Horrible communication. You are literally your own GC (Even if you dont install pools). No one…read moregives you any update on anything. They always want their check though! Worst home improvement experience ever! *7/11/17 Here is the update. This family/company has really worked their butts of to make us happy. My previous review was mostly just based on bad communication. Dave, Lisa and Kristen got right on it and fixed everything. The pool is done and looks beautiful. Even with hiccups along the way I would definitely recommend this company. Very likeable family that works hard. I don't mind problems/mistakes on a home improvement project because it always happens. I HATE when companies don't fix the issues. Creative Edge does. Thanks guys! Matt

Update (Aug 2025): I filed consumer complaints with the MA AG Office and with the MA OCABR (HIC)…read moreabout the issues below. For context only, no official determination. In my experience, anyone with similar disputes can submit an AGO and OCABR complaint at no cost, and OCABR has an arbitration with fees listed on Mass.gov. Original review from Jan 2025: I had a deeply unsatisfactory experience with CEP. In April, I signed a contract for a pool project. As the project progressed, costs escalated due to charges and price increases I did not anticipate. While I requested a couple of upgrades, many of the price hikes were either scope changes presented as necessary to proceed (e.g. retaining wall instead of raised beam) or the final amount I learned after work was completed (e.g., ledge hammering). As of January 2025, the pool remains unfinished, and work I fully paid for hasn't been resumed despite my efforts to find a resolution. After I paid all the initial deposits, I began noticing deviations from our agreement. I felt CEP's explanations for cost increases were inconsistent or unclear, and I was not given advance notice of several price changes. For example, I paid over $20,000 for ledge hammering, billed at $3,200 per day as per the contract. However, the actual workdays often lasted six hours or less, yet I was billed full-day payments (except a couple of instances where they clearly worked a few hours that day). The quote for the fireplace installation inexplicably increased from $10,200 to $13,000 within a few months which I later refused. I was also billed for a load of stone that was already included in the contract but didn't get a full refund. Unfortunately, these are just a few examples from a long list. The biggest issue was CEP's installation of an electric pool cover instead of the hydraulic cover specified in our contract. They strongly suggested to upgrade to the hydraulic cover, citing numerous issues of electric, which is significantly cheaper. Looking through all the correspondence with them I couldn't find anything justifying an electric cover nor there is contract addendum for it. I was only informed I had to pay even more to make the hydraulic cover "commercial-grade" to make it length-wise all while not knowing that I'll be getting an electric cover - type of cover they initially advised against. I withheld the final payment for the cover in an effort to find a mutually acceptable solution, even though I had fully paid for all other aspects of the project (coping, vacuum). Despite this, CEP stopped all remaining work and did not return the pool equipment I had purchased under the original contract. They continued to seek full payment for the hydraulic cover while redirecting all communication through their attorney, CEP's responses did not address my concerns, and my proposals for resolution did not lead to meaningful progress. Quality was another concern. A retaining wall was installed without waterproofing, and the coping had chips and holes upon installation. An existing wall, located about 8 feet from the pool, was damaged during construction. I was informed that the damage was unavoidable, yet no repairs were offered, leaving me responsible for fixing it. Fortunately, I hadn't signed any contracts for the hardscape portion of the project, so I hired a local hardscaping company that provided better-quality work at a significantly lower cost. For example, local companies offered me stone veneer installation for $50-$85 per square foot, compared to CEP's quote of $125 per square foot. When I requested detailed invoices and clarification on charges that didn't seem to align with the work completed, my requests were not well received. I strongly recommend keeping all communications in writing, measuring all items before and after installation, and requesting itemized quotes per sq.ft or ln.ft. I regret not reviewing the contract with an attorney before signing and checking CEP's track record on disputes with other customers. CEP claims superior quality in other reviews, check the pictures and judge for yourself.

I loved working with Keith - he has a lot of expertise and does an awesome job. He is easy-going,…read morehas a good sense of humor and unstoppable creativity. We are happy with the updates he suggested - the pool is much more usable now, user-friendly, easier to maintain and looks awesome. Keith has good work habits - works non-stop until the project is done. Thank you, Keith, and hope to see you next year ;)

We were very happy with Keith's professional excellence. He removed and installed new tiles around…read moreour gunite pool with his hard work and great skills. We are very pleased with the results.

if i could give 0 stars i would he put in my liner for best pool liners (crooks) and mr vazquez was…read morea willing con man for them pool leaking since oswaldo installed the liner now i must sue him in small claims court and best pool li ers by the way liner wrong size and he did not even know he put it in anyway!

They were knowledgeable and we were very satisfied with how quickly and thoroughly they opened our…read morepool . Thanks Vazquez Best Pool Liners !

Last year we noticed the coping and tiles were falling off. We couldn't find anyone. This summer…read moreafter opening the pool, we called USA pool and they responded right away. Alex was very responsive and clear about the schedule, especially during this time with quarantine and pool season. He was able to fit us in the schedule somehow. Manny (contractor) came to inspect and next week 2 workers came and work all day with removing debris, cutting stones, measuring and keeping the work area clean as promised. Unfortunately the stone to cut was near the skimmer and they took their time to be careful to not damage it. I was very grateful . Next day, we realized we didn't have enough of the tiles to replace. They sat and took off the cement off the old tiles so we can reused them. I am amazed. They made it worked. The last day was mostly cement and grout. The workers were very respectful and worked really hard. And the work was amazing. Next day Manny and Alex came over to clean the pool as promised so we can use it after the cement dries. My only suggestion to Alex to explain to customers that the workers are contracted employees and if they do not show on time or at all, to call Alex right away. And to at least call ahead before showing up. Our experience was great and looking forward to working with them again.

I am trying to repair a damaged in ground swimming pool for my disabled sister so she can sell her…read morehome. I called USA Pools 09-16-26 and there was a prompt response and site review the next day. Initially things seemed promising, an estimate was promised in a few days and on direct questioning they did say they could take on this project. On Sept 21, a call to check on the estimate yielded a promised reply in 2 -3 days. Another call Sept 25th yielded an estimate at the end of the day for about $14,000. More than I expected but given the scope of the repairs and the lateness of the season I accepted it. Their response was that they maybe able to start cleanup in 2 -3 weeks. I asked for a signable contract with a starting date for the initial cleanup and then the install of new liner once it is available. Also, I asked for their insurance info, Mass Licensing info and if they were bonded. Once it was clear that I required a signed contract before making a deposit, I was given some weak excuses for going with an unsigned estimate instead. They did not to give insurance info or even Mass License info. This in not good business practice and is not what is recommended by the Mass licensing board. Then abruptly I was told they could not help me. So now after wasting 10 days, I am stuck having to start over again to find a new vendor but it is so late in the season that it is doubtful it can be done before winter kicks in. If you are thinking of hiring this company, be cautious!

They came unable to solve our problem They did not take…read moreany equipment to check our problem Used my husband compressor and tools They gave us an estimate but we hired someone else and they fixed it about an hour Thanks to them anyway

We had a great experience with Frankenstein Pools and Corey. He has been incredibly accommodating,…read moreresponsive, and thorough throughout the process. As homeowners who aren't always on-site, we especially appreciated that he regularly sent photos and videos to keep us updated. His communication, attention to detail, and willingness to go the extra mile gave us a lot of confidence that everything was being handled properly. We would highly recommend Corey and Frankenstein Pools for pool openings and closings in the Needham area!

This update is long overdue. I can't speak any higher of Al and the work his team performed in July…read more2018. My wife and I were stuck between a rock and a hard place once we discovered the pool we had purchased from RoyalSwimmingPools.com was actually a specialty pool. Being a specialty pool meant it was engineered very differently than ~95% of all pools and it required a custom installation. The first contractor that tried to work on this pool (another North Shore based pool company which won't be named) eventually gave up on the installation after spending multiple days tearing up our backyard. I then contacted a mason to install 8 cement footings that were required as part of the custom installation. We later discovered the cement blocks were incorrectly placed (i.e. not leveled). We tried calling several pool contractors in the area who adamantly stated they would not touch a Doughboy pool. Royal Swimming Pools could not provide us any help since they didn't have any contractor connections in New England. Doughboy Pools corporate was similarly useless. Over three weeks had passed since the first installation attempt and we weren't making any progress. After finding Pools by US Plus on Yelp, we contacted Al and Melanie out of desperation and gave them a detailed breakdown of our dilemma. Melanie was very responsive and friendly. They gave us a reasonable quote (i.e. their standard rate) and said they could help us out (THE NEXT DAY!). Al visited the evening before the work was performed. He was extremely approachable and well-mannered much unlike the typical contractor. Despite the difficult nature of the job due to the customized installation and the rework that was required, they were able to get the job started and finished in one day! Perhaps most importantly, they even followed the exact instructions in the Doughboy manual so the 60-year pool warranty can remain intact! Al also provided a recommendation for us to upgrade our pool filter which we were able to act on before the installation was complete. We couldn't be happier. We're very satisfied with the finished product from Al and his team. The pool and liner look phenomenal! I highly recommend Pools by US Plus!!!

Their precise site prep work, the tidbits of pool knowledge they offered, and their attention to…read moredetail were all incredibly impressive and appreciated. Highly recommended if you want your pool installation, or liner replacement, done right!

E-Z Test Pools/D&P Pools installed a fiberglass pool in my backyard…read more I cannot say enough good things about this company. I started my research on in ground pools 3+ years ago and E-Z Test Pools/D&P Pools exceeded my expectations. Everyone was beyond professional, friendly and highly knowledgeable about the industry. Matt, Rick and the team answered all and any questions I had in a very timely manner (and there were A LOT!). There was (and is) a lot of uncertainty in the pool industry now with so many supply issues and E-Z Test Pools/D&P Pools was absolutely wonderful throughout the whole process. Picture is of our pool this spring (2022), before the patio was installed.

Been using a different place for a few year, then I found E-Z Test, What a difference! Friendly,…read moreknowledgeable and prices are comparable or better than previous place.

I have been using Abramo for service to my pool for about five years now. Managers Mike and Nick…read morego above and beyond every time to provide the best possible experience, They are honest and ethical in their business doing the best thing for the customer without fail and their prices are fair. Their service and professionalism is significantly better than their competitors in the area. They have made a customer for life out of me.

I have a large in-ground pool and have been using Abramo for my opening/closing and service. Last…read moreyear my heater died and they told me I needed a new unit. I asked how much that was going to cost and they told me "About six grand". Then they told me I would need to hire an electrician and a plumber to install it. It's a lot of money so I decided to shop it around. The most expensive price I got for the unit locally was $4700. I went online and bought it for $3770 (including taxes and shipping). I paid a third party tech to install it. After installation, I had some concerns because it didn't seem to be heating at the same rate as our previous unit. We called Abramo's to have them check it out and they gave my wife attitude, saying "why would we service it when you didn't buy it from us?". Talk about spiteful arrogance. It's not like we were looking for something for free. I mean I have my car serviced at a different dealership from where I bought it. I ended up calling Everclear in Billerica and the owner himself came out the next morning. He checked the unit and said that it was working as intended and that the problem was actually the previous unit malfunctioning. He gave me some good advice about the pool and ended up not even charging me for the call. I now have a new pool company.