Nick L

SO.......POOLSPADUDE I GUESS YOU DONT MEET THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS ?.......IM JUST SAYING YOUR MIGHTY DEFENSIVE..........ARE THESE REQIREMENTS TO HIGH?................WHAT DO YOU THINK QUALIFIES AN INSTALLER AS BEING A TOP RANKED INSTALLER? Why is 15 years the magic number for experience? I have 11 years of hands on experience but I also have a background in construction engineering and hydraulic engineering. So the 15 year minimum doesn't make sense. My pools are built better than guys that have been doing this for 30 years. You dont have to make fiberglass repairs if you install it correctly. Making sure you build on solid ground and have proper bottom preparation will insure a crack free pool. I have not encountered half the soil conditions you stated. Yet I am building a pool half on land and half in a lake this summer. I have never done this before, so I am working with the best soil and structural engineers and an incredible architect. Its not necessarily what you know but sometimes who you know. My pools are level within an 1/8''. Install a pool in one day? You kidding me. Half of my projects are between $100,000 to 150,000. To a certain extent speed is important, but to say its a measure of quality, is obsurd. I am pretty sure that when my competitors are bidding against me, they are trying to get the job, I would be shocked if they told the homeowner to go with me instead of them. 8 and 10 are ok 9 is kind of ironic. How can you say you need to be able to show a pool that has been built 10 years ago? How do you sell that first pool, if you dont have any 10 year old pools in the ground? At some point in time we all were the new guys on the block. Selling of at least 300 pools. It doesnt matter if those 300 pools were installed wrong. That means no flex pvc pipe, no 1.5'' plumbing pipe, at least a 3'' main drain line, at least 2'' return lines, and properly sizing your pumps. This falls into 9's response. Also volume does not mean quality. I would rather build 15 $100,000 pools a year, than 30 $35,000 pools. I understand what your point is. You're tired of the new guys coming in with no experience and a cheap price taking jobs away from you. We all deal with. The only way to combat that is to show value to the consumer and show that you are the local professional that actually knows what their doing.

Chris, do you have any type of construction experience? If you are familiar with construction, you may have a chance of building a pool. If you choose to do so, I would recommend hiring a pool professional to consult on the project. We offer a consulting service for this type of project, I would check around for local companies in your area. This benefits you in a few ways, you will be able to get advice on equipment, plumbing sizing, and electrical advice. You also have the chance of having a relationship with a company who may be able to assist in certains areas of construction. DO NOT RELY ON THE INTERNET. At the very least, contact an architect familiar with pools. Before you do anything, get a quote from a local pool company to build your pool you want. Then really look into the costs of you doing the pool yourself. And not just material and labor costs. But equipment and tools cost, time, and stress. You probably do not have a lot of the tools needed to build a pool. It will take at least twice the amount of time than you think. And it will be stressful. You will learn on your own dime. If you hire a pool company, you get a fixed expense and you get the benefit of them knowing what their doing. In the few cases we consulted on, the few thousand dollar savings was not worth it. If your trying to save 3 to 5k by doing it yourself, you probably should think if you can really afford a pool. Once the pool is built you have the costs of operations and maintenance. Figure you are going to spend a few grand every year. Good Luck!

Newbie -- did you get an indoor pool? If so, whom did you use (I'm also in Chicagoland)? How much was it? Did you get a glass/acrylic enclosure? I would recommend a shot-crete pool in the chicagoland area. The shot-crete pool is the strongest pool on the market despite what you may hear. Our shot-crete pools are built with 12'' thick concrete walls reinforced with steel rebar and fiber mesh. We use a 7.5 bag concrete mix which is much stronger than the concrete used for your patio drive(normally 3.4 or 4). The concrete we use is incredibly stong and can easily withstand the freeze though of the Chicago Climate. Our concrete pools are built stronger than the foundation your house sits on. We also use 2'' sch 80 pvc which is much stronger than the sch 40 pvc most builders use in this area. Before you purchase a pool you should know all the facts about a shot-crete pool versus a fiberglass pool. 1. A fiberglass pool has to be backfilled and filled with water a certain way during construction, or else the pool walls will bow inwards or outwards. This does'nt happen to a shot-crete pool. 2. If a shot-crete pool cracks do to pressure, imagine what the fiberglass pool will look like given the fact you have to worry about the walls bulging inward if you drain the pool. Concrete may not be used to build cars, probably due to its weight, but it is used to build skyscrapers. Concrete is also used to block large bodies of water, like in the Hoover Dam and flood walls. I would be more than happy to give you a quote on a shot-crete pool. Sincerely, Nick Luisi Sunset Pools and Spas, Inc. 847-285-3220 info@sunsetpools-spas.com

Noble Tile, Luv Tile, and National Pool Tile have a wide variety of tiles to choose from. I would not recommend painting the pool. It doesn't last real long. Try having the pool replastered. It will cost more but will last 10 to 15 years depending on you water chemistry. You should be able to find a deal in the off season. Also by redoing the tile ad replastering the pool, it will look brand new. The new plaster will also help seal the tile in.

I would definitely recommend the Jandy controls for the home automation system, Jandy's controls are far superior than what hayward has to offer. As for the pumps, I would recommend either the Jandy Stealth Pump or the Hayward Tristar pump. These pumps are both the top of the line pumps for their respective companies. It is worth the extra money to get a dependable pump. Filters: If you want to have water features like laminar jets, you need to use a cartridge filter or de filter. Either one is fine. I would recommend you use one manufacturer for all your equipment if you get 3 major components from one manufacturer, this means a pump, filter, heater, controls, or salt generator, they will give you an extended 3 year warranty. I build gunite pools and am a service center for Jandy and Hayward in Chicago. Hope this helps.

It seems that the builder cut the liner in before there was enough water in the shallow end, it needs at least 6 to 12 inches of water. I am not sure what you mean by a sub-deck? I build shot-crete, vinyl, and fiberglass pools in the chicagoland area.