Owning a swimming pool may seem like a dream come true. But others who have gone through the building and servicing process offer cautionary tales.
Poor communication, shoddy workmanship and overall bad customer service top the list of Angie’s List member complaints about pool construction and pool maintenance providers. Between April 2012 and May 2013, nearly 1,300 negative reviews submitted nationally between May 2012 and May 2013. In the last year, members submitted 84 negative reviews nationally, indicating homeowners always do their research before hiring a contractor.
Pool building became difficult business during the last recession, when houseing starts declined substantially, says Howard Beldner, president of Professional Industries, a highly rated pool maintenance company in St. Louis.
“Not as many pools are being built,” he say. “Many excellent builders were unable to sustain their business and have closed.”
But overzealous homeowners, helped set the problem into motion before economic downturn, says Mark Swink, owner of Swink’s Creations in Simi Valley, Calif.
“Before the economy tanked, people weren’t that picky,” he says. “They were willing to take the risk on the cheaper price, and a lot of people got burned.”
As companies closed their doors and cease to honor their contracts, homeowners were left searching for the best in the business. But finding reputable pool construction contractors remains a challenge, as evidenced by the aforementioned negative reviews over the last year.
