I was reading this thread and noticed someone posted about calling Caribbean Blue Pools and Spas without delay. I too was shopping for a pool, started to do some research, and came across their internet advertisement claiming they are the number 1 landscape architecture firm in New Jersey. What I can't understand though is when I started looking at Caribbean Blue Pool's and Spas landscaping pictures, I found that they were showing landscaping pictures done by scenic landscaping.If you go to the bottom of Caribbean Blue Pools and Spa�s landscaping page which just so happens to be titled Scenic Landscaping Outdoor living:http://www.caribbeanpoolsspas.com/gallery.html and open up any of the landscaping pictures you will see they give credit to Scenic Landscaping. I don't understand why Caribbean Blue Pools and Spas who "does it all" include landscaping featuring a competitors portfolio on their web site? I also googled their so called staffed landscape architect (NJ Landscape Architect Marc Nissim RLA CLA NJS50096900) and found out he owns his own design firm www.hdglandscape.com/information.html. I've found there are several swimming pool companies in New Jersey who actually do it all. If you live in Central New Jersey including Mendham NJ You can try calling Ivy Construction, Inc./Ehrich & Ehrich Landscape Architects, Inc. in Cranbury, NJ or Beechwood Landscape Architecture and Construction, LLC in Southampton, NJ From Northern New Jersey there is B & B Pool and Spa in Chestnut Ridge, NY, Stephen J. Miller Enterprises in Mahwah New Jersey or Cipriano Custom Swimming Pools & Landscaping also in Mahwah NJ. I live in Mendham New Jersey and I know all of these swimming pool companies service my area.

It worked out well with them and we signed a contract last week. Everything was disclosed and handled professionally. As always, you need to negotiate a little bit, but they were reasonable and up front and their quality checked out. Our cousin had his (very large) pool done by them a few years ago and is extremely pleased. I would recommend calling Anthony - Arte is the salesperson /designer (nice, a little long winded). They did a complete computer design for us also which was a tremendous help in decision making. If you email me, I can give you my name so you can say I referred you- Good Luck!

Things are a bit trickier here in Northern NJ than in many other parts of the country. We have fewer of what I would refer to as "actual pool builders" for in-ground concrete pools. I did not end up using a "national company." That being said, I realized during this process of discovery that the factors for choosing a builder were more complex than I initially thought and I wouldn't rule anyone out at the start. You'll see a range of nice pools from all types of builders on this site. To a vast degree what you get from any of the big guys will vary from each office or franchise and your experience will depend A LOT on who you get as a salesperson. There are posts with some fabulous custom pools from some of these companies on this forum. In many cases, it is the customer that deserves the credit for what you see on the surface (regardless of the type of builder) as there are some very creative non-pros out there. There are some very experienced, good people that work for the big guys and you can get a great looking pool built from them that may be just fine for your construction needs, aesthetic desires and your budget limitations. There are some small builders who are "johnny-come-lately," are financial risks, or just incompetent or inexperienced, while others are extremely professional, knowledgeable and reputable, but just have maintained a presence under a small business paradigm. Some of these builders are real artists who are a credit to their industry and others are just hacks that dabble in what has been a profitable sideline. In another thread about bids there was a discussion of is buying a pool the case where "you get what you pay for." We discovered some "less than good builders" who were smaller contractors that were willing to substantially over-charge the unsuspecting consumer versus other "good builders" who charged far less for quality workmanship and materials. There are very few "large" private builders as the northern NJ market just hasn't had the same level of demand for these high-end pools (or pools at all) as in other parts of the country or even to the degree as in other areas of our own state. Weather, burdensome zoning & regulatory restrictions & fees, soil conditions and the cost of doing business in NJ and particularly in this part of the state are all contributing factors. That being said, there are so many factors to consider starting with your preference of construction materials & methods, preferred equipment options, need for the builder or salesperson to actually help you in the design process, comfort level with how much they oversee the actual construction, what you expect in terms of their level of knowledge and expertise, how much you need to count on them afterwards for support, how close want or need to be to their location for service--if they even provide their own follow-up and maintenance service, what material options do they offer, what portions of the project will they let you DYI or do off-contract with other subs or suppliers, do you want them to just build your pool or do you want someone who will arrange for everything from your decking, landscaping and fencing all done through their company. Some of the smaller, custom builders have excellent reputations--but expect a higher price tag as they actually do more work that comes with being more hands-on and taking more pride in what they do (and justly so if you realize the time, effort and risks factors that come with a custom job). Smaller, however, doesn't necessarily mean more expensive nor does bigger necessary mean bad--there are just way too many factors here to consider. Yes, some of the more pricy builders are willing to reduce their profit margins now to get work these days-- in some cases it is because their material, equipment, and transportation costs may have been temporarily reduced due to the downturn in the economy and also because their subs may be cutting their margins as well. But some of these guys were the type that would have "blown you off" if you didn't bite at their first proposal or otherwise didn't start with a minimum 6-figure plus budget last season. However, hard working people do need to be fairly compensated-- bad economy or not you wouldn't like it if your income was arbitrarily expected to be cut or reduced through no fault of your own. There are plenty of professionals and salaried people who don't get hurt in this economy but expect to put the squeeze on others that do. I don't think it's fair to take advantage of anyone--pool buyer or pool builder. Yes, anyone who is building a pool is not "poor," but that doesn't mean that they haven't worked hard for their money and for some of us it represents a huge risk to spend our savings on a luxury purchase at this time or at any time. For others, they may be wearing more than the cost of a pool around their wrist or their neck. The more you shop around the more you'll get and idea of what's reasonable and how much you can afford. You'll never really nail it down to apples to apples, so go with your gut and who you think you can trust in the end. In my journey, I found builders who I thought would do a good job, but they met less of my needs criteria than others. I just didn't care for others, but they built nice pools for some neighbors. In a couple of cases, I realized I dodged a bullet by not choosing a particular builder after I learned more later on. Some PBs do a great job for one customer and then do a lousy job for another. There was a discussion in another thread about whether "you get what you pay for." I don't think it is just that simple. Again, it is a tricky process for anyone as a buying a pool is not like buying a trivial item like box of salt--and even that commodity varies in price depending on the brand! Do you research, learn what you can through this forum and from others (I really appreciate those who have been brave enough to discuss their mistakes and mishaps for the benefit of others). It is difficult to have "champagne tastes and a beer budget," so unless money is no object--be forewarned--reading this forum is hazardous to your wallet!!!! LOL You will want to feel as good as you can about your decision before starting because it can be a bumpy ride once you get going and you may never know if you made the "right choice" until long afterwards. Just do the best you can. The company we chose was the best fit for our needs at the time--not a perfect fit, but we felt we made the best decision in our case. Everyone should way the pros and cons of various PBs as it applies to them personally and you need to reflect upon the experiences of others with some perspective. Expect good and bad reviews on the very same builder--it's just how it is it seems. I met some very nice "strangers" through this forum who were very helpful to me even though they were located in areas where I didn't intend to use their pool builder. I have gotten good advice, information and support from both pool customers & pool builders and service & technical professionals throughout the country through this forum, therefore I try to return the favor when I can. If you like, you may contact me at NJFolks4@gmail.com for more specific information as I looked into several companies throughout our region. In any case, good luck to you.

Hello all! My husband and I are remodeling our pool ourselves but having difficulty finding source materials. For plaster, there are many premix options (like SGM DiamondBrite) and also the option to mix plaster ourselves (white portland cement, crushed limestone, etc). The trouble is that it appears that these materials are only available to contractors. Can anyone recommend a place where we can purchase these materials? We need enough to cover 1500 sq. ft (includes a 10% amount for safety). It also appears that precast cement pool coping is extremely difficult to find to purchase. We are willing to put in the work, just, need the materials! Thanks in advance for your time!