Pacific Sun Aquatech

My experience with this unscrupulous company was just horrible. It spanned years and finally came to a head a few days ago when they merely decided they weren't going to finish my Spa w/ Water Feature. It didn't seem to matter that we've already paid this company $23,568 out of a total contract price of $29,410, or 80%. What do we have to show for all of this money we paid? A gunite shell and some PVC pipes in the ground. We have no equipment at all even-though we paid for all of the top-of-the-line Pentair stuff (400K BTU heater, 3 pumps, remote, digital controls, etc.). Our story is different than most, admittedly, and a little history is necessary to set the stage.We were in the middle of a whole-house remodel when we contracted with Pacific Sun in 2006. We were paying 2 mortgages at the time since the house was down to the studs and were forced to live in a rental condo we own - so we were obviously hoping to get the remodel over with quickly to ease the financial burden. Our first indication that this company was unscrupulous was during the setting of the PVC pipes in the ground. We have a very small back yard, so we presented the Pac Sun foreman with our detailed hardscape design showing *exactly* where we were going to have planters in the concrete (i.e., against the back wall) and we all agreed as to the run of the underground PVC pipes. When we came home from work and checked out the work, the pipes were running, you guessed it, *exactly* where our planter was going to be! The topper was that Pac Sun *REFUSED* any accountability for the screw-up and would only move the PVC out of our planter if we paid a $700 change order! We took the matter all the way up to the owner of the company, Rob, who refused to budge and acted like a major jerk to us when we pleaded our case. That's when we started to realize just how bad this company is, but just wanted to get the project over so we begrudgingly licked our wounds and paid them the $700. The second indication that this is an inferior company, was when it came time for the tile selection. The tile that they offered in the base contract was very blase' and unimpressive, so we expressed an interest in upgrading to malibu tile ( http://www.calpot.com ), only to find out that they'd NEVER used this type of tile before and had no idea where to get it, etc. For a company that's been here since 1969 to never had done malibu tile in San Diego - that just reeks of a low-end pool company. It's everywhere around here, the train station, the fountains in Balboa Park, etc. Right at this time, our general contractor quits working on our house and we are forced to assume full Owner-Builder responsibilies in order to finish that project, not an easy task when you both have full-time normal business-hour jobs. We met with Pac Sun to explain our dilemma as we were forced to halt the outside progress in lieu of getting the house done - we were informed there wouldn't be any problem and they'd be there when we were ready to start up again. No-one expected this process to take 5 1/2 years, but it did - that's what happens when you're forced to do things yourself and you have very little extra time. We periodically updated Pac Sun to let them know we were still alive. Fast forward to a few months ago - we're finally living in the house again and at a stage where we can commence on the work. We realize it's been a long time and everything and are totally willing to meet somewhere in the middle cost-wise since we were certain their costs have gone up, etc. But, that said, they also needed to eat some of the cost too since, afterall, they used up OUR money years ago. First of all, it took several weeks before the Foreman came to inspect the job site - bad sign. I kept pushing them for a face-to-face meeting for months, literally, and finally got one with the Foreman. We discussed where we were and what we'd paid, and even he mentioned there might be money issues, to which we responded that we'd be interested in discussing the matter with Rob or the accountant "Cia" (Cynthia). After about a week of not hearing anything, I started to call and leave messages to which the cowards continued to blow me off. Finally after several weeks of this the Foreman calls me back after I left several messages for him to call me - he tells me he'd discussed our project with Rob and said Rob just wasn't interested in talking to us, wasn't going to talk with us, and wasn't going to come back to the job. Period. Tough $h!t The fact that they accept absolutely no responsibility for *anything* coupled with their deceitful, dishonest, and cowardly ways makes this company one that really needs to have it's doors closed. Run the other way - do NOT contract with this company; it goes downhill once you sign on the dotted line!