Subcontracting your own pool project?

[minddeal]

I live in Orlando and recently had a pool built by a local company. Our relationship turned adversarial after I signed on the dotted line and things didn't going smooth to say the least.

Anyway, I realized that the pool builder subcontracted each step of the way.

Pool Layout and dig
Rebar / Steel
Gunite
Plumbing
Tile / Pavers
Pool Finish

Well, my sister is looking to have a pool built I was thinking about helping her subcontract the different parts of the job and essentially build her own pool.

I also found this link from Bella pools, who essentially helps the homeowner build their own pool. I guess you can save between 15 - 25 percent.

http://www.bellapools.com/

Any thoughts on this idea or Bella Pools?

Thanks!

[RosaSantiago]

I live on the east side of Orlando in Avalon Park and one of my neighbors is using Bella Pools to help her design and subcontract all the steps for the pool construction. She told me she was very happy and it is taking a lot less time and money to build than the other pool down the street that is being build by a regular pool company. I will be doing a pool in a couple months so please let me know what your experience is with them.

[beary]

Since I'm in the middle of it, it is hard to say, but I would think twice about again. I'm and engineer and like doing that kind of stuff. I find myself checking in on the sub contractors and making sure I get what I want more than my pool contractor. On the other hand, my pool contractor knows the good and bad subcontractors and has already save me a lot of money.

Here is what I would do if I were to start this again. I am finding that many of the good contractors are a fireman who does this part time. I would find one and talk with him on the idea of him helping me build a pool. I'm finding they know who to subcontract and who not.

I would still be leery because my pool contractor has a good experiences with subcontractors and he can get them, NOW! I don't think that could happen if it were just me, at least not in the summer busy season. Now maybe in winter.

However, this wouldn’t be for the meek. I find most folks are pretty stressed during the build even with using a pool contractor. It would be pretty scary on your own. Who would you blame?

beary

[mneal]

We recently did our 1st pool (12K gallon IG) and I have a friend of a friend that retired from the pool business . He encouraged me to be my own GC and sub everything out. The savings was not enough (was about 10%) in order for me to deal with it. I am a mechanical engineer and I am sure it is rocket science but like the other guy said, I dunno diddly squat about good verse bad subs etc. Plus I would think that as a one time only customer I would not get as good service compared to most subs who do lots of work for pool guys, so schedule would be longer . Plus, I had no idea what the details and quality control requirements are, dug hole looks like a hole to me and have no idea what is required , so I would pay they guy after he made a hole, the the shot shell, same deal, what if down the line the plaster guy said"this shell is worthless" and I paid the shell guy and he was long gone...that sorta of risk was a HUGE downside. All that added up I bit the bullet and paid a pool guy to do it and I am happy with that decision for me.

[heyyafl]

I would never hire a pool contractor do build a pool for me. Two years ago when I was building my pool my pool builder went out of business, I lost a lot of money and had to hire another pool company to finish it. I wish I hired them or U Build It for the pool. It looks like this Bella Pools company does a lot like U Build It. I am building my house with U Build it and I am very happy, they help you build your own home through finding you qualified subcontractors. I would never do this without their help! Let me know what you come up with because when I am done with my house I am doing a pool.

[kevinfl1980]

I used Bella Pools for my pool and they are the best of both words... they help me with the design and picking out the workers, and they helped me like a pool builder with the inspections but I saved a good amount of money. I was able to get some feaures I was not going to be able to afford by going with a pool contractor.

[ValAZ]

You can get an good idea what it will involve by taking a look at www.howibuiltmyownpool.com

[heyyafl]

http://www.dixieswimmingpoolsdisputeinorlando.com/

I found this site the other day.

[CarlD]

I acted as my own GC on my pool. It's true it's an AG, built into my deck, but my ground falls off 2'6" from the SE corner to the NW one. I needed to have:
plans drawn up (me--I can draft)
Permits obtained (me)
sprinkler lines moved,
my deck trimmed off and railing removed (me),
ground layout/surveying(me)
shrubbery moved
a retaining wall-based pad built and filled with QP
an engineer who specialized in road building to guarantee the pad could handle the pressure of the pool.
Purchase and delivery (Fanta-Sea and me)
Rent Bob-Cat (me)
Pool assembly
Electrical contracting for wiring, banding and connecting pump and lights.
Custom cedar fencing, deck completion and gate (me).
Painting
RE-plumbing the screwed-up initial plumbing by the sub (me, after the sub left me a leaking mess)
Final inspections and CO. (me)
Outdoor speaker wiring and mounting (me)
Swimming (me et al;) )

Did I save money? I have NO idea. But I had control over the ENTIRE process and time delays were not a surprise, but were anticipated (the pool sat mostly completed with no liner all winter--I used the winter to do the fencing). I also knew the GC wouldn't stiff me, go broke, or refuse to complete the job the way I wanted it! Was it hassle free? No. Would I do it with an I/G? Not without at least a year's intense research into the process.

The results were a pool we love and one that I know EVERY detail of.

[sock monkey]

WOWeee WOW wow wow. What stories. I'm starting to feel better about our DIY job! It's a big one (I posted pics in this forum of our pool in progress) but one step at a time, we will get through it.

My heart really goes out to those people who paid so much money and ended up with nothing but poor craftsmanship.

[minddeal]

I checked out the site howibuiltmyownpool.com and was pretty impressed with it at first. That is until I realized the author wants 100 dollars to tell you about the entire experience.

Seems fishy.

My sister met with Bella yesterday. I guess they want $5,000 to be your consultant.

After seeing my pool being built, I really think she could sub the job out herself.

[ValAZ]

I don't think you spent enough time on Ben's website, howibuiltmyownpool.com

He gives TONS of info out without paying the $100.

I read every "free" word on that site, and it convinced me I could build my own pool. I would never have thought so without that site. Once I made that decision, I decided to pay the $100 - more out of gratitutde to Ben for spending all the time he did putting all his experiences on the web than for the extra information. I went back to that site over and over again while building my pool. I won't say that those extra pages are worth the $100 I paid .... but I'll definately state that his site was worth the $100 to me because without it I would not have gone on my own and I know I saved at least $15 grand building it myself.

Look again. The amount of info, research, etc. put into it, and Ben's ability to present it in a way so someone totally ignorant of all things "construction" can understand is amazing. And that's the free stuff. Dang - I feel like I should send Ben another hundred ... not going to though. That would come out of my "contractor's" profit! :D

Valerie

[kevinfl1980]

I thought about building my own pool without the help of Bella Pools before I saw their web site. I have seen so many horror stories though and did not want to be one of them. I also did not want to have to quit my job just to oversee the construction! The prices that Bella was able to get for me was much lower than the estimates I was getting to do the project alone. I also was having a hard time getting sub contractors to work with me since I only have one pool for them to work on. My pool is not just a plain pool, I have a lagoon style pool with rock waterfalls, pavers and screen enclosure so I wanted to make sure the quality was what it was supposed to be. I would reccommend you do what I did before I made my decision, check how well you are able to locate all the sub contractors, you do not want to get halfway through the project to find out you cant find someone for a paticular step or that the wait to get them is a long time. Also, before you start construction check thre price with pool contractors, hiring it yourself and Bella Pools. We just could not find some of the trades wanting to work with us and the ones that did where to high of a price. Please keep us posted and goog luck! I wish I knew how to put up a photo of my pool on here to show you!

[heyyafl]

What did your sister end up doing?

[tmwilkin]

I see this post has been resurrected, but it caught my eyes because my wife and I recently signed on with Bella Pools here in Orlando. I've been lurking on this forum for a while now and it has nudged me in the direction of using a "consultant/project manager" approach.

I want to be more involved in the process and be able to make some decisions regarding options, without feeling like they're being pushed on me - as it seems many regular pool builders like to do. However, I don't quite have the time, patience, or expertise to develop the optimal pool layout and research and oversee subcontractors, so that's where I can rely on Bella Pools.

The company itself is very small, but everyone I have met so far appears competent and easy to work with. And, as others have mentioned, you don't have to worry about them going out of business and sticking you with a half-finished pool. I'm still finalizing the design with them and will post pictures and schematics once they are complete - as I will be seeking advice for ways to trim costs or upgrade where it makes the most sense.

Thanks,
Todd