I'm trying to cut and paste our conversation however, ... I asked for a weekly cleaning quote, Dan…read moreR. wrote and asked me to be ready to provide my credit card number on Monday to his office. I asked why I would be giving my credit card number if there is no quote or agreement to do business. He responded to say they will not come out and give me a quote without me FIRST giving them my credit card information!!!! Buyer beware. Most companies don't charge for a quote! Seems shady.

My power pack for the Salt Chlorinator was deemed to be broken by the technician, I was quoted over…read more$1500 for a new power pack. While I was at Leslie's Pool Supply to buy a new Power Pack for $449.99, an experienced pool guy, asked me about the fuse in the old power pack, I confessed I did not check it. When I returned home, I found that indeed the fuse had blown. I went online to Amazon and purchased 18 fuses for $6.99. That was my problem. So essentially, I bought a 40-cent part to fix the problem. I definitely would NOT recommend Distinguished Pools.

We just finished working with Los Cabos Pools on a remodel of our old pool. Javier helped us with…read moredesign and a complete upgrade. His team is professional and put in a full day of work each and every day. Sometimes with the request to work on Saturdays, if needed. (He's happy to skip any Saturday if the homeowner prefers.) Our new pool has all the modern amenities for draining, filling, central pool cleaner. They take great care in making decisions and offering ideas for efficiency and aesthetic design. We are very happy with the experience and our new pool!!

Before writing a review about our experience with los Cabos. Here is a background on our build…read more we had contracted a non-licensed or bonded person to redo our pool and add a spa. Well, long story short that was a huge mistake. Left our project half way done and just disappeared after we gave him a deposit. After a year of searching for a contractor that was willing to finish the project we had. We were referred to los Cabos. Let me tell you what a relief that they were able to come in and finish our project. We had to get the plaster done, break down existing concrete that was done incorrectly, tile,stone. Javier, Maribel and Juan and crew all guided us through the process of finishing with recommendations, alternatives and with patience. Besides, supply delays we don't have anything negative to say. Contact was precise and clear. Deposit schedule and work was done in a timely manner and within reason from their initial end date. I would recommend, reaching out to the pool maintenance and confirm who will be treating pool and clean up after initial fill. After about a month or so that they finished our pool, my son hit his head on the sharp edges and we reached out to los Cabos and they were able to help us by sanding down the edges which are now safe. Highly recommend los Cabos pools, even being hit with a high demand on pools they were always available, patience and was easy too schedule any follow ups or inspections that needed to happen. Thank you again! Here are some pictures of the finished pool. We are so thankful that we have a pool to enjoy!

Pete and his crew have been servicing our pool for 22 yrs! I think the quality of their service is…read moreexcellent. Pete is very quick to respond to any issue. Je and Holly are extremely professional and truly care about their clients. I am happy to recommend them!!

We hired waterline to build us a pool and they build us a resort! It's beautiful…read more We received 5 bids and they were the company that we felt the best about not the lowest and not the highest but they got our vision and didn't try to up sell us. We put in a waterfall with REAL ROCKS a beautiful spa and pool with Baja shelf and a fire pit. They where so professional showed up everyday and always called me back if we had questions. We have enjoyed the pool so much this last summer with our family and I'm glad I went with waterline They have also done several other homes in our area.

MV Dream Pools did a fantastic job remodeling our pool. Our pool's surface had been chipping and…read morecracking since before we bought our house. The concrete around our pool was also settling and cracking and ugly. Now our pool looks amazing! New marble coping. Great concrete around the pool! Beautiful blue pebble surface. Matt, the owner of MV Dream Pools, was honest and easy to work with. I appreciate that he showed up on site every day to make sure the job was going as planned. I also appreciate that we paid for the project a section at a time as each part was completed (rather than all up front). I highly recommend MV Dream Pools if you're looking for excellence, professionalism, and value in your pool project.

Total pool and spa redo. Removed plaster and coping. New controller and heater complete with…read moreWiFi. Matt MV Pools is the way to do it. Attention to detail, schedule and budget. Any question or minor problems and he is on it. The finished product is amazing.

Thank you for the amazing service, and now I'm all set with my pool, ready for summer!read more

We hired Earthcare Pools for a full remodel in San Diego, and from start to finish, they were…read moreexactly the kind of experienced contractors you hope to find. You can tell these guys have been doing this for a long time. When we hit an unexpected issue during the build, they didn't panic. The lead foreman walked us through the problem, explained the solution in plain English, and handled it without any delays. Their knowledge of San Diego county building codes was evident--they made the permitting process feel seamless. What I appreciated most was their honesty. From the initial bid to the final walkthrough, there were no hidden fees or surprises. The project manager was upfront about the timeline and the costs. They communicated proactively--if something was going to shift, I got a text before I even had to ask. In an industry where contractors can sometimes be vague, Earthcare Pools was refreshingly direct. The finished pool looks amazing. They finished the project within the promised timeframe and left the worksite clean every day. If you are looking for a contracting team that is knowledgeable, transparent, and straightforward, I highly recommend giving them a call.

David and team were fantastic to work with throughout the entire process. From the initial quote,…read morevery detailed walk through of each step including excavating, plumbing, lighting to the installation of tile, pebble and pool deck pavers. David was always responsive to questions and was very gracious when I wanted modifications. Mother Nature delayed the project a bit, but David consistently communicated with us until the project was complete and inspections signed off. We are thrilled with the pool and spa and look forward to many years of fun and relaxation. Thanks you!!!

We met with David at Competitive Pools to request an estimate to add a pool to our backyard and…read moreimmediately felt that he listened to exactly what we wanted and understood how to make it happen efficiently. He's a great communicator and kept us informed every step of the way. All of the demo and construction was done carefully and with professionalism. Our backyard space was completely transformed in just 14 weeks. We appreciated the way David was able to expedite the work from week to week. Elio also gave us some really beautiful design ideas regarding pavers and fencing. We love the pool design he developed and it not only highlighted the current layout of our backyard, but it also highly upgraded the space to make it more functional and inviting. Each member of the Competitive Pools team approached us with a high level of respect and courtesy. Thanks to their hard work, the pool building process was fun and exciting for us! We highly recommend David and his team to anyone looking to add a beautiful pool to their home.

Regret !!I I should have chose a different pool company. The common themes from other customers are…read moreconsistent. Poor/ inconsistent communication, damage to our residence / property, trash and debris left for weeks, failed inspection due to safety related corners being cut, arbitrary price changes and more. For example: a safety mechanism to prevent electrical shock was not completed to code. I was told to lie in order to pass inspection. We failed inspection. I have the video ! A unilateral price change was decided by Lacy and I was expected to sign and agree without consult. The contracted electrician left the electrical box wide open during a storm. A heavy amount of rain filled the inside of the electrical box and on the breaker. (Pictures attached) . The trencher recklessly damaged a gas line and electrical conduit instead of lifting the lines out of the ground. (I have the videos) A window was broken by workers. Not only was I not told about the damaged window - it took close to 6 months of repeated requests to have it repaired. Over 6 missed "replacement appointments ". Ultimately the replacement window was broken. My concrete driveway was snapped. I was told that it would be repaired. Later that changed full circle. In February, I asked for arbitration for the unresolved issues. Now after almost 2 months of stalling - still no arbitration. Things fell apart after the initial sale. I should have questioned their ethical frame work when the process started out with a request to back-date the contract. It only got worse. Sadly, I have more examples of poor workmanship if needed. This pool project that has begun in August 2025 is still not complete. With all of these major problems before the pool is complete - do you think they will stand behind their product after it's complete ? Choose wisely, I didn't.

I am have a complete pool and deck remodel and the project is moving slowly. As the commutation is…read morelacking. They are good a collecting a check and the work they do in good just may never get complete.

We couldn't be happier with the work California Smartscape did on our landscaping project. Our home…read moresits on a complicated, multilevel foundation and every other contractor declined the project due to its complexity.  Andrew and the Smartscape team embraced the challenge and delivered an outstanding design that incorporated all our needs.   The project included a full pool remodel (replacing crumbling 70s brick), new concrete, a safe and modern upper deck off the second story, a refreshed entryway, and a new outdoor living area to replace an unsightly and unusable wooden deck. Andrew's 3D model helped us visualize the final product and he worked with us to incorporate slight tweaks in the design based on our knowledge of the space.   Smartscape also phased the work so we could prioritize the pool and upper deck first. Leo, our project manager, was incredibly responsive and kept us involved in every decision. The finished pool is stunning with dazzling PebbleTec, modern coping and tiles, and our old jacuzzi was transformed into a luxurious jetted spa with smart lighting. The sleek, modern decking materials not only look amazing but give us peace of mind with everything up to code.   The biggest transformation was replacing the outer wooden deck with a retaining wall and turf, creating a large fenced-in play area for our kids--something we never had before. Now we have space to kick a ball and have outdoor family movie nights.   We started this project trepidatious, knowing that most contractors go over timelines and over-budget, but Smartscape completed everything in just a few months, with expert craftsmanship and within budget. Truly a five-star experience! (Select before and after photos included)

UPDATE: 12/17/25 New Owner Jonathan reached out to me so I give him 5 stars for the timely…read moreresponse. He's going to send someone out to assess the situation and identify best way forward to address the problem. I know it's been a long time since the installation and ownership has changed, so I appreciate Jonathan trying to be helpful, even though I still have this very significant issue with huge potential costs to fix. Updated rating to 3 stars because I am hopeful for a peaceful resolution. I want to be fair and support small businesses so stay tuned. More to come. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Initially, we were very happy with our remodel of patio and landscape. Over time, issues surfaced. We had water damage buckling up on our wood floor. After consulting several other contractors, we realized that the patio pavers were incorrectly installed too high, covering up the drainage holes of the patio sliders and windows by the patio bar, which Smartscape also installed. Now we have major damage inside the house on half of the wood flooring. Secondly, Smartscape installed a shade structure and over time, we saw issues of paint bubbling but could not figure out why. Finally, after consulting other contractors, we realize that material choice of tongue and groove panels were not the best choice; thin and subject to warp; install was uneven; and heaters too close to the ceiling, resulting in melted bubbles of paint. We rely on professional subject matter experts to provide the best recommendations... the onus should not be on the homeowner. We selected California Smartscape after some research. It all seemed good and legit. They seemed to know what they're doing: Richard Hafenstein, Sal Manna, Nick Hoffman. But only to find out too late, after any warranty period, that their work was less than acceptable and continues to erode and present more issues with time. They also recommended plant specimens - half of which I removed after several years, because they were simply poor choices for growth habit and space. How is a homeowner to know?... Isn't that why we hire professionals? We are so disappointed. But still hopeful that we will hear back and they will repair the paver install problem and stop the water leak into the house and foundation. I tried to contact Richard and have yet to hear back from the company. We spent over $172,291 on this project, not including equipment and component systems which we paid separately. We already spent $$$$$ to repair the shade structure paint bubbles. I just want the water drainage issue/paver install problem to be fixed and done right.