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11/2019 we decided on a inground spa replacing a planter area. We contacted a few contractors including Avanti pools. Others were Pool Logic, National Pools, and Athlon Pools. The proposal process is as you would expect, negotiating price/details with each vendor. It finally came down to Athlon and Avanti. Athlon and Avanti were close bids, it came down to the detail items along with my experience with the project folks. Avanti provided a slightly higher bid than Athlon but my interaction with Alex (project planner) sold me. He provided more enthusiasm and conveyed a better plan with the initial layout. Also note, Avanti was the only company to suggest using excavators while other companies had planned on using only jackhammers and shovels. The access to the yard was limited so most of the bids didnt consider excavators while Alex saw no issue getting them through the tight spots. It worked out nicely perhaps reducing the time/cost to remove the large amount of debris. Process start: 1st the removal of the planter, dirt, and large boulders found under the surface. Next the rebar and piping installation began. There was some hidden electrical in the backyard that was under the concrete surface that ended up being damaged, but Avanti repaired it soon after. With the steel and underlying systems routed and installed, the gunite was poured in and the upper tile and couping followed. Next the pebble tec finish was applied. We decided on the cheaper Fina finish, but Alex decided that the more expensive pebble tec was a more durable option to go with and provided that at no additional cost. There was some confusion on the concrete config where we had requested stairs on the sides of the spa. The confusion related to the worded details of the upper platform versus a 3DCAD image. This resulted in the cost of the concrete being underbid and resulted in a renegotiation in determining the added cost of the concrete versus having open dirt planters, which worked out to be about $1130 added. During the process it was determined the heater size could be reduced, without giving up too much heating time, to improve the area needed to place the heater. During the process the permit inspection resulted in having to place the pumping and heating equipment in an alternate loc which also in turn resulted in having to add in a walking area due to the equipment taking away the current path. This new location also resulted in having to remove a tree stump and digging a long trench for piping. In the end the renegotiation process felt reasonable with the added items, including the misunderstood stair tops, along with the reduced cost for the heater equip. Note, debris removal can be a variable based on dumping fees and the amount of debris pulled from the work site. We also asked Avanti to raise a nearby retaining wall as part of the process and that worked out as planned which included adding blocks and stucco to the wall. Overall the process is as you would expect a lot of negotiation and facing problems as they arise. No project is ever straightforward and there will always be issues to work through. Alex was easy to communicate with via e-mail/phone, though there were a few occasions a response might hang for a few days. Also, consider this was the timeframe where Covid was just becoming a huge issue with personnel and timing. There were a few small details like stucco clean up and mastic fill in, but after a couple of calls and a promise, personnel came back after a week or so to complete the work and it was finished off very professionally. The spa has been humming along for 8 months now with no issues. Avanti also provided a pool service (Luis) for a month to get the water balance setup. Luis was very friendly and spent time setting up the system and discussing the details of maintaining the spa. He also provided me his cell number for questions long after the month had passed. Advice for folks looking for similar installations. Be sure to be specific/exact in the description of what you want, even a small detail can be a big cost. Be sure to understand the unknowns and the costs that can come with it. Make sure there are bounds for these costs so that there is not a shock later. Ask questions if you are unsure and nail down the specifics for each detail. Also weigh the cost against the longevity of the project, detail for $1000 might be expensive, but if you regret it for 10 years it might not be that much, hard to quantify, but worth the thought. In the end, we are very pleased with the result. I do believe we picked the right contractor for the job and Alex and his team were a pleasure to work with. Alex has also kept in touch ensuring the spa and system are still operating as expected. I would definitely place Avanti Pools at the near 5-star rating, not a perfect 5 star but very darn close :-) Images of the project and final result are attached Total cost including the adjustments and added work items listed above $52906
Absolutely wonderful experience. Bernard came out to our house and helped us realize our vision. He was very encouraging at every step along the way. There's was no rush and yet we moved along quickly. He gave us options for each component of the pool and always helped us weigh the pros and cons. We built a spa along a raised wall over the pool with a beautiful spillway. The lights are magical at night. The price was less expensive than other bids. I feel like we got a very good value. Highly recommend Bernard and Avanti.
It's taken me a long time to get around to writing a review, but Avanti built our pool this spring and we couldn't be happier. Bernard was great to work with, extremely responsive any time I had a question, and clear on every step. Avanti's bid was very competitive with all the other quotes we got as we considered who to hire for the job. They did the work exactly on schedule and at each step Bernard kept me informed on when and what would be happening. We have now been enjoying the pool for about 4 months and absolutely love it. The city of LA took a very long time to process the application (the office was closed due to COVID for the entire time the permit was being processed), but that was in no way Avanti's fault. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a pool contractor. They do excellent work.
My husband and I cannot recommend Bernard Z. highly enough! Our infinity pool is amazing because of Bernard and his crew. The pics speak for themselves. He did not have the lowest bid but we got what we paid for. We had to build 30 foot caissons into our hill off of Mulholland Dr and the equipment only had 4 feet of clearance by the side of our newly stuccoed house. There was not one scratch on the walls. That in itself is unbelievable. Bernard stayed on schedule and did not have to increase his quote. He was always there overseeing the subs who were also professional and did excellent work. The pool was ready in time for my father's 70th birthday party which was very important to me! And since then, our family has spent endless hours in the pool, by ourselves and also entertaining. We understand that a pool is not a static object but is a challenging thing to build and maintain over the course of its lifetime. Whatever glitchy things have come up (the computer system, pool cover) Bernard has been there to make things right again. He stands by his work. He is soft spoken yet confident and so easy to work with. He has experience but is open minded. He is honest! I wish our house contractors had been like him! We are grateful to Bernard for all the years of enjoyment and memories we will have from our pool.
I interviewed 4 other pool contractors before selecting Avanti and in particular Bernard, the owner. He was referred to me by another smaller pool contractor too busy at the time. He didn't convince me with a hard sell or soft sell. He convinced because he was the most knowledgeable of anyone else I spoke to. He was also upfront. And honest about his prices. He didn't try to upsell me either. On the plaster, he did suggest I go with the better quality and I did and am happy about it. In my spa, I put tile on the seat...and you could entirely tile the spa which would feel good. I recommend two pumps for the jacuzzi/spa if you want a stronger action. One should never abandon one's own's judgment ...and I haven't....and didn't. You make the choices. Bernard executes very well and if there is a problem, he takes care of it. He is also fast. When he tells you when the pool will be done, it will be done. Just take care of the fencing ahead of time. You can't get a permit signed off without the fence in place. If Bernard is doing your pool, it will be done at the highest level of professionalism. Details: I love the Pentair pool heater controlled by an app. You can control it from anywhere as long as you have wifi. It's very fast at heating up. It's both powerful, efficient and quiet. You can see the app under Screen Logic and intellipool by Pentair. Today I would go with a hybrid but it wasn't available 2 years ago...it should be out now (like a hybrid car I imagine). My spa is in the pool and for my backyard that worked well since I wanted a rectangular pool. I also have a small baja part where I can place a lounge chair. And a hole in the pool for an umbrella. All things to think about. Especially the umbrella hole. I also have a pump for the waterfall.... I would recommend you add another pump to the spa if you want more of a jacuzzi feel. Just tell Bernard exactly what you want and he will make the recommendations. I also have a saltwater pool. But Bernard didn't sell me on that. I had it in another house and I love it. The pool has LED lights which are also controlled by the app as is the waterfall. My pool doesn't need water added either. It's automatic. Definitely get the remote app. It makes everything easy. It's almost 2 years later, and I get nothing but compliments. I chose the basic pool design (I came with a photo of what I wanted) but Bernard's advice and execution were perfect. Plus he built the fire pit and the waterfall and BBQ area and he did a fantastic job. Magnificent job...because I had no idea it would turn out so well. He gets full credit for that. I was very impressed with the work ethic of the crews and the efficiency. There were no days when no one showed up. The pool was started right after Thanksgiving. In one day, the pool was dug. Bernard is a Super Pro. He owns his equipment. He does difficult pools as well as regular ones like mine. His prices are not crazy either. They are fair. If you are a busy professional or someone who focuses on detail, Bernard doesn't have many peers. He has great crews and he personally knows every detail of pool construction unlike many of the sales people selling pools. Oscar was great too!! I don't write reviews too frequently and have been meaning to write this one because I was so very pleased with the results and the process. The pool was finished in 2 months. I hope this helps anyone reading reviews. Inform yourself about everything.
What a fantastic experience working with Avanti pools. We worked with Alex who was super easy to partner with which is a huge relief. We were so used to working with aggressive, pushy general contracts and his being so accommodating, and easy-going was a major relief. The pool set within our newly landscaped backyard came out perfectly. And the 3-4 month process installing the 10x30ft spa/pool combination went very smoothly. Would definitely work with them again on the next pool!
Awesome company!! We worked with Alex and had a smooth experience. His crew was fast & friendly. They new what I wanted and got done fast too. Even during COVID-19 they surpassed all my expectations. My pool is beautiful, has all the latest features, can manage it with my cellphone, and we all love it! Thanks again Alex & Avanti Pools!
I do not usually write reviews, but in this case, I felt I owed it to other unsuspecting potential customers to write about our experience with Bernard Zimring and Avanti Pools. My wife and I have worked with various contractors over the years. We are not perfectionists. We are not difficult people. But when we pay top dollar for a service, and hire a professional company, we expect them to do a competent job. While Bernard is a very nice person, soft spoken and reassuring, the quality of the work his company provided was so extremely sub-par, it's a surprise his company has been in business as long as it has. I think part of the problem is that Bernard comes and quotes the job, then hires day laborers to come in and do the work. There is no one on-site overseeing the project and there is absolutely no quality control. We had our entire pool and spa redone, including the concrete coping around the pool, and the concrete steps and stairs around the pool area. Every single thing they did, had to be redone. Not just once or twice, but usually three or more times. We're not talking about minor imperfections, but pouring varying pieces of concrete in completely different colors, filling and draining the pool three times to try and get the streaks of color in the new quartzscape to go away (they never did), and trying to patch again and again the spillway, the focal point of the entire pool, which they messed up (and still looks terrible). They used pine instead of (what we asked for) redwood for a fence we had them put up, and have just hired another company to replace it and do it right (which they have - a few grand later). the concrete coping they poured around the pool was sloppy, chipped, and had to be ripped out and poured multiple times. even the tire work is sloppy with crooked tiles and grout everywhere. To his credit, Bernard never asked for the final payment we owed him on the pool. I think he ultimately realized the mess he'd made of our pool and I appreciate that. but the fact remains, we had paid him 26 thousand dollars already for a sloppy job that we are now left to clean up on our own. It will ultimately cost us much more than the remaining money we owed him in order for us to fix it, and most likely, we will never be able to fix it. Bernard started the project in November, claiming it would be done in time for the Christmas holidays, when our family was flying in for a big celebration - they never came close to making that date. We finally parted ways in March, after months of trying, day by day, to fix the mess they'd made of our pool and backyard. Not to mention that outdoor lighting we'd recently had put in, which they ripped out and made a mess of (another few thousand dollars to have that reinstalled), they never covered/sealed the bottom of the pool when they tore out the old plaster, and we have had to deal with clogged drains and jets, the legacy Bernard has left us with this pool is one that we will be feeling the pain of for quite some time. this has caused us so much emotional stress. we have been forced to become our own contractors. It has been a very unpleasant experience. These reviews on Yelp are extremely important in helping people made a decision when moving forward with a project of such a large scope like this one. I hope this review can help someone avoid the circumstances my wife and I are now in. It is not my desire to ruin the business of hardworking people, but to help direct people in finding those hardworking people and hiring them instead of those that should not be in business, like Avanti Pools. There are two sides to every story, and I'm sure Bernard would see things otherwise, but even he could never deny the extent of the damage and the mess they made of our pool, our backyard, and our lives for the five months he was in our employ. Hope this helps.
I have been a homeowner for nearly 30 years. In that time, I have done countless additions, remodels and repairs to my properties. In all that time, I have never been happier with a contractor as I have been with Avanti Pools. I had always wanted a pool, but was not eager to spend the money, or suffer through what I imagined to be a nightmarish installation process. I interviewed several contractors before settling on Avanti, in part because I was a casual acquaintance of one of their electrical subcontractors. I am REALLY glad I chose Avanti. The construction of my pool went surprisingly smooth, with much less noise and mess than I had feared. But what really made the process nearly painless, was how accessible the owner, Eloy Sherlock, was during the entire process. He was on the job site nearly every day, and when he wasn't he was always just a phone call away. On those rare occasions when he was unable to answer my call, I don't think I ever had to wait more than 15 minutes for him to return it. If there was an issue or problem, he fixed it... FAST! The job was completed on time (about 10 weeks) and I was thrilled with the result. I love my pool!! But what really prompted me to write this review was that Avanti recently did a repair on my pool, free of charge, nearly 2 YEARS after the expiration of my warranty! It is that commitment to their work, and the satisfaction of this customer, that makes me recommend Avanti to anybody needing a new pool, or any other related service. I don't know if I will ever need another swimming pool built in my lifetime, but if I do I certainly will use Eloy and the people at Avanti without hesitation.
1 year ago
We are deeply disappointed with Bernard and Avanti Pools. A light fixture was installed incorrectly in our pool and was rusting like crazy. He attempted to fix it but did a terrible job. There is now a ghastly looking visible patchwork looking circle around the light fixture. He didn't even bother to replace the cover with the white covering, it's just a dark metal cover. We asked if he could repair it to look like new, but he said nope too bad. That's the best he could do. It's appalling spending all this money on a pool and for them to leave you with a giant blemish and a flippant attitude about it. I do NOT recommend hiring this company. We are so disappointed. read more
3 years ago
I always judge a company not how they treat you when they're trying to get your money, but how they treat you after they've been paid. If I'm being honest I've actually been more impressed with Avanti and Bernard more when it comes to the latter which is what I'm basing this review on. If I were reviewing on the process of building/permitting it would be a different score for sure. So again this is based on the final product and support afterwords. IMO Bernard is an old school pool builder, he knows what needs to be done, how to do it, and doesn't overcomplicate things. He stays calm and works on solutions instead of trying to find a way to blame others. There are some drawback to that in that he does a lot verbally and just gets it done, but sometimes that leads to miscommunications. This happened a few times during the building process, each time I was like oh no here we go it's going to be a fight. But each time he impressed me and just solved it quickly and efficiently. I've waited a couple of years since my pool was built to review because I knew we'd inevitably run into problems. Everyone talks about their great warranty until you have a problem. Then they usually start with the cost of the call or why this is your fault or why that particular component isn't covered, diagnosis fees etc. That has absolutely not been the case with Bernard. I've had weird electronic issues that he's walked me through resetting, I've had a light go out a year and a half after completion, ordered within 10 minutes of me texting him and installed within a week. Just recently I'm having water flow sensor issues which I was almost sure wouldn't be covered, instead of what I was sure was going to be bad news he again texted me back within 10 minutes, asked a couple basic questions, and said yes it's covered I know what it is and ordered the part. To me this is a 10/10 builder. The finished product is beautiful and has really impressed me over the past couple of years. He really made my vision come to life and convinced me we could do it even though I was doubtful with the tiny space we have. He completely transformed my backyard from a place we spent almost no time to an oasis we absolutely love. I received about 7 quotes before we decided to go with Bernard. His pricing was super competitive and I believe a lot of that was due to the fact I was speaking to an owner instead of a middleman salesman. Over two years later and I'm 100% sure I made the correct decision. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
6 years ago
11/2019 we decided on a inground spa replacing a planter area. We contacted a few contractors including Avanti pools. Others were Pool Logic, National Pools, and Athlon Pools. The proposal process is as you would expect, negotiating price/details with each vendor. It finally came down to Athlon and Avanti. Athlon and Avanti were close bids, it came down to the detail items along with my experience with the project folks. Avanti provided a slightly higher bid than Athlon but my interaction with Alex (project planner) sold me. He provided more enthusiasm and conveyed a better plan with the initial layout. Also note, Avanti was the only company to suggest using excavators while other companies had planned on using only jackhammers and shovels. The access to the yard was limited so most of the bids didnt consider excavators while Alex saw no issue getting them through the tight spots. It worked out nicely perhaps reducing the time/cost to remove the large amount of debris. Process start: 1st the removal of the planter, dirt, and large boulders found under the surface. Next the rebar and piping installation began. There was some hidden electrical in the backyard that was under the concrete surface that ended up being damaged, but Avanti repaired it soon after. With the steel and underlying systems routed and installed, the gunite was poured in and the upper tile and couping followed. Next the pebble tec finish was applied. We decided on the cheaper Fina finish, but Alex decided that the more expensive pebble tec was a more durable option to go with and provided that at no additional cost. There was some confusion on the concrete config where we had requested stairs on the sides of the spa. The confusion related to the worded details of the upper platform versus a 3DCAD image. This resulted in the cost of the concrete being underbid and resulted in a renegotiation in determining the added cost of the concrete versus having open dirt planters, which worked out to be about $1130 added. During the process it was determined the heater size could be reduced, without giving up too much heating time, to improve the area needed to place the heater. During the process the permit inspection resulted in having to place the pumping and heating equipment in an alternate loc which also in turn resulted in having to add in a walking area due to the equipment taking away the current path. This new location also resulted in having to remove a tree stump and digging a long trench for piping. In the end the renegotiation process felt reasonable with the added items, including the misunderstood stair tops, along with the reduced cost for the heater equip. Note, debris removal can be a variable based on dumping fees and the amount of debris pulled from the work site. We also asked Avanti to raise a nearby retaining wall as part of the process and that worked out as planned which included adding blocks and stucco to the wall. Overall the process is as you would expect a lot of negotiation and facing problems as they arise. No project is ever straightforward and there will always be issues to work through. Alex was easy to communicate with via e-mail/phone, though there were a few occasions a response might hang for a few days. Also, consider this was the timeframe where Covid was just becoming a huge issue with personnel and timing. There were a few small details like stucco clean up and mastic fill in, but after a couple of calls and a promise, personnel came back after a week or so to complete the work and it was finished off very professionally. The spa has been humming along for 8 months now with no issues. Avanti also provided a pool service (Luis) for a month to get the water balance setup. Luis was very friendly and spent time setting up the system and discussing the details of maintaining the spa. He also provided me his cell number for questions long after the month had passed. Advice for folks looking for similar installations. Be sure to be specific/exact in the description of what you want, even a small detail can be a big cost. Be sure to understand the unknowns and the costs that can come with it. Make sure there are bounds for these costs so that there is not a shock later. Ask questions if you are unsure and nail down the specifics for each detail. Also weigh the cost against the longevity of the project, detail for $1000 might be expensive, but if you regret it for 10 years it might not be that much, hard to quantify, but worth the thought. In the end, we are very pleased with the result. I do believe we picked the right contractor for the job and Alex and his team were a pleasure to work with. Alex has also kept in touch ensuring the spa and system are still operating as expected. I would definitely place Avanti Pools at the near 5-star rating, not a perfect 5 star but very darn close :-) Images of the project and final result are attached Total cost including the adjustments and added work items listed above $52906 read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Absolutely wonderful experience. Bernard came out to our house and helped us realize our vision. He was very encouraging at every step along the way. There's was no rush and yet we moved along quickly. He gave us options for each component of the pool and always helped us weigh the pros and cons. We built a spa along a raised wall over the pool with a beautiful spillway. The lights are magical at night. The price was less expensive than other bids. I feel like we got a very good value. Highly recommend Bernard and Avanti. read more
5 years ago
It's taken me a long time to get around to writing a review, but Avanti built our pool this spring and we couldn't be happier. Bernard was great to work with, extremely responsive any time I had a question, and clear on every step. Avanti's bid was very competitive with all the other quotes we got as we considered who to hire for the job. They did the work exactly on schedule and at each step Bernard kept me informed on when and what would be happening. We have now been enjoying the pool for about 4 months and absolutely love it. The city of LA took a very long time to process the application (the office was closed due to COVID for the entire time the permit was being processed), but that was in no way Avanti's fault. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a pool contractor. They do excellent work. read more
9 years ago
My husband and I cannot recommend Bernard Z. highly enough! Our infinity pool is amazing because of Bernard and his crew. The pics speak for themselves. He did not have the lowest bid but we got what we paid for. We had to build 30 foot caissons into our hill off of Mulholland Dr and the equipment only had 4 feet of clearance by the side of our newly stuccoed house. There was not one scratch on the walls. That in itself is unbelievable. Bernard stayed on schedule and did not have to increase his quote. He was always there overseeing the subs who were also professional and did excellent work. The pool was ready in time for my father's 70th birthday party which was very important to me! And since then, our family has spent endless hours in the pool, by ourselves and also entertaining. We understand that a pool is not a static object but is a challenging thing to build and maintain over the course of its lifetime. Whatever glitchy things have come up (the computer system, pool cover) Bernard has been there to make things right again. He stands by his work. He is soft spoken yet confident and so easy to work with. He has experience but is open minded. He is honest! I wish our house contractors had been like him! We are grateful to Bernard for all the years of enjoyment and memories we will have from our pool. read more
7 years ago
I interviewed 4 other pool contractors before selecting Avanti and in particular Bernard, the owner. He was referred to me by another smaller pool contractor too busy at the time. He didn't convince me with a hard sell or soft sell. He convinced because he was the most knowledgeable of anyone else I spoke to. He was also upfront. And honest about his prices. He didn't try to upsell me either. On the plaster, he did suggest I go with the better quality and I did and am happy about it. In my spa, I put tile on the seat...and you could entirely tile the spa which would feel good. I recommend two pumps for the jacuzzi/spa if you want a stronger action. One should never abandon one's own's judgment ...and I haven't....and didn't. You make the choices. Bernard executes very well and if there is a problem, he takes care of it. He is also fast. When he tells you when the pool will be done, it will be done. Just take care of the fencing ahead of time. You can't get a permit signed off without the fence in place. If Bernard is doing your pool, it will be done at the highest level of professionalism. Details: I love the Pentair pool heater controlled by an app. You can control it from anywhere as long as you have wifi. It's very fast at heating up. It's both powerful, efficient and quiet. You can see the app under Screen Logic and intellipool by Pentair. Today I would go with a hybrid but it wasn't available 2 years ago...it should be out now (like a hybrid car I imagine). My spa is in the pool and for my backyard that worked well since I wanted a rectangular pool. I also have a small baja part where I can place a lounge chair. And a hole in the pool for an umbrella. All things to think about. Especially the umbrella hole. I also have a pump for the waterfall.... I would recommend you add another pump to the spa if you want more of a jacuzzi feel. Just tell Bernard exactly what you want and he will make the recommendations. I also have a saltwater pool. But Bernard didn't sell me on that. I had it in another house and I love it. The pool has LED lights which are also controlled by the app as is the waterfall. My pool doesn't need water added either. It's automatic. Definitely get the remote app. It makes everything easy. It's almost 2 years later, and I get nothing but compliments. I chose the basic pool design (I came with a photo of what I wanted) but Bernard's advice and execution were perfect. Plus he built the fire pit and the waterfall and BBQ area and he did a fantastic job. Magnificent job...because I had no idea it would turn out so well. He gets full credit for that. I was very impressed with the work ethic of the crews and the efficiency. There were no days when no one showed up. The pool was started right after Thanksgiving. In one day, the pool was dug. Bernard is a Super Pro. He owns his equipment. He does difficult pools as well as regular ones like mine. His prices are not crazy either. They are fair. If you are a busy professional or someone who focuses on detail, Bernard doesn't have many peers. He has great crews and he personally knows every detail of pool construction unlike many of the sales people selling pools. Oscar was great too!! I don't write reviews too frequently and have been meaning to write this one because I was so very pleased with the results and the process. The pool was finished in 2 months. I hope this helps anyone reading reviews. Inform yourself about everything. read more
6 years ago
What a fantastic experience working with Avanti pools. We worked with Alex who was super easy to partner with which is a huge relief. We were so used to working with aggressive, pushy general contracts and his being so accommodating, and easy-going was a major relief. The pool set within our newly landscaped backyard came out perfectly. And the 3-4 month process installing the 10x30ft spa/pool combination went very smoothly. Would definitely work with them again on the next pool! read more
6 years ago
Awesome company!! We worked with Alex and had a smooth experience. His crew was fast & friendly. They new what I wanted and got done fast too. Even during COVID-19 they surpassed all my expectations. My pool is beautiful, has all the latest features, can manage it with my cellphone, and we all love it! Thanks again Alex & Avanti Pools! read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
Business owner information
Bernard Z.
I regret that I was unable to communicate with RK regarding the…
5 years ago
7 years ago
10 years ago
I do not usually write reviews, but in this case, I felt I owed it to other unsuspecting potential customers to write about our experience with Bernard Zimring and Avanti Pools. My wife and I have worked with various contractors over the years. We are not perfectionists. We are not difficult people. But when we pay top dollar for a service, and hire a professional company, we expect them to do a competent job. While Bernard is a very nice person, soft spoken and reassuring, the quality of the work his company provided was so extremely sub-par, it's a surprise his company has been in business as long as it has. I think part of the problem is that Bernard comes and quotes the job, then hires day laborers to come in and do the work. There is no one on-site overseeing the project and there is absolutely no quality control. We had our entire pool and spa redone, including the concrete coping around the pool, and the concrete steps and stairs around the pool area. Every single thing they did, had to be redone. Not just once or twice, but usually three or more times. We're not talking about minor imperfections, but pouring varying pieces of concrete in completely different colors, filling and draining the pool three times to try and get the streaks of color in the new quartzscape to go away (they never did), and trying to patch again and again the spillway, the focal point of the entire pool, which they messed up (and still looks terrible). They used pine instead of (what we asked for) redwood for a fence we had them put up, and have just hired another company to replace it and do it right (which they have - a few grand later). the concrete coping they poured around the pool was sloppy, chipped, and had to be ripped out and poured multiple times. even the tire work is sloppy with crooked tiles and grout everywhere. To his credit, Bernard never asked for the final payment we owed him on the pool. I think he ultimately realized the mess he'd made of our pool and I appreciate that. but the fact remains, we had paid him 26 thousand dollars already for a sloppy job that we are now left to clean up on our own. It will ultimately cost us much more than the remaining money we owed him in order for us to fix it, and most likely, we will never be able to fix it. Bernard started the project in November, claiming it would be done in time for the Christmas holidays, when our family was flying in for a big celebration - they never came close to making that date. We finally parted ways in March, after months of trying, day by day, to fix the mess they'd made of our pool and backyard. Not to mention that outdoor lighting we'd recently had put in, which they ripped out and made a mess of (another few thousand dollars to have that reinstalled), they never covered/sealed the bottom of the pool when they tore out the old plaster, and we have had to deal with clogged drains and jets, the legacy Bernard has left us with this pool is one that we will be feeling the pain of for quite some time. this has caused us so much emotional stress. we have been forced to become our own contractors. It has been a very unpleasant experience. These reviews on Yelp are extremely important in helping people made a decision when moving forward with a project of such a large scope like this one. I hope this review can help someone avoid the circumstances my wife and I are now in. It is not my desire to ruin the business of hardworking people, but to help direct people in finding those hardworking people and hiring them instead of those that should not be in business, like Avanti Pools. There are two sides to every story, and I'm sure Bernard would see things otherwise, but even he could never deny the extent of the damage and the mess they made of our pool, our backyard, and our lives for the five months he was in our employ. Hope this helps. read more
Business owner information
Bernard Z.
Any negative review we receive (written or otherwise) we take very…
7 years ago
15 years ago
I have been a homeowner for nearly 30 years. In that time, I have done countless additions, remodels and repairs to my properties. In all that time, I have never been happier with a contractor as I have been with Avanti Pools. I had always wanted a pool, but was not eager to spend the money, or suffer through what I imagined to be a nightmarish installation process. I interviewed several contractors before settling on Avanti, in part because I was a casual acquaintance of one of their electrical subcontractors. I am REALLY glad I chose Avanti. The construction of my pool went surprisingly smooth, with much less noise and mess than I had feared. But what really made the process nearly painless, was how accessible the owner, Eloy Sherlock, was during the entire process. He was on the job site nearly every day, and when he wasn't he was always just a phone call away. On those rare occasions when he was unable to answer my call, I don't think I ever had to wait more than 15 minutes for him to return it. If there was an issue or problem, he fixed it... FAST! The job was completed on time (about 10 weeks) and I was thrilled with the result. I love my pool!! But what really prompted me to write this review was that Avanti recently did a repair on my pool, free of charge, nearly 2 YEARS after the expiration of my warranty! It is that commitment to their work, and the satisfaction of this customer, that makes me recommend Avanti to anybody needing a new pool, or any other related service. I don't know if I will ever need another swimming pool built in my lifetime, but if I do I certainly will use Eloy and the people at Avanti without hesitation. read more
10 years ago
9 years ago
Avanti Pools has been fantastic. Start to finish...fantastic. We absolutely love our pool. 1. The initial meeting was great. Eloy spent lots of time with me going over possible designs. He seemed to get what I wanted without me really being able to explain it well. 2. The pool is amazing and the quality of work was fantastic. We love everything about the pool 3. Schedule: I have never had a contractor do exactly what they say they will do until Eloy! 4. Price: Eloy quoted a price and stuck to it. He didn't bill for a penny more than quoted. 5. Upgrades: He quoted everything in the original quote and then removed things that our budget didn't allow. So much better than learning about the upgrades after the fact. 6. Communication: Eloy called, texted and emailed. He always returned our call very timely. I never felt like I was asking too many questions. He always had time to answer all my questions 7. Schedule: We decided to build our pool the day before the rainiest winter in years. Oh well. Not the best timing but Eloy kept us updated and stuck to a revised rain schedule. He had inspectors at the house. I always hear "well we are waiting on an inspector". Not true with Eloy. He has things scheduled so there aren't delays 8. Follow up: Now that our pool has been completed for a couple of months, he has checked in three times just to be sure that we are happy and to see if we need help with chemicals, etc. I just cant say enough good things about Avanti and Eloy. First class company, One tip: Have your Landscaper ready to go with all plans finished so that it fits the timeline of your pool installation. Get lots of quotes as the prices and ideas/suggestions are all over the map. Make sure you get the fence needed to pass inspection. read more
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Business owner information
Bernard Z.
Susan,…
12 years ago
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11 years ago
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