My wife and I will be relocating to Las Vegas from the East coast and recently completed…read moreconstruction of our forever home in one of Las Vegas' newest planned communities. I manage large capital projects for a Government agency, so I understand design and construction...but absolutely nothing about pools or the Las Vegas market. So we spent months researching before deciding to actually contact two (2) national chains and one (1) local company to discuss our vision and get estimates. Besides the obvious customer reviews and feedback, we were most interested in the company's project portfolios. We wanted to be sure the company had a history of creating the total backyard environment we envisioned. All three (3) had extensive experience creating the environments we wanted for our back yard...a complete package that included a desert landscape theme with lighting and irrigation, free-form pool with wet-deck and Zion-like rock waterfall, stand-alone spa, pergola-covered seating area and fire pit.
All three (3) companies were able to send someone out to the house relatively soon after initial contact. Danny Lovio arrived exactly when he said he would and spent the first few minutes introducing himself and California Pools. Then...he spent the next hour LISTENING to our vision...asking questions to clarify, offering suggestions and alternatives...but more LISTENING than talking. And we had some very specific expectations and desires...specific color palette, pool features, landscape elements, sight lines, etc. As I would expect from a designer, he made sure we understood the process, limitations of our lot and budget...and he offered alternatives that might enhance our design vision and operations/sustainability. The one thing he DIDN'T do...was try to force his design vision onto us. He was very up-front about the potential cost and promised to put together a plan that fit both our vision and budget. At the end of the session, we were favorably impressed enough to pay the $250 design fee and move forward with the design/estimate process.
All three (3) companies estimated 2-3 weeks to get back to us with the concept design and estimate. One (1) week later, Danny sent us his design concept package and detailed cost proposal. The design included the 3D video and the 5-page proposal included a detailed breakdown of all the elements...excavation, plumbing, electrical, concrete, equipment packages, decking, landscape, etc...to include add/deduct options that would allow us to tweak our budget. To say that Danny "nailed it" would be an understatement. He captured everything we envisioned...only better. What was really impressive, was that he managed to relay exactly what we envisioned to his landscape consultant...who also nailed exactly what we had in mind. We asked Danny to make a couple minor adjustments to the spa and color of the waterfall...but we essentially had a final plan we loved within 2 weeks of initial meeting.
Construction schedules are a nice planning tool, but seldom survive the first shovel of dirt. Caliche soil, rain, wind, temperatures, labor disputes...can devastate the schedule. The construction manager's challenge is to adjust to those issues to keep the project moving forward and manage the customer's expectations. Mario Villegas is one of the best...always keeping us aware of progress with pictures and videos...and making us aware of any potential problems. The actual schedule exceeded the original 12 week schedule, but delays were legitimate weather issues...and we always knew what was happening. Throughout the process, I got the strong sense that we received the same level of attention to detail he would give to a family member. And besides being good at his job, Mario is one of the nicest, most genuine, people I've ever met. That goes for Danny too!
Bottom line...this was a great experience for us with an amazing outcome. If you are in the market for a new pool, you owe it to yourself to give Danny, Mario and California Pools a close look.
