7 Questions to Ask Any Tulsa Pool Builder Before You Sign
Take This List to Every Bid. Ours Included.
Most pool problems are settled before the first shovel hits the dirt, in answers nobody thought to ask for. Each question shows what a good answer sounds like.
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The Seven Questions in 60 Seconds
Two bids can look identical on paper and still be thousands of dollars apart, because the difference hides under the pool and in unnamed equipment. That is why the installer vs brand question matters more than any logo.
| Question to ask | What a good answer includes |
|---|---|
| 1. What goes under and around the pool? | A named material and a number |
| 2. How do you handle groundwater? | A pipe they can point to |
| 3. What does the warranty cover? | Written terms, structure and surface split |
| 4. What can change the price? | A short list, with rock near the top |
| 5. Who pulls permits and calls 811? | The builder does both |
| 6. What equipment and pump size? | Brands and models in writing |
| 7. Who do I call during the build? | One name, one number, phase updates |
Ask These Seven, Then Read How We Answer Them
What goes under the pool, and what goes around it?
This separates a pool that stays level for 20 years from one that settles, because whatever supports the shell does the real work.
A good answer sounds likeA named material and a number. Expect compacted stone and a rough tonnage for fiberglass, a shell thickness and rebar specification for gunite, or a firm floor material for a vinyl liner.
Be careful if you hear"Sand, or the dirt we dug out." Both materials shift when they become saturated. Sand can wash away and leave an empty gap behind a wall, or soft spots under a liner.
How we answer this
Fiberglass: We set every shell on at least 4 inches of compacted 3/8 inch chip stone, then backfill with the same stone. A typical shell takes 80 to 100 tons.
Gunite: Every shell is 8 inches thick with high-rated rebar, and our crew soaks it several times a day during the first week.
Vinyl liner: The liner rests on a vermiculite floor, never sand or dirt, so it stays firm and smooth underfoot.
Semi-inground: Galvanized steel walls from Hydra Pools sit on poured concrete, at least 18 inches into the ground. Chip stone fills in behind them, and the raised wall gets a rock or brick face.
See every step of a fiberglass install.
Chip stone around a shell on one of our builds. How do you handle groundwater under the pool?
Oklahoma springs are wet, and water that collects under a pool pushes upward on it, like groundwater pushing on an empty fuel tank.
A good answer sounds likeA specific plan, including drainage stone and a pipe for pumping groundwater away. The builder should show you exactly where that pipe goes.
Be careful if you hear"We have never had a problem with that," which describes a track record you cannot verify instead of a plan.
How we answer this
Every inground pool we build gets a groundwater relief pipe at the deep end, hidden under a small cap in the deck. After a hard rain, a pump drops into that pipe and removes water from beneath the pool.
Learn what to check after heavy rain.
What is the pool made of, and what does the warranty cover?
The structure and the surface are separate parts with separate lifespans, so a builder who blurs them is quoting a slogan instead of a warranty.
A good answer sounds likeA named material, a written warranty you can read, and a clear distinction between the structure and the surface.
Be careful if you hear"Lifetime warranty," with no paperwork offered and no distinction between the shell and the finish.
How we answer this
Fiberglass: Leisure Pools builds its shells with vinyl ester resin. The written Leisure warranty covers water loss from manufacturing defects or osmosis, for the original buyer, and never less than 35 years. The surface carries a separate 10-year warranty.
Vinyl liner: The Hydra liner warranty covers seam separation, with full coverage in the first year and prorated coverage after that.
Gunite: The shell is concrete and steel, and the plaster finish is the part that wears first.
What can change this price after I sign?
Every yard hides a surprise or two, so the real question is whether your builder planned for it or intends to bill you later.
A good answer sounds likeA short, specific list with buried rock near the top, plus a promise to show you what the crew found before your invoice changes.
Be careful if you hearA long list of maybes, or "nothing ever changes." The first is a blank check, and the second often ends in a change order.
How we answer this
Your quoted price is fixed, and buried rock is the one exception, because nobody can see it from the surface. If the dig hits rock our equipment cannot break, we stop, show you, and price it before continuing.
Rain and permit delays can cost time, but they never add dollars. Read about hitting rock.
Who pulls the permits, and who calls for the utility locate?
Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Glenpool, and Coweta each operate their own permit desk. OKIE811 also asks for a locate request at least 3 business days before digging.
A good answer sounds like"We pull every permit and file the locate request, and you sign a few forms." The builder should also know roughly how long your city takes.
Be careful if you hearAnything that shifts permits or the locate call onto you. The FTC lists that as a warning sign of a scam.
How we answer this
We prepare the site plan, file your permit, and request the utility locate. Permits take one to four weeks, depending on your city, and our permit guide explains the rules for each one.
What equipment are you installing, and what size pump?
Equipment is the quietest place to cut a bid, and the difference stays hidden until your first summer of power bills.
A good answer sounds likeBrands, models, and horsepower, in writing. Ask what the pump costs to operate and whether it can run on a schedule around peak power hours.
Be careful if you hear"Standard equipment package," with no brands named. If the answer stays vague after you ask again, that is your answer.
How we answer this
Every pool we build includes a variable-speed pump. ENERGY STAR reports that certified inground pumps use 20 percent less energy than standard models.
Gunite: Jandy equipment, with at least $12,000 of it on every build. Fiberglass: a cartridge filter and the eHydro energy-saving hydraulic system.
Your written quote lists every component. See what quotes include.
How will I know what is happening, and who do I call?
The most common complaint in this industry is the builder who disappears after the deposit, and this question exposes that habit early.
A good answer sounds likeAn update at every phase change, plus one name and one phone number that reaches a real person, not a voicemail.
Be careful if you hear"Just call the office." A builder who cannot answer this in one sentence has not thought about communication.
How we answer this
We update you at every phase, before the crew arrives and again when that phase is complete. You also get Jason's direct line, (918) 230-4997.
Walk through every phase in our construction process guide.
Three Paperwork Checks Before You Sign
Proof of insurance
Ask for a certificate of insurance, then call the insurance company to confirm the policy is current.
A payment schedule tied to the work
Each payment should match work you can see. Never pay the full cost up front, and hold the final payment until the job is complete.
How we answer this
We take a scheduling deposit, then a second deposit when we order your pool, and we review the full schedule with you before you sign.
In Oklahoma, unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can place a lien on your home, so request lien waivers from any builder as you pay.
A start date and timeline in writing
Get a start date and a build length in writing, because a builder who will not commit to either one is guessing.
How we answer this
Fiberglass: 4 to 6 weeks after permits, shell delivery included.
Gunite: 3 to 6 months from signing, permits included.
Semi-inground: about 26 working days after permits.
Get the Free Bid Scorecard
One printable page with a column for every bid you collect.
- All seven questions, with good answers and red flags
- The three paperwork checks
Why We Hand Out Our Own Audit Sheet
Handing you hard questions is a strange way to sell a pool. We do it because these answers are exactly where we win.
- 29 years building pools
- Elite Leisure Pools dealer
- PHTA member
- 5-year workmanship warranty
You see what is included, and what is not, before we dig. Your quoted price is fixed, and buried rock is the one exception.
"I'd rather explain my price than explain why my product is built cheaper."
JasonOwner, Silverado Rock
What Families Say After the Build
Jason and his crew were a pleasure to work with! The design was beautiful and well thought out. Construction went smoothly. Any issues were resolved promptly and communication from start to finish was smooth. We are very pleased with the end result!
The overall knowledge and experience Jason has of pools far exceeds anyone else I have talked to in the pool business. He came out and went through the whole process with me. The crews paid a lot of attention to all small details. I'm extremely happy with my pool as well as my design and overall layout.
Questions About Comparing Pool Bids
How many pool builder bids should I get?
Is the lowest pool bid a red flag?
How much deposit should a pool builder ask for?
What should a pool contract include?
Can I use this checklist on a Silverado Rock bid?
What happens at a free yard check?
Want These Seven Answered for Your Yard?
Bring your scorecard and ask us every question on it, standing in your own backyard.
Not ready to talk yet? Take our pool quiz instead.