The pool-building process can be long and drawn out. However, several Valley residents thought the end was near when their projects reached the final stage: interior finish.
But then, no movement.
Nihar Shah had his daughter in mind when he contracted with Lakeside Pools.
"We started the project when my wife was pregnant. My child, my daughter, is now 18 months old and she still doesn't have a pool to play in," Shah explained.
His contract was signed in July 2021.
Shah says he expected some delays because of COVID-19 and supply shortages. What he didn't expect were the big delays, even after paying in full - around $94,000.
"I made my final payment to Lakeside Pools so that they can, you know, schedule us for the PebbleTec finish. And we've been waiting ever since."
Shah says he was left waiting months for the last step of his pool project.
Meanwhile, Todd Davis and Shari Young say they've shared a similar experience as Shah.
"We've paid in full for everything," said Davis. "We still can't use, really, our backyard," Young added.
Davis and Young contracted with Lakeside Pools in February of 2021.
Like Shah, they say after paying in full - more than $100,000 - they've been left waiting for the PebbleTec finish.
"We did get emails every two weeks saying, you know, the subcontractor is backed up," Shah explained when asked about communication from Lakeside.
When asked about the timeline given by Lakeside, Young said, "[we've] been told that from the time that we paid in full that it would be five, approximately five months to get the PebbleTec."
We reached out to Lakeside. A representative told us they're at the mercy of the subcontractor's schedule for PebbleTec.
We called the subcontractor on these projects. They said, contrary to what Lakeside told the customers, it does not take months but, instead, just weeks to schedule PebbleTec work. But they have to get payment from the pool company first in order to schedule.
We asked Lakeside about the timeline disconnect but have not heard back.
Fortunately, Shah did hear back! After our call to Lakeside, he stated his pool was completed. As for Davis and Young, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors is investigating their situation.
We asked the ROC for information regarding Lakeside Pools.
As of the beginning of May, 11 complaints have been made against the company. More than half of those are for abandonment. Lakeside also received 12 total complaints in 2022. That's 23 in all so far, although some have been addressed and resolved.
If you're thinking of installing a pool, Arizona law states how much contractors can charge you through each step of the building process. Here's how it breaks down:
- 15% down
- 25% after excavation
- 25% after steel, plumbing contract
- 25% after decking
- The rest is due before interior pool finishes
You can also check out the ROC's tips to follow before hiring a contractor online.
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