Why are prices so different when it appears to be the same pool?

Warrantees

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Thousands of dollars are saved in not giving extended warrantees. Pro-rated warrantees are also big money savers. Make sure you understand what kind and the time period of your warrantee. And remember, your warrantee is only as good as the company who issues it.

Important Note:
A common misperception is that the the swimming pool contractor pays for warrantees. This is typically not the case. It is acutally the sub contractor who did the work who pays for the warrantee. Therefore, it becomes very important for the swimming pool contractor to choose financially sound sub contractors who will be around for a long time. Otherwise, it becomes the liability of the contractor to fullfill that warrantee work, which, in turn, ultimately drives them out of business. The outcome...customer warrantees are lost.

Size does matter

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While it may seem like an extra few feet of pool length, decking square footage, or plumbing runs is insignificant, often times it is not. In fact, it could mean the difference of a few thousand dollars depending on the materials you are using or the labor that is involved. If you are trying to get an "apples to apples bid", it is best to first pay for a design with specifications (size, equipment, material, warrantee, etc). This will assure contractors are truly bidding off the same thing.

What kind of quality

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It is very easy for contractors to cut corners and very tuff for homeowners to see what corners are being cut. Everything from the proper size plumbing to the amount of steel put in the pool, there is a huge difference in quality and integrity. Many things go into building a quality pool that will stand the tests of time. Ask to see your contractor's construction standards and evaluate the experience that went into creating those standards.

New Companies

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New companies often times do not consider all of the necessary business expenses such as licensing, insurances, or taxes. That is why many of these small businesses come in and go out of business so quickly. Unfortunately, so do the warrantees of all pools they built.

Speed of Construction

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"One man shows" can save thousands per job as employees can be expensive. However, sometimes jobs suffer in speed and quality when those individuals get too busy. It is well worth the cost to invest in a company with a team of professionals to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Location of the Contractor

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Many companies cut costs by working out of the area or from their house. However, there are repercussions to this when an immediate issue or warrantee needs to be resolved. Non-local companies also tend not to know the codes of that area which will cost you time, heart ache, and even money when they are not figured into the original proposal.

Who's doing the work?

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Contractors can save a lot of money with the Sub Contractors they use. But Buyer Beware! Cheap sub contractors are cheap for a reason. Either they don't carry legitamate insurances, they skimp on their quality, or their too young in the industry to factor in legitamate future costs like warrantee. All of these reasons are wrought with challenges for the contractor, which, ultimate affects you.

Contractors will sometimes do all of their work in-house. This can also be a great way to save a lot of money. However, it can cause delays and hick-ups in the work that a specialized sub contractor would be able to handle professionally.

California Pools believes in the philosophy of hiring first class trade partners (subs) who share the same values and quality standards as us. These people are masters of their trade, have been in the business for a long time, and run strong businesses. It is because of these people that California Pools is the great company that it is today.

The Change Order Strategy

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A common occurance in the construction industry is to bid low and make it up on high priced change orders. Make sure your bid includes everything you want and need for your backyard project.

Just a good deal

2008-09-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a great deal just comes around. Call it a mess up in bidding or a desperate contractor needing to stay in business with extra cashflow. However, Buyer Beware. If it is too good to be true, it ussually is. Contractors won't do something for nothing. An under bid project is one of the most common causes to contractors dissapearing, taking too long, or cutting corners.