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.

My long post accidentally got delete! So this is a short cap of what I was written: -All the builders that I interviewed all share what they do to make sure the structure is sound, and what to do to 'enhance' the strength of the soil (soil injections, padding rocks, over digging, etc..) -They also offer to give me a soil report to predict my chances of 'hitting the rocks' during excavation. If they do, it could be costly and very time consuming. It costs several hundred dollars an hour if I remember correctly. They do also offer to put in a rock clause for me in the contract that in the event of us hitting the rocks, then we have a 'cap rate' that they could go up to (ex: $2500 max) I'm not an engineer or pool expert in anyway but the only thing that I could do was to find the most reputable pool company that I could afford, read as much as I can and cross my fingers that things will go right!:) HIH.

There are lots of pool builder choices in The Woodlands area, several with good reputations. One issue is they are very busy and a few pool builders with excellent reputations are only interested in building a $100,000 or greater pool along with a lot of other items such as outdoor kitchens, fire pits, etc. There are a couple builders that are really price gouging in my opinion because they can. Guess I can't blame them if people are willing to pay some outrageous price just because the pool builder states "he is the best" and builds pools in a lot of expensive homes. My opinion, others will vary I'm sure, is to interview several pool builders and decide for yourself. Each one will give you different design ideas and help you make a more informed decision. I wouldn't tell each pool builder how many bids you are getting as some will never respond if you are getting several. I know this from experience as I'm building a pool right now. I see the pool builders point but if they are confident in their product and priced fairly I think if they waste their time to come out and interview they should give the design and quote. Read lots of reviews, Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, etc. I know people tend to complain when things are bad but don't post when things are good so I always consider what I'm reading as far as complaints but look for trends. I went in with a very open mind and had no firm decision as to who was going to build my pool. I most likely would have used the same company that built my last pool in The Woodlands but the owner sold it and the new guy ruined the company and they went out of business. Pool companies tend to come and go in Texas and there's no regulation so don't necessarily trust anyone. You can pay the pool builder but if they don't pay the sub contractor they can put a lien on your home which is ludicrous but that's the way it is in Texas, not sure of other states. I'm asking for receipts for every sub contractor when they are paid. Atlantis Pools, Hipp Pools, Lone Star Pools, Sundance Pools, Cypress Custom Pools, Pierce Pools, all seem to have good reputations and have been in business for a while. There's a lady on here that posts regularly that also builds pools but I'm not 100% sure on the name of her pool company. I really like Hipp Pools but he was at least $20,000 above my next highest quote and designed the smallest pool by several feet. No doubt he builds a great pool but I compared every detail and couldn't justify his price. He told me he was always the highest because he could be. Can't blame him for pricing high with plenty of people willing to pay. Sorry, long post but this is my opinion after my experience. Good luck! This post was edited by ktm250sx on Thu, Jul 3, 14 at 10:15

Mission Pools - Stay away Our familyÂs personal experience - I called into Mission Pools back in April this year to request a repair as part of my tile on the right face of my Mission Pools spa was falling off. I explained this exact sort of thing had happened some time ago (2005) on the left half of the Spa and was repaired after my initial call as a warranty issue in 2005. Now they refuse to repair the exact same of problem under warranty on the right half of the spa and have e-mailed me an excessively high quote for repair of $5,000! This has now become a health and Safety issue as tile is unstable and a hazard to children and adults alike and a liability to our family and Mission Pools as Mr. Dunn (Owner) and their service department are aware of the situation. I have been down this road once before at the time of the construction with Mission Pools. The Spa needed to be completely rebuilt (jack hammered out and completely reformed) due to a poor workmanship, structural issues and irregular forming. I had to go to war with them then and apparently I do now. Bruce Dunn wonÂt give you the time of day until you file a complaint with the California contract licensing board  Stay away!!