Why hire a pool contractor

So you are looking to have a swimming pool built in your backyard.  You’ve waited a long time and had visions of spending countless summers enjoying the swimming pool with your family.  The birthday parties, the 4th of July family get togethers, your children’s friends “hangout spot”.  So now you are finally looking to move forward with your dreams.  So who should you hire, why should you hire a pool builder…  Well let’s first go to that all builders are not created equally.  Some work off of volume, leaving you as a number and some builders just fax or email plans to subcontractors and hope they do their job.  In the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area, there are builders everywhere.  But one major question, are they actually a builder.  Do they call subcontractors to show up to do your job when they can get to it or does the builder build relationships with the subcontractors where their jobs are put to the front.  Does your builder even check on the work of their crew???  All work should be looked over but not in a way where it’s just looked at.  A trained swimming pool builder should know what to look for so that NO mistakes are made or no shortcuts were made to save time or money.

First lets state, if you are going to hire the cheapest company should you ask yourself if you should even hire a company at all.  If you are paying a company that just calls out things to be done/line things up, couldn’t you do that???  Or if you were to hire another company that you think “WOW” this company has so many referrals!  Do you think maybe that company builds say 80+ pools per year and you will be a number.  Sure they get say 50 new referrals per year but what happened to the other 30 that were left behind very disappointed.  Where a company that builds 15 pools per year and gets 15 happy customers every year, wouldn’t that be what you would want?

If I were purchasing anything that would have to be built like a swimming pool, I would want a company that would be on my job and dictating instruction to his workers rather than taking advice from the workers.  Also, I would want to be a name and not a number to that builder.  When some companies take on more than they can chew, you are the one that is left feeling like a number rather than an important client which leads to my next point.  I would want my project done in a timely manner.  Well the company that works off of volume, can’t possibly build a pool in a timely manner.  If they were to try, they would have 3 tile and coping subcontractors, 4 deck crews, 3 plumbers etc.  So what happens to quality control????  Can you expect the same product from different entities?  Or if the contractor that works off of volume do you think if they only had one crew per job to be done, do you possibly think they can complete a job in a timely manner.  Especially when they have 10+ jobs going on at all times all year long.

At the end of the day when you are looking to hire a swimming pool builder I’m sure cost is a huge issue but a larger issue should be you being very important to your builder, where you get an answered phone call on a Sunday morning due to your concern.  Also, somebody that will actually let’s say investigate your jobs so that there are no issues with the integrity of your job.  Also, your job being built in a timely manner so that you can enjoy your pool with water in it rather than a backyard full of mud and concrete.

What you will get with Crystal Pools and Spas is a company that has competitive prices, that has been in business under one name since 1984, a company that will supervise and be VERY involved throughout your project.  A company that has a built relationship with their different crews (we do not use 2 tile “guys”, etc.), and that means us being put at the top of the list vs our competitors.  You will not only be our customer for the process of your job but we will build a relationship for the future.  If you have an issue 20 years later, we are still here for you!  We do not hide behind the Crystal Pools and Spas logo/emblem but you get us, Jeff and Kevin Knott.  We represent our logo.  You are not hiring Crystal Pools but you are hiring the actual owners of the company.  If you have any questions or need any help with your decision process just call or email us!  Good luck!!!!

Why hire a pool contractor

Why hire a pool contractor

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Why Nolapools.com when we are Crystal Pools and Spas

In 2010 when I completely reworked our website, I knew we had to be different than my father taught me to be.  Unfortunately, unlike the past decades shaking a person and giving them your word just doesn’t cut it anymore in this day and age.  So, I knew we would have to make it very easy for people to find us and make it easy to remember.  Prior to 2010 our website was www.crystalpoolsla.com and you can actually still use that web address and it is the same site as www.nolapools.com but it was too hard to remember.  I wanted to put our website only on our tailgate of our trucks and I thought www.crystalpoolsla.com was too difficult to remember especially if somebody saw it during their morning commute and had to remember it by days end.  I had a client who told me try something like www.fleurdelispools.com or to something to that extent so that it would be very easy for people to remember the site therefore find our site.  That’s all thats too it.  So yes we are Crystal Pools and Spas, since 1984 but our website went from www.crystalpoolsla.com to both www.crystalpoolsla.com and www.nolapools.com.

Why Nolapools.com when we are Crystal Pools and Spas

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Volume of jobs good and bad pool builder take on and how it affects you:

1) The obvious reason to stay away from builders that take on too many jobs is point blankly, they are looking for their next pool to sell.  Most swimming pool contractors are looking to maximize the volume of pools they build.  When they do that, you become a job NUMBER.  There is usually little to NO supervision, putting the liability at the hands of the subcontractors.  Let’s face it, in the deep south it gets HOT!  When it get’s hot with not only no supervision but NO VOICE to be heard, people/subcontractors or employees can get lazy.  Who pays for that?  Not the subcontractor or the builder but YOU!!!  Find a builder that does not take on more than he/she can chew therefore hopefully for you they will not be on the job just to collect a pay check!

2)  Another reason that is not obvious for choosing a contractor that not builds too many volume of pools is ease to get in touch with the builder to answer all of your questions.  That includes weekends and nights.  If you chose a good builder the relationship should be more than one of business!  We at Crystal Pools treat all of our new and PAST customers professionally but also on a personal level.  It is not our GOAL to take on too many jobs (under 20 per year).  With that ratio for Jeff and Kevin they can provide the customer not only with supervision and openness but provide them with AVAILABILITY!  Not just during the job but years after it is completed!

3) The last that will be discussed that most people do not think of is this:  WARRANTY!  Have you ever wondered whose responsibility it is to warranty everything with your pool once completed?  The BUILDERS.  At Crystal Pools and Spas because we take on so FEW jobs we target to address any warranty work in a week’s period.  It is the amount of jobs that allows us to have the time and availability to give our customer’s the attention they DESERVE!

4)  The most important factor for choosing a builder that doesn’t worry about maximizing the volume of pools that they build is the length of time it takes for a company to complete their job.  Companies that take on too many jobs can’t complete their jobs in a timely manner.  Think of it like this, if you were building 10+ pools at a time you wouldn’t have the availability of a work staff therefore you would have two options, take longer to build or have different crews and get different results. We hear all the time of a pool taking over a half of a year to complete jobs.  We average 2-5 weeks from the day we dig because your job is one of our few we will have going on.  This is by the choice of our philosophy.  We feel as though it will keep the success of our name to go on through the generations under ONE NAME!

In conclusion, you would be blown away at how many stories I hear by person or by emails that say once a certain company/competitor gets the contract signed that they NEVER see their builder again.  It is as if everything was outsourced to different people or worse to the subcontractors alone!!!  This is honest.  If you are not in the New Orleans area, email us but do your HOMEWORK!  Getting a pool built is NOT like buying a vehicle. When you finally figure out the type of vehicle you want you go around seeing the service different companies can offer but more importantly the price.  With a pool it is DIFFERENT, it is a man made item that is going to vary from builder to builder.  It is not like it is built somewhere else and we are bidding to deliver it!  We are getting paid to BUILD it CORRECTLY!!  If you do live in the New Orleans area please give us a call for you new or existing pool.  We will be honest and assure you you won’t be a number.  Also, we will assure you that we stand before our Crystal Pools logo and we ARE our logo we DO NOT hide behind our logo!!!  You get US!

Bad pool builder

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Pool contractor , who, why??

Here are reasons you should choose us over our competitors to be your swimming pool contractor :

1 )  Honesty– you can trust Jeff and Kevin to be your swimming pool contractor, bottom line.  You choose us for your job it’s in our hands.  We are good Christian guys and are very trustworthy.  We won’t tell you a fib just to get your job then later changing what we said in a contract to make extra money.   Every pool contractor will say they are the best and do everything they can to get your job but when they do get your job most pool contractors aren’t worried about your job anymore.  They are worried about chasing the next one.  We assure you this is NOT our business philosophy!  Your job is VERY important to us!!!  Also, if you are referred to us it is by a TRUE referral.  We won’t give handouts/kickbacks to somebody just to refer us.  That is what is wrong with the country, everybody has a hand in everybody’s pocket.  Unlike some of our competition our referrals are honest referrals.  As a homeowner, it’s like trying to figure out what political candidate you can trust.  Everybody is saying what you want to hear but it’s trying to figure out who is telling the TRUTH!!!   We assure you, we will tell you the truth and not just what you want to hear!  The main thing is we won’t give you a cheap price but you won’t get a cheap product!

2 ) Supervision– we are the pool contractor that builds.  Unlike most of our competitors we are there in all the phases of your investment.  We don’t just fax our sub-contractors plans of your job with an address and depend they will give you a good job.  We truly supervise as a pool contractor and get involved in the project and let our voice be heard over our sub-contractors.  Isn’t this why you are hiring a pool contractor in the first place?

3 ) Hands on– for instance we do in house sales-calls, plumbing of the pool/equipment installation, start-up and instruction of the pool, trash clean-up/haul off, etc.  We are a swimming pool contractor that not only have tool boxes on our trucks but we have USED tools because that’s what we do.  NO other pool contractor will OUTWORK us!!!

4 ) Grade A materials– a pool can be equipped with a lot of different combinations of equipment/materials.  We use the best products on the market. Remember when comparing quotes break it down and compare apples to apples.  Ask what equipment and size equipment the swimming pool contractor /s you are quoting are bidding on.  Most of the time a pool contractor bids the cheapest combination of materials just to get the job.  Remember YOU will be the one that pays for that mistake.  Our pools are built with the best combinations on the market.  Big filter, big pump, etc. = less future headaches.

5 ) Grade A subcontractors– in the pool world there are many different subcontrators in varius fields out there to be used.  Some are really cheap and some are more expensive to use.  We use subcontractors that are the best in their respective field and Jeff has been using for 10+ years and one of the subcontractors he has been using since 1984.  On top of using the best crews our market has available we supervise all of our crews and will even get dirty with those crews if a job requires. Will your swimming pool contractor do that?

6 )  Problem solvers– every job is different and different jobs have different obstacles thrown at it. If a problem EVER happens on your job, instead of ignoring a phone call because of fear like most people would, we’ll attack the problem and come up with the appropriate solution.  There’s no sense to avoiding obstacles but instead taking the appropriate course of action to address whatever that problem may be. Does/will your swimming pool contractor attack or avoid ANY problem/s??

7 ) Availability– when you choose us we are available for YOU! We give you both Jeff and Kevin’s cell phone number and our house number.  When you feel like you have a concern/question please feel free to call.  We get calls all the time on weekends and after hours with questions from even PRIOR customers.  You have hired us to comfort you not to give you a client number and process your job.  Once you choose us you become part of our FAMILY! Relationships carry on for a lifetime and no different with your pool.

8) Timeliness-  We are a pool contractor that does not take on more than we can chew.  There are pool contractor /s that you may have heard of taking over a year to build a pool!  We average 4.5 weeks from the day we dig our pools till the day you are swimming!!  The problem with most companies are they chase their next job and don’t focus on your/their current job/s.  We are a pool contractor because we build under 20 pools per year, we can focus and hustle on your job!

9 ) Warranty– We have been in business since 1984.  If you have a problem with anything even after your project is installed be assured that we are still here for you.  Remember that a warranty is only good as to how long the pool contractor you chose has been and will be in business.  For instance, a HUGE liability for a state licensed pool contractor is giving you the customer a lifetime structural warranty of your pool.  So if your pool gets a structural crack in it it is the pool contractor s responsibility to fix the problem by whatever means it takes to do so.  So if a pool contractor keeps changing their name even by a letter or adding something to their name your warrnaty is VOIDED!!! We have been under the same name and never refiled for a name change since Jeff started Crystal Pools in 1984, so all of our prior customers have good warranty’s for their structure.  That should ease your mind, and knock on wood we have NEVER had a pool structure crack (because of supervision and knowledge) or pool pop out of the ground!!!

There are even more reasons to go with us to be your pool contractor but just remember this- you get US when you choose us! Unlike most companies that will only give you three referrals, or their best/most happy clients we feel you should get all of one’s clients good and bad.  You, the homeowner shouldn’t feel required to know what you are looking at in order to build your pool, but you should feel comforted in knowing you chose the best/most knowledgeable pool contractor on the market.  Your only decision’s should be on the cosmetic end of your job with advice from your pool contractor.  A good pool contractor ‘s job is to guide you and help make informative decisions but ABOVE ALL to build you the best pool using all the knowledge they have.  We promise you a few things we WILL use our knowledge because we WILL be in your backyard (kind of hard using our knowledge being somewhere else), and we will give you 100% of our maximum effort to build your pool as we were building our own swimming pool.  And that is all you can ask for!

We provide our ALL to our customers, on the white collared end and blue collared end!  We would LOVE the opportunity to be YOUR swimming pool contractor !!

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Interviewing swimming pool contractors

It goes further than how long has that business been in business.  You need to know how long have they been in business in the same exact company name.  A lot of companies have sort of the same name but add something to it most probably because they have been bankrupt and they need to.  It is VERY difficult for a homeowner to research this which is VERY frustrating hanging you the homeowner as to trust whatever that company tells you.  I believe when a company goes bankrupt one time there should be a waiting penalty after the second that contractor should loose his license from his or her trait.  Well it is so easy for that to file a name under a spouses’ or friends’ name therefore leaving the homeowner guessing.  This is the most difficult step, WHO TO TRUST???

The second step for a homeowner is to compare apples to apples and not to banana’s.  In the swimming pool field there is a wide variety of equipment on the market.  Just a residential filter for example can range from $200 to $1,300.  That is just for the filter!!!  So when comparing companies you need to know what you are getting!  Another short cut by some builders are to have thinner gunite/concrete walls and flooring to save a large bit of money.  As a state licensed contractor, you have to give a lifetime structural warantee of the shell or gunite/concrete of the pool.  Well if a company is not in business for long or gets sued that warantee means NOTHING!!!! This should be VERY important to a homeowner looking to build a pool.  This step of interviewing a contractor can be very time consuming but VERY important to protect your investment.  There are plenty of ways, too many to name, for a contractor to cut cost resulting in a cheaper price.  Good established contractors in business for a long time under the same name will not cut corners just to sell a couple of extra pools.  Remember, you get what you pay for!!!!

The next thing you consider should be, are you talking to a salesman or the horse’s mouth.  A salesman is exactly what it sounds like, he will sell the job and you will never see him again.  He or she works off of commission and is usually very savvy and have lots of tactics and colorful brochures because they work off of commission.  There are plenty of tactics out there where a company for instance will say the pool is including 3′ of decking around water’s edge.  What home owner’s don’t realize is that the contractor knows the homeowner will have a greater amount of decking installed than the 3′ and then suddenly have the homeowner over a barrel to pay whatever price once the contract is signed and the process has begun.  It is important for the homeowner to weed out the dishonest contractors that use modern day tactics just for the sale.  Not all builders have a sales/design team.  You should be looking for a BUILDER not a seller!!!!  You need somebody that you communicate through the whole process, from start to completion.  You are the owner, and your only worries should be color selection.  You should not worry about some crew being faxed a set of plans showing up to your home UNSUPERVISED!  Also as a homeowner, you should not have to worry if you do have a foreman/overseer that they are actually concerned or paying attention to your job.  I tell people on the initial visit look outside and see if the salesman has a truck, second see if he has a toolbox attached to the truck, thirdly open that toolbox up and see if there are tools in it and finally the most important is are those tools used?  If you would open up my toolbox on my truck you would find some rusty tools, some with dents/scuffs,etc.  A true builder should not be driving around picking up checks but to actually care and supervise your one and only pool.  Not thinking about his or her next project!!!

Another aspect of choosing a contractor is the referral world.  If you are getting a referral somebody you know and it is a good one you should keep asking around.  I think it is a joke when a company gives a list of say 10 referrals to a customer to call and check.  Let’s think here, I bet the 10 referrals he’ll give are his top 10 customers and you won’t get the one’s he or she has disappointed.  For the sake of some reason people like a list of references I have posted some on our website and will add everyone here on out that will take time to write one.  I will not exclude any, that is not being honest.  I feel that a client should get ALL references and it’s not a being honest to take only the happy.  You have to remember hiring a contractor is not like buying a vehicle that is produced by the same plant.  A swimming pool is hand crafted and everybody put’s in different components.  I always tell people they can come choose from every client my father and I have built a pool for.

Now about Crystal Pools and Spas Inc., all I can tell you about is Jeff and Kevin Knott.  We work to give our clients 100% satisfaction not only during the process but after also.  Our prior customers are not forgot about and I still get a good call back from past clientele to ask me questions.  We please 100% of our customers by the time the job is complete because you are our future!  I will be honest there are many very nice sales techniques out there today but honestly that is NOT what we are about or use.  We are about being upfront and honest from the very first time we meet a potential client.  That’s all we can be, no bright colorful pamphlets, no creative sales techniques.  It is about looking into a potential buyers eyes and giving that person our word. That is what we are about.  I am a realist, there have been problems come up during a job process through the years and anybody tell you things don’t come up are kidding them self.  It is about how you attack and solve any concern/problem if it may occur.  I know me not answering my phone when I know a customer may be mad will not solve anything only create frustration by the homeowner.  I’m not saying all of my competition are outlaws but the pool industry epically in SE Louisiana has a used car dealership reputation.  It is frustrating having competition that is incompetent.  There are some that build pools that know a subcontractor and he will get other subcontractors and that person is all of a sudden a builder.  That person relies on the subcontractors to build the pool correctly and usually will lead to bankruptcy. The thing frustrating to me is I lose swimming pools every year to a list of incompetent builders.  There is a skill/craft to this industry and you can’t rely on subcontractors to keep you afloat because that is a loosing formula. A swimming pool is a investment for you and your job should be treated like it is that builders pool.  If you give a client 100% of yourself for his/her job you will have customers’ for life!  My wife is a RN at St. Tammany Hospital in the nursery and I told her that she can never have a bad day when she enters work.  She needs to attack that day with a great outlook because you are dealing with people that has given birth and they want it to be the best experience.  My wife represents the hospital and if she goes in with an attitude it can put a damper on what is suppose to be the best day of a couple’s life.  Well I attack my job the same way, when I enter a job I leave any personal problems at home.  It is not fair to the homeowner to get 75% of me and another customer 100% of me.  We strive for consistency!  Every owner deserves that and in return the referrals will come!  We promise we will be on the job supervising not sitting there or not on the job.  We interact with our subcontractors and we give them information.  We build all our swimming pools as our own, I’m sure others say the same thing as a sales catch but we back that up with action.  We are not about cutting corners which a lot of contractors view as profit but seldom realize the long term loss of satisfaction.  There are a lot of different subcontractors for every phase out there.  Some less expensive that others.  We only use subcontractors that take pride in there work and we pay more for that.  For instance we use the same plaster crew my father has used since 1980.  We not only go on our own salescalls and supervise but we do the blue collar stuff like plumb our own pools (equipment/piping), clean up and haul off trash, clean driveways after the dig, startup our pools, etc.  The most graitifing part of my job is to take a design on a sheet of paper and then take that into a finished project.  I LOVE that part of my job!

At the end of the day when the lights go out and it is you and your finished swimming pool will you have the best and most efficient equipment, will you have a sound structure, will you have the dedication and service you deserve even after the project is complete?  That is what it is all about!  Most builders can give you a pool that has blue water when the job is complete but it goes WAY BEYOND that, what are the components that makeup of your swimming pool?

If you or anybody you know has any pool related question please feel free to share our website and just ask us.  We are willing to help with all that’s possible.  I enjoy what I do for a living and love to interact and I am motivated in making people happy.  I hope I helped you in the pool decision process and I hope I gave you information so that you can make the best educated decision in choosing the best possible swimming pool contractor for you and your family.  Thanks!

Kevin and Jeff Knott

Interviewing swimming pool contractors

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