I got quotes from Curtis, Gulfstream, Landmark, and Sekas Custom Pools and pretty much would've felt comfortable with any of them. I got mostly positive but one negative comment from others about Curtis, the most recent being positive. They use Intellibrite line of products vice Hayward, and don't do Pebbletec, so that's something to consider. All workers are company employees, no sub-contractors, a big plus. Landmark was the most expensive, can't remember much about these guys because they came into my bidding process late wheI decided I wanted a fourth bid and some other companies backed out. Gulfstream would've been our second choice. They have sample pools up in Oldsmar so I was able to see their work and choices in the showroom. We went with Sekas because he's a smaller local contractor (not the lowest bid, but they were all within 5%, not a big range) . The mason he uses had done some work on our house and we knew several people who had his pools and went to visit them. We're not done, but the only problem we've had so far is an issue with the plumbing subs that I'm sure will never happen again or they'll be fired. Our build is technically difficult and we're doing some other wacky stuff like putting in a large cistern to collect rainwater, so we like the flexibility of working with a smaller guy because we've made changes and had challenges along the way. The only company that I've heard numerous bad comments on and zero recommendations is Posh Pools, so I didn't even call them. Suncoast and Costanza (found them at home show at the Trop) both came out and took surveys and did the whole interview thing but backed out and said they couldn't do it or just never came back to me with a quote. I had gotten quotes a couple of years ago before we were completely decided on he pool thing, and I found Pools by George to be an overwhelming sales pitch, obnoxious. Goff comes highly recommended in my neighborhood and has done several pools in here, but he totally didn't get what I told him and designed me a pool that didn't meet my wants at all. Precision Pools did the whole interview, measuring, survey thing and I could never get a quote from them. Every appointment I had, I learned more and more, and refined the pool design and choices. So I often went back to the PB's to clarify and tweak the quotes. I asked for a breakdown of the packages so that I could pick and choose, and compare the quotes more accurately (I did the whole geeky spreadsheet thing with costs line by line). I'm blogging much of this but you'll have to find the link off my "New Pool in St Pete" thread. It might give you things to think about, like I did (i.e. shotcrete vs gunite) which does affect your quotes. Good luck! Gulf stream was our second

I have some kind of strange flagstone around my pool. It is very wavy and rippled looking. It is literally turning to dust on me. I do not think it has anything to do with the salt pool. It started two winters ago when it rained so much. We were not even using the pool. I sealed it with some stuff called Dek-O-Shield Plus. It worked great. For a month. Then the sealed surface started to debond from the junk stone beneath it. It looks like someone dumped a load of sand into my pool. I have to sweep off the decking around it. Has anyone seen stone like this before? I don't think it is the right kind of stone of pool use. The installers made the comment that all the stone yards were out of stone and this was all they could get. I am about to be up on my 3 year warranty on the pool and am not sure what I can do about. My builder is very dismissive of it, but I think this was a substandard product installed on my pool. Im pretty good a keeping water chemistry in check so I don't think it is that either.

amysrq, thanks so much for that link - their products are absolutely so interesting and unusual. What a fun way to add a small punch of color. I found several items there to consider and I was pleased to see the prices were very reasonable too. I wish I'd known about them before the holidays because I see lots of items I could buy my children for gifts - okay I need to remember for next year and their birthdays. Just look at those umbrellas and tell me that you wouldn't enjoy carrying one and using it during a gloomy rainy day? They make you smile, I'm buying one for myself and I may buy a couple for my umbrella stand. tryin2grow - thanks for the link and you deserve the applause. I'm like you, I think sprinkling a few of these colorful items around the house is playful- too much is well too much, but to pull out a pair of fun salad implements for a weekday meal or a funky mirror from your otherwise sedate purse just adds a touch of je ne sais quoi. Sky

The castigation can end over the wrong word choice. A quick word choice perhaps better replaced with something else. Let's call it an "annoying, unwanted nickname" that for whatever reason is disliked. Your name is Allison, you hate being called Ally, and your siblings do so when they want to annoy you. I think that's what's happened in this thread. I didn't make up the issue, it's there. I pointed out that it was odd for a local to use it. Those making a weak and childish effort to be annoying by insisting on finding multiple instances of use (that everyone knows about) are welcome to do so. It's not particularly clever but the word doesn't bother me. Call me Ally if you want. Like most people around here, I don't use "Frisco". If you want to, go ahead. What is annoying is people making an effort to be annoying.