Yay, awesome, wait, f me

[ramonesfreak]

That’s a nice pool!!!!!!

Growing up we lived in 3 different homes and each time we moved my dad put a pool in

Never once did he ever have an issue over the course of 4O years of pools, maybe the heater needed something minor once. Never heard him complain about it a single time. We covered it in winter and uncovered it in spring. Did the usual chlorine routine and netted the occasional dead frog out.

I think there’s no comparison to a boat as far as dumping money into it. The problem comes when you want to sell your house and your limited to buyers that want a pool but I wouldn’t let that stop me if I wanted a pool

[Les Paul]

Our first pool. We love it.

[Racerbvd]

Growing up, we had a pool, my mother designed it, one of the cool things (besides a 10 or 12 foot deep end) was it had a built in table and bench. This was back when not everyone had a pool, so it was kinda big deal. When I bought this house in the 90s, it was the 1st time that I didn't have a pool.

[red-beard]

Like a boat, a pool is a hole in the ground you pour money into...

www.troublefreepools.com

[Jims5543]

I work for 2 of the largest pool contractors in this area, exclusively. They keep me hopping as everyone now wants a pool after the lock downs.

There are a lot of really bad pool companies out there, they tend to self destruct, the sad part is they also tend to take a lot of people's money with them as they go down.

2 years ago this pool company started to use me. They kept falling behind on their bills, like 4-6 months. We started hitting them with past due reminders at 60 days and they were ignored.

I told them they had 7 days to pay up all outstanding bills or all work will stop.

They paid up, a few months later, same deal. So we put them on a COD style of billing. When they ordered we billed them up front, then would not start the project until they paid their bills. We told them that was how we would be working from now on.

Many of these jobs sat for 4-6-8 months without them paying.

Then they started to tell their customers that were raging at them, it was our fault that the job was delayed.

We started getting their customers coming to our office to have a fight with us.

So I quit from them completely. I got a really bad feeling they were going down and I was not going with them, furthermore, I did not want to be associated with them. This was a Monty Python RUN AWAY moment.

5 months later this happened.

Swimming pool company owners charged in $2 million fraud probe on Treasure Coast

https://cbs12.com/news/local/pool-company-at-center-of-2-million-fraud-probe-on-treasure-coast

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — The owners of a swimming pool company on the Treasure Coast are accused of defrauding customers out of at least $2 million.

The FDLE arrested 39-year-old Chrystal Washburn and 34-year-old Brian Washburn, the owners of Amoré Pools.

Investigators said the pair took large deposits, 25 percent down, from homeowners to build in-ground residential swimming pools but never completed the projects. Some projects were abandoned before any work was done.

Josie Maldonado was among them. She shared photos of the unfinished pool in her backyard.

"Sometimes I would just sit in the backyard in a chair and cry," she told CBS12 News. Maldonado said Amore Pool's low prices and promises of quick construction convinced her to do business with them. She and her husband ended up paying for 70 percent of the project, about $28,000, only to be left with a hole in their backyard.

Maldonado said they are now hiring new contractors and doing work themselves to try and finish the project.

Investigators say the Washburns used a third party check cashing store to convert the checks into cash in an effort to "conceal the illicit funds," the FDLE said.

The FDLE said the couple defrauded customers in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Brevard Counties.

Chrystal Washburn faces seven counts of identity theft, four counts of money laundering, insurance fraud and other charges.

Brian Washburn faces four counts of money laundering, organized scheme to defraud, providing false info on application for contractor’s license, unlicensed contractor in state of emergency, false/fraudulent statement, insurance fraud, and seven counts of identity theft.

"The defendants took thousands of dollars in upfront payments, then dug holes in customers’ backyards with no intention of ever finishing the work they were paid to complete," said Attorney General Ashley Moody. "This fraudulent pool-contracting scheme harmed dozens of Floridians and violated several state laws. We will make sure these defendants are held accountable for their criminal actions."

[Jims5543]

One of the most insane pools I ever worked on.

These people put a lazy river in their backyard.


https://goo.gl/maps/qFxQFYUpzV3AogeY9

When it was almost done, I spoke to the homeowner. I said, man your kids must be excited over this. She said they did not have kids it was an adult playground. LOL!!

It appears the people that built the pool sold the house. I just did a quick search.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/450-SW-Naftal-Pl-Port-Saint-Lucie-FL-34953/103526338_zpid/

[Por_sha911]

First world problem.

[stomachmonkey]

I'm beginning to think some o ya'll be right.

When the plumbers hooked up all the equipment one of the crew gorilla'd a collar on the water feature pump and broke it. Been waiting for the plumber to come fix it so we could start cycling it.

Last night around 4am I hear something kick on and running water.

Sounds like the sprinklers, a bit louder though but definitely running water so I assume it's the auto fill on the pool, cool, it works.

Not sure how long it was running cause I'm half asleep but felt like longer than maybe it should but WTF do I know, new experience for me.

It eventually stops but then starts up again some time later, again not sure how long between cause I'm half asleep.

At one point I hear my wife get out of bed and wander over to the window then come back to bed.

Water is still running and after some more time I just feel like this can't be right.

Is the auto fill float hung up and the pool is overflowing?

So I go into the living room and look at the pool.

It looks empty?

It can't be empty?

How the f is that possible?

So I go outside, the f'r is empty, about 4-5 inches of water left in it.

Run around the side of the house and water pouring from the filter, wait, it's not coming from the filter, it's splashing off the filter from the water feature pump because the collar is still not fixed.

It was cold last night, apparently the freeze guard kicked in to keep the water moving and that turned on the water feature pump which drained the whole mother f'ng thing.

25,000 gallons of water literally down the drain.

My neighbors yard is all screwed up from the erosion pushing a mound of dirt onto his side of the fence because the common grade makes my yard drain through his.

And the main pool pump may be totally hosed because it ran dry for at least a couple of hours.

Not having a good day.

[bivenator]

In September, on a hot sticky night you and your buddies can have a good laugh while you chug cold beer in the pool. I love the design and you will eventually get the kinks worked out.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by bivenator

In September, on a hot sticky night you and your buddies can have a good laugh while you chug cold beer in the pool. I love the design and you will eventually get the kinks worked out.

Well I'm not paying for the water to refill this thing.

You live in TX, you know it ain't cheap.

[nota]

water is free here
I really do not get the system out west where you do not own the water under your land
but here it is fresh clear clean and flowing a few feet down so only cost is short lift pump

but the other pool expense is the chemicals and energy to filter
we gave up on all that and went to a fish pond with koi and turtles
we pump air in and dump and refill the water about one a week more in the summer less in winter
fish and turtles eat cheap catfish food

[ramonesfreak]

Free water? Out west? Im in NY and pay a lot for water and I loie on lake ontario one of the largest fresh water lakes on the planet. Someone has to pay for water treatment and maintenance of the miles of pipes. You are likely playing for it somehow even though you dont get a separate bill for it

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by nota

water is free here
I really do not get the system out west where you do not own the water under your land
but here it is fresh clear clean and flowing a few feet down so only cost is short lift pump

but the other pool expense is the chemicals and energy to filter
we gave up on all that and went to a fish pond with koi and turtles
we pump air in and dump and refill the water about one a week more in the summer less in winter
fish and turtles eat cheap catfish food

In this part of TX water has to be collected and stored if you want a reliable supply.

[3rd_gear_Ted]

I live in a mid-century home with big eaves all around the house and atrium. The big eaves are great for jumping into the 9" deep end from the roof.
When the "big one" comes pool will get covered up and I got 25K gallons of water to barter with my neighbors for food.
I've seen concrete pool leaks fixed with some raw grain, they pound the grain in the crack and it then expands to allow a surface seal repair.

[cabmandone]

I know I shouldn't be laughing at comment #28 but I am. Good grief that's just a gut punch.

I'd be telling the jackass that didn't fix the water feature pump fitting that they now owe me a new pool pump AND a full pool. The thing should have been isolated.

[stomachmonkey]

Started refilling the pool yesterday.

The big Leuder stone table sucks up water like a sponge and I had planned on sealing the bottom because if it stays wet it starts to mildew and eventually crumbles and falls apart.

Since the water is still below the seating I can get in there and get to the bottom of the table now stay dry.

Run out to Tractor Supply which is closer than Lowes but in the opposite direction to get the product because it shows in stock which of course means it's not which you only find out after getting there and wandering around for 20 minutes looking for it so off to Lowes after all.

Get back and get to it an hour later and promptly drop a brand new Airpod into the pool FARK.

Manage to get the job done while staying dry, go to get out and slip and fall into the pool.

FAAAARKKKK that **** was cold.

Is it too early to start drinking?

[ramonesfreak]

at least there was water in there when you fell i guess otherwise your next stop might be having a cast fitted to a wrist or worse...brain damage!

(my wife says im a glass half empty type or person but i dont agree with that)

[KFC911]

If someone pissed me off, I'd give them a 50' wooden sailboat. If they REALLY pissed me off... I'd put a pool in their back yard .

Cheers !

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by kc911

if someone pissed me off, i'd give them a 50' wooden sailboat. If they really pissed me off... I'd put a pool in their back yard .

Cheers :d!

lol

[nota]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Free water? Out west? Im in NY and pay a lot for water and I loie on lake ontario one of the largest fresh water lakes on the planet. Someone has to pay for water treatment and maintenance of the miles of pipes. You are likely playing for it somehow even though you dont get a separate bill for it

we have a well for yard and pool water comes untreated
and we have metered city water with chlorine treated to to reduce the hard Ca that we pay for PLUS SEWER FEES

the city water will kill the fish
UNTREATED GROUND WATER [well] does not