Last spring, my husband and I were finally ready to install a swimming pool in the backyard.
- We’d been planning and saving for this home improvement for a long time.
I was excited to call a contractor and get the pool installed right away. I must have contacted at least six different swimming pool companies. Several of them didn’t bother to get back to me at all. The others didn’t seem all that anxious to come to the house and provide an estimate. When we managed to get a contractor to look over the project, there were a lot of decisions to make. We spoke in depth about the style and size of the paved area surrounding the pool. We debated over the shape of the pool, depth of the water, types of pumps and possibilities for lights. It took several months and lots of phone calls before we finally got an estimate. I thought the next step was to schedule a time for installation. The pool contractor then informed me that I first needed to hire a licensed electrician to handle the wiring for the pump and lights. He also asked if I’d reached out to a fencing contractor yet. When I admitted that I didn’t realize I needed a fencing company, he explained that the pool can’t go in without a fence around it for the sake of insurance and home inspection. Thank goodness the fencing contractor was a lot easier to deal with than the pool guy. They sent a professional over the very next day, provided an estimate for the fence within a few hours and were prepared to install the fence within the week.