• Consumers
• Hire a Contractor
• Swimming Pool Construction
• Details to Consider

Details to Consider

This step tells you about some of the details to consider with swimming pool construction.

The Contract

• Make sure everything is in writing. This includes materials, schedule and clean-up. Changes, details and payment scheduled should be written out in detail. Don't sign anything until you completely understand the terms.
• A plan and scale drawing of the shape, size, and dimensions must be included as part of your swimming pool contract.

For a more complete list and further details regarding swimming pool and other home improvement contracts, please refer to the Hire a Contractor section of this website.

The Paperwork

• What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor.
• Before you Dive into Swimming Pool Construction.
• Terms of Agreement - A Consumer's Guide to Home Improvement Contracts
• Keep a job file of all papers, pictures, lien notices and warranties relating to your project.
• The required Checklist for Homeowners - Swimming Pools. (Please note that the downpayment is not correct on our checklist. The downpayment for a swimming pool contract is 10% or $1,000.00, whichever is less.)
• Understanding Mechanics' Liens and how to protect yourself with the proper paperwork.

The Payments

• Pay no more than 10% or $1,000 down, whichever is less.
• Don't pay cash.
• Don't let payments get ahead of the work (see the ALERT below).
• Don't make final payment until completion of the final plastering phase of construction, and until the installation or construction of equipment, decking, or fencing required by the contract has also been completed.

ALERT The illegal practice of "frontloading" is a major source of complaints against swimming pool contractors. Frontloading occurs when contractors take illegally excessive down payments or take payments for work not completed. A common example with swimming pool construction is taking payment for gunite work (a sprayed concrete mixture) before the job is completed. When you let your payments get ahead of the work, you are put in a precarious position. The swimming pool contractor may ask for 50 percent of the total cost, perform only 15 percent of the work, then abandon the job, leaving you with a big hole in the ground and no funds to pay another contractor to finish the work. Don't let this happen to you--don't let your payments get ahead of the work.

The final payment may be made at the completion of the final plastering phase of construction, provided that any installation or construction of equipment, decking, or fencing required by the contract is also completed.