How to choose a pool builder: 12 questions to ask

A pool is a job paid over a payment plan, so you need to know what legal entity you are dealing with. A sole proprietorship is not a problem; not knowing who you are dealing with is.

Ask for a written contract with a scope list attached. The contract should set out the work description, payment plan, duration, what happens in case of delay and what the warranty covers. When a job starts without a contract and a dispute arises, you are left with nothing in your hands.

Ask for the structural design and the plumbing design. A pool shell is a structure that requires structural calculation; wall thickness and reinforcement must be based on a calculation. 'We always do it this way' is not a calculation.

A quote with all of these lines written in usually comes out more expensive. Most of the time it is also the right quote. Every line that is not written down becomes a point of negotiation later.

Brands matter because spare parts and service come from them. A well-known brand for the pump and filter means you can still find parts five years later. With a quote that names no brands, you are not the one deciding what goes in.

Ask to see a finished job in person. A serious company will arrange it.

Ideally, see a pool that is more than two years old. A newly finished pool always looks good; the quality of the work shows in the second and third season. The state of the grout joints, stains along the waterline, blistering in the finish and rust in the plant room all reveal themselves within two years.

Ask the former client one question: when a problem came up, did they come back? A pool is tested not at the moment of sale but at the first breakdown. The answer to this question tells you more than anything else.

The shell and waterproofing warranty, the finish warranty and the equipment warranty are defined separately, and they do not all have to run for the same period. The equipment warranty is usually the manufacturer's warranty, not the installer's.

What the warranty does not cover should also be in writing. User error, frost damage and incorrect use of chemicals are typically excluded, and stating this from the start is good for both sides.

A maintenance contract is a separate matter and should not be confused with the warranty. Some companies make the warranty conditional on keeping a maintenance contract running; ask whether such a condition exists before you sign.

Seven: is heating included in the quote, and what is its capacity? Eight: are the surround paving, landscaping and electrical infrastructure in scope? Nine: who is responsible for the permit and the design? Ten: who pays for the first fill of water? Eleven: how many weeks does the job take, and what happens if it is delayed? Twelve: how many years is the warranty, what does it cover and what does it not cover?

Ask for the answers to these twelve questions in writing. A verbal answer is one that nobody remembers six months later. A company that answers in writing is already a good company; one that avoids doing so has told you everything you need to know about it.

A plan spread over stages such as excavation and groundworks, reinforced concrete, waterproofing, finish, plumbing and commissioning protects both sides. Large sums paid upfront do not set the pace of the work; they set the contractor's motivation.

Leave the final payment until after commissioning. A balance paid once the pool is full of water, the system is running and it has been watched for a few days guarantees that the job is really finished.

Keep a record of every payment. Cash payments cannot be proven in a dispute. Pay the amount stated in the contract into the account stated in the contract.

A figure given without seeing the ground is only an estimate, and that estimate will be corrected either against you or against them.

A company that is pleased when you do not ask for a contract, changes the subject when asked about the structural design, or avoids showing a reference pool has already given you its answer. These are not signs of rudeness but of a lack of knowledge or unwillingness.

A quote well below the market is also a warning. Pool materials cost everyone the same; the difference can only come from labour, scope or material grade. Ask where the difference comes from, and if the answer is not convincing, set the quote aside.