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| Frequently Asked
Questions |
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- How can I be sure to make
the right decision when choosing a pool builder?
- What about warranties?
Is my investment well protected?
- What if I have a small
or difficult yard to work with?
- I sometimes see advertisements
promising pools at very low prices. Is this
really possible to get a pool at these prices?
- Why do cost estimates
vary when pools seem to be the same?
- What does “lifetime structural
warranty” really mean?
- How long does it take
to build a swimming pool?
- Will we be required to
be home the entire time during construction?
- Are there any care free
swimming pools?
- Does a swimming pool
add value to my home?
- Are some swimming pool
shapes less expensive than others?
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| Answers to many
questions |
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1. How
can I be sure to make the right decision when choosing
a pool builder?
Referrals can be the most valuable source of information.
If a builder doesn't give you a list of names you should be concerned. Call old
customers and ask about their experience. If they had any problems, did
the company take care of them? If possible, go and see some of the work
that the builder has done in your area. Make sure that they are a member
of APSP (Association of Pool and Spa Professionals) and of course, please always
check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure that if there were any
complaints , they were all satisfied.
(Go to how to pick a pool builder for more information) |
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2. What
about warranties? Is my investment well protected?
Warranties are very important. Always compare the warranties of every builder
to whom you talk. Make sure all warranties are in writing, not verbal.
Remember one thing: the warranty is only as good as the company and their
reputation. If the builder is not in business for the duration of your
pool warranty, then you haven’t got a warranty. |
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3. What
if I have a small or difficult yard to work with?
Good builders can construct pools in almost any yard. You will be surprised
at how such a small back yard can have the most innovative design. Don’t
think you can't have a pool, call Rapture Pools & Enclosures today
for a free design consultation. |
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4. I
sometimes see advertisements promising pools at
very low prices. Is this really possible to get
a pool at these prices?
It is possible to build a pool at a very low price. But most of these “incredible
deals” are nothing more than a bait-and-switch tactic to get you to call.
You should be aware that to build a pool at a low price, quality would
have to be compromised. The cost of the pool may be cheap, but your time
and money spent to up keep the pool could be 4 to 5 times more if the pool
was not built right to begin with. Remember the old adage “YOU GET WHAT
YOU PAY FOR.”
(Go to how to pick
a builder for more information) |
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5. Why
do cost estimates vary when pools seem to be the
same?
The price of a pool is determined by much more than size and shape of the
pool. A lot of builders do not include some of the most important factors
affecting cost in their proposals. Because there are so many factors that
go into building a swimming pool, there are a lot of places to cut corners.
Here are some of them;
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- Craftsmanship
- Quality of materials (smaller pumps, filter,
etc.)
- Design
- Underground strength
- Ease of maintenance
- Warranties
- Service
- Remember: GOOD WORK IS NEVER CHEAP, AND CHEAP
WORK IS NEVER GOOD.
(Go to how to
pick a builder for more information)
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6. What
does “lifetime structural warranty” really mean?
A lifetime structural warranty means that the gunite structure will hold
water for as long as you live in the home. Remember that this warranty
is only as good as the company backing it. Some companies such as Rapture
Pools & Enclosures will transfer that warranty one time if you sell
your home. |
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7. How
long does it take to build a swimming pool?
From the day of excavation it should take about thirty working days, which
is 6 weeks. Remember though, from the day you sign the contract other things
have to happen before the pool can be excavated, such as:
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- Financing (if applicable)
- Home owners associations
- Marking and finding utilities
- Permits from your city or county
- Permits can sometimes hold up the process,
it all depends on what city you live in and the
time of year. Ask your Rapture Pools & Enclosures
designer how long your city normally takes at
that time of year.
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8. Will
we be required to be home the entire time during
construction?
No. There are only a few times that we need you to be home during construction
- the day the swimming pool is excavated and the day that the electrician
and gas people are there. You will also need to water down the gunite structure
2 to 3 times a day for about 7 days as well as turn the water off after
the pool is filled to the middle of the tile line. |
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9. Are
there any care free swimming pools?
Most pool companies can build the pool so you only have to spend about
20 minutes a week on maintenance. But most builders build them so you have
to spend about 2 hours a week on maintenance. They feel that price is the
only thing that matters and that your time is not valuable. All of the
things that make the pool easier to take care of is an option and of course
cost more money. We at Rapture Pools & Enclosures include all these
things in our pools because we know that you want to spend time in the
pool, not working on the pool. |
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10. Does
a swimming pool add value to my home?
Yes, it sure does.
Normally it will give you about 75% of the value
of the pool. But the more you decorate the backyard
with landscaping, the more money you will get
back on the pool. |
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11.
Are some swimming pool shapes less expensive than
others?
Yes, a curve shape swimming pool is less expensive than a rectangle. Pools
are priced by the perimeter of the swimming pool, which is the tile line
around the pool. |
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