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Best pool contractor in havasu

Performance Grips

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I'm thinking of building a pool here in Havasu in the next month or so and wanted to get some input on who to use. Thanks in advance.
 

SJP

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We used Mike Van Roy. He grew up in Havasu and has always done only pools. Straight up no BS awesome expirerience building our pool. He still takes care of our pool after the build. :thumbup:
 

RiverDave

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I'm very interested to see how this thread turns out.
 

djunkie

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I'm not sure if he's the best but Mike Van Rooy built ours and I have no complaints. I'd definitely use him again.
 

SJP

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I'm very interested to see how this thread turns out.

Yeah - people get pretty crazy when it comes to this subject. I tell you what I learned a bunch from reading threads on this site before we built ours that helped me. From things others said, did, lessons learned and project approach that made the process pretty painless.
 

BajaT

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Went with Sandcastle. No issues or delays. Price never changed.
 

LLGirl

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We talked to everyone. Ended up going with Steve Bopp, SWB Pools. Been building pools in Havasu for 20 something years. We were completely satisfied with his work. Prices were great. Gave us a schedule and kept it. Completed on time. I would recommend him and use him again in a second.

His support after the build has been excellent as well.
 

outboardrick

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I had one built by Sand Castle a few years ago and will be building a new one soon. I'll go with Mike VanRooy or Sand Castle.
 

TCHB

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We used Mike Van Roy. He grew up in Havasu and has always done only pools. Straight up no BS awesome expirerience building our pool. He still takes care of our pool after the build. :thumbup:

Mike did our pool and as stated a stand up no bullshit guy. He is the only one that has never advertised his pools. It is all word of mouth!!!
 

Sigus

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I have been considering building a pool as well. Looking forward to seeing how this goes for you.
 

boatdoc55

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We have not built yet but were very impressed with Brian at Sandcastle. They also built a friends pool with no hassle's at all.
 

Scott E

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We used Mike Van Roy. He grew up in Havasu and has always done only pools. Straight up no BS awesome expirerience building our pool. He still takes care of our pool after the build. :thumbup:

Same here...
 

Maw

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One more for Mike van Rooy. Fast and flawless.
 

RiverDave

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Mike did our pool and as stated a stand up no bullshit guy. He is the only one that has never advertised his pools. It is all word of mouth!!!

Why is that a good or bad thing to you?
 

SJP

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Why is that a good or bad thing to you?

RD - I have told Van Roy on a couple occasions he owes you a beer and your tab ANY time he sees you around town. :D

Seriously the guy has benefitted from guys on this site but hey advertisers have from members doing havasu pool research on here as well. Content is a fickle **** and a dance that is your profession. I am just here because - hell I have no good reason :D.

The dude does not use email or a computer, he draws your pool with the heel of his boot, and his contact / BOM. Is hand written on triplicate paper. He also tells you and your wife when you are asking for a pink unicorn and if for some reason you still want one he puts a solid number on what things are going to cost.

This approach I guess may not be for everybody but it was kind of refreshing for guys that do not want to be out there running the Bobcat themselves. He still answers his cell phone returns texts years after the pool is complete. We have been pretty lucking with all the construction projects we have done in Havasu. I have heard first hand many and read many more. This was a major one that went very well for us and I am writing this 4 years post build.
 

ductape1000

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He probably means that the fact that he stays busy off of referrals mean there's probably a lot of people happy with his work.
This^^^

If you are busy, you don't waste your cash on pretty ads. You just keep on making people happy.
 

RiverDave

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This^^^

If you are busy, you don't waste your cash on pretty ads. You just keep on making people happy.

Why do you figure Coke, Pepsi, Budweiser, Coors, advertise? Anyone not heard of Carls Jr?

Advertising is what keeps you busy, if you don't do it, someone else will and pretty soon you find out your not busy.



I make zero bones about it. I'm looking at this thread to see who I would possibly call to be an advertiser for pools on RDP. The custom boat industry is still struggling and most the mfg's can't afford to advertise, or pay realistic advertising rates so we are going outside of the box. It's what I have to do to fund projects like Boat Tests, Videos, hiring staff for photos etc.

We have a resource base of approximately 65,000 people a month on here 90% based in So Cal with a primary interest in Parker / Havasu / Boating. That's worth quite a bit to local advertisers looking to pull CA money. Home builders, Pools, SXS dealerships, things of that nature.

RD
 

GRADS

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Do an Owner/Builder. ;)
 

ductape1000

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Big business is a different animal than a small construction business.

For most small contractors, advertising is a waste of money. It is better to spend your time making sure your customers are extremely happy than it is to spend your money trying to find new customers.

Your satisfied customers will do all of your advertising for you. And on the flip side of that, your unsatisfied customers will have you working at McD's faster than you can blink!!
 

outboardrick

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Why do you figure Coke, Pepsi, Budweiser, Coors, advertise? Anyone not heard of Carls Jr?

Advertising is what keeps you busy, if you don't do it, someone else will and pretty soon you find out your not busy.

RD

From what I've heard VanRooy does most the work himself and is very hands on. His reputation probably has him as busy as he wants to be and there's probably a waiting line. I had very good results with Sand Castle but didn't like that it was all subbed out, I never knew who was in my back yard. VanRooy will be my first pick for the new pool and I'll also get a bid from Sand Castle.
 

boatdoc55

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From what I've heard VanRooy does most the work himself and is very hands on. His reputation probably has him as busy as he wants to be and there's probably a waiting line. I had very good results with Sand Castle but didn't like that it was all subbed out, I never knew who was in my back yard. VanRooy will be my first pick for the new pool and I'll also get a bid from Sand Castle.

Uumm, I thought Sandcastle did it all but gunite????
 

RiverDave

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Big business is a different animal than a small construction business.

For most small contractors, advertising is a waste of money. It is better to spend your time making sure your customers are extremely happy than it is to spend your money trying to find new customers.

Your satisfied customers will do all of your advertising for you. And on the flip side of that, your unsatisfied customers will have you working at McD's faster than you can blink!!

Coming out of a recession there's lots of small contractors that are out there letting people know they are still in business, showing new products, and reaching out to new customers. You could pretty much look at any of the advertisers on this board that fit that exact description. So in your mind their ads here, and the articles written about their products are a complete waste of time and money?

RD
 

outboardrick

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Uumm, I thought Sandcastle did it all but gunite????

Not when they did mine, about 6 years ago. I believe the son is running the business now and I have not met him, I dealt with his dad Den. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with everything but I'd like someone that was there all the time.
 

ductape1000

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Coming out of a recession there's lots of small contractors that are out there letting people know they are still in business, showing new products, and reaching out to new customers. You could pretty much look at any of the advertisers on this board that fit that exact description. So in your mind their ads here, and the articles written about their products are a complete waste of time and money?

RD
In my mind, if we are talking about contractors as in owner operators in the construction trades, spending money on advertising is only something you do if you are trying to expand beyond O/O. If you are going to do that, you better be OK with your reputation changing.

Some people hire the person that comes to the door and sells. Others hire the group that is going to follow the sales guy. Some people hire the product of the advertising. In the industry I am involved in, as a small business, advertising is not something I spend my money on. The group I work with spends their time creating the best possible experience for the customer so that we get positive feedback and solid referrals. Doing this costs money and time that we are not paid for, but the percentage of closing the future sales calls is miles higher then trying to find your own new customers.

As a small business that doesn't need massive gross sales to cover a large overhead and employ a ton of people, this is what works for me and many others of this industry who are just servicing a full calendar of people and making a decent living.
 

Performance Grips

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Thanks for all the input it's been very helpful. The guy that built my walls also recommend Van Roy so I was leaning that way already. Does anyone have his number? Thanks again everyone.
 

Scott E

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Thanks for all the input it's been very helpful. The guy that built my walls also recommend Van Roy so I was leaning that way already. Does anyone have his number? Thanks again everyone.

I sent you a PM with one of the numbers I have for Mike. Not sure if it is his cell or not which is why I sent via PM.
 

G. Faulk

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Do an Owner/Builder. ;)

I highly recommend not doing this in Havasu. You get to many cooks in the kitchen and if something goes sideways, there's two many finger pointers to make someone accountable. Have a primary Licensed pool building Contractor do your project. After owning property in Havasu and maybe its my own fault, but I sure have had some people on my property that I just shake my head in amazement of the shit they try and pull. JMO

I'm in the pool builder-repair-service business and when I had my pool built at my house in Havasu 7 years ago, it was cheaper to have a licensed pool building contractor in Havasu build my pool then to send my crew out there to do it.

Dave I have not advertised for 25 years and I can barely keep up with my work demand. In this type of work word of mouth or customer referal is huge.
 

outboardrick

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I highly recommend not doing this in Havasu. You get to many cooks in the kitchen and if something goes sideways, there's two many finger pointers to make someone accountable. Have a primary Licensed pool building Contractor do your project. After owning property in Havasu and maybe its my own fault, but I sure have had some people on my property that I just shake my head in amazement of the shit they try and pull. JMO

I'm in the pool builder-repair-service business and when I had my pool built at my house in Havasu 7 years ago, it was cheaper to have a licensed pool building contractor in Havasu build my pool then to send my crew out there to do it.

Dave I have not advertised for 25 years and I can barely keep up with my work demand. In this type of work word of mouth or customer referal is huge.

Yep, if Greg had a better way to go he'd tell you :thumbup:
 

G. Faulk

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From what I've heard VanRooy does most the work himself and is very hands on. His reputation probably has him as busy as he wants to be and there's probably a waiting line. I had very good results with Sand Castle but didn't like that it was all subbed out, I never knew who was in my back yard. VanRooy will be my first pick for the new pool and I'll also get a bid from Sand Castle.

Very few pool builders have the resources not to sub out. Not one of us builders here in Santa Barbara nor do I know in the surrounding areas have all machinery not to sub out. Surely not one in Havasu.

I'm apologizing as a fellow pool builder that your pool builder did not inform you of who and when was in your back yard. Good luck on your next build.
 

outboardrick

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Very few pool builders have the resources not to sub out. Not one of us builders here in Santa Barbara nor do I know in the surrounding areas have all machinery not to sub out. Surely not one in Havasu.

I'm apologizing as a fellow pool builder that your pool builder did not inform you of who and when was in your back yard. Good luck on your next build.

Greg, what I meant was I would like for the builder to be present when things are going on. I realize that subs need to be used. On my last pool, the PebbleFina didn't look very good and I asked the sub about it. He said "Oh I was sick that day and they may have not done it right". Really? From what I've heard, VanRooy is on site for everything.
 

G. Faulk

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Greg, what I meant was I would like for the builder to be present when things are going on. I realize that subs need to be used. On my last pool, the PebbleFina didn't look very good and I asked the sub about it. He said "Oh I was sick that day and they may have not done it right". Really? From what I've heard, VanRooy is on site for everything.

Copy, a cocktail in the near summer months pool side is in our near further my friend, been a while.
 

outboardrick

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Copy, a cocktail in the near summer months pool side is in our near further my friend, been a while.

Yes it has. I don't know if I'll get a pool in this year, I'm expecting the house to be done about May or June and don't know if I want the pool built in the heat. What do you think about doing the pool in the heat? Should I just wait until winter?
 

SummitKarl

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We talked to everyone. Ended up going with Steve Bopp, SWB Pools. Been building pools in Havasu for 20 something years. We were completely satisfied with his work. Prices were great. Gave us a schedule and kept it. Completed on time. I would recommend him and use him again in a second.

His support after the build has been excellent as well.

sure go ahead give out all my secrets :p SWB Pools :thumbup:
 

boatdoc55

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Not when they did mine, about 6 years ago. I believe the son is running the business now and I have not met him, I dealt with his dad Den. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with everything but I'd like someone that was there all the time.

Brian, from Sandcastle, said he is at every one of HIS pool builds at least part of the day to keep the client informed and answer any questions.
 
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