As one of the busiest and most established fiberglass pool installers in northeastern Massachusetts, I like to share my thoughts on pools and the many ways they enhance our lives. I enjoy walking homeowners through the options in front of them regarding pool sizes, colors, and accessories. It’s fun watching their eyes light up as they look through images of completed projects and imagine themselves enjoying long summer days in the water.

Lately, though, I’ve had to share more advice than usual about the need to be careful when hiring a contractor to install your fiberglass pool. I don’t like thinking about the situations that go wrong or giving warnings about the various shady sales tactics that are out there. At the same time, I hear horror stories from homeowners every month and don’t want to see anyone fall for that dishonest pitch.

With that in mind, I would like to use today’s post on a topic that isn’t about any specific product or idea. Instead, I want to give you some advice on finding a fiberglass pool installer you can trust.

For context, please know that I’m sharing these thoughts after 20+ years leading my own landscaping and patio installation team. My company, Stefano’s Landscaping, has hundreds of positive reviews and repeat customers. We have done the hard work of building a lasting reputation one job at a time, so I hope you will trust my advice.

Let’s start with the first thing you need to know…

 

Check Everything Before Trusting a Fiberglass Pool Installer

I just wrote that you can trust me, right? You can. The problem, however, is that the shady marketers out there say the same thing. In fact, they like to copy ideas from more honest marketers to present themselves in the same way.

Knowing that, how can you tell which companies are telling the truth? My advice would be to double-check everything. Don’t take it as a given that your contractor back up what they say, or that they have a track record of doing things the right way. Look for proof wherever you can find it.

The right landscaping company will want you to know about their previous work. They won’t have anything to hide. So, take a couple of hours to look into the details before you sign onto a work agreement. Do it even if you’re working with my company. It won’t take long to figure out whether you’ve found a business that does things the right way or not.

How do you check up on a fiberglass pool installation company? I’ve got a few more suggestions.

 

Talk to a Recent Customer

The best way to check up on a contractor is to speak with someone who has done business with them recently. Frankly, I’m amazed there are homeowners who don’t take this simple step. Why wouldn’t you want to ask another customer how accurate the quote was, for example, or how satisfied they were with the patio that was installed?

Finding a neighbor to ask shouldn’t be difficult. You can start by asking your fiberglass pool installer for a handful of names and phone numbers. Remember, a company with a good reputation will gladly show off the work they’ve done in the past. They may even see if someone nearby would allow you to take a look at the property with your own eyes.

This gives you a chance to see the contractor’s work up close. It also means you can ask questions like: “would you recommend this company to a friend?” The answers you get from these interactions will tell you far more than you could ever learn from a website or marketing brochure.

 

Scrutinize Online Reviews and Testimonials

Assuming you get good feedback from former landscaping customers, your next step could be to review online reviews and testimonials. It should only take a few minutes, but you’ll want to look at feedback for the fiberglass pool installation company itself, along with suppliers they work with.

Recent reviews should carry the most weight, but you also want to ensure they’ve been doing quality work that has stood up over a period of time. See if there are any recurring themes, positive or negative, within customers’ comments. Also check that there aren’t any long gaps between reviews, and that they mention specifics that could be verified.

Ultimately, you probably don’t want material you read on the internet to be your only basis for making a decision on a contractor, but what you see can go a long way towards reinforcing what you’ve already heard.

 

Ask Questions and Get Detailed Agreements

As I have noted in recent articles, there are lots of fiberglass pool installers out there offering low upfront prices and then charging massive amounts for “extras” and “add-ons” later. The best way to avoid this trap is by asking tons of questions upfront and looking over your agreements very carefully.

You’ll want to ensure that details like leveling, excavation, and crane rental are covered in your quote. Other patio upgrades like a deck or storage shed should also be included if they are going to be part of your project. If there is going to be any variability to the cost then the amounts, reasons, and deciding factors should be spelled out in a clear and specific way.

In other words, you should have a very good idea about what’s going to happen, what it’s going to cost you, and what (if anything) could affect the numbers or schedules involved. Don’t let a salesperson leave you with any confusion on these matters.

 

Hire a Fiberglass Pool Installer You Can Trust

It’s unfortunate that there are a handful of fiberglass pool installers who are doing things that are ethically questionable at best. It makes it harder for the rest of us. But as long as they are using these kinds of tactics I’m going to do my best to inform homeowners about what they need to look out for.

Naturally, if you’re located in or around Northeastern Massachusetts and want to work with the best fiberglass pool installers in the business we would love to help. But even if you’re not in our area I hope you’ll take the advice I’ve given here today and use it to get a fair deal on your patio upgrade.

If you are interested in working with Stefano’s Landscaping then contact us today so we can arrange a design consultation at your home. It’s the perfect way to get answers to all your fiberglass pool installation questions, along with a free, no obligation quote for the patio of your dreams.