Over the last several years fiberglass pool manufactures have responded to client demand and pushed the limits of splashpads and integrated tanning ledges. This has ultimately evolved into the zero or beach entry design. These zero / beach entry pools look great and it's easy to see yourself laying there in a few inches to a foot of water taking in the sun and enjoying an umbrella drink right? Of course!

A splash pad is a great feature that can be added to any pool design. They add a ton of pool area that can be used for tanning, hanging out with friends, or a place for littles to be on their own and enjoy. It's a place that the family dog will have an absolute blast running through as well!

Good question, and we get it somewhat regularly. We call this recycling a hole. It's possible but not a cost savings measure. It is delicate, harder, and more expensive than if there was nothing in the back yard in the first place. Sorry. For many that doesn't matter. People love their pool and are ready to renovate their back yard.

The IntelliConnect from Pentair is a handy piece of automation designed for the 'simple pool.' It offers pool owners basic automation via a wi-fi connection and the 'Pentair Home' application, giving you control of you pool systems anywhere in the world. It has a lot of horse power when you consider what it is, AND what it costs.

Autocovers are an amazing system to have on a fiberglass pool. They keep the pool safe and secure of course, but for many pool owners the real benefits are the other ones. The pool is warmer, cleaner, it uses even less chemicals, doesn't evaporate, and overall, it is easier and cheaper to own. Safety covers do however need some care to keep them at their best and operating properly.

Having a crack or series of cracks in your skimmer is not abnormal. We wish it didn't happen but it does and is difficult to mitigate. The skimmer itself is a 'weak spot' in the concrete slab. It is a void in the concrete and is naturally much more susceptible to becoming a crack point.

Over the last few years, the pool industry has shifted to ONLY focus on START times for projects. The covid boom trained consumers (and contractors) to talk about how far they were booked out and focus on when the project would start. That has been damaging to the pool business. The start date should be discussed, but isn't knowing when things are going to be DONE more important? Recently, a lot of projects have been started, and MANY projects never completed.

Draws and down payments are a very large and important part of a construction project. The way a pool installer sets up draws should be carefully considered. It is important that neither the pool builder nor the client is ahead or behind the other. Otherwise, it could end up creating a hostage situation. If a pool contractor is not good with finances, they may be cash flowing other jobs with YOUR money and at some point be unable to complete jobs. You don't want to be the las

In Ohio there is no sales tax on the installation of a fiberglass pool. At least there shouldn't be. In Ohio the builder should be paying sales / use tax on everything that is purchased and used on the installation when the items are purchased for your project.

There are occasionally times when you might notice a small drip coming from your 'drain to waste' (DTW) or 'cleaner' valve. This is not uncommon or really a problem.

It is our intention to perform a rough grade on your site when the pool and concrete installations are complete. Similar to building a home, our teams excavate and perform construction work and grading needed for the pool installation itself. Once construction is complete, we will establish a grade and elevation appropriate for your site accurate to a few inches of the final dirt elevations.

White or cloudy areas on a decorative concrete patio can be caused by a few different things. The most common cause is the use of incompatible sealer. When most professionals seal decorative concrete we use a solvent based sealer. Due to VOC laws, hazmat rules, and costs, these can be hard to obtain unless you're in the trade, but they are best.

In addition to cracks occurring in the curing process, cracks also can occur from ground movement – up or down. Some of this movement happens as a result of ground shifting, water flow and erosion, settling, and or the ground freezing in the winter and pushing the slab up. Through metal reinforcement and strategically placed relief joints most of these cracks can be kept in the joints and visually not be 'cracks.' If a crack shows up in the joint – then the joint or cut did i

While installing swimming pools it is not uncommon to hit or damage underground utilities such as internet cable, cable TV, phone lines, and of course down spout / sump pump pipes that go to the street. Though we do our very best to work around those items, more often than not there is damage that will need to be addressed. It is the law to call OUPS (Ohio Utilities Protection Service) 72 hours before any excavation takes place.

As much as we look for 'maintenance free' products, everything needs some level of maintenance. Wood decks, paver patios, and even concrete. Concretes primary maintenance task is sealing. It should be sealed about every 1.5 to 2 years. Many concrete contractors recommend sealing decorative concrete every year because it DOES look nicer and definitely protects the concrete. If we were talking about concrete anywhere else except around a pool I would agree.

When you are building a new home and know that you want to have a pool you should keep a few things in mind. First is the placement of the pool in the back yard. It’s important that there are no utilities in that area such as electric service, sewer, waterline, and sprinkler mains. The next consideration is going to be elevation.

How is the pool installer going to support you after the pool is complete? Will the equipment and systems be user friendly and will you be able to be comfortable with them? What is the process of testing your water and how do you know you are doing it correctly?

Like it or not we live in a world where government seems to be involved in everything with an unquenchable thirst for control, money, and power. With the recent decline in construction type projects this has meant that building and zoning departments have found themselves with even MORE time to scrutinize projects that are going on in an effort to further justify their own existence.

Taking care of a salt pool is no different than any other type of pool. Your Alkalinity, PH, and available chlorine all need monitored. Understanding the way the system works and that this is s means of MAKING chlorine rather than purchasing will help you understand how to take care of it.

Via Email 12/19/13: You have probably heard we have a VERY wet forecast the next few days. I wanted to reach out and refresh your memory about ground water. Under most conditions ground water around the pool is not a factor. HOWEVER the conditions are just 'wrong' so to speak to put your pool at risk. The ground is VERY saturated and the forecast is for up to 3" of rain. 'Flooding is possible' were the bad words I heard on the news this morning. What is a sump tube and what d