Joel C Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 After weeks of research, I just signed a contract for a new fiberglass pool to be built in my back yard. I am going through Premier Fiberglass here in Austin, TX and they said construction should hopefully start within 3 weeks and take just over 2 weeks to finish. I got a 34' x 15' Moroccan style pool from Leisure Pools. It is going to cost a little more than gunite, but it seemed that the pros (less chemicals, less electricity, no replastering, much faster build time, etc.) outweighed the minor cons (less choice in shapes). I'll try to post updates on the progress here so I can share my experience, good and bad (hopefully not so much bad). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted April 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 There were some issues with our septic system and the inspector until yesterday. The inspector contacted the county about the minimum distance between the septic tank and the pool. He was told it the minimum distance was 5 feet. Most of our yard is covered with a septic drain field so there is only one part of the back yard along the side where we can put the pool. The septic tank itself is far away from that area, but the drain field is pretty close. It turns out the inspector and whoever he talked to with the county mis-communicated with each other. We contacted the county office and found out that the pool only has to be 1 foot away from the drain field which puts us close, but well within that limit. Now the pool permit can now be ordered. Hopefully the rest of the project will go a little smoother, but our inspector guy does not seem too bright... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted April 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Well there have been some delays. I sure the crazy amount of rain we have been having in April hasn't helped the schedule. However, they finally started cutting down the 8 or so trees where the pool is going this Saturday and Sunday. They must have had some urgency since they had people working on both weekend days. Most of the trees are gone and they were supposed to come today to clear out the rest of the trees, but it is, of course raining hard again. I'm not sure if they're at my house now, but it is coming down pretty hard with lightning. The Rain chances are Today 80%, Tue 50%, Wed 30% and Thu 20%. The weather guys are saying that a cold front will be hitting next Monday too with a chance of showers and storms. D'oh! Premier Fiberglass has stated that we will be swimming by Memorial Day weekend. I hope that is true and the weather gets a little drier down here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Digging has finally started! The salesperson from Premier Fiberglass did say we would be swimming by Memorial Day a while back. It looks like that is definitely a possibility now. Here is the first pic: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted May 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 Day 3 of the build (not including tree trimming) is complete. The pool is here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted May 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Day 4 is over. The pool is full and the pumps are running. The foreman said they could possibly be done with everything by this weekend. Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel C Posted May 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 I've been busy the last few days so forgive the delay. Well the concrete was finished on the 22nd of May and here is a shot from May 23rd. They cleaned and added salt (for the chlorine generator) yesterday. So we are pretty much ready to go! I'll try to add some better pics in the coming days and let you know how the pool is holding up. We're are supposed to get a crazy amount or rain and thunderstorms this weekend, but hopefully I can enjoy the pool on a sunny day soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concept27 Posted May 27, 2007 Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 Thanks for all the info and photos. We live in Hutto and we are thinking about a pool...fiberglass or gunite. What is the range of pricing you found for the fiberglass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted July 16, 2007 Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 Beware of an installer named Jumper in this area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccdan Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Also beware of John Johnson and Emerald Pool and Spa in the Austin, San Antonio, Corpus areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccdan Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Also beware of John Johnson and Emerald Pool and Spa in the Austin, San Antonio, Corpus areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcj Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Also beware of John Johnson and Emerald Pool and Spa in the Austin, San Antonio, Corpus areas. ccdan- Would you please explain caution with John Johnson. Reason I ask is because I have known and done business with a very good backhoe guy for a few years now in my area of Rockport. He has worked with John on about a half dozen installs and has felt only the best about him and hence has recommended him. Your experience is appreciated. marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccdan Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Also beware of John Johnson and Emerald Pool and Spa in the Austin, San Antonio, Corpus areas. ccdan- Would you please explain caution with John Johnson. Reason I ask is because I have known and done business with a very good backhoe guy for a few years now in my area of Rockport. He has worked with John on about a half dozen installs and has felt only the best about him and hence has recommended him. Your experience is appreciated. marc Johnson did not deliver as promised on a number of contract issues with the pool. He was suppose to have the pool installed in 2-3 weeks, took months, he never really finished it. We contracted with John Johnson and Emerald Pools in May of 2006. We still are unsatisfied and uncompleted in july 2007. Issues with this business include but are not limited to: 1.Emerald Pools and Mr. Johnson did not complete this job in a workman like manner causing me current and future dollar damages and in violation of his contract. a.There are no expansion joints in the pool deck under the flagstone causing an unstable base which will prematurely crack and require expensive repairs. This process has already begun with concrete damage. b.There are cement stains on the pool due to his workmen spilling cement when they poured cement on September 1, 2006. We have made numerous appointments with Mr. Johnson to clean the stains but he never showed at the property. c. Neither Mr. Johnson nor his employees dressed the property as called for by the contract. I did that work. d. Mr. Johnson was not familiar with City code and was unwilling to pay the plumbing fee to properly install a sand filter as contracted but instead installed a cartridge filer that involves more upkeep and expense on my behalf. e. He filled the pool with water before the electrical inspector could inspect the wet niche for the pool light. 2.Mr. Johnson has never instructed us on the use of the pool and pool equipment as stated in the contract. 3.Mr. Johnson has not given us the starter chemicals as stated in the contract. 4.Mr. Johnson still owes us money for a slide we contracted for but was never delivered by him, causing us to buy one and install it ourselves. ($1400) 5.Mr. Johnson still owes us money for the spa jets (“bubbles") as written in the contract. ($2,500) 6.Mr. Johnson took $85.00 over contract price in checks from lender and never refunded change. Finally, Mr. Johnson's claims we owe him money. Mr. Johnson's contract clearly states in line 14, “Any additional work not included in total amount of contract, agreed to by Emerald Pools and the and home owner or general contractor will be paid at the time cost is incurred." Clearly we understood this clause as we paid $1,200.00 to Mr. Johnson for the extra flagstone and deck work, for which he now claims we owe money. Pursuant to the contract any costs such as those mentioned by Mr. Johnson should have been collected when incurred in early September or October of 2006. I can assure you, Mr. Johnson is not shy about collecting money. Yet, March 2007 was the first mention or notice we have received from Mr. Johnson and/or Emerald Pools that we allegedly owe any money. These issues are the issues that remain after 14 months of working with the company, there are too many other stories to tell about the construction process, including having to dig my own 18" deep electrical trench, workers showing up 2 1/2 hours late when the cement truck was here, etc, etc. Please tell others to avoid doing business with this company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldye Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 hi joel. just saw this. do you have a picture of your completed pool and deck. my kiddo and i are thinking of a fiberglass pool, but i'm a bit chicken... thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitectLINK Posted February 16, 2008 Report Share Posted February 16, 2008 hi joel. just saw this. do you have a picture of your completed pool and deck. my kiddo and i are thinking of a fiberglass pool, but i'm a bit chicken... thanks Great photos and commentary...please post your FINAL opinions, are you happy, did it come in under budget, did it ever stop raining where you are, are you happy with the color, any other comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnie Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 hi joel. just saw this. do you have a picture of your completed pool and deck. my kiddo and i are thinking of a fiberglass pool, but i'm a bit chicken... thanks Look here .. www.sunpools.com/How-To.ppt maybe this will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisandAngela Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 I've been busy the last few days so forgive the delay. Well the concrete was finished on the 22nd of May and here is a shot from May 23rd. They cleaned and added salt (for the chlorine generator) yesterday. So we are pretty much ready to go! I'll try to add some better pics in the coming days and let you know how the pool is holding up. We're are supposed to get a crazy amount or rain and thunderstorms this weekend, but hopefully I can enjoy the pool on a sunny day soon... Joel C - I too live in the Austin area (Cedar Park) and have been in contact with Premier Fiberglass about a Leisure Pools pool. Now that it has been a year or so since your project was completed, what can you tell me about the experience? Short of the rain delays in 2007, are you happy with the pool? The install process? The folks at Premier? Any additional information you can add would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddh Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Joel C - I too live in the Austin area (Cedar Park) and have been in contact with Premier Fiberglass about a Leisure Pools pool. Now that it has been a year or so since your project was completed, what can you tell me about the experience? Short of the rain delays in 2007, are you happy with the pool? The install process? The folks at Premier? Any additional information you can add would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. ChrisandAngela, how's it going with Premier? I live in Leander and am researching an inground pool. I am back and forth between fiberglass and inground vinyl. I was a little surprised by Joel C's comment (orig post) about the fiberglass being a little more than the gunite. I thought one of the pro's about fiberglass is the cost of installation. Anyway, how's the progress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisandAngela Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Joel C - I too live in the Austin area (Cedar Park) and have been in contact with Premier Fiberglass about a Leisure Pools pool. Now that it has been a year or so since your project was completed, what can you tell me about the experience? Short of the rain delays in 2007, are you happy with the pool? The install process? The folks at Premier? Any additional information you can add would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. ChrisandAngela, how's it going with Premier? I live in Leander and am researching an inground pool. I am back and forth between fiberglass and inground vinyl. I was a little surprised by Joel C's comment (orig post) about the fiberglass being a little more than the gunite. I thought one of the pro's about fiberglass is the cost of installation. Anyway, how's the progress? No news yet on the pool. We are still very much in the "what pool is right for us?". Just like you, the decision is between vinyl and fiberglass. I talked to Premier and was quoted a beginning figure of $30k for fiberglass. That said, if it is installed properly, my understanding is it requires very little maintenance, smaller amounts of chemicals, less demand on the filter system, etc. Over the long run (10+ years), I figure it will be the most cost effective of the 3 (including gunite). Trouble is the upfront cost is considerably higher. I would be interested to know your decisions and what you are finding out. Please keep the post running. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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