“In some cases,” he adds, “there are those who will go so far as to show clients photos of work that they didn’t do.  Ask the prospective contractor to refer you to former clients and, if possible, visit some of their past projects.  Do your homework before you spend a dime.”


Design Fees:  Unlike some other fields in which professionals charge separate fees for design and construction, many companies in the pool and spa industry provided designs for free, primarily as a sales tool.  Tisherman and some other operations argue that a quality swimming pool design requires a fee.  Otherwise, he says, “you’re most likely getting an off - the  - shelf generic design that’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.  If it’s free, you probably don’t want it.”


Structural Integrity:  Because swimming pools are installed directly into the ground, they are vulnerable to geological conditions in the form of freeze - thaw cycles, high water tables, and varying soil conditions.  As a result, structural failures stand as one of the most common and costly problems.  “Pools must be properly engineered based on reliable information about soils and geology,” Tisherman says.  “The problem is that many companies use standardized structural plans, which may or may not be appropriate for the conditions at a given site.  For homeowners this can add up to a costly game of Russian roulette because if a structure cracks, fixing the problem can cost several times what it would take to do the job right in the first place.


“The solution,” he says, “is to be sure your contractor works with proper soil reports and engineering by a licensed structural engineer based on that data.”


Hydraulics:  Moving water though a pool’s circulation system requires energy in the form of electrical power.  Systems with properly sized motors, pumps, filters, and plumbing will operate at a fraction of the cost of those lacking sound engineering.  “Some firms install undersized plumbing to cut costs,” he says.  “Then they compound the problem by selling customers pumps and motors that are too big in an effort to make them believe they are getting more power for the dollar.”