How to Select the Best Contractor (part 1)
Let’s say you and your family have decided you want an inground pool built in your yard. And let’s say, too, that you’re like most people– you have nowhere near the skills or knowledge to build it yourself. So, you start looking for a contractor.
In the yellow pages, you find a bunch of pool builders listed. A few advertise that their firm is the “oldest,” or the “best,” or the “largest.”
Sounds good, but like most consumers nowadays, you’re skeptical. Feeling a little overwhelmed, you wonder, “How do I know which contractor to choose?”
Narrowing the Field
Perhaps the best place to start your search for your future pool builder is with your friends, family and coworkers. Have any of them had a pool built sometime in the last few years? Did they have a good experience? A bad one? Would they recommend using their pool builder? Or would they recommend using anybody but that jerk that attempted to build a pool for their family?
If there are some positive recommendations, call those builders and make an appointment to have them look at your yard and give you an estimate for a pool. Don’t stop there, though. Get at least two more estimates. Half a dozen would be even better.
Which brings us back to the yellow pages… out of all those companies listed in the phone book, which should you call?
Usually there are a few large companies with toll-free numbers listed. If they have a local office, you might consider them. If they’re not local, they may not be as responsive when you have questions or problems that require a visit, or a face-to-face meeting. Think hard before calling any out-of-town firm.
And, what about the rest? The ones who have been around for a while would merit a call for an appointment. But be careful. Someone advertising fifteen years of experience might be counting years cleaning his mom and dad’s pool. Might turn out that he just started his company last year. One way to tell is by looking at the contractor’s license number listed in the ad.
This may not apply in all areas of the country, but here in California, all contractors are required to list their license number on all advertising and bids. The Contractors State License Board issues licenses numbers in numeric order. Lower numbers mean that company has been around a while. Higher numbers mean they got their license more recently. For example, my license number is 504614. I got my license in 1987. Right now, I believe, the CSLB is issuing license numbers up in the high 800-thousands (e.g., 884000).
Anyway, let’s say you’ve winnowed the field somewhat. Look a little further. Take those license numbers and do a little digging at the CSLB’s website. Here in California, it’s at cslb.ca.gov. You can punch in a license number — or a company name — to get a look at the company’s vital stats: when the license was issued, if the license is active and able to contract, who the owners and salespeople of the company are, whether there has been what the CSLB calls “disciplinary action” taken against the company.
Disciplinary action means that someone at some point has been very dissatisfied with that contractor and has complained to the CSLB. There is a long process that follows. After trying to get both parties to work things out, an investigation begins. The CSLB can send out an industry expert to check out if the work being complained about is substandard and should be fixed. They can issue an order to fix it, or even a citation. If the contractor doesn’t comply, their license can be suspended or revoked.
If a contractor has a ding like that on his record, it ain’t a good thing. The CSLB has tried to straighten things out, but for whatever reason, the contractor hasn’t cooperated. Maybe you should pass up this guy and keep looking.
While you’re at the CSLB’s website, look to see if the company you’re interested in has other licenses. If so, check them, too. Sometimes one of those licenses has been dinged. I know of pool builders who are on third license. Heck, one guy around here went through two or three licenses, then skipped town, leaving a bunch of homeowners high and dry. Screwed ‘em. Took their money and jammed. He’s back in town now, some twenty-odd years later.
Would want someone like that doing your pool? Probably not.
Do this type of basic research before you even let a salesperson in the door. It can save you heartache and money later.
After you’ve got a group of prospective contractors picked, set up appointments with them. Around here, they’ll come out for an estimate, free of charge. They’ll look over your yard, maybe draw up a set of plans, give you a price for the work to be done.
Now is when the hard part begins: which one should you choose?
We’ll look at that in detail in the next post.
