• Never hire anyone who comes to your door unsolicited, seeking business.
• Talk to a minimum of three contractors about your project. Look for firms that have been in the pool and spa or building industry for at least five years.
• Never allow a builder to rush you into signing a contract, and never sign a contract that you don’t understand. Don’t be embarrassed to take a few days to study a document before you sign it. And ask questions, questions and more questions.
• Always make sure that a contractor is insured and licensed. Ask to see insurance certificates for both general liability and workers compensation, and a license in the name of the individual building your pool or spa. Call the insurance companies and the state’s contractor’s board to confirm validity.
• Have a prepared pool/spa plan and a materials list drawn up and take bids on each.
• Always check credentials and talk to references, especially the firms’ three most recent clients.

Questions To Ask Include:

• Did the builder start and finish on time?
• Were there any surprises during the job – such as a change in the price?
• Was it easy to get in touch with the contractor while the construction was in progress? Would you hire this contractor again?
• Does the contractor have a place to view pools and all the equipment they sell?
• Remember that the lowest bid is not always the best. Take a critical look at all bids, estimates and offers – and make sure to get them in writing.
• Contact the firm’s primary material supplier to ask if the contractor pays bills on time and whether the supplier would recommend the firm.
• Never pay more than ten percent of the estimate as a down payment. Plan to pay the remaining amount in installments linked to specific phases of the project.
• Never pay a contractor in cash. Use cashiers checks or money orders and get a receipt.
• Is your pool builder a member of the National Spa-N-Pool Institute and Better Business Bureau?
• Always check past and prior financial status of a potential contractor. Many pool builders are here one day and gone the next.
• Never make your final payment until you completely understand how your pool/spa and related equipment operate.
• Remember, the more time you spend planning your pool/spa project and checking out the credentials of your contractor, the less time you will spend complaining later.