Surfside Pool Company

I decided to buy an above-ground pool from Surfside, despite the many bad reviews. They had the shortest wait time (I thought). They told me they were installing 3 weeks out. Three weeks passed and no word. I called them and the answer was, "oh, yeah, let's get you on our schedule."Then, it took another week for them to show up. At this point, we were five weeks out from the time I gave them a deposit. The crew showed up the next week for one day. Then it was July 4th. I was told by the construction manager that they would be back the following weekend. No show. I had to call again. They told me how overbooked they were (here's an idea: only sell the amount of pools you can actually install on time). The crew showed up again for two days and I was told they would be back. Same thing. Didn't see them for another week. To make matters worse, they destroyed my yard. On top of all of the installation delays, here is an itemized list of all of the other issues: 1. The area where they plopped down the pool services (filter, pump) is full of sand. I had gravel in that area, which would have made a better space for the services; additionally, they should have installed everything in a manner that is permanent, as I cannot lift the sand filter and the whole system is sinking down into the sand with every rain storm we have. I would expect it to be installed on a slab or some other permanent, durable place, where the frog filter system could be bolted down appropriately so that I am not constantly fighting to get the lid off of it. 2. I asked that the services be installed by the existing electrical plug where I had previously had a pool. They did not do this and so I am using an extension cord, which is completely inappropriate (and against code) until I can get an electrician to move an outlet that was already placed appropriately. I spoke with the gentleman who was "overseeing" the install (he was here perhaps twice during the entire project) and he assured me that they would install by the existing electrical outlet. Then, I come out and it is installed in an entirely different area. They claimed it had to be on the "curve" of the pool, but there is a curve right by the existing electrical outlet, as we previously discussed. I was not informed that they would move it, I just came out and found it that way. Curiously, where they installed it is much more visible and closer to the gate coming into the back yard. 3. I have a granite step and a herringbone pattern walkway that leads to the back yard. They ran over this to the point that it has all come loose. There was no reason to run over this area as we opened the fence for the bobcat to enter and dig the way too large hole in my back yard. 4. I have a stone deck with a wall around it. They ran the bobcat into it enough that it destabilized it and broke the stone and I will have to have it repaired. 5. I have a stone wall that is in front of my shed; again, they ran the bobcat into that wall and damaged it. It is also broken. 6. They broke the latch to my gate that goes into the back yard. I fixed it temporarily, but now it is completely broken. 7. They left a pile of sand in my front yard for at least a month after the job was finished. Now the grass is dead; they removed it with the bobcat and made tracks all over the yard, which also caused more grass to die. Their response: "oh, it'll come back." Well, it's not back yet. Ironically, the job manager assured me that they would lay down a tarp before dumping the sand so that they could pull it up easily and not cause damage. They did not. 8. My yard looks like a bomb went off and created a giant crater in which is installed a pool. I believe the way that they left my yard--ruined and with a giant hole to deal with is not a job complete and certainly not a job well done. I do not expect them to fully landscape it, but it should at least resemble what it was prior to this job. I am going to have to hire a landscaper to repair my yard (which I just had landscaped last summer). They took no care at all with the bobcat--just hacked away at my yard, destroying everything, not simply creating the correct size level area for the pool. Now I have a big muddy mess around the entire pool. 9. They installed on of the supports so close to the deck from my previous pool that the top cap on the pool support is broken. This was broken before they even completed the job, but they just left it that way. I have attempted to resolve this with the general manager and the construction manager. The construction manager became so angry that he left the phone call. The general manager went line by line, explaining to me how none of this is their fault. I have photographs of everything, which I sent to them with the complaint. The GM finally said he would "look at the pictures some more" and get back to me. That was 3 days ago. No word. All photos are taken AFTER they left the job site.