The questions to ask before you hire a pool builder

1. Which materials, to what specifications?

The phrase "steel pool with a liner" does not tell you much. Ask for a written technical description with numbers:

• the material and thickness of the panels, and how they are protected against corrosion,
• how they are anchored to the base and how they are joined to each other,
• what supports the walls from behind,
• the thickness of the liner and whether it has internal reinforcement,
• what equipment goes into the plant room.

For example, in our pools the panels are 2 mm galvanized steel, each with four 12/15 expansion anchors, M8×2.5 galvanized bolts and 4 mm hot-dip galvanized support buttresses, while the PVC liner is 1.5 mm with internal fibre reinforcement. We explain what each item means in steel pool panels.

2. What warranty do you give, and is it in writing?

A warranty that is not in writing is just a promise. Ask exactly what it covers, for how many years and who provides it. We give a 10-year written warranty on the liner. For the equipment, ask who you contact if something breaks and what you need to do to keep the coverage valid.

3. Can I see your projects?

Photos from handover day show little. It is more useful to see pools that are a few years old: how the liner has held up, whether there are wrinkles or fading, how the plant room is working. Also ask how many years the company has been working with that particular system. Spartakos Pools has been building prefab pools for more than 28 years and works with French manufacturers; see our projects.

4. Who handles the paperwork, and when?

For a pool under 50 m² that meets the right conditions, a small-scale works approval is enough, with an engineer's signed declaration before work starts. Ask which engineer will sign it, whether the pool design meets all the conditions and what happens if it does not. A builder who suggests starting work "and sorting out the papers afterwards" is putting you at risk.

5. What exactly is included, and what happens afterwards?

Two quotes for an "8×4 pool" can describe completely different projects. Check whether they include:

• the excavation and removal of the soil,
• the plant room and its equipment,
• the electrical work up to the plant room,
• the paving around the pool,
• filling and the first chemical balancing,
• a briefing on maintenance.

All of these affect the cost, so compare like with like.

After handover

Your relationship with the builder does not end when the pool is filled. Ask:

• who will pick up the phone in the second year if the pump stops or the water turns green,
• whether spare parts are available for the equipment being installed,
• who can take care of opening and closing the season if you do not want to do it yourself,
• whether you get written maintenance instructions.

Be careful when there is no site survey before the quote, when specifications are only given verbally, when the warranty is not written down anywhere, or when you are pressured to start before the paperwork is in order.

Questions

See also