Many homeowners decide to use their own contractors outside of the pool or do things themselves. Normally, this is perfectly fine but there are some things you should consider. This could be anything from landscaping to decking.
Make sure that you have fully discussed your intentions with the pool builder. Even if you have a non pool related project going on, the contractor and the builder should be apprised of what each is planning on doing. There could be things that the pool builder expects from his contractor that your contractor is unaware of when they bid the job.
For example, you use your own decking guy. He bid the job thinking that he just had to come in, form and pour the deck. When he shows up, there are forms, rebar, etc. that need to be removed from the pool before he can start and he has no place to throw that stuff away. He now has extra work that he wasn't paid for and wasn't expecting to have to do. The pool builder's decking guy is paid a couple extra bucks to take care of this and you took the decking off contract. Now it becomes a finger pointing episode and a matter of who is paying for what.
There may also be things that your contractor needs to do the way the pool builder wants. Not doing so can comprimise your warranty.
For example, your decking guy lays pavers around the pool without putting in a foam expansion joint between the deck and the pavers. The paver guy didn't think it was necessary and that it was ugly. The pool guy thinks that is necessary because it can put pressure on the pool coping and cause problems down the road. That beautiful paver job may have just voided out part of your warranty. A simple phone call would have eliminated all of that.
I mentioned decking guys because that tends be the biggest problem area when taking it off contract. Decking guys may have done lots of jobs but not done a pool. They also may have done pools but for a different company. Whatever the situation, it is important that everyone knows what they are doing and what is expected.
Make sure that you have fully discussed your intentions with the pool builder. Even if you have a non pool related project going on, the contractor and the builder should be apprised of what each is planning on doing. There could be things that the pool builder expects from his contractor that your contractor is unaware of when they bid the job.
For example, you use your own decking guy. He bid the job thinking that he just had to come in, form and pour the deck. When he shows up, there are forms, rebar, etc. that need to be removed from the pool before he can start and he has no place to throw that stuff away. He now has extra work that he wasn't paid for and wasn't expecting to have to do. The pool builder's decking guy is paid a couple extra bucks to take care of this and you took the decking off contract. Now it becomes a finger pointing episode and a matter of who is paying for what.
There may also be things that your contractor needs to do the way the pool builder wants. Not doing so can comprimise your warranty.
For example, your decking guy lays pavers around the pool without putting in a foam expansion joint between the deck and the pavers. The paver guy didn't think it was necessary and that it was ugly. The pool guy thinks that is necessary because it can put pressure on the pool coping and cause problems down the road. That beautiful paver job may have just voided out part of your warranty. A simple phone call would have eliminated all of that.
I mentioned decking guys because that tends be the biggest problem area when taking it off contract. Decking guys may have done lots of jobs but not done a pool. They also may have done pools but for a different company. Whatever the situation, it is important that everyone knows what they are doing and what is expected.
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