Brett Pany
Had a great experience with my pool build using Build Your Own Pool. This was my first time managing a construction project that involved several subcontractors/trades. I did hit a few bumps along the way, but Doug was always readily available to help me manage through it and provide guidance. I ended up with a quality product, top notch equipment and saved a ton of money along the way!!!
Can I really save money building my own pool?
Absolutely. The real question is how much money can I save?
The answer to that question is like many things in life – it depends. Things that affect your savings will be the size of your pool project, the size of the pool companies you’re considering and how much you want to be involved with your project.
If you compare what it costs to build a pool yourself versus a large, multi-city retail construction company who has to pay for offices, marketing, vehicles, employees, and a large owner pay check your savings could be significant. Most pool companies strive to maintain at least a 20% cost to profit ratio at a minimum, but depending on the size of the pool project your savings could be significantly higher.
Instead of financing these overhead costs, you will be paying the people who build the pool each and every day. Essentially you’re dealing directly to build and pay for your project instead of paying a middle man for your backyard.
How will I know if it’s done right?
There are two parts that are essential to answer this question. The first one is a quiet, little secret that every successful business owner has figured out; your success is in the people you hire.
Your pool project is no different. You’re not building the pool – the sub-contractors you hire are and they have years and even decades of experience doing just that.
The one thing they rely on is the second part of this question and that is starting with a good plan.
A good, solid pool plan drawn by industry professionals will provide the correct specifications and details needed for the construction of your pool. With a few confirmations and a short review before each trade begins their work, your pool plan will serve as your guide for the subs throughout the entire process. In addition, inside the member’s area you’ll find construction checklists, pictures and details that will help you to understand each phase and provide you with review sheets that will help you with each step of your pool construction.
Michelle Butterfield
After interviewing several pool builders and getting frustrated with them not listening to what I wanted and their high price tags. I found this alternative. I just filled my pool with water, and I couldn’t be any more happy with the results or the process. I got exactly what I wanted and saved about 30K in the process while getting better equipment and finishes. I highly recommend BYOP!
Have questions for build your own pool?
Rodger Boyd
Had a good experience building my pool. Glad I am retired and was able to watch the trades do their thing and was able to make some needed changes and clarifications along the way. Liked the “pay contractor when the work is complete” – none of this 50% when we start and 50% when we finish nonsense. Also liked that most of my estimates were either precisely what I paid or, in cases where amount of material used determines the price, the estimates were slightly more than I wound up paying. Process could have been a little smoother if I had spent time with Doug just before each contractor arrived so I knew what to check, what materials to give them, what questions they may ask, etc. Doug was always very helpful and quick to respond whenever I had a question I couldn’t answer. He was also very knowledgeable about the process and pool construction (all phases). I had my pool priced by another reputable pool company and the price was 15% – 20% more than what I spent. So the effort I put in was not only interesting but financially rewarding! I would recommend this company to others.
Will I have a warranty?
Yes, matter of fact, you’ll have the power of up to 9-10 times the warranty a traditional pool builder would offer. A pool builder’s warranty is just a reflection of the warranties provided by the sub-contractors who work on the job. If you sign a contract with a pool company your warranty is now in the hands of just one entity. If that one builder fails to pay his bills or runs off with the cash you gave him, your warranty goes with him. When you hire and pay the subs direct you now have warranties with each one of them, including a billion dollar pool equipment manufacturer.
Your chances of losing your pool warranty are now much less likely than putting all your eggs in the basket of a pool builder who may decide that buying a new boat in Costa Rica might be his new line of business.
What about insurance?
Along with the warranty advantages you also get when hiring you also get the peace of mind that each sub-contractor you hire is responsible to provide you with bonding and liability coverage. And for pennies on the dollars, you can get a rider from your home insurer to add an extra layer of protection during the time of your pool construction. Something that’s advisable even if you hired a pool company. For many states, contractors are required, as part of the licensing review, to provide a certain level of bonding and insurance. But it’s not the case in every state or at every level.
For many states, contractors are required, as part of the licensing review, to provide a certain level of bonding and insurance. But it’s not the case in every state or at every level of contractor. Many home owners mistakenly hire pool companies owned by an individual and don’t even realize that the state doesn’t require them to carry individual (liability or negligence) insurance. Inside the member’s area you’ll have forms, check sheets and links to state certification boards to find out more regarding the laws of your state. Either way, speak with your home insurer about getting a temporary policy or rider during the time of your pool construction process.
Kenneth Woodward
What a hidden gem! If you need to save money on parts and chemicals for your pool this place has the lowest prices I have EVER seen. I can’t praise their staff’s knowledge enough they know so much and have advice for homeowners on maintaining even larger pools. If you ever decide your going to put a pool in your backyard this is a place to consider. Great job guys!
Great experience building a pool with this company. Staff was great to work with from design, equipment purchase and subcontractors. Start to finish was less than 4 weeks. I highly recommend Build Your Own Pool.
How much time will it take to schedule and build a pool?
Nearly every phase of your pool can be completed in less than a day. There are exceptions, but in general it only takes a day, or even a few hours to install each component of your pool construction. When you pre-schedule the subs you can build a pool in weeks versus months with a traditional method. You’ll also get the peace of mind of knowing when each phase of your pool construction will be scheduled. If you want to go out of town or if you want to complete your project by a specific date – you control the schedule. No more waiting for a phone call or wondering when the next phase of your pool will be completed.
Inside the member’s area you’ll find sequence sheets and planning tools that will walk you through each step and give you the control of the process.
My wife and I were in the process of signing a contract with one of the big name pool companies the next day. As I sat outside talking to my neighbor about it, he said “Why don’t you go down the street and talk to Lisa and Sheryl. They are building they’re own pool and saving thousands!” I’m thinking, how the heck do you build your own pool? Well, I spoke to the ladies down the street, and they had nothing but great things to say about the process. I postponed my contract signing with the big company, and made a phone call to BYOP. I called the references they gave me. Not one of them had a bad thing to say. I was sold. All you need to build a pool is Doug Gorsuch. He walks you step every step of the process. Understand, I have never hired a contractor in my life. Doug did not make me feel like I was silly for asking a particular question ever. He gave me a list of contractors, I just took his recommendation on them. (What do I know?) Each one that came to my house to do the work, actually does the work for the big companies. One day during the tile/coping process after my tile guy finished up at my house, he walked down the block to finish a job he was contracted out for for one of the Big companies. You end up using the same contractors that the big companies contract out, with all of the same warranties, you save THOUSANDS!! The line of communication was great with each one of them. Doug helps you on who to contact and when. The hose is filling my pool up as we speak. I just finished. Landscaping is next. However, I couldn’t wait to post a review. I could go on and on. Here’s the bottom line. I was building a 14,000 gallon 450 sq ft pool with inferior equipment, for $72,000 from the big company. I built similar design (i like Doug’s better), 19,000 gallon, 550 sq ft, all the superior equipment with level 2 upgrades on plaster, lights, and tile, for under $60,000.00. To build the same pool I built with one of the big guys, it would have been upwards of $85-90k or more. If you are not scared to follow directions, and make a few phone calls on your own, and take about 6 total man hours to save THOUSANDS on a pool. This is the route for you. Thank you BYOP!!
I’m a contractor, home designer or landscape professional can I use your service with my clients?
Yes, in fact many already do. As a home builder or landscape contractor, you’re already scheduling trades in other areas of your home or landscape project. Now, you can have a design drawn for the pool area and include that aspect as part of your services. You can have the pool sub-contractors perform those phases of the pool that are specific to pool construction. Then you can have your team complete the areas that you’re already accustomed to performing in your day to day business, such as decking, masonry and many other outdoor features.
Such as: decking, masonry and many other outdoor features.
Can I really build my own pool?
Without a doubt, yes you can. Owner builder permits for swimming pools are issued every day by cities and municipalities all over.
Nearly a third of all construction permits, for projects such as large custom homes, photo-voltaic systems, barns and even swimming pools are built and completed by home owners just like yourself.
From stay at home moms, retired school teachers to people of all level of circumstances have found that following a step-by-step guide found within the member’s area of this website that they can save money and time building their own pool. It’s not rocket science, all though a few rocket scientists have built their own pools as well.