DO NOT USE!!!!
We hired Payne Pools for our new pool build…read more The experience has been an exhausting 10 1/2 month nightmare since excavation began 15 Oct 2025. This project has suffered from zero project management, zero oversight of subcontractors, & endless unfulfilled promises. As the primary contractor, Payne Pools is ultimately responsible for the predatory behavior, dishonest communication, property destruction, & abysmal craftsmanship detailed below:
Predatory Dewatering Scam (Gulf Pools Pros, LLC): Before digging, I informed Payne Pools & the excavator about surface water from a recent sprinkler leak. During excavation, a tiny trickle appeared. They immediately claimed they "hit water" to trigger an unnecessary dewatering process that adds thousands to the bill. I begged them to wait until morning to see if it pooled. Project manager Matt plowed ahead anyway. They dumped unnecessary gravel and claimed the pit would be full of water by morning. It was completely bone dry. They aggressively pushed an expensive, unneeded service, completely disregarding the homeowner.
Gas Hookup Extortion: Payne Pools told me I had to use their suggested gas company if I wanted the hookup tied into the pool's warranty. I reached out to this specific company simply asking for a quote & scope of work. They completely ignored my request & never sent a quote. Instead, they randomly showed up without permission, started digging up my yard, & slapped me with a $3K bill without prior authorization.
Waterline Tile & Manager Dishonesty: I was told early on that standard gray grout would be used for our tile. I checked the work at the end of the day to find plain white grout. I called the same project manager, who explicitly confirmed it was supposed to be gray. However, after I sent him a photo of the white grout bag I pulled from the trash in my yard, his story instantly changed. He falsely claimed my specific tile actually required white grout. The entire waterline grout had to be redone. Additionally, they took my new hose from the front yard without permission, breaking the nozzle & leaving it caked in concrete.
Plaster Finish & Property Destruction (Universal Pool & Plaster): They applied the finish, & by the end of the application, it was a steady downpour. Despite my explicit weather warnings, they left the deep end uncovered, allowing rain to seep onto the fresh finish &leave severe white streaks. The next day, the acid wash crew rushed the job in 7 minutes, & a worker actually took off his shoes & walked directly on the curing plaster. They left our yard a disaster, littered with cigarettes, food, & concrete overspray. After 90 days, the plaster streaks remain. Universal has failed to fix it across 3 separate visits. While Payne Pools answers my calls, they never follow up & constantly push me off. Both companies claim to be open Saturdays, but whenever I actually need a weekend resolution, I get pushed off.
Defective Screen Enclosure (Wilson's Screen & Aluminum): Payne Pools hired a sub out of Orlando--8 hours away from our Alabama job site. The owner doesn't operate in AL, forcing us to pull our own permit - which we were not aware until after we made the commitment. The crew repeatedly no-showed for weeks, then arrived unannounced Sunday at 7 PM during blackout dates. A promised 1.5-day build took 5, finishing in the dark. The craftsmanship looks like scrap metal with scratches, dents, empty holes, popping screws, and loose mesh. To "fix" it, Payne Pools paid a crew to repaint the inside. However, they scheduled it in extreme heat, so the paint completely failed to adhere to the metal. Now, the painters say I am forced to wait for cooler weather to TRY reapplying.
I overpaid for a premium pool & instead received predatory upcharge attempts, botched plaster finish, ruined screen enclosure, unauthorized work, dishonest & absent project management, & destroyed personal property. No one from Payne Pools stepped in to prevent these issues. I was constantly monitoring subcontractor performance and oversight.
