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This time, Jennifer Neal did her homework.
Before selecting a company to install a pool behind her home in Brandon, she contacted the Better Business Bureau to find out which companies had prompted complaints. She asked for references. She got things in writing.
She did all of this because her last pool project was a nightmare.
After months of delays installing a pool at her former home in South Tampa, she discovered that the builder had been the target of numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau.
"It was an awful experience," Neal said. "So we were very careful when we picked our company this time."
Riverview resident Denise Rodriguez shared similar frustration. Two years ago, she signed a contract with a friend of a friend to build her pool. The company went out of business and left her with "a concrete hole in the back."
Eventually, Rodriguez found someone to complete the job. But three of the original company's subcontractors placed liens against Rodriguez's home because they were never paid for their work. Had she talked to the subcontractors before construction began, she said, she would have found out the pool company was way behind on its payments.
A pool is no small expense; the cheapest go for just under $20,000. And like any major construction project, things can go awry. Experts offer the following advice to make sure your pool-buying experience is a good one.
Get three bids that specify materials, time frames and payment schedules. Keep in mind, the lowest bid is not always the best.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to find out whether customers have filed complaints against the company. The organization provides valuable information on its Web site at www.bbbwestflorida.org
Call the county or city building department or the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation to see whether any complaints have been filed against the company and to make sure it has the proper licensing.
Ask for references. Talk to someone whose pool has been in-ground for at least a year so you can ask whether the company honors its warranties.
Make sure the company has liability insurance. If someone gets hurt on the job on your property, you don't want to be held responsible.
Find out who will be doing the actual work. Will it be employees or subcontractors? If they're subcontractors, make sure their licenses and liability insurance are up to date.
If the pool company is providing financing, make sure it's through a credible company.
Get the payment arrangements in writing. Never pay in full at the beginning and never pay cash. Most pool builders will ask for a down payment and then take payments at two or three milestones, such as installation of the shell and then the deck. Don't make the final payment until after inspections have been successfully completed.
Get warranties in writing.
The best time to build a pool is from November through March. Most people decide to buy a pool when it gets hot. But that's when builders are busiest, so it will take longer and possibly cost more. Plus, it rains more at that time of year, so weather delays are more likely.
If you're building a house, you may want to consider having the home builder put the pool in for you. Builders do take a markup, but they get a discount on the pool construction because they buy in volume. And putting the pool in while a house is under construction means sod, landscaping and sprinkler systems won't have to be replaced, and there won't be any problems getting access to the back yard. Financing may also be less expensive if it's rolled into a first mortgage.
- Information provided by Ken McKenna of Tampa Bay Pools and Karen Malven, vice president of the Better Business Bureau West Florida.