With over a decade of pool construction experience and thousands of completed projects, we have the knowledge, training and ability to design and build your ultimate backyard environment. Although we can create your pool and spa in nearly any … Keep reading about new construction
All Estimates Are Not Created Equal
We know how daunting it can be to accumulate several estimates on a project, sorting through and comparing the various offerings detailed. For an individual that may not have any experience with pools, it’s hard to compare many of the specifications or methods outlined. Unfortunately, it’s common for many builders to exclude some necessary items from their estimate in order to get the initial dollar amount as low as possible. It’s because of this, we wanted to put down what comes standard when building with Skipper Pools and how that compares to many of the “standard” estimates we’re familiar with.
Electric
All the necessary electric work required to get your pool and spa up and running is included in a standard estimate from Skipper Pools. We can, of course, exclude this if you have an electrical contractor you would prefer to use.
Decking
Many estimates will exclude decking. We’re certainly happy to exclude decking if that’s in the customer’s best interest but our standard estimates include a paver deck area surrounding your pool that extends out up to 3 feet in every direction, with options of a screen enclosure or aluminum railing. We believe this is the minimum amount of deck space needed to enjoy your new pool. We also install four inches of compacted limerock as a base for our pavers. This practically eliminates sinking pavers but a lot of companies don’t do it as standard.
There are reasons to exclude decking. Maybe your neighbor does it for a living or you have an alternative idea for what’s under your feet. We can exclude it, if you like. But typically, like everything else, it’s included.
Automation
Every pool/spa combination comes with a base level, remote control automation system. You’re not going to be spending time enjoying your spa if you’re at the side of your house fumbling around with valves and switches. We can exclude this, of course, but we don’t recommend doing so. If you’re building a spa, make sure to look for this on your estimate.
Heating
Every spa comes with a 108,000 btu heat pump. This heat pump will get your spa up to temperature within an hour on an average Florida day and will also heat your pool, as well. Surprisingly, these are left off of a lot of estimates or they’ll include an 11kw spa heater. These small heaters can take 4-6 hours to heat up a standard 6 foot round spa and will not heat your pool. Again, we can exclude this from your estimate, if requested.
Dirt Removal
Unless otherwise specified, we are going to haul off all of the unnecessary dirt. You would think that is obvious but look for it on your estimate.
Dedicated Vacuum Lines
These are an obvious addition for keeping your pool looking it’s best. They allow you to run an automatic vacuum while your skimmer is still doing it’s job keeping the surface clean. It’s much easier to do it during the initial construction so we’ve added them as standard on all pools.
Hopefully this gives you some pointers to think about while comparing your new pool or spa estimates. Please comment below with any of your experiences in the matter or feel free to ask any questions you may have.
