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Why Buying the Lowest Priced Pool is a Mistake

At Patio Pools, we see it every year. People call us with their pools in some stage of construction bemoaning the fact that their pool builder has not done a quality job, they find themselves in their 4th month of building with no end in sight or worse yet their builder has gone out of business and liens are being filed by creditors. Unfortunately, many times it is too late for us to help them. Purchasing and deciding on a new pool builder is a serious undertaking and a big investment. But we see many people who simply go after the lowest price and in some cases don't even check out the references of their builder.

So here are some reasons why buying on price alone can come back to haunt you.

• This group of builders typically uses the cheapest labor they can find and sometimes that labor is inexperienced and even worse, unlicensed. Even if these workers are conscientious, it is difficult for them to point out problems for fear of not being paid by the contractor.
• Because of low margins, these builders are more likely to use lower quality materials and building techniques. For example:
• Utilization of inferior pool finishes (like marcite).
• Undersized pumps and filters.
• Cheap bullnose tile instead of bullnose brick or cantilever deck edge.
• Every year you hear about pool builders going out of business and leaving their customers high and dry! It is typically these lower cost pool builders who are most susceptible. Don't become the next consumer news feature on your local TV news.
• Will your builder give you referrals from happy customers who have recently had a pool built as well as customers who have owned their pool for a few years? It's better if you determine if the pools being built can pass the test of time than get stuck with expensive replacement and repair costs.
• Foremost, there are more things than just price. Consider how well and how long the pool builder stands behind their product if something goes wrong as well as the type of warranties they offer.

The old saying of "You Get What You Pay For" definitely applies when it comes to building your custom pool.

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