We live on the Chesapeake Bay, and if it weren't for Splash Pools, we probably wouldn't have a pool…read moretoday. Prior to finding Splash, we had several pool companies visit our home for estimates, and nearly all of them told us that we wouldn't be able to acquire a permit.
Splash, however, was the most accommodating. They said, "Let's try to get the permit, and if it doesn't work out, we'll refund your initial deposit, minus the permit fee." Sure enough, six months later, we had our permit. The process required us to jump through several hoops with the County, but Splash kept us updated every step of the way.
I'd also like to highlight one of the owners, Sean Locklear. Sean handled the administrative side of things--contracts, ordering materials, change orders--and I was very impressed with his responsiveness. He answered emails promptly, often after hours or even on weekends. Like any construction project, there were changes and minor issues that came up along the way. For example, we needed to add a small retaining wall around part of our pool. Sean gave us a very fair price for the addition, and in the end, the wall extended further than what we had originally paid for.
We also had a minor issue when one of their landscaping employees accidentally hit our underground dog fence with a skid steer--despite being made aware of its placement. Sean immediately took responsibility and covered the cost of the repair without hesitation.
The pool itself was installed impressively fast. It was in the ground and filled with water the same day in early March. From there, the remaining work--including the concrete collar, bonding, coping, pavers, electrical work, black aluminum fencing, an additional paver patio under our deck, county inspections, and "pool school"--was completed in about two and a half months.
Now that we've spent the entire summer enjoying the pool, we couldn't be happier. Everything has been running smoothly since the handover after pool school. Maintenance has been simple with the combination of a surface robot and an underwater robot that keeps the walls and floor spotless. I handle the water testing myself using a Taylor K2006 test kit and have had no issues keeping the water balanced or algae-free.
Overall, we are extremely pleased with our experience. We're especially grateful to Splash Pools for taking the time to see if a permit was possible rather than moving on to an "easier" project. Their dedication and follow-through truly made the difference for us.
Update 4/3/26: When we purchased our pool it included a closing and an opening. Splash closed our pool in early November. They just opened my pool in early April. Henry Martinez showed up and took his time walking me through the entire opening and answering my questions. He cleaned the pool, tested my water and added the initial chemicals. I was very impressed with this young man and his pool knowledge. Even though my contract was already paid for Henry did not rush through the opening and was very patient with all my questions showing me each step in case i wanted to do it myself next year. Thank you Henry and to Splash with coming through on getting my pool open on the date I requested.
