I very rarely post reviews, but had a horrendous experience with JStraw Pools and felt compelled to warn others. Apologies for the length but I want to capture it accurately.
I scheduled a pool opening on May 3. John sent me an email that afternoon stating that my hose bib (the faucet on my house where the hose attaches) was not turning off and he left the hose crimped so the water wouldn't keep running (I was at work and had to find the shut-off when I got home, then get it repaired, which is not an insignificant expense). I have 3 young boys who turn that outdoor faucet on/off all the time with no problem. Somehow it broke when John used it one time. He never said sorry or offered to help fix it. He just told me it was broken.
Then, after coming back two days later to finish the opening, he sent me this email (copied exactly: "you are missing the lid oring to your pump and the tank oring for your filter we used the oring from the new pump to start the system i need to get an oring for your filter now its just going through the valve"). I understood from this (admittedly cryptic and poorly written email) that he was ordering the o-ring.
I didn't hear again so I emailed him on 5/15 with: "Do I need to do anything about the orings or are you able to order them? Also - when you get a moment, can you please answer the other questions I had listed in a previous email." His response: "i didn't hear back i have the oring i can come back and finish up is the pool clearing up what more do you want me to do." I didn't get answers to the questions I had then asked twice (one of which was when can I use the pool) so I resent the referenced questions on 5/16. No response. So I resent the questions on 5/22 asking when he could come back and finish because the pool looked really bad.
On 5/23 I sent another email asking if he could come back and finish before Memorial Day since I'd started this on 5/3. His response: "I am backed up till after the weekend." I responded asking if he could please schedule me for his next slot and then mentioned that I was frustrated from the combo of him breaking my faucet with no explanation or apology, combined with poor communication. His response: "All i did was turn on the water because the pool did not have enough water to open I sent you an email the day we actually did the opening and several crucial pieces where missing and no response for 10 days." I replied saying I apologized that he thought he was waiting for a response from me and explaining that from his email, I thought he was ordering the o-ring. No response.
I sent two more emails asking if he was coming to finish the job with zero response. I truly have no idea why he left my pool completely unfinished, my questions unanswered, with no explanation (plus a major repair bill). read more