Frequently Asked Questions

It is a system where the homeowner schedules the sub contractors rather then a pool company. Most pool companies are brokers who schedule subs for you and make money by marking up their prices.

Scheduling a swimming pool takes relatively little know how. At most pool companies it is the receptionist/secretary that schedules the pool. They know what the order of events is and coordinate the job. Pool Planners provides a step-by-step building guide to walk you through the scheduling. They also help you with the pool design, the technical drawings for the permit, acquire engineering, and help line up quality-licensed subs. They also do unlimited phone consultation and site inspections as needed for one low price. You do the scheduling which is as simple as coordinating a child’s birthday party.

Each sub contractor warranties their own work. You end up with a better warranty then with the traditional pool company, as it is spread out over eight or nine contractors rather then one. If the pool contractor goes out of business, you end up with no one to warranty your project. Sub contractors have a far better record of staying in business then pool contractors!

We have a low, flat-rate consulting fee that includes all of our services from design to oversight. We also provide the pool equipment, making a small profit on that. This method helps keep what we charge you commensurate with the amount of work we will need to put into your project. The small profits we make on the pool equipment will vary based on the complexity of the pool and helps keep costs down for those who are building simpler projects. This system allows us to keep the consulting fees very low.

The average backyard pool takes about six weeks from excavation. The amount of time to get to excavation varies by municipality and their ability to process your permit.

We know every company does not build the highest quality pool. Pool builders have different levels of skill and experience. The LOWEST bid is a guaranteed way to NOT get the highest quality pool. Many pool builders don’t even know that they build a low quality pool. They build what they were taught thirty years ago and haven’t changed a thing! It is important that you educate yourself about swimming pools. The best way to do that is by working with Pool Planners who can educate you, and steer you toward the best quality pool no mater how big or small of a project you want to build. 

Pool Planners can help you realize a savings of up to 25% over a traditional quality pool company. 

The only way to guarantee that you will not have a pool company horror story is to not use one. Sales people or construction laborers, who think they can do it better, start many of the problem pool companies. Most sales people have little construction or building experience. Laborers have little construction experience outside of their immediate specialty and no design experience at all. Additionally both have little business experience and are usually under capitalized. You can normally find these guys by looking for the “lowest price”. Joining the growing fraternity of people who have become owner builders is the only way to insure that you will not have these issues. If a sub goes out of business, pick another one. You control your money, paying each sub after they finish their work. You will never have a situation where a pool company has left you with a mess in your back yard and taken thousands of dollars of your money!

Pool Planners has the published price lists of the quality sub contractors in Tucson. Pool Planners, as part of their regular service, will job cost the entire project for you. The final estimate for a typical pool should be within 2% to 5% of the finished price if there are no changes. Some pools that have specially engineered details may vary more, but you will be consulted about this in the design process. No estimator can give you a 100% perfect estimate. There are always small over and under costs on any project. It is also important to carefully read any pool company contract you sign. With some pool companies the contract price may be subject to change as the project unfolds. 

Most salesmen want to paint a picture to you with an emotional spin. This is the easiest way to make the sale fast, with the least objections. Few sales people really understand how a quality pool is built. The pool design is important, but it is the quality that makes the pool a joy to own after the newness of the design has worn off. Your designer should understand plumbing hydraulics and how all the factors of the pump, filter, and pipe sizes all work together. They should understand structures and know how steel and concrete work. They should also understand soil conditions and the problems that can arise if there are soil issues. Sales people rarely know about these things, so it is important that someone at the pool company does. You need to educate your self about these factors ahead of time. This may take some work, but will pay off in the end.

RUN!!!! There is no special magic that can only happen today. Most high-pressure sales revolve around these types of tactics. It keeps you from really finding out what you are buying until it is too late. They don’t want you educating yourself about what you are buying. The pool company knows what they are selling and if you don’t you lose! The pool company can almost always give you the same “deal” the next week or next month. A pool is real estate. You can’t trade it in if you make a bad decision

The pool and spa industry has a professional organization called ‘The Association Of Pool and Spa Professionals” also known as APSP. This is the premier swimming pool professional organization in the world. They help set the standards that most local pool building codes are taken from. They are on the web at www.apsp.org Your builder should at minimum be a member of this organization and if you want the best of the best make sure that they hold a CBP (Certified Building Professional) designation. You shouldn’t go to a doctor that is not a member of the AMA, and you shouldn’t build a pool with a builder who is not a member of APSP!