Subcontracting your own pool project?

[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!

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!