How to compare swimming pool quotes 11 things to ask

The longer the company has been around, the more experience it will have and the deeper its relationships will be with suppliers and customers. Until a company has a few years under its belt, it’s hard to say if it will be “fly by night” or not.

Members in this national not-for-profit association must abide by a code of ethics and provide the highest standard of workmanship and service. Locate a member using the Pool & Hot Tub Council website.

Are the people doing the work contractors or employees? If they’re employees, what’s the average number of years they’ve been with the company? What training and certifications do crew members have? Finally, how many crews are there? Companies with a number of crews generally have to lower their standards to find sufficient workers. The key is to find a company that has a crew sized appropriately to accommodate scheduling and keep standards impeccable.

Does the business have required safety and business insurance so that if something goes wrong with the job, you’re not on the hook or at risk of being sued? Ask them to show you copies of your certificates.

Did they do a site visit? Did they discuss with you the ins and outs of choosing the pool site and ensuring proper grading and retaining walls to deal with any slope?

What manufacturers and brands do they use? Why do they use those particular ones? How long have they been working with those manufacturers and brands? Do they service what they sell?

Do they have sufficient staff to ensure installation can happen soon to maximize your first swimming season?

Ensure that any permits, grading, fencing and landscaping you require are discussed when you receive a quote. Additional quotes for this work may need to be provided.

Read the fine print so you know if the warranties you’re comparing are actually the same. What warranty do they offer on their labour? What are the equipment warranties? Who handles the warranty issues—is it a quick call or email to the installer to resolve a concern or will you have to deal with the manufacturer yourself? As a side note, if you're paying cash for your pool, your pool purchase won't be properly documented and there may be no warranty at all.

Are the installers quoting the same type of pool, the same size of pool, and the same equipment? Are they throwing in features that you don’t really want to sweeten the deal?

Will the same company that installed the pool perform any service? Do they have a full-time, year-round service department so you can get an answer to your questions in the off-season? Do you get a free orientation on your particular pool?