Yes

Sorry, I've always wanted to answer like that....I built my pool by myself and it was the worst time of my life and the best time. How's that?

yes, i think it is too huge a job if you work FT 4 days a week.

i work FT 3 days a week and just happened by chance to be home the day our finish was done. after the guys finished in the morning the quality manager came out about a half hour after they left to view the job and i was in the yard. i casually mentioned that "after the guys plugged the pool drain they didn't start the water pump running again, but that's probably OK, right?" at this point i was self-conscious about making a fuss about things, since my PB had told me i worried too much about the details, they were reputable professionals, they knew how to do their job, etc. but he looked confused and asked why there would be a water pump running?

i told him about the large, active water table under our pool. he got a worried look on his face, JUMPED in the pool, ran to the drain, pulled the plug, and about 8 inches of water bubbled up into the pool immediately. the finish guys had plugged the pool so they could apply the finish, and had forgotten to unplug and reactivate the required pump before they left. our house is next to a lake, and he said if he had not come by, and i had not been there to tell him about the water table under the pool, the pool would have cracked overnight.

so yes, it's a big job AND you should use a PB AND you should try to be there as often as possible, just in case.

As a pool builder,
What makes you think we make 20%.
I wish!!!!!!!!
Let the professionals do it, then you have one person to go to if you have a problem, not 6 who will be pointing fingers at everybody else.

There are certain days you will want to be there no matter what.

The dig, gunite, decking, plaster. No matter what - be there on those days, and be available and aware of what is going on in your yard on those days.

I know more about pool building than my last pool builder thats for sure and when we need another one....I still would not do it myself.

Your not going to save anything by the time its done. Do you know why. 1. Its going to take forever. You have no control over the contractors and they will finish every pool builders pool before yours. 2. They could care less if they mess your pool up...because its a one time job. You will be paying for them to come back or to have someone come in afterwards to fix their mess.

I am an architect and also a long-time gearhead and handyman and would definitely not do a pool build myself even if I had the time to be onsite every day. Quality pool builders have a network of subs that they use that are loyal to them because they can get a lot of repeat business. Unless you have friends in the industry it's hard to know who the good vs. bad subs are and it's hard to attract the good ones to do a single job for you. If you do it yourself and get one bad sub on any trade it will quickly make whatever cost savings you might get seem insignificant. Also there are warranty issues if you act as your own PB, you will not get an umbrella warranty but instead will have individual warranties on each trade that are only as good as the sub (IE, if they disappear and reorganize under another name then your "warranty" with them is useless). Having had a few warranty issues with our pool let me say that having a good PB behind you makes all the difference in the world. I make one call and they do the rest.

With all that said, there are a lot of people that have acted as their own PB and survived to tell the tale, so it's certainly not impossible.

Good luck!

We did an owner builder pool and the process was easier than I expected. I've helped about 4 people (including lynnmccallum) do owner build pools and they have all agreed that it's way easier than they expected. As long as you do your homework you'll be fine.

I have yet to see or meet a person who has done an owner build pool and regret doing it themselves. I'm not saying they're not out there, but I haven't come across them. Now, read through this forum. How many people are complaining about their "pool builders?"

BTW, I'm not handy at all. If I can do an owner build pool, then anyone can :-) Good luck with your decision.

sdkath,

My husband and I are in the process right now. He even took on the task himself of the plumbing and electrical. that is the only thing we regret. Not because it was difficult, just a lot of work on his part working 10 hours a day and then coming home and working more. We started late July and are almost finished. What makes us think 20% is that our lowest quote was 38K and we are doing it for 20k. Ours is simple, free form, a couple rock ledges, play deck, seat, no water falls, etc. but we love it and it's going to be great for us. I agree, do your homework......Most subs are eager to help and they know all the steps them selves and know all the other subs. Take them a glass of tea, pull up a chair and talk to them about their work when they are there and pick their brain for other subs for the other steps. Schedule work for the days you can be there, Since ours was simple, each step was a one day process for each sub. A lot of PB's will help with owner builds now in our area because it's so popular. I think folks are catching on.....Make sure they have a license and get a signed agreement and quote before you start work. Never pay until all work is completed. If someone needs money up front they probably don't pay their bills and don't have the credit to get your materials. The most important part is a soils test if required in your area and good engineering for your plans. The rest of the steps are pretty simple.