I love January because each time you see or speak to someone for the first time since last year, you get to wish them Happy New Year. It’s a great way to start off a conversation and it sets the tone for upbeat, positive communication. The start of a new year is of course an opportunity—albeit symbolic—to set new goals and begin on a path to achieve them. I know I’m three weeks into getting back into top shape physically, and I feel great.

What does this have to do with Anderson Poolworks’ blog? Well, 2012 has started out as a great business year, with many new exciting projects and our backlog growing, and we expect that to continue. As we build out our schedule, we look to each project as a new beginning of sorts. You see, we look at every new project as an opportunity to put our learning from the last one to use. Usually minor, sometimes fairly large, and occasionally paradigm shifts, the things we learn and apply are what makes us progress down the path toward our goal of being the best we can be. More on that later…

Being in the construction contracting business, we see and feel the effects of the current state of the economy. Contractors are falling left and right. Project starts are few and far between. You know the story.  Guess what? We are going full steam ahead. We are sharpening our swords, polishing our armor, and training the troops!

This has been our attitude all along, but while the sky is grey and some contractors are “hunkered down”, we are taking every opportunity to improve. Two of our key people have earned advanced certifications, which, added to what we already had, makes us the most highly trained and certified swimming pool construction company in the Northwest! Next week we attend the National Plasterer’s Council Conference in San Diego to make sure we stay current with industry developments, and to catch up with our colleagues nationwide. More advanced certification training is scheduled for our people. Internally, I am leaving no stone unturned to make sure our systems, policies, and procedures are as good as they can be, and that nothing is taken for granted.

In short, we believe that unless you are growing, improving, and adapting, you are going to get left behind. We are not letting up, and our success is proof that it is working. Here’s to a great year for all of you, and for the work and effort that is going to bring you to your goals…the time is now.

Happy New Year!

Dana

During our current holiday season, an important message was sent to me from out in the universe: get a signed contract before the work is scheduled!!!!

Yes, it’s true, I scheduled work for the service department during the summer swim season on a verbal approval.  The client was a referral from a good friend and  I had nothing to dread.  Or so I thought.  My service tech went about his job, completed the work (not a large amount, mind you) and submitted the paperwork for billing.  Here it is now December, and the client has balked at paying the bill.  And, as the upstanding contractor, I do have to concede that there was no signed contract for the work that was performed, only a verbal go ahead.  Whoops.  Since the amount was under $150.00 I will consider that a cheap school fee.

So what is the lesson here?  Don’t work for friends?  Don’t trust people?  No.  Most people we work with are outstanding and they often become our friends.  Our contracts and service agreements clearly state the work to be done and the billing terms.  Everything is black and white.  No, the lesson is to complete the finite details.  This means not only finishing the job per the contract, but also, get all of the proper paperwork signed before work begins!  As a consumer, you trust that the contractor that you have hired is licensed, bonded, and insured and has the ability to complete the work in a timely, professional manner.  You wouldn’t buy the latest TV from some guy in a back alley and expect some type of warranty or return policy, would you?  The same goes for your contractor.

Over the years, our contracts have gotten much “thicker” and the necessary release forms have multiplied.  Some clients have questioned the necessity of these forms, but believe me, they protect everyone: client and contractor.

Now, back to my previous client.  I could initiate a verbal battle with these people, but to what end?  At this point, there is no ‘win’.  The facts are simple and plain.  As an owner, did I mess up?  You bet.  Will I make the same mistake.  Not likely.

The whole point of this rant is simple: if a contractor is willing to complete the work without the proper paperwork, find another guy.  If that super cool new item is priced at ‘too good to be true’ and the warranty paperwork is somewhere around here…walk away.

Have a great holiday season everyone and enjoy your new toys!

Thank you and happy swimming.

Brody

How do you know that the pool builder or installer that you, the consumer, have chosen is the right one for your project?  Simple, you research.  You ask questions.  You contact the references.  You…what?  You did contact the references, right?

Most of the swimming pools that Anderson Poolworks builds or installs or renovates come from word of mouth advertising; which is not advertising at all.  We have been renovating and building pools since the late 1990’s, when we saw the need in our local area for a new approach to an old problem.  An old school approach to construction methodology, materials choices, and professionalism and finish products was the standard operating procedure amongst the local companies.  I know, because I used to do the preparation work for almost all of them.

To start on our path of how to do it right, we went in search of standardization within our own industry.  What we found was the first iteration of the National Plasterers Council: a group dedicated with setting the standard for pool and spa surfaces across the country.
The acknowledged leaders in the pool industry were asked to be a part of the group and to share the knowledge that they possessed.  We listened intently and brought the higher learning home to our business.  And slowly, we changed how the game was played in our local pool industry.

Starting with better surface materials, like Pebble Tec or quartz aggregate surfaces form CLI Aquavations, like KrystalKrete and Hydrazzo we forced the collective consciousness to change what was offered to the local clientele.  Then moving in the direction of poured concrete coping material or natural stone (bluestone, quartz, marble) and glass waterline tile, we were able to set pools apart from the ‘red brick, blue tile, white plaster’ monotony.  We embraced individualism and promoted wide color pallets and transformed the look of the mundane backyard.  Then, it was on to building our first pool and spa.  We had all of the tools necessary but lacked the step by step process.  Not to be deterred, we plunged forth and I can say with happy confidence, the pool and spa still look and function beautifully to this day (I know, we still maintain the pool on a service account!).

From that first pool and spa installation, pool after pool came our way due to word of mouth.  Small pools became bigger pools and then on to resort pools.  All the way up to receiving the recent Gold Awards of Excellence from APSP for our latest water park project, Wings and Waves. (Who knew we would someday build pools under a 747!).

Even with our high achievements, we still find it necessary occasionally to ‘sell’ what we do to a potential client.  If it comes down to price, well, we probably aren’t the company for you.  If you want the best possible construction with the best materials and the accredited best technicians, then by all means, we are your pool builders.  This also goes for renovations of any size as well.  From a simple facelift of your existing pool or spa to reshaping of the vessels, new water features, piping, equipment, decking or outdoor living space, we allow your backyard dreams to come true.

So when it comes time to chose your pool company, ask around and you’ll probably hear our name come up.  And yes, we will proudly hand out a list of references and we proudly display on our website www.andersonpoolworks.com quotes from previous clients who we now consider to be our friends.   Care to be one of them?

The education material and courses provided by the APSP were eye-opening to say the least. The pool & spa industry is full of people who do not have the education that they should. I have been working in the industry for almost 15 years and had a great knowledge base about pool & spa construction and service. But it was not nearly equivalent to the knowledge that I have now that I have completed the CBP program. When I started the course, I learned that there were only just over 300 CBPs in the country. That is surprising considering that there are over 17,000 swimming pool installers, dealers, and service companies in the U.S. In most states, all one needs to have to build a swimming pool or spa  is a General Contractors License. In my opinion, this is not enough education to install something with so many variables, the first being safety. You wouldn’t let a contractor claiming to be a good Electrician or Plumber work on your home without a license in the field. If you would, then you are looking for trouble. I feel the APSP and the CBP Program are the equivalent of a license to build pools & spas.

Anderson Poolworks is an active member in the APSP. Dana Anderson is a CBP and member of the APSP Builders Council. I would like to thank Dana & Brody Anderson, owners of Anderson Poolworks, for supporting me and pushing me to better myself by becoming a CBP. They not only push their employees, they push other pool builders & service personnel to strive for a higher level of education. Their commitment to the industry and producing a quality product is unsurpassed.

 Thanks Guys!

 In an always progressing industry it feels good to be ahead of the curve.

Jason Schallock CBP

The previous line struck fear in the hearts of every public pool and spa facilities director or operator the year that it hit the ground.  People kicked and screamed.  Threw fits and tantrums.  Flat out refused to take part.  Ignored the law or pleaded ignorance.  Armchair experts came out of the woodwork regarding the nuance of the act and how it was to be interpreted.  Then it came down to who would enforce the act.  Feds?  State?  County?  No one was certain.  Fingers were pointed and accusations and misinformation flew in all directions.  The few of us that actually read the wording, worked with the state and local authorities and took it upon ourselves to learn the ins and outs, became the experts that people turned to.

Dana Anderson, president of Anderson Poolworks, member or the APSP technical committee, and Certified Building Professional, was at the spear point of the act in Oregon.  Working with the State Board of Health in Oregon (serving on the contractors committee), the information was clear and concise from the people who initially brought the act to light and the authorities that would later enforce the rule.  However, ‘experts’ came out of the woodwork to dispute the rule and seemingly make their own determination as to how the act should be followed.  Some saw the act as an opportunity to rake in quick cash and get down the road.  Others simply ignored the rule and behaved as if it were something that would blow over.  Not the case.

As Vice President of Anderson Poolworks, I saw this as an opportunity to help the many property management, hotel and motel, and municipalities that I have worked with for years to come in to compliance easily, economically, and definitively.  We chose the route of the Aquastar unblockable main drain.  With this system, absolutely no mechanical device was necessary, which meant no nuisance tripping, no false shut-downs, no alarms and no unit that will eventually fail.  The downside was the pool or spa needed to be drained for the installation (which generally took about 45 minutes).

Here we are a few years later and now we are dealing with a recall of the drain covers that were installed on the single suction outlets (single main drains).   We personally have chosen not to take part in the recall effort unless we had installed the original drain ourselves.  Being one of the licensed installers for some of the drain cover manufacturers and a commercial diver, I saw first hand the incorrectly placed covers from the first time around!  If I touch it, I own it and I was unwilling to put that liability on our company.  However, unaffected was the unblockable drain!  I felt good that the route we had chosen was the safest, most effective route possible.  Was and still is.

Now, we have been splitting main drains for years (another alternative for compliance) and also for some pools, a main drain reversal; instead of pulling water in, we return water through the drain.  We have even constructed pools with no main drains.  And yes, it does work!

Even though the VGB only affected commercial applications, we took the standard to every residential pool and spa we build or renovate.  Swimming pool safety is of the utmost importance to Anderson Poolworks, and main drain safety is top of the list.  Please, even if you think this is nothing to be worried about, consider for a moment that as a professional pool person, a certified diver and someone who knows better, I myself have been trapped on a main drain.  Scared me to death!  This is very real and nothing to joke about.

As an industry we work tirelessly to make the swimming experience more enjoyable and safe every time.

Thanks for reading and happy swimming.

Brody Anderson

VP, Anderson Poolworks

At Anderson Poolworks, we receive phone calls from around the state of Oregon and around the Northwest  for renovation work or new construction and the one question that comes up most often is ‘how far do you travel?’  Answer: anywhere there is a job that requires our attention to detail!

Anderson Poolworks staff has completed projects as far away as Helena, Montana to Klammath Falls, Oregon.  No project is too big or too small.  As the preferred swimming pool construction company for all of the recent Central Oregon resort aquatic facilities, we are uniquely qualified to handle the various details necessary for a quality pool or spa install in any area of the Northwest region.  Also, as the ‘pool guys’ for the recent Evergreen Wings and Waves water park, with our knowledge of  extremely large commercial projects and smaller residential pools, we offer the best option for your pool or spa install or renovation.   Granted, putting a 747 on top of your pool house may be a challenge, but we may be able to hit the middle ground:)

You say that you only want a simple ‘hot tub’ or spa?  No problem.  You want a showpiece pool with slides, rock grotto, spa, swim up bar, cool lighting, sun ledge with a water feature, no problem.  We take great pride in listening to the clients requests, offering the right materials for the job and allowing your backyard dreams to come true.

Thanks for reading and happy swimming.

Brody Anderson,

VP, Anderson Poolworks

Another quartz surface install for the City of Woodburn, Oregon. Great people to work with and lots of fun to show what a true professional pool company can do.

My friend, the attorney, listened intently until I was done with the sales call and the first thing out of his mouth was “holy crap, you pool guys use a ton of acronyms!”. Apparently more than attorneys.

But, the cool thing is that each acronym stands for something very, very important to not only the consumer but to the contractor (me) as well. Being a certified building professional gives our customers the piece of mind that they have hired a true professional. Being a certified service professional allows my tech’s the ability to tackle any project that comes before them. At Anderson Poolworks we firmly believe in allowing our people to achieve the absolute highest standard possible for their chosen field. Not to toot our own horn, but our guys are simply the best at what they do and they are certified and recognized for their abilities! Yeah, I’m proud of that.

When choosing your swimming pool or spa installer, contractor, renovation expert, service professional or watershaping designer, look to the certifications that each company may have. If they do not proudly display the credentials of a true professional, find another company.

Thanks for reading and happy swimming!

Brody Anderson,
VP Anderson Poolworks
NPC, APSP, Certified pool stain specialist, Master Plaster Technician.

You know what?  The hardest pool to build was my own.  Not because it was super elaborate or because it was gianormous (my eight year olds word) or built in to a hillside.  No, it was the most difficult because it was mine. 

Tile, surface, coping, design, depth, steps, lighting, equipment, usage; ahhhh! 

I build and renovate pools every day.  I recommend surface materials, lighting, tile and all the other items that make our swimming pools beautiful, functional and, well, over the top super cool.  Clients constantly ask me ‘what’s in style’ or ‘what do you recommend’?  My answers are quick and concise!  I can discern the style of the home, the client themselves, their dog or cat, their car and with certainty, recommend all that they need to make their pool and/or spa really cool. 

But yet my own: paralyzed.  I had too many choices.  I had seen too many super, way cool pools with the most beautiful tiles, like Lightstreams Glass tile, or Beadcrete interior surface, or LED lighting by Nexxus.  The possibilities were endless and yet there I sat.   My patient wife left the project in my professional hands (yeah, no pressure).  Sure, if I didn’t like something, I could change it, but I wanted to get it perfect on the first pass. 

So, I made The List.  Here it is; kind of.  There was more; much more.  But, this will at least get you started. 

How do we plan on using our pool?  Ours will be a swim spa for triathlon training and for recreational use for our family.  Check.

How deep should it be?  Since my son was an infant, and the proximity to the house foundation posed some engineering hoops: four feet max depth. 

How big should it be?  I wedged our now swimspa on the side of the house where a garden once was.  So, 9’x16’ inside dimension was the final size.

One set of steps or two?  I chose two sets for symmetry.  However, after many years of use, I would like to eliminate one set.  They take up valuable space and really serve no purpose. 

Spa jets or not?  We chose to have five spa jets in the wall and two in the floor with one bench.  In the cool fall and winter months, we crank this baby up to 102 degrees and soak in our oversized spa!  Now, I must admit, after a season with this, I dropped the bench by another 6” to submerge our torsos more. 

Lighting: I chose the Pentair Intellibrite light, www.pentairpoolproducts.com.  This is the most energy efficient color changing light on the market at the time.  If I were to do this over, I may have opted for a few SAVI lights by Nexxus. 

Surface option: We went with PebbleSheen, black pearl with a custom twist.  Since we are a licensed Pebble applicator, I gave myself a little creative license with my own pool. 

Tile:  I had surfaced a spa in Sun Valley a few years ago and the choice for materials (chosen by an interior designerJ) was a black PebbleSheen with a really cool root beer colored tile.  I finally settled on the same type of color pattern, only my tile was translucent glass tile.  

We added a BADU swim jet to the pool for my swim training.  Now the jet works fine, however, I can out swim the propulsion quite easily.  This is not a statement of how fast or strong of a swimmer I am, quite the contrary, it’s just that these particular systems are not made for fast or furious swimming.  To remedy the issue, I had seen a Super Swim tether system at a trade show some years earlier.  Not one to spend unnecessary cash, I marched (drove) down to my nearest outdoor store and purchased a sturgeon pole, some bungee cords two dog collars.  I sank a 2” pipe in the ground at the end of the pool and voila’, I had made my own super swim for about $14.00  It was a serious ‘Mater’ move, but it works. 

A Coverstar,  automatic pool cover was added to the mix for safety and efficiency (about 82% heat retention and no evaporative loss).  The auto cover vault is covered by pour lids that match the stamped concrete deck. 

We finished the pool with random Montana stone and stamped concrete decking.

The pool is awesome!  During the summer months we are in the pool almost every day.  We can lounge on the floating mattresses or splash around.  It’s the perfect size for my family and it fits the lot we are on. 

So when it comes time to finally get the pool or spa of your dreams, make a list.  It will seriously pay off in the end. 

Thanks for reading and happy swimming. 

Brody Anderson

VP, Anderson Poolworks

www.lightstreamsglasstile.com

www.nextstepproducts.com

www.pebbletec.com

www.beadcrete.com

www.pentairpoolproducts.com

www.coverstar.com