Installing a swimming pool is fun because you and your family or friends finally have a place to relax during the hot days. However, it is also a big investment, and you must ensure you work with the best swimming pool contractor.
The people who install your poll determine the pool’s quality, longevity, and installation schedule. There are numerous swimming pool contractors in the business, and all claim to have the best services, which could make the choosing process long and tedious.
Some of the questions you need to ask before hiring a pool contractor include:
Can I See Your Credentials?
This is one of the main things you should look for. Ask the pool contractor whether everyone in the company received the right training and passed all the tests. Looking at their credentials helps you understand whether they received their training from accredited institutions and their skills.
You should also ask if they have all the required licenses and permits to run the business and provide their services. For a business to have a license and permit, it must meet all the state, federal, and county requirements.
With the license, you can search for the business on the Better Business Bureau to look at their rating. You can also see if they have had previous complaints from clients and what they did to solve them.
Finally, ask if they have insurance. Pool contractors should have liability plus employee compensation insurance covers. This way, you will be covered for all damages or injuries you or the company’s employees incur as they work on your property.
How Long Have You Been In Business?
The longer a pool contractor has been in business, the better their services. Experience gives the pool contractor a chance to practice and improve their knowledge and skills when working on different pools.
Ask your pool instructor how many years they have been in business and how many clients they served in the last few months. Also, ask them if they have served clients with similar pool installation needs, including the size and material.
For more assurance, ask the pool contractor to show you videos or photos of some of the latest and similar projects they have done. It would help if you also asked for contacts of a few of their previous clients to ask them how the services were and how the experience of working with contractors was.
Do You Use Subcontractors?
It is not uncommon to find a pool contractor who uses subcontractors for some jobs. However, ensure you know whether they use them and what they use them for. Ask for their official name so that you can conduct an in-depth search to determine whether you are comfortable working with them.
Look at their experience, qualifications, materials they use, and reputation. You should also ask the pool contractors how working with the sub-contractor will affect your budget. Sometimes, people who sub-contract charge more than those who don’t.
Will I Sign A Contract?
Signing a contract is a must before working with any contractor. Contracts help you understand the terms of the project so that you and the contractor are on the same page. However, you need to know everything included in the document. A good contract will include:
- The contractor's name and physical address.
- Your name and address.
- Project timeline.
- Budget, including service and materials.
- Payment schedule and methods.
- Your responsiblities.
- The contractor's responsibilities.
- Warranty (labor and materials).
There should also be a clause stating the terms under which you or the contractor can terminate the contract and what happens after that. Ensure that you and the contractor sign the contract and remain with a copy of the contract.
You should also state the size and materials you want for your pool installation. Before deciding, ask the contractor to take you through all the materials. If they have a showroom, the best thing is to go there and compare them in person.
If you or the pool contractor want to change, add, or remove any project details, ensure you both add them to the contract.
Are There After-Sale Services?
The worst thing you could experience is having a contractor install your pool, then leave you in the dark when you experience problems in the future. The first after-sale service you should ask for is if they clear out the debris and waste from the pool installation.
You should also know whether they will come to do maintenance services on your pool after installation. If they do, ask them to specify which services you will get.
While most contractors will say they offer these services, the best way to be sure is to look at what previous clients say. Go online and read customer reviews about the company, specifically about their maintenance services.
Conclusion
There are many pool construction companies, but finding a dependable and trustworthy one is the hardest part of the pool installation process. Asking the above questions will give you a lot of information about the contractors and help you determine their communication skills.
