You have always wanted to have a pool in your backyard and you finally decided to make one. You have enough money as well as the space provided for it and all you have to do is find a contractor. Whether you are building a small pool for just a few people or a large one, which will be used for swimming, you want everything to be done as well as possible.
Still, it is a big investment and something which is done maybe once in a lifetime. The choice of contractors is large and everyone is trying to attract you with different offers. When you look at all the offers, everything will look great, because they are made to attract customers. But you need to know certain things that you need to pay attention to in order to choose the right one. Our guide will help you with that and give you all the tips you need.
1. Check all contractor information
It is best to start by checking credentials, as this will tell you at the outset whether you should consider this option at all. Check if they are an official company and by official we mean if they operate legally, then what licenses they have and the like. According to littlepools.com.au, be sure to get proof or documentation of this before you sign a contract with them. This way you will also find out who their subcontractors are, if they have them, so you will be able to check them immediately. Subcontractors may not meet your standards, so you need to check everything. It is also best to visit their office, it will give you an insight into whether they look respectable, although the look of the office is certainly not a crucial thing.
2. Ask for recommendations
Ask them to give you customer contacts who have been satisfied with their service and are willing to give you a recommendation. Only then you will know if they are really doing a good job. Ask them how many clients they have had in the past because it can also give you an insight into their business. While it will sound great to be able to start working as soon as you call them, it can also be a cause for alarm. Maybe that means they don’t have other clients because the previous ones weren’t satisfied. So pay attention to everything and contact at least a few former clients. And compare the number of clients with the number who are willing to give a recommendation. If the difference between the two numbers is very large, continue your search.
3. Look for reviews online
Although recommendations are a great indicator of their work, look for online reviews as well. Nowadays, Google reviews are something you should definitely read. There may also be fake reviews written by the competition or them, but look at the general experiences people have had with them. When a profile has a lot of reviews written, it is more likely to be real rather than fake.
4. Experience is very important
Experience in any job is important, and this can especially apply to construction jobs. Experienced contractors will be able to make any shape of pool. Also, their experience can be very helpful if you are not sure which type of pool you would like or which one best fits your yard. They know how to do whatever you ask of them, because after so many years of experience, they have faced every situation.
This is a job that requires a lot of skills, so it is best to choose those with at least a few years of experience. Of course every company has to start somewhere, so if you get very good recommendations for a new company, and in addition they offer you a lower price, it does not mean that you should automatically reject them. Take every option into consideration.
5. Check the down payment
Down payment is a normal thing that most contractors will ask you for any job. But before signing the contract, it is important to check how much the down payment is. Between 10 and 20 percent is normal and expect that. You can expect maximum of 25 percent with companies that have a great reputation and a lot of work, so they ensure that way, that you are a serious client. But if they ask you for half of the agreed money in advance or something like that, it could mean that they don’t have money at all because their business is not successful. If the cash flow is bad, then they will ask you for a lot of money in advance and find someone else better.
6. Insurance
One of the reasons why it is important to look for licensed companies is that they most likely have insurance. No insurance company will offer a contract to anyone who is not licensed, so only the licensed can get insurance. And why is their insurance important to you? Various damages can occur in all construction works, but if the contractor has insurance, then the insurance will cover all the damage you have suffered. If they don’t have insurance, then you will have to start a lawsuit and it will all turn into a long and tedious process, and until then you will have to fix everything spending your money.
7. Warranty
Warranty is very important when building a pool. It’s a big job where you’re going to invest a lot of money and you don’t want to have to spend money on repairs again anytime soon. You need to get a warranty of at least a few years on the pool. And that will also be a sign of how much that company values its work. If they are confident in their work and know that previous clients have not complained, they will offer you a long warranty and vice versa.
Conclusion
Pay attention to all these details when choosing the people who will build your pool. You don’t want something bad to happen because it’s not a small investment.
