Chad Vlaeminck doing business as Purple Heart Pools, Inc. (also known as Professional Pool Care, Inc.) is not licensed to perform the services advertised on his website and is, therefore, operating as an unlicensed contractor in the State of Florida
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is the agency in Florida charged with licensing and regulating businesses and professionals and clearly states: "In Florida, a pool business must be licensed by DBPR to legally operate."
A search of the DBPR's website at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/ reveals no such license for either Vlaeminck, Purple Heart Pools, Inc., or Professional Pool Care, Inc. When we contacted Purple Heart Pools asking for their contractor's license number, Vlaeminck gave us his business license number.
DBPR states, "An occupational or business license does not mean the business is authorized to perform contracting work but simply shows the business is registered to conduct business."
The company's website clearly states it is licensed and insured. DBPR states, "A contractor is required to display his or her contractor's license number on any advertisement." No such number is displayed on the company's website.
2018 Florida Statues, Chapter 489, states, "The scope of work for a swimming pool/spa servicing contractor requires a license issued by DBPR."
Chapter 489, Florida Statutes, sections 489.127, F.S. states: "Unlicensed contracting is a crime. Any person who practices, offers to practice, or hold themselves out as licensed to practice contracting is subject to criminal prosecution."
Purple Heart Pools can legally clean your pool without a license issued by DBPR. However, even in this endeavor, they are incompetent. After cleaning our pool for 5 months, we had the water tested and found no chlorine and/or pH balancing chemicals present at all. Our filter had not been cleaned properly the entire time and was so dirty it had to be replaced.
Additionally, when asked, Vlaeminck could not produce a worker's compensation insurance certificate as required by DBPR covering his technicians. If one of the technicians is hurt on your property, your homeowners' insurance could be liable since Vlaeminck is not properly insured.
We never knew what day the pool technician would arrive - if at all - and he spent less than 10 minutes on our pool when he actually did show up. We paid $150 a month for under 20 minutes of substandard work by Purple Heart Pools, Inc.
Stay far away from this company and do not let them do any contracting work such as pool repair, pool remodeling and renovation, pump repair, pool plastering, or deck repair because they are not licensed and insured to do this work. read more