PRESTIGE POOLS

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We called Pat Henry and he came right over and explained the quality of his pools. We were convinced, and signed on the dotted line. He was able to start right away, but due to the State of Minnesota closing down for 2 weeks and the extremely hot weather, they weren't able to finish as soon as they had hoped. Prestige Pools has a number of sub-contractors which they recommend, and we used them all. They were all very professional and know each other, so they were able to schedule various elements of the project without wasting time. All of them are family-owned businesses, which we appreciated giving them our business. The Henrys were very professional and did everything, from start to finish, exactly as they had promised. Due to the nature of our project, the landscaping ended up being by far the most expensive part, but it is all beautiful. We love the finished product. Each of the sub-contractors (fencing, concrete, landscaping, electrical and gas) did a fine job and we are very happy with the results. It is beautiful. Pat Henry also suggested several up-grades to the pool which we are extremely satisfied with. He suggested adding 4 steps the entire width of the pool in the shallow end, and then two angle seats on the deep end corners. Both of these additions make it much easier for our young grandchildren to enjoy the water. The four steps across the shallow end also extended the length of the pool by 4 feet, which was very nice. We also decided to put in a salt-water system for our pool and couldn't be happier with it. There is virtually no maintenance of the water. We love our pool; it's beautiful

The quality of work his company provided is inferior. Some examples of things that occurred during and after installation are: 1. Our pool was partially installed in October 2007 and finalized the first week of July, 2008. In April, 2008, when workers from Prestige Pools came to begin the completion of our pool, they didn't bring a pump to remove all of the sludge & water that had accumulated throughout the winter on the temporary cover over the pool. Rather than go and get a pump, they simply rolled off the cover and dumped 6 months worth of leaves, debris and sand into our pool. It looked more like a cess pool. When we got home from work that day and saw the mess, we were not happy. The company's response was "That will clean up." (Note that our filters are brand new, never used up to this point and now would be plugged up with a large amount of crud as would our brand new equipment.) We insisted that the pool be drained and cleaned. We cleaned out a large amount of sand even after they removed the sludge and told us it was ready to re-fill. 2. When we were preparing to have our concrete poured, we called PP and asked for the measurements of where to put the ladder and diving board mounts. Chris at PP said he didn't know. He agreed to check into it. We didn't hear back and had to call again. He still didn't know. The best answer we ever received was an approximation. Our mounts are close, but not exactly as they should have (and would have) been IF Prestige Pool had respectfully given us the measurements for placement as we requested. 3. The ground wires for our automatic cover were not attached when PP installed our cover. We became aware of that after opening it in spring 2009. At that time, we called and asked about them. We were told not to worry, that they "never hook them up on the replacement covers" (this was a new cover). We hooked them up ourselves because we knew the wires were there for safety reasons. 4. Pat Henry did not come to see the finished product, or talk to us upon completion, to ensure that everything was as we had agreed upon. Months later he stopped by, unannounced, in the middle of a work day and not knowing (and clearly not expecting) one of us would be there. At his own admission, he was only there because his son had told him he should come to see our finished project. After completion of the pool, the problems continued. Our automatic cover would gradually run crooked, requiring repeated attention. Finally it came out of the track. Prestige Pool?s service day to our area was not until 5 days later. Even then, they did not service our pool until the afternoon. We were told they had to go to another customer because ?her cover came out of the track? (so had ours, 5 days earlier!) Within 14 months of completion, we found a large crack in the underside of our diving board extending from a mounting bolt forward?only visible from under the diving board. Clearly this crack had been there for some time. (Thankfully, the manufacturer stood behind it.) Two weeks later, we realized our pool was leaking water. Chris at PP told us to just let it leak. At this point it was September--time to be scheduling a closing, not letting a pool sit and leak down. Furthermore, letting it leak meant leaving the cover open because an automatic cover cannot be moved across a pool low on water. Our pool would soon be filled with leaves and fall debris, not to mention the safety risk of an open pool with small children around. Chris also told us that if there was a leak in the seam we would have to ?get an underwater camera and take a picture of the leak.? We hired a leak detection company--at our own expense--to find the leak. They found that a metal clip PP installed behind the liner on the steps had poked a hole in our liner. After some terse discussion Pat Henry agreed to repair the leak ?this one time.? Upon repairing the leak, they placed salt bags on the steps to hold the liner in place while the pool was re-filled. The salt bags were paper with dye labels. The dye in those labels bled out and stained our liner. When we called Pat Henry to let him know what happened he stated ?we do that all the time and that never happens?. His crew eventually came out and made an effort to clean up the staining. (Interestingly, when we compare our water bill from 2009 and 2010, it is very clear that the leak was present much sooner than we realized. Only after the pool was not used for some days did we realize that something bigger than evaporation and splash-out was going on.) The following April (2010) we continued to find additional problems. (Note: These problems were discovered before they became serious ONLY because rodents had chewed our cover ropes so we had to remove the cover to have repairs done and were able to see the underside of the cover.) What we found was: 1.Two screws had not been screwed in completely. The cover traveled over them as it opened and closed and, over time, had worn holes in our cover. Because they were close enough to the leader bar, they were always above the water level AND had worn from the bottom up so were not discovered until now. 2.The box our cover rolls into when the pool is open was made out of wood (not metal as the manufacturers instructional DVD shows). The board Prestige Pools used on our box had a large knot hole on the top edge. That knot hole, after being wet for some time, had released and was now very rough and sharp. The cover ran across this every time it opened or closed and was wearing away the vinyl fabric from the bottom side up. Had the cover not been removed for rope repairs, this would not have been caught until it was worn through and had even more extensive damage. This could have easily been prevented by using a different board without a knot hole when PP constructed the box?or even just turning the board so the side with the knot hole was at the bottom and not where the cover rubbed across. We did what we could to prevent further damage and phoned Prestige Pools to explain the problems and ask what they do to remedy such issues. Chris told us he would have to talk to Pat about it. We never heard back from anyone at Prestige Pools. We wrote a letter confirming the phone conversation. Pat Henry?s response was a letter of accusations and false statements. He stated things such as ?the clutch was obviously adjusted too tight by someone?--trying to tell us how the ropes broke and that the ropes breaking caused the holes and the rubbing of the fabric on the box. To this day, the clutch is EXACTLY as it was installed by Prestige Pools. IF it is ?too tight? it was installed that way, by them (and we have yet another problem to face). Pat made up a theory of what happened without ever seeing the problem or even talking to us about it. He also made it very clear he did not have any plans to EVER see what had happened or stand behind his work. His exact words were ?we choose not to participate.? We sent a second letter in a good faith effort to find a resolution only to have our letter returned, unopened, in a larger Prestige Pools envelope. In the literature that PP gives to their new pool owners, they state things such as ?We are always available to help & answer questions?, ?Call us if you have a question or concern, let us know. We cannot do something about something we do not know?, ?Remember, if you have a question or problem, we want to hear from you?, etc. We trusted that they meant what they wrote and contacted them when problems arose, only to learn that they ?choose not to participate?. This company has very poor customer service and does not stand behind their own work. We strongly caution anyone who may be considering investing in a pool installed by this company. Regarding response by pool company: 1. Prestige Pools was never contracted for gas & electrical work. Pat wrote ?No Max, No Mike? on the top of our contract. He knew before our contract was ever signed that we would not be using his gas or electric subs. 2. At Pat?s recommendation it was decided and agreed upon to complete the pool up to the water lines and install the auto cover in the spring of 2008 so this was not a delay on anyone?s part. 3. The Bobcat work Pat mentioned was to move backfill sand required by Prestige for the pool installation. (No retaining walls were installed at this point). We had a skid loader in our yard to do the work we were doing. We did not need or request their help. (Where did the figure "300 feet " come from? We never had dirt hauled in.) 4. Pat Henry?s statement that ?for two years you did not pay for anything except chemicals? is FALSE. We have the documentation proving so. 5. We did not say anything about ?delays? during construction in our initial Angie's list report. Installation was done as per our agreement when contract was written. 6. Wouldn?t a good contractor want to stop and check on a project upon completion to make sure everything was completed as stated on the contract? 7. We attempted to give Pat Henry the opportunity to learn the TRUTH about why our cover ropes broke, but he did not return our calls and he returned our letter, unopened. His accusations regarding what caused our ropes to break are completely false. We gave him every opportunity to see the proof for himself. His accusations are based on false assumptions, not facts or evidence. This is a partial list of the inaccurate and/or misleading statements made by Pat Henry. It is far from comprehensive, but is enough to give a clear picture of what our experience has been with Pat Henry.

Overall this was a great experience. The work was started as promised, continued in a timely manner and completed on-time and at our expected budget. Pat was extremely helpful in making our choices about the pool and accessories. He shared his experiences from other jobs and recommended things we should do as well as things to avoid. His team of employees as well as all the recommended sub-contractors were outstanding. All of them were courteous and respectful of our property as the work was completed. We would highly recommend Prestige Pools to anyone considering a project like this.

He showed up within a few minutes of the scheduled appointment. The electrical issue turned out to be simply a switch in the fuse box that appeared to be on, but was not clicked fully into the on position. It would have been great if we had figured out this glitch while he was here, so that we could have worked through the initial set up of the hot tub chemistry together. The spa cover is beautiful and fits perfectly. The new chemistry kit, as well as the telephone support have been very helpful.

They are extremely helpful. They are very good. I have had pool for 4 years. Every year I call them, as if I am a first time pool owner and their customer service is wonderful. They know what they are doing. I if I have any question they will answer them.

We came home from vacation and our pool was green. We couldn't see the top step( that has only 2 in of water). spent quite a bit of money to kill whatever was growing in the water. The guys at the store were amazing. We cleared the pool, but i had to shock it everyday. I missed two days and we were back to square one. I was getting frustrated. Chris thought the next thing to do is drain the pool and start from scratch. Pat (the owner) offered to do this service for free. Pat actually came out and placed a vacuum in between the wall and the liner while the pool was being drained and refilled. I have a pool supply shop 5 miles from my house. I still drive out to little canada, because i know they will take good care of me. Chris is the go to guy. He is so knowledgeable and patient.

We just started using Prestige this summer and I wish we had switched to them years ago. Pat Henry and all his team are fast and reliable.

They were a decent pool supplies company. I've had very little trouble with this company.

My family and I were considering a pool for two years. After shopping and a significant amount of due diligence amongst the pool installers and service providers throughout the Twin Cities, we choose Pat Henry of Prestige Pools. We felt very comfortable with his product as well as the proposed service after the sale. His installation crew was first class and minor punch list items were taken care of immediately. One of the biggest benefits that I am receiving from Prestige Pools is his staff which is available now that my pool is complete. And they are extremely helpful when I am working to adjust the chemical balance in the pool as well as coordinating the closing and opening of the pool. I feel that every person within the organization I contacted is extremely qualified to assist me. Pat is the owner of Prestige Pools, therefore I know that he is going to be around. In addition, his son and brother also work for the company and have been involved with the installation and servicing of my pool. Pat relies very heavily on recommendations and personal references for his business, therefore I felt inclined to post this referral on Angie s List and would be available to answer any questions for a prospective pool customer.

They did a good job. They were very good. Price comparable to other estimates.

We contacted Prestige Pools about submitting a bid for our pool and the owner, Pat Henry came to our house the very next day to meet with us! He was very helpful in selecting a design for our pool and did not try to sell us as much as possible. Instead he made recommendations based on what we felt our family needed. He explained available options with an honest assessment of their usefulness and possible maintenance issues. The work started on schedule and the only delays in construction were weather-related. During the construction process Prestige Pools provided a list of potential gas, electric, fencing, concrete and landscaping contractors which helped make the completion of the total project a seamless endeavor. Their commitment to customer satisfaction did not end with completion of the pool. They have encouraged us to contact them anytime with any questions or concerns that have.

THEY SCHEDULED THE APPOINTMENT ABOUT A MONTH IN ADVANCE. THEY CALLED THE DAY BEFORE WITH A VERY DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO GET THE POOL READY BEFORE THEY ARRIVED. ONCE THEY WERE HERE, IT ONLY TOOK THEM 15 Minutes TO CLOSE THE POOL.