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montenang

New Pool Construction very Frustrated! Help!

montenang
11 years ago

I am a mother of 3, 39, and fight terminal cancer. My husband and I of 20 years decided to build a pool and spa in the backyard for therapeutic reasons for me, and to build fun and memories with our children.

We researched local companies, got two quotes and designs and loved the first one. The first company had glowing recommendations online. We moved forward May 1st.

Day 1: They started excavation. I new this would be messy, but our entire previously landscaped backyard was demolished. They crack 2, 3 foot sections of our existing patio. Then later into the project two more sections. They never said anything to us until I asked them about and an how surprised I was that it had happened. They casually said not to worry about it that they would fix the sections that they broke. When I was concerned and said that the concrete would be difficult to match and I was afraid would look like a patchwork quilt they said, Well, if you want a new side walk you will have to pay for the 20% that they did not damage.

Day two: Our designer said that he forgot to have me initial some papers. One of which said if they ran into rock it may be an extra $3,600 per day for digging (backdated to the day before). He told me not to worry because he would give us a break on the rock that they had hit the day before.

Since then, they dug back too deep behind our spa and said that we would now need to pay for a retainer wall for that section (about 8-10' wide). They many times do not show up to work on days without telling us. They severed all of our existing landscaping irrigation to our entire landscaped yard, almost 1/2 acre. They said that was typical of this type of construction and that we would need a landscaper to come out and fix it.

Before we signed the contract, we decided to visit their showroom. Our pool design is mediterranean and very simplistic with flagstone and a raised cantilever spa. When I told him that I did not see any flagstone I loved at his showroom (there were about 5), he said oh, don't worry, I'll take you to Silverado, they have hundreds to choose from and I like to go with my clients to help them put together complimentary elements. When I called to ask if he could have the cad guy draw in the new retainer wall to the existing 3D images he had drawn for us before we signed, that we now have to pay for he said, well, he's really busy right now. We are meeting with him tomorrow to try to make our selections, I mentioned the Silverado place for the flagestone and he flat out responded with, I really don't want to go there. I was shocked. So many promises, not delivered, my backyard is a wreck and we are now $5-6,000 over budget, just at this point.

I have cried, I am frustrated, and I don't now if we will ever get the pool and spa we were promised or our backyard put back together. We live in a very strict HOA gated community and just since he started our pool he has gotten two of my neighbors as new clients, as they have seen all his work trucks and there are only certain pool companies that our HOA will allow to do construction here.

I feel like I am just an observer paying them to do whatever they want to do with our backyard, whether I like it or not. I thought this would be exciting and fun for our whole family and now I am stuck in a nightmare. He has said on a couple of occasions, whenever I question extra expenses, "This pool should have cost you $20,000 more.

Frustrated, sad, and the worst consumer experience I have ever had. Don't know how to get my backyard back. My husband juggles a very high stress job, three children, and a sick wife who takes chemo weekly for the rest of my life and now he has to try to work this out. They should be ashamed. I feel like calling a news crew and let them hear our story and see our yard.

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