It must be GREAT to be a pool builder right now

[shank hawk]

These guys have a dealer in DeWitt, IA and according to a guy in the know they cannot keep up to the demand: pre-built pools you just drop into a hole.

Fiberglass Inground Swimming Pools - Latham Pool

Latham fiberglass pools utilize the highest grade materials to transform your yard into a paradise. Learn more about how a fiberglass pool can turn your backyard dreams into reality.

www.lathampool.com

 

[WisestIowan]

I realize this is a little off subject, but do you folks wanting a pool check with your homeowner's insurance office to see if a pool is covered or what it would cost you as a pool is considered an attractive nuisance? I've read that 1,000 kids a year drown in pools and that if you have a pool you should also get an umbrella policy for a few million, as the liability coverage on most home policies is only around $500,000. My office nurse once told me they were going to get a trampoline for the kids. I asked her if she'd checked with her insurance company; that was the end of the trampoline. I guess if you can afford $100,000 for a pool it's no biggie.

 

[Derekd3408]

Crap...we need a new fence too. Was hoping to knock that job out first actually.

BIL owns a fencing company and business is booming due to the amount of pools going in. They are turning people down until next year as well.

Other BIL wanted to put in an in ground pool and was told they needed 50% upfront and they wouldn't be able to start until May of 2022.

 

[Tenacious E]

These guys have a dealer in DeWitt, IA and according to a guy in the know they cannot keep up to the demand: pre-built pools you just drop into a hole.

Fiberglass Inground Swimming Pools - Latham Pool

Latham fiberglass pools utilize the highest grade materials to transform your yard into a paradise. Learn more about how a fiberglass pool can turn your backyard dreams into reality.

www.lathampool.com

The problem other than fiberglass being more expensive is that the pool liner is only 10% of the project. Everything else listed above is still required.*

*edited to note that we did look into fiberglass. You can do some really cool shapes not possible otherwise.

 

[Rifler]

Pools , boats, campers and RV's are all still selling like hot cakes,.. wait till next year OP.

 

[jasonrann]

I posted a thread earlier this year about us wanting to put in a very modest pool, something in the $30,000-$40,000 range. Since that time, we've broadened our horizons quite a bit and are now thinking bigger. We're (we think anyway) ready to pull the trigger on something in the $75,000-$100,000 range...but I can't get anyone on the damn phone.

For the last week I've been filling out online "Contact Us" forms, calling and leaving messages on office lines, and writing posts on Facebook pages, of no less than 7 Tallahassee pool builders.

I can't get one to call or email me back.

The one person whose office did answer their phone, told me it would be $200 for them to come out for an hour to give us an estimate. Seriously? Damn...business must be good!

Prepare to be patient. While I don't know much about this, the neighbor down the street is putting one in. They're also doing some other improvements to the house. Their entire lot has looked like a war zone for three months and I'm guessing it will be at least that long before they're done.

 

[Fijimn]

What's a new fence go for these days. We replaced ours about 8 years ago and it was around $23 per foot.

 

[schraderj]

Not to mention the current labor pool is desolate. Part of the leadtime is lack of workers

 

[chalupa81]

I've never seen anything like it - it's hard to getting anything done these days. Construction, repairs, maintenance - everything is held up. We're still trying to get repairs done on our house from the hail storm in Iowa over a year ago, not to mention derecho repairs. Can't get an electrician to come to my house.

My son ordered golf clubs on 2/28 - told him 3 weeks - still doesn't have them. Bought a car on Vroom a month ago - not here.

The "supply chain" is more like a broken string.

My brother is an electrician (just himself in his business) in the Iowa City area if you need someone.

 

[letterHead]

I realize this is a little off subject, but do you folks wanting a pool check with your homeowner's insurance office to see if a pool is covered or what it would cost you as a pool is considered an attractive nuisance? I've read that 1,000 kids a year drown in pools and that if you have a pool you should also get an umbrella policy for a few million, as the liability coverage on most home policies is only around $500,000. My office nurse once told me they were going to get a trampoline for the kids. I asked her if she'd checked with her insurance company; that was the end of the trampoline. I guess if you can afford $100,000 for a pool it's no biggie.

Insurance carriers want the pool to be fenced in. Most don’t like diving boards either. I’ve never seen a pool surcharge on a policy. Pool rules impact eligibility but not pricing. Umbrella policies are a wise idea for those with pools as you will acquire a lot more friends that want to act crazy at your home.

If you want to drive your agent crazy though, do the following: buy a home with a shitty roof in the middle of nowhere, adopt a pit bull, get a trampoline, put a homemade wood stove in your detached shed, install an unfenced pool with a diving board, and operate a business on premises. If you know anyone that fits this description, I guarantee that their insurance company doesn’t know and/or the agent/customer lied on their application.

 

[hawkmart]

I've been having a hard time getting a flooring person to come give us an estimate to tear out our carpet and replacing with hardwood floor. Wife tossed out the idea of a pool a couple years ago and I'm like what for. Invite my equally middle aged friends over and then what, not like we can be like hey let's invite some chicks over Now 25-30 years ago, heck yeah let's get a pool.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

I've never seen anything like it - it's hard to getting anything done these days. Construction, repairs, maintenance - everything is held up. We're still trying to get repairs done on our house from the hail storm in Iowa over a year ago, not to mention derecho repairs. Can't get an electrician to come to my house.

My son ordered golf clubs on 2/28 - told him 3 weeks - still doesn't have them. Bought a car on Vroom a month ago - not here.

The "supply chain" is more like a broken string.

True. As a contractor, we are running into more and more delays on products/goods all the time. It's almost like throwing a giant amount of free money into an economy that was already impacted by various shutdowns/slowdowns could have a negative effect on the supply chain. Weird.

 

[Tenacious E]

I've been having a hard time getting a flooring person to come give us an estimate to tear out our carpet and replacing with hardwood floor. Wife tossed out the idea of a pool a couple years ago and I'm like what for. Invite my equally middle aged friends over and then what, not like we can be like hey let's invite some chicks over Now 25-30 years ago, heck yeah let's get a pool.

We've actually had a handful of our "family friends" get divorced in the past few years. Their acquaintance was mostly through my wife and kids so while the husbands have drifted off, I fear with COVID lifting my pool is going to become cougar town this summer.

 

[Gonolz]

What's a new fence go for these days. We replaced ours about 8 years ago and it was around $23 per foot.

I was expecting about $25 per ft. The quote I got was about $37 per foot. I got the quote through Home Depot Installation. It turns out that they don't install it at all. I thought it would be a subcontractor or referral, but I didn't realize that the company Home Depot referred me to doesn't even use Home Depot materials.

I'm not sure what in the quote was markup on product or what was labor, but I priced the materials that I wanted at Home Depot at about $14 per foot.

 

[Fijimn]

I was expecting about $25 per ft. The quote I got was about $37 per foot. I got the quote through Home Depot Installation. It turns out that they don't install it at all. I thought it would be a subcontractor or referral, but I didn't realize that the company Home Depot referred me to doesn't even use Home Depot materials.

I'm not sure what in the quote was markup on product or what was labor, but I priced the materials that I wanted at Home Depot at about $14 per foot.

Wow...that's expensive. I know wood is really high right now (giggity).

 

[hawkeyez]

What's a new fence go for these days. We replaced ours about 8 years ago and it was around $23 per foot.

I just bought 40' worth of 6' x 8' White PVC fencing from Lowes. DIY install came out to $23.50/foot for just the posts and fence (still need to buy the cement and caps). Everything was backordered until May 27th.

 

[seminole97]

I just bought 40' worth of 6' x 8' White PVC fencing from Lowes. DIY install came out to $23.50/foot for just the posts and fence (still need to buy the cement and caps). Everything was backordered until May 27th.

Chain link with concertina wire around the Capitol cost $1.9 million per week, but our brilliant bureaucrats have negotiated them down to $1.2 million per week.

 

[noleclone2]

For the longest time, the common hot real estate tip was a pool actually makes your house worth less money because so many people did not want them. The thought was if someone wants one they could always put them in after they bought you house. Not these days in most markets-everyone wants them and they are so expensive to put in.

 

[Tenacious E]

For the longest time, the common hot real estate tip was a pool actually makes your house worth less money because so many people did not want them. The thought was if someone wants one they could always put them in after they bought you house. Not these days in most markets-everyone wants them and they are so expensive to put in.

Yes. Yes they are. Nothing profound or original here, but I think the demand has also been fueled by sustained low interest rates and then the pandemic shutting things like public pools down. People wanted pools not only to swim in during the pandemic, but I think they also want to maximize available socialization with friends/families not only now and in the future. Kind of like you don't really miss something until it is taken away, and then you want to enjoy the hell out of it when you can.

 

[swagsurfer02]

We've actually had a handful of our "family friends" get divorced in the past few years. Their acquaintance was mostly through my wife and kids so while the husbands have drifted off, I fear with COVID lifting my pool is going to become cougar town this summer.

Guess I know where I’m swimming this summer!

 

[Tenacious E]

Guess I know where I’m swimming this summer!

Deal - I just need backup for when I want to light up the occasional cigar as the sun goes down. I don't smoke or anything but when I bust out the quarterly stogie you'd think I was mainlining heroin.

 

[cfbfan23]

We've actually had a handful of our "family friends" get divorced in the past few years. Their acquaintance was mostly through my wife and kids so while the husbands have drifted off, I fear with COVID lifting my pool is going to become cougar town this summer.

 

[Tenacious E]

Hah. There are a couple that I hope wear a shawl the whole time and a couple that are pretty fit actually. If Swag wasn't domesticated they'd be too old for him though as they are in their mid to late 40s.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Deal - I just need backup for when I want to light up the occasional cigar as the sun goes down. I don't smoke or anything but when I bust out the quarterly stogie you'd think I was mainlining heroin.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Hah. There are a couple that I hope wear a shawl the whole time and a couple that are pretty fit actually. If Swag wasn't domesticated they'd be too old for him though as they are in their mid to late 40s.

um, I’m 37. It’s true I am domesticated now. If it ever goes sideways......I think I could swing mid 40’s

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

More clothing is sometimes better!

 

[GES4]

I posted a thread earlier this year about us wanting to put in a very modest pool, something in the $30,000-$40,000 range. Since that time, we've broadened our horizons quite a bit and are now thinking bigger. We're (we think anyway) ready to pull the trigger on something in the $75,000-$100,000 range...but I can't get anyone on the damn phone.

For the last week I've been filling out online "Contact Us" forms, calling and leaving messages on office lines, and writing posts on Facebook pages, of no less than 7 Tallahassee pool builders.

I can't get one to call or email me back.

The one person whose office did answer their phone, told me it would be $200 for them to come out for an hour to give us an estimate. Seriously? Damn...business must be good!

Sounds like More Claypool.

#dadjokes