IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE YOU HIRE A BUILDER

If you are considering building a pool or spa in the metro New Orleans area we encourage you to ask these questions to your potential pool builder before making a final decision. If you are not satisfied with the answers you receive from other companies, we invite you to contact us today and find out how Pleasure Pools is different from other pool builders in the New Orleans area. Contact us today via telephone at 1-866-842-8061 or via email at sales@pleasurepoolsno.com.

WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS?
Your first consideration should be your prospective pool builder's qualifications. This should include years of EXPERIENCE and you should also make a concerted effort to find out what this experience consist of. Many inexperienced pool builders who are just starting out in the business, will advertise "30 years of experience." You have to ask, "experience in doing what?" In many cases, you may find that they have been an electrician for the pool industry for that many years, yet they have never installed a swimming pool. They feel that they are being dishonest by their advertising, but at the very least, it is very misleading. Does your builder have a Louisiana State Contractor's License for pool building? Has he been accepted into any Builder's Guild or trade associations? Does he have any special training that qualifies him as a builder?

WHAT IS YOUR RECORD OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?
Referrals are important, but even the worst pool builder can give you a large list of "satisfied" customers. The Better Business Bureau does a good job, but in today's litigious society, they have to be very careful what they tell you. Generally, they will tell you only how many complaints have been lodged against a company and if the company has attempted to resolve the issues. Builders who don't satisfy their clients usually end up in court quite often, and a review of the judicial record will expose many companies that may appear, on the outside, to be very good. You should ask a pool builder if he has ever been sued, and the outcome of the litigation. You should ask the builder if he has any outstanding judgements against his company.

DOES YOUR COMANY HAVE AN OFFICE AND A STAFF?
It costs money to maintain an office and to staff it. Unless as builder has an organizational structure, with a competent staff, you won't get the service you expect. Designers are required to plan and design your pool. Superintendents are required to make sure that the work is performed to certain standards. Schedulers are required to keep your pool on a reasonable time schedule. The builder working out of his truck can "save" you a lot of money by not acquiring this overhead, but he will have a very difficult time providing the service and quality that most people expect today. Ask your pool contractor how his company is organized.

WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT WILL YOU USE?
If you find that your builder is using mechanical equipment that comes from 5 or 6 different manufacturers, he is probably price-shopping his equipment. If your builder consistently buys the cheapest equipment, it is certain that you will get the worst service. Ask your pool company to make a case for each piece of equipment he is using on your pool. It may be boring now to listen to why he feels each piece of equipment is better than what is used by his compettitors, but it will pay large dividends in the long run.

WHAT IS YOUR COMPLETION RECORD?
Has your pool contractor completed every job that he has started? If not, you should ask why.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CIRCULATE THE WATER AROUND THE POOL?
This may seem to be a silly question, but did you know that there are many "expert" pool builders who will install a pool without any regard to adequate water circulation. Your builder should be able to explain how and why he places his jets (pool returns) and skimmers. If he hasn't thought that far, you might consider another pool company.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE POOL IS FINISHED?
Does your swimming pool builder have an orderly, professional way to start up the pool and turn the pool over to you? Your ability to operate and maintain the pool is of paramount importance. What is the use of having the Taj-Mahal in your back yard if it is green cloudy, and full of algae?

DOES YOUR COMPANY HAVE ASSETS IN THIS PARISH OR STATE?
Any pool company doing business in your parish or state should have some assets in that same parish or state. If not, the assets may have been hidden or diverted to protect them. You should ask why these assets need to be protected. Some pool companies work barely within the confines of lagality. Although in many cases their actions may be legal, they are far from ethical. Illegal actions eventually come home to roost with disastrous consequences.

HAS YOUR BUILDER (OR DESIGNER) BEEN HONEST WITH YOU?
If, in the course of asking the questions above, you find that your pool builder or designer has been evasive or less than 100% forthcoming with you, you are proceeding at your own risk. Each summer, many buyers are taken in by pool companies that have been blatantly dishonest from the beginning. Don't expect someone that has lied to you in the beginning to suddenly have a change of character. Steer away from give-aways, deals, limited time promotions and such. The best deal you can get is a fairly priced pool that will return to the builder a profit that will keep him in business.

At Pleasure Pools we are proud of our record of customer service and our 14 year record of building high quality pools. We invite to visit our office in Metairie or our pool showroom in Mandeville to meet our staff and have these questions answered to your satisfaction.