guys dug the storm backfill out of the stemwall trench and then formed up the raised decks. We are anticipating a concrete pour tomorrow....unless Mother Nature plans a pour of another kind.

[Messing About]

Concrete crew was here at 7 AM to pour the stem wall. Tile setter cut and placed most of the brick coping.
The color we chose, Old Chicago, ended up with a bash with a lot more black and then we ever anticipated. Because you sign a disclaimer about color imperfections there's nothing we can do except on it. I don't hate it I was just not prepared for all the black versus what the sample look like. Mark, the tile guy, listened very carefully as my wife asked him to please not place black to black if it could be avoided and to always check both sides of each brick and pick the lighter side to be exposed.

He did a good job with what he had and I hope to like it more when the paver deck is installed around it. At one point during the day he called my wife out to show her the below photograph. He took the time and effort to cut some buttons from our water tiles and place them as decorative inlay in various spots around the brick coping. He did this as an extra to try and help us like the appearance more. Not only do we both love this look we were very grateful at his extra effort to go above and beyond and do what he could do to make us happy. That's the kind of customer service I have been hoping for. What do you think?

[Florida or Bust....]

It's going to look nice! The anticipation is killing me. I don't know how you are handling all this. I know in the end, it will be all worth it... I think