Just like some of you out there, I have spent hours upon hours researching about pools. It's funny how the internet makes you think you can do anything. I stumbled upon several DIY pool websites and even subscribed to one. 'Build your own pool for $40K' was the sales pitch, website after website. They tell you the steps to build your pool by doing the same work a pool contractor does, i.e, not do any of the actual work/labor, but organize the subs. After all the reading I was confident that I was going to be able to act as my own contractor and build my own pool by just putting together all the proper subcontractors. I figured I would get some estimates from pool contractors and see how their prices would compare to trying to get all the proper subs in order. BTW, It is REALLY hard to find all the subs in Hawaii!!!
So, I got all the subs and bids and I also got pool contractor bids together. WOW! I was going to save about $10-20K if I did not go through a pool contractor, and got all the proper subs in order. BUT, I was a little nervous to pull the trigger. I mean, this is something I had no idea about and who was going to be responsible if something went wrong? Was it worth saving the money if I was going to have to pay the amount to have someone fix a mistake by a sub?
It was fate that I met Brandon. For those of you not from Hawaii, Brandon embodies the typical local boy style. He shoots straight from the hip, doesn't sugar coat anything, and honestly is as far removed from a salesman that you could imagine. He basically will tell you how it is and what he can do and his price is a VERY, VERY fair price for what he does. Yes, for what he DOES because he actually works on his pools whenever he can. After deciding to go with Poseidon pools and they started the project, I would show up to the job site to see what was going on. Brandon himself was in the mix, doing the actual work along side his crew. WAIT! WHAT?!! Isn't a pool contractor just putting subs together and collecting all the money?!! Nope, Brandon was in there doing the work and I have the pictures to prove it!!! Of course there were times when his crew was there without him if he needed to oversee and bid other jobs but I was just blown away by seeing him get his hand dirty. Shoot, it even inspired me to get into the mix to be able to say I helped build my own pool. This was way beyond my expectations.
Overall, I am soooo happy that I have gone with Poseidon pools. Brandon and his crew take tremendous pride in their work. After seeing his work, I realize that it is the things you cannot see that are even more important to the overall product. The steel, plumbing, forming, were all done by him and his own crew. Underneath my concrete shell is an amazing lattice of steel set up like a perfect grid, and piping, and lighting, interwoven like a perfectly architecturally designed piece of art. He even went above and beyond the blueprint to make sure the pool was even more 'solid'. It is apparent that he has been in the trade for a long time (since age 17) and learned under the tutelage of his Dad (Clyde, who has been making pools his whole life too). Brandon is a prodigy!!
Honestly, if you are thinking of building a pool contact Brandon. I have nothing but the highest praises. DO NOT think you can go about it alone, this would be a very big mistake. In fact, Brandon has told me stories of how he has needed to fix some botched pools from homeowners doing owner/builder pools and trying to orchestrate subs. The possible savings cannot substitute for peace of mind and having the best pool BUILDER (he is not just a pool contractor) do your pool. read more
