Part II: What Makes a Bad Pool Contractor

Why You Should Buy From a Qualified Pool Contractor — Not a Part Time Bad Contractor

With over 35 years experience fixing (or bearing witness to someone else’s repairs) shoddy work, I can speak with authority on the subject of bad contractors. As Indiana’s number one pool builder, we’re experts in constructing beautiful swimming pools the right way. But also, from our vantage point, we know just as much in helping customers avoid bad contractors. These next two blogs will help define what a bad contractor is, and how hiring the wrong company to build your pool can have terrible consequences.

Part II: What makes a Bad Contractor, continued?

Most bad contractors will tell you they have adequate insurance. But do they really? A bad contractor’s grass cutting and snow plowing coverage won’t cut it when their concrete truck runs over a city water meter pit, leaving you on the hook for the damages. Ever paid for a fiber optic cable or gas line that runs through your yard?  Neither has your uninsured contractor. Remember, not all insurance is created equal (and neither are pool builders).

Employees – Most bad contractors have undocumented employees or summer help working on your property. Often times, their only qualification is being able to respond to an ad online, or in the paper, typically Bad contractors will classify their employees as 1099 subcontractors. This means they don’t have to provide workers comp insurance or list them as actual employees to the IRS (more money in the Bad contractors pocket by dodging the rules). So if someone cuts, maims, breaks, or injures him or herself in any way, you are responsible because they are on your property and you have insurance. When the attorney’s look for the deepest pockets, you become the target. Due to employee loopholes, your contractor skips the responsibility and places it directly on you. But hey, at least you got a free diving board!

Your Pool — When a mistake happens constructing your pool, the bad contractor likely doesn’t have the cash on hand (or the insurance) to fix the problem. The bad contractor will first ask you to pay or put you off as long as possible because they are working on other paying jobs, then the pool will sit for months while you fight for what’s fair (you lose this fight). Eventually, you will end up hiring the reputable pool builder to clean up the bad contractor’s mess. We at Pools of Fun deal with this phenomena on a regular basis.

Experience — When a bad contractor speaks to their certification, do you know what exactly what that means? Say you are 40 years old. Technically you have 40 years experience. Experience in what? Oh sorry, you didn’t ask at first, so I didn’t define. Anyone that does work on your house — be it building your pool, pouring your concrete, cutting your grass, landscapes, hardscapes, etc. — can pepper their resume to say they’re experienced. But in the name of earning a quick buck, the truth get’s exaggerated. Make sure you’re doing your research.

In our next installment, we’ll speak about certifications, warranties, diving boards and more. Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions, come in and visit one of our five Pools of Fun locations.