Pool Builders in Texas

How to choose a pool builder in Texas

Start with the paperwork, not the design. A 3D rendering shows what a company can draw. It doesn't show who is responsible for the permit, who wires the equipment, or what the quote leaves out. These six checks put the paperwork first, and each one is a question you can ask on the first call.

Know what Texas does and does not license

Texas has no statewide license for pool builders. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses electricians, and the pump, heater, lights and bonding on a new pool are electrical work. Plumbing has to be done by a licensed plumber. Ask each builder who does the electrical and plumbing work on its jobs, and for those license numbers, before anything else.

Confirm the registration with your city

Many Texas cities require a contractor to register before it can pull a pool permit, and some require proof of insurance to do it. Ask the builder which cities it is registered in and check with your city's building department before you sign. Check that the company name on the registration matches the name on your contract.

Ask who pulls the permit

The company that signs your contract should pull the building permit. Be careful if a builder asks you to pull it yourself as the homeowner: the owner then answers to the city for the inspections, and the builder's name may not appear anywhere on the permit. Permit rules are local. The Houston and San Antonio pages show what those two permit offices ask for.

Compare written quotes line by line

Two quotes are only comparable when each one lists what is included, what is not, the payment schedule by milestone and how a change order is priced. Make sure every builder is quoting the same pool type and interior finish. Ask for the insurance certificates and the warranty terms in writing at the same time, part by part: structure, workmanship, equipment and finish.

Settle the safety barrier before the contract

Most Texas cities enforce the residential pool barrier rules in the code they have adopted: a fence or wall at least 48 inches high around the pool, with gates that close and latch on their own. Some add door alarms or extra rules for pools near the house. Ask each builder whether the price covers the barrier your city requires. This is where quotes quietly differ.

Plan the dig around utilities, soil and weather

Before any digging, the excavator has to contact Texas811 at least two business days ahead so the utilities can mark their lines. Much of Texas sits on expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, so ask how the shell and deck are engineered for your soil. Ask how the company protects an open site from spring storms and hail, and how the equipment is protected from a hard freeze. Then call two or three recent customers nearby and ask how the job ran against the contract.