Certifications for your pool guy

CPSC, APSP, NCP, CBP, CPO, CSP, VGB, ADA, AHHHHHHH!
I have an attorney friend who was on a sales call with me one day and I was speaking with the client about his swimming pool main drain and why he was out of compliance with the Federal safety code. I spoke of the CPSC (consumer product safety Commission) and the VGB (Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act) and how it affected his facility.

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.

Changing in an ever changing economy

Last week we traveled to Las Vegas for the annual APSP trade show; all things pool and spa! With us was Jason Schallock, Anderson Poolworks superintendent, and Gary Gripp, Anderson Poolworks lead service technician. Both men were there to take certification classes for CBP (certified building professional) and CSP (certified service professional). The level of competency that both professionals exhibited during the week of class work and the resulting tests reminded me of why Anderson Poolworks employs such individuals: because they are the best at what they do!
Congratulations gentlemen on a job well done.

Choosing materials for your swimming pool or spa

Brody’s Blog Spot for Anderson Poolworks:

 

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

How to choose your swimming pool contractor or installer

Brody’s blog spot for Anderson Poolworks:

How to chose your swimming pool contractor or installer

 

We all have a kitchen/bathroom/bedroom that we wished was bigger/wider/nicer/more tile etc.  If you are the owner of a swimming pool or spa, you probably have the same type of wish list associated with the vessels. 

 

The word remodel can send any homeowner in to a state of panic.  The noise, the mess, the cost, the time; these all add up to a certain state of anxiety.  Unless of course, you have a clear and defined path of work with a pool company that you trust to complete the work on time and within budget and one who can communicate with you in a clear and concise manner.   

 

The most common questions that I get during an average inquiry phone call relates to material choices and bottom line: cost.  Most homeowners will contact at least three different companies to procure competitive bids.  But, be aware, price does not equate quality or competency.  It is imperative that pool and spa owners investigate the companies that they contact to make certain that they have all necessary license, insurance and most importantly, a good reputation! 

 

Now, most quality companies will be upfront with not only their construction license number (usually on the business card) but if they are meeting in person, a list of references from previous clients.  This is where the all knowing and all seeing internet comes to play (if Google says it, it must be true!).  Go ahead and check the companies out online.  Look at the reviews.  Compare company websites: look at the gallery photos-do any of the pools look like what you have?  Do you like what you see?  Do you like what you read on the bios?  Do they list positive reviews from past clients?  Do they talk of options for materials?  Are there any accreditations listed on the site confirming the status as professional’s?  These are all great questions to ask of anyone coming to work on your home. 

 

Online reviews: how do you walk through the mud to get to the higher ground? 

When I read reviews online I do so with a grain of salt (as my parents taught me to).  If I read about a product and I see several glowing five star reviews and one half star reviews with angry wording, I’m going to look through the muck to see the higher ground.  Look at the wording of the negative reviews, does it sound like school yard aggression?  Does the review sound legitimate or does it seem that someone has a chip on their shoulder?  Admittedly, our company has two negative reviews online.  Sigh.  The one is easily refuted (we don’t build pools with palm trees around them: we’re in Oregon) and the other, well I take responsibility for the lack of communication.  Even though we addressed the reviewed item in our original contract and even though it was signed off that they understood that the item was not our responsibility and they did not have the funds to fix the problem, we were the last company to touch it and in their minds, they believed us to be responsible.  I would love to make all people happy all of the time, but the reality is: that’s not possible.  No matter how hard you try.  But, for each project completed, I learn something new every time!  That’s how we stay in business; we learn and we grow. 

 

The last paragraph brings up one of the most relevant issues in any transaction: communication!  If you don’t talk about the elephant in the room, there is a better than good chance that someone will get stepped on.  Now, that does not mean that you can avoid all of the potential pitfalls, but most of them.  If there is a crack in the existing waterline tile, discuss the underlying deck movement issue.  If you see cracks in the pool shell, talk of the potential expansive soils or lack of structural strength.  If there is…well, you get the idea.  As a professional, it is my responsibility to point out the evils that I see in and around the pool.   I will always ask if the pool or spa leaks (I am constantly amazed when I find out half way through a project that ‘oh yeah, the pool did leak a few years ago…’).  Please, tell your contractor of the previous problems, no matter how small or how long ago they occurred.

 

If you take the time to research the company that you have chosen to complete the project, and you keep the path of communication open, anxiety toward your remodel is the last feeling you should have.

 

Have a great day and happy swimming! 

 

Brody Anderson

VP, Anderson Poolworks. 

 

 

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