Ready to Get Your Feet Wet?

OK, armed with the facts, you’ve decided you want that pool. What’s next? We asked local experts and the pool institute for some tips for when you’re ready to hire a pool contractor.

* Choose carefully. Reliable contractors say they get the majority of their business through referrals. So talk to your friends. Interview at least three builders and pay attention to your gut feelings. Note that the size of a builder’s Yellow Pages ad does not always correlate with his or her competence.

And call your local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau to check the builder’s reputation.

Choose contractors with a minimum of three years’ experience building nothing but swimming pools. Ask to see a photo album showing the company’s projects. Ask for the names and phone numbers of three satisfied customers--and call them. Ask the references about the experience they had with the company and whether anything went wrong.

Be sure to ask:

* Was the project finished on time and within budget?

* Did the price change along the way?

* How easy was it to contact the contractor during the building process?

* Did the workers show up each day?

Talk to at least one family that has had its pool for three years or more so you can ask about warranty problems, continuing service and pool quality.

For a free 15-page booklet, “How to Recognize a Professional Pool Builder,” contact the pool institute at (800) 323-3996.

* Check the paperwork. Ask to see the contractor’s license and insurance certificates and make photocopies. In California, contractors are required to obtain licenses from the Contractors State License Board in Sacramento. Call the licensing board at (800) 321-CSLB to authenticate the license.

Permit costs vary tremendously from city to city--and can eat into your pool budget.

“A permit for a simple pool on a flat lot in some cities can cost less than $1,000,” Fritts said. “In a hilly area such as Palos Verdes, where you may need soil engineering and other pre-construction testing, a permit may run as high as $4,000.”

Insurance certificates for both liability and workers’ compensation are critical. Verify them by calling the contractor’s insurance company. You’ll want the contractor to retain all legal liability if a worker is hurt on your job. If not, your homeowners policy will have to pay.

* Determine who will be doing the actual work. When a pool company uses its own labor, the line of responsibility is clear. If the company subcontracts some of the work, the pool institute suggests that you research the subcontractor’s reputation (just as you did the contractor’s) and determine who will be responsible should problems arise a few years down the road. Issues such as these should be resolved before the first bit of dirt is moved.

On occasion, a pool contractor will hire a salesperson to come to your house, Fritts said. “Sometimes the guy you deal with you never see again,” he said. “You want to have the name of the person who will be in charge during construction, someone you can call with questions or concerns.”

* Get bids in writing. Make sure the bid specifies all materials, including quantity, brand, size and color. Include clean-up costs. “Make sure you compare apples and apples,” advised Fritts.

“And make sure you’re getting a bid for the complete package. Some contractors bid low and then try to jack up the price with overpriced add-ons after you’ve signed the contract.”

Find out why the high bidder is the most costly and why the low bid is below the others. Did the low bidder forget something? Or is that company really the most efficient? All labor, materials and pool equipment warranties should be in writing.

Never let the builder rush you into signing the contract. If you don’t understand something, don’t sign. Ask questions. Also, the contract should contain an arbitration or mediation clause to protect you in case of a dispute.

* Protect yourself. Never pay cash. Use checks or money orders only. Link your payments to completed milestones and pay only when you are satisfied that each phase has been completed to your satisfaction.

The pool institute advises that you hold the final payment until you have received and reviewed the contractor’s completion notice, received an approval from your local building or safety department and--very important--received a release of lien from each subcontractor and building supplier.