Helga

[Guest Guest]

We had a Malins Pool built and we are extremley happy. For all You people out there that may have a grudge to grind about Malins Pool then all I can say is GET A LIFE. Did you seem to forget the needs of a pool? It to cool off and to enjoy...Did you get the pool built and are you having guest over to swim and are your kids enjoying having a pool where they and their friends have a blast swimming.????? Do you know where your kids are during the hottest days of the year????Oh ya they are probably out in your back yard swimming in the pool that Malins built for you......Yes I know that their may be a few people un happy with the way construction took longer, or the fact that they didnt get their final release form their city inspector but that doesnt stop them from playing in the pool and having parties in their pool does it.....all it does it let those people whom dont have a life to complain and complain.....and you out there know who you are....Your unhappy with everything in your life so why not get on line and post crap about companies in the internet..... Some home owners are unreal.... But no matter what I am here to say with the few people whom may be unhappy with their company there are one hell of a lot more peole whom are happy as ever and have had other pools built by the same company. I know that everyone thinks that they are the only people getting their pool built at one time and that they should have priority over other home owners but your wrong at thinking that you are the number one person....theres a lot of people whom are having pools built as well as you.....Now our sales rep was Nanci and she was great in the information that she gave us and answered all of our questions.... the complaint that she doesnt call home owners back amazes me because she is the sales rep...just like if you were going into buy a car. you deal with the sales man after that sale is final then you do not deal with them any more you deal with the different parts of the business like it may be service or parts etc. the sales rep did their job sold you the pool then you are to deal with the secretaries from then on and then they direct the appropiate superviser to your job and then that is whom you deal with for the rest of construction... the sales man doesnt hold your hand from then on it is the rest of the company.....Nanci has been the # 1 top sales person in the Valley for 20 something years so please feel lucky and fortunate that you have her as your sales rep....she is great and tells you how it is...I just want to thank Malins Pools and their staff for all the dedicated hard work they do dailey...I will refer their company to everyone........

[Guest curlie]

do you work for Malins Pools or connected in anyway?

[thetruth]

Please, you don't really think we are ignorant enough to think this statement from "Helga" is valid. This came straight from Malins themselves. The spelling errors are evidence alone...the attitude is trying too hard and no homeowner speaks like this. "Now our sales rep was Nanci and she was great in the information that she gave us and answered all of our questions.... the complaint that she doesnt call home owners back amazes me because she is the sales rep" and it goes on to 'sell' you....I ask you 'Helga' how would YOU know that people complain that she doesn't return calls? That is something sales reps and I repeat "sales" reps do not share with their homeowners. So, who are you really? I already know, but nevertheless...for those that don't know,Allow me to educate you properly...

At one time and for many years, Malins Pools was the leading builder of quality pools in the I.E. It was run by Bill Malins, Sr. and both Jeff Stephenson and Bill Malins, Jr. served as President of the company. Mr. Malins took personal pride of ownership in every pool built and if you chose Malins prior to 2002 you got a value second to none.

However nowadays we are talking about a company that has been run by a convicted felon, Curtis "Michael" Malins. (Curtis Custom Pools) He is the second son to Bill Malins Sr. and after ripping off consumers of millions of dollars, (google this) conned his dying father into allowing him to run Malins Pools. An act that caused Bill Malins. Jr. to separate himself from the company completely based on the lack on ethics therein. (Bill Jr. remains a successful pool plumber) Since 2003 Curtis "Michael" Malins has extorted monies, continues to run un-insured crews, send the work out to whomever will do it the cheapest and does not pay subs until they threaten to sue them, if at all.

As for Nanci, she is the sister-in-law (Bill's second wife's sister) of owner Bill Malins and has always been out sold, out-witted by Jeff Stephenson, former sales guru for Malins and current owner of Splash pools in Chino. What Nanci doesn't tell you is that your job will be red flagged and shut down by the city. She doesn't tell you that they have no idea what kind of construction you are getting for the legitimate subs refuse to do work for Curtis Malins. What you have left are crews that are illegal and usually hiding from the INS working in your yard waiting for the opportunity to hit YOU, the homeowner, with a lawsuit. That's how workman's comp works folks when your subs aren't covered. What she doesn't tell you is that every job is a "crap shoot" and you'll be lucky to find a sub that speaks english. At no time has the company run "in-house"crews. What she doesn't tell you is that since the company has been run by Curtis, your job pays for the last job and his excessive spending habits. i.e. race teams, homes, horses, cars, DUI charges, and buying out his ex-wife. If you question this, call the City of Chino, Ontario, County of Orange, etc. for yourself. Go to www.cslb.ca.gov and look up Curtis Malins. Do your homework.

Furthermore, if what you have read isn't enough, think twice, maybe three times before doing business with a company that doesn't pay it's subs, even when they are family. The truth of the matter is, if you want to do business with any of the Malins that vaguely resemble the quality of the Malins of the past, and keep it legitimate, call Bobby Malins at Mojave Pools. It's a shame but true... please note, Malins Pool Supply is not an affiliate of Malins Pools. It is independently run. I asked, trust me, I asked. They are a part of the Malins empire of long ago, when morals and ethics were the foundation to business. Don't hold them accountable for the construction company.

[the family pool]

I am so sorry, THE TRUTH, as you sound very bitter. You must have had a very poor experience with the family. It's too bad that when the family was having personal problems, which is no ones business, you feel it important to open the closet doors and let all their skeletons out. Very sad that this is what you find to amuse yourself with. Does anyone really know the truth besides the Malins family? Isn't it truly their own business what goes on in their family? Or are you a family member who is angry with someone or something with the Mailns and this is how you decided best to seek your revenge. Why do you feel it important to list their names and not your own?

[The REAL Truth]

I had my first pool built by Malins Pools Construction in 2004 after I completed my research and compared several pool builders in the Inland Empire. I did research on Malins and on those involved within the business. When I performed an internet search I did find out Curtis Malins had a conviction against him with respect to his own pool construction company. Upon a personal visitation to their construction office I learned he was working there under his fathers supervision. I did not find this to be a problem as I have learned in my life every family has a black sheep who goes off course. I have also personally known several black sheep who have gone awry and have straightened their lives out and went on to live productive legal lives. It wasn't my place to lay judgement against someone I didn't personally know and I truly liked the product they were trying to sell me.

My sales rep was very professional and returned my calls in a timely manner. I found the staff working in the office helpful and courteous. The work crews who visited my home to work was always respectful of me and my family. I was actually in awe that each day someone worked on my job that my yard was left clean. They always used English when I talked to them and when they were working on my job and were talking amongst themselves.

In regards to the sub contractors assigned to my job I was fortunate to have Gutierrez Grading out of Chino, steel crews were in house from Malins Pools Construction along with the plumbers and electricians, Woody Douglas Gunite out of Claremont, D.C.E. Concrete Company out of Claremont, Capital Wrought Iron out of Ontario and Jeff Kerber Pool Plastering out of Ontario. I am in the tract lending business and I know that when subs are not paid in a timely manner they do not hesitate in putting liens on the consumers residence. I never had any liens filed against my property. Believe me, I repeatedly check this against my property until the job was completed and continued to check for six months after completion. This further strenghthened the reputation of Malins Pools Construction.

When it came to the end of construction, the start up crew was an in house crew from Malins Pools Construction. The knowledge they shared with me and my family made us so comfortable using all the equipment and any time I had a problem or question (even after hours) I received a pleasant, professional return call. All of my problems were addressed within an expected time frame.

With this wonderful experience, when I purchased another home in 2006 I went back to Malins Pools Construction and had them build me my second pool. That experience was better than the first and I was thrilled with the cost charged to me even when the prices for construction materials were rising. The second pool I had built Curtis was the lead person on my job and he handled everything professionally. His subs were fantastic and I was lucky to have the same ones for this pool.

However, my sister had a pool built in Apple Valley by Custom Mojave Pools. Which is owned and operated by Bobby Malins and if I have learned this correctly he at one time worked for Malins Pools Construction. Her and her family had a wonderful sales rep who did a wonderful job at selling her the pool. When it came time for construction to start, it didn't and when it finally did it was a nightmare for her. The crews who came to her house would leave their lunch trash in her yard and didn't find it necessary to clean up the street in front of her home before they left when they made a mess out there. Her neighbors were upset and reported it to Code Enforcement. That was just the beginning of her problems. She could never get a return phone call and when she did they were short, rude and didn't want to give her the time of day. I could go on and write a novel of the terrible experience she had with them. I would have thought they would have learned something from Bill Malins in how to treat their customers and provide a fantastic product that they could be proud of. To finish her story, the pool to this day has not lived up to her dreams.

I am happy to say I am still loving my pool and the enjoyment it has provided my family. I would recommend Curtis Malins and Malins Pools Construction to everyone I know and even those I hear on the street that say they are thinking of getting a pool and thru the busines that I am in.

[INFORMED IE CONSUMER]

To the REAL TRUTH. I am glad your experience with Malins Pools was positive. But, you should know, things have changed as of July 1, 2007. Bill Malins, Sr. died on that day, and he is no longer here to SUPERVISE Curtis. Curtis Malins has now taken over Malins Pools to run as he sees fit.

Has the "black sheep" as you called him really reformed? Should he even be allowed to run this company? (You know there are very strict guidelines relative to contractors license, criminal history, etc. in the State of California). (You were the one that mentioned his "conviction", and I did look it up... you were right!!)

From this point forward, as long as Curtis Malins is at the helm of Malins Pools, I would not recommend Malins Pools to anyone, least they find themselves in the same pridictament as those people who trusted him and bought a Curtis Pool only to be left holding the bag.

[INFORMED IE CONSUMER]

To the REAL TRUTH...

WOW!!! I was intriqued by your lofty view of Curt Malins "conviction" as if it were a mere indescretion, maybe even a misdomeanor, .. so I thought maybe there was more to it and my curiosity was peeked so I googled his name to see what would come up, and THERE IT WAS TOP LINE IN GOOGLE - - - And you TRUST THIS GUY????? He doesn't even have a contractors license now, (see line 3 below), boy!! Did you open a can of worms... how is this guy going to run Malins Pools now without a contractors license??? (Can't use Dad's, Bill Malins Sr. passed away) This is not a "baa baa black sheep" story, it is a down and out criminal story -Curtis Malins IS A CONVICTED FELON!!! THREE FELONY COUNTS!! I bet those 89 people he duped when he owned Curtis Pools, would not give such a glowing recommendation.

POOL CONTRACTOR GUILTY OF FELONY VIOLATIONS

Surrenders Contractors License

SAN BERNARDINO - A Contractors State License Board (CSLB) investigation prompted a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge to order jail time and restitution for a local swimming pool and landscape contractor. Additionally, Curtis Custom Pools owner Curtis Michael Malins was ordered to surrender his contractor's license by August 1. Malins, who was found guilty on three felony counts of diversion of construction funds, was ordered to serve one year in county jail and five years of supervised probation, to surrender his contractor's license, and to pay restitution to his victims. A restitution hearing is scheduled for October 25, 2001.

The CSLB alleges Curtis Custom Pools victimized over a dozen consumers and committed multiple contractor law violations, including job abandonment, poor workmanship, taking funds in excess of work performed (frontloading), failure to pay subcontractors, and misuse of funds or failure to account for funds. Complaints against Curtis Custom Pools generated from homeowners in San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.

And then the other blurb stated:

"Curtis Malins, owner of now-defunct Curtis Custom Pools in Chino, Calif., must serve a year in jail, surrender his contractor’s license and pay $400,000 in restitution to clients for leaving at least 89 pools incomplete, according to Ken Ayers, senior investigator with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, Specialized Prosecutions Unit. Malins closed his offices abruptly in June 2000."

Check it out yourself: Go to Google and type in Curtis Malins... Remember The Real Truth, Malins Custom Pools is not the same company as it was under the leadership of Bill Malins, Sr. Malins Custom Pools is now under the leadership of Curtis Malins...will history repeat itself?

[Saskman]

Wow california has some goooood laws