Pool liner and Coping replacement
UPDATE SINCE CONTACTING POOL HOPPER--NO RESOLUTION:
We are trying to have the work done by Pool Hopper corrected/repaired/replaced. Within 2 months of completion, 3 coping corners had cracked or broken (the fourth corner was damaged during initial installations which they replaced on April 29 20220, when it was also discovered a second one had broken, they glued it back together. The coping is loose in various areas as a result of the coping track being misaligned and incorrectly installed (the PVC coping installed was originally supposed to be aluminum). These issues were noticeable after Pool Hopper opened our pool on April 29, 2022. Upon contacting Pool Hopper, we were told to contact the manufacturer for warranty coverage as Pool Hopper was not going to do anything to help resolve the problems nor have they offered any compensation to help pay to fix the problems that have become apparent at/after their last visit to finalize the installation on April 29, 2022.
We have tried to get Pool Hopper to take responsibility for their work and fix it, or compensate us so that we can hire a company to make the corrections required. They have refused to take responsibility for the incorrect work and continue to make false claims as to the actual events that occurred. Pool Hoppers response Please note when the pool corners were installed, they were installed correctly and without cracks/chips, with the exception of the one corner we already replaced as a warranty claim. Unfortunately, many things can cause the coping to crack/chip or move/shift, such as changes in weather between hot and cold seasons due to expansion and contraction of the concrete pool deck, and the winter cover putting pressure on the coping (especially in the corners)...we will likely be unable to provide further services and/or materials free of charge, but I would discuss with Christian and get back to you if we were able to offer any additional services. Unfortunately, they didn't contact us. We reached out to them a month later.
We contacted Vastech as suggested by Pool Hopper and were informed that their corners/ coping are covered by a warranty to the installers only. Vastech advised us that the corners are made to withstand Canadian winters and will not crack even if they are stood on when they are properly installed. They informed us based on the pictures we provided, that: the corners have not been installed at 90degree angles to the sides and therefore they will crack; the track is also installed incorrectly and should be shimmed up to be level with the concrete surface; the way the track was installed has caused the track to bend (buckle/twist) in the center which has also caused the finishing top coping not to fit tightly in place.
What we perceived to be errors in the installation have been confirmed by follow-up calls and visits with 4 local pool installation & repair companies to evaluate the installation of our pool coping/coping track/corner pieces that are cracking or not secured, All companies, as well as the manufacturer of the coping (Vastec), have indicated our pool coping has been installed incorrectly.
Overall, we have been told that the only way to fully correct the situation is to redo the entire installation, including the new coping track, and re-install the current coping and new liner. The estimates for this work range from $5k to $8k.
We are requesting a $1500 refund of the $6600 we paid to Pool Hopper (which was a price match to another local company of thirty years). This refund would allow us to hire an experienced company to replace the cracked/broken corners align the tracks and fix the loose coping, as well as remove and recaulk the entire perimeter.
We have contacted Pool Hopper and the conversations/emails have produced no remedy/warranty or company responsible for the situation. Our last correspondence with Pool hopper was on September 12 2022 when we requested a refund of $1500. Their response was Based on.. our previous emails, phone calls, etc., as well as the $1000+ in services and materials, are given to you free of charge, we cannot provide you with any further compensation.
The only things we received from Pool Hopper free of charge was the closing and opening of our pool (we usually open/close the pool ourselves). This was offered, as a way to make up for the delivery/issues encountered during the Summer/Fall installation in 2021. In fact, some installation work had to be delayed until the opening of the pool in the Spring of 2022.
PREVIOUSLY:
we were very disappointed with the service we received from this company. From the delays/lack of follow-up, delivery of incorrect parts, damage caused during install, carelessness with cleanup (several screws and metal shavings left behind) and lack of attention to detail. We went the entire summer with exposed sharp metal tracking because the supplier sent the the wrong coping. which was supplied about 6 weeks prior to install but unchecked by the Christian until the day of install. Needless to say we waited an additional 2 months before the situation was corrected ( by rough cutting the 10 foot coping to fit and waiting an addition month for 3 more pieces) The coping still doesn't fit properly in certain areas. The steel track that holds the coping was not aligned properly when installed, making it impossible to align the top coping cover. The corners where not installed at 90 degree angles causing one to crack over the winter (which they glued the piece back on as a fix) Another corner was damaged during install which we asked them to replace, and they did. It got to a point that we were apprehensive to pointing out the problems because it was met with hostility. There was an additional 2 week delay because their supplier ran out of the liner we had ordered 8 weeks prior/ Christian had called us on the day we thought he was going to install, to inform us the supplier did not have our liner available and it could be months before it would be back in stock, after he had told us 2 weeks prior everything was on track, We picked another liner and waited another two weeks. The whole process took about a year and although there are still outstanding issues ( bits of gravel/concrete trapped between the wall and the liner from the last of 4 failed attempts to fix a wrinkle, loss coping, misaligned seems and corner coping pieces as well as a bad caulking job) we are hoping that we don't have any major warrantee issues! which has been back dated to September 24, since (according to Them, that was the date the coping/liner was installed, even if incorrectly, all correction are now apart of the warranty coverage..
- Approximate cost of services:
- $6,600.00
- Company Response
UPDATE: *Please note that the Customer & Pool Hopper are currently in contact and are working together to remedy this situation as best we can*
Thank you for review, we apologize that you have had a negative experience with our company. We would love/welcome the opportunity to remedy the situation by contacting us directly. My name is Amanda (Co-Owner & Customer Service Lead) phone number is (416) 805-0508 and my email is customerservice@poolhopper.ca.This is a very small, family run business, and reviews like this can have a huge impact on our business. For this reason, I will also note that there are some things not mentioned in your review that are important to acknowledge in this situation, such as hundreds of dollars in free labour and services rendered, manufacturer issues witch caused delays, etc.:
1. Additional Coping and Coping Services Rendered Free of Charge: the customer hired Pool Hopper to replace the pool liner and some coping work, as Christian began working on the pool, he found that whoever installed the coping did not install it so it would sit flush with the pool deck. Christian made sure to bring this to your attention prior to continuing to provide the services. He let you know that, although functional, it will not be an aesthetically pleasing choice and warned that this may cause other aesthetic issues which you may not be happy with. He offered to repair this by grinding out 1/4” of concrete on deck so it would sit flush, however this would be an additional cost. You denied this solution because of the extra charges, and thus Christian completed the liner installation and minor coping job as you requested. Once complete, you complained to Christian that it was not aesthetically pleasing, and demanded he fix this. We then charged you only for the for additional coping material that we used, and provided you free of charge with extra coping material in case you wanted to do further repairs to the coping in the future. The hourly labour involved in this repair to coping, and any extra materials (i.e., caulking, concrete, additional coping materials etc.) We offered to include the labour and additional materials free of charge since you were unhappy with the cost and the services. The labour and additional materials were done/given entirely out of pocket as he did not want to see you unhappy with the work that our company takes great pride in.
2. Additional Free Services from Pool Hopper: Above the free hourly labour to repair the additional coping issues, many materials we did not bill for because you were already unhappy with the cost and services and we did not want to cause you more stress, etc., Christian understood you were frustrated with the process and offered/provided you with a free pool closing in 2021 ($365+ value) and a free opening service in 2022 ($450+ value).
3. Remedies Offered & Completed: We sent you an email at the very start of this year asking for a list of items you would like to be completed and came out as soon as we could to complete your free opening and complete all requests identified on your list and did not charge you for any of this additional labour.4. Parts & Materials Delay: Please note that, as this liner was installed during the global pandemic, there was major shortages and delays in getting parts and materials. This includes major delays and decreased liner pattern availability with the liner and coping manufacturers. For example, we sent your liner pattern choice to the liner manufacturing company when you had let us know your pattern choice and the company accepted our request. It wasn't until two weeks later that we received a call from the manufacturer who let us know that they no longer had that pattern in stock. we shared this information with you the same day. We understand your frustration with the timelines, we too were very frustrated with the manufacturer timelines, however this was unfortunately out of our hands.
5. Warranty Concerns: I sent you an email regarding warranty last month, to which I have not received a response. As the email indicated, I would be happy to help if you have any questions. I would like to chat with you directly about your concerns, discuss warranty timelines, and remedy the situation as best we can.
We look forward to the chance to discuss with you directly and we hope you provide us with the opportunity outside of this review.