Swimming pools are expensive. They are expensive to construct, expensive to keep cleaned and maintained and expensive on your utility bills. How to hire the best pool contractor isn’t a decision that should be based on price alone.

The swimming pool contractors from Advanced Pools, Inc. in Memphis TN know it may be tempting to cut corners and to look for the pool contractor whose estimate is less expensive than every other one. The reason the estimate is less expensive should be a red flag. You will want to know WHY it’s so much less than everyone else’s and determine if the price change is something you’re comfortable with.

When you’re building a pool you want to have the best value you can get for every dollar you spend.

How to hire the best pool contractor

You want to get the biggest bang for your swimming pool construction buck and that means not choosing a pool contractor based only on price. A really low bid should raise a red flag.

Why could an estimate be so much lower than the others?

The pool contractor is cutting corners on the quality of the equipment he is installing. It will cost more money up front for an energy efficient pool pump and filter, but you will save money over the lifetime of the pool operation. You need to weigh the difference in price.

A variable speed pump is more costly than a single speed pump, but again you are saving money over the life of the pool operation.

The contractor doesn’t have the correct insurance. An experienced and reputable pool contractor will have business liability insurance, worker’s comp insurance, property damage and liability insurance. If he isn’t providing you with proof of insurance, you could get burned.

If the state in which you live requires pool contractors to pay for a license and the low priced contractor doesn’t have one you will want to know why. You will also want to avoid a pool contractor who isn’t committed enough to his craft and business to become licensed.

The equipment the low bid pool contractor is proposing to install has inferior warranties.

The pool contractor with the low bid may be using crews or subcontractors who aren’t licensed or insured or even experienced in pool construction.

Weigh all the factors in the pool construction estimate you’re being given and determine if the low cost pool estimate will be worth it to you in the long run. Don’t skimp on an investment as major as a swimming pool.