Richard's Total Backyard Solutions

Contracted 10/9/2021 - Still begging for them to plaster my pool. 10/20/2022 This has set waiting for final stage now for 2 months because Project Manager failed to receive proper City Inspections. I've had to beg every day of this 10/17-10/20 week just to get the pool finished and then was told Payment of $3,745 was going to hold up scheduling the plaster. However, I'd already paid $78,860 of $82,584.25. Within 10 minutes I paid said request and was told it would be scheduled within 5-7 days. I've paid them in full and pray they do what they say they will do. If you are going to deal with them - Demand a custom contract with negotiated terms - Don't just sign their standard contract. My attorney reviewed and said it didn't offer me any protections. Get your own contract and demand better terms. I trusted the salesman that sold it to me.

We had thought about getting a new hot tub for a while. We visited Richard’s pool company because we thought it would be better to go to a local shop vs the trade show. Well… we decided to get a floor model because we wanted one sooner then to wait for the arrival of an ordered one. We were assured it would be a quality tub. We paid in full. We got the tub. Everything was fine until the side of the tub started Warping within 3 months of getting the tub! We followed directions … we did not overfill the tub … I’ve even seen tubs NOT protected by a porch roof and they look fine. Ours had a side warping! It took months before someone was able to come and replace the panel. We understood it took time to get the parts and we waited. We still had faith in the company Even though the elderly person answering my husband’s call and emails forgot all about our hot tub problem when we would inquire. ( yes, I said elderly because that was her excuse!) We had to send pictures twice! A few months later, the brand new panel was Again warping. They sent someone to look at it and he recommended we leave the panel off. (I’m thinking something else is causing this warping!)They were going to look further into it because he had never seen a problem like this. It has been 3 months since his visit. And we have NOT heard an update. Our tub is STILL exposed. We have continued to write to this company And to the manufacturer….We paid for this tub completely in December of 2020. We got the tub in January 2021!! And still Richard’s pool has not resolved our issue. They have our money, but has NOT resolved anything. Our faith in this company is shaking. They say they are trying but after One year of waiting we are very disappointed. We were thinking about getting a pool for our yard from them but I think we need to get it elsewhere. It seems that easy problems can be resolved by this company BUT when it comes to the company coming out of pocket to solve their customer’s problem … we’ll that is another issue. Though this is a cosmetic issue right now, the exposure of the side may compromise the tub when the many storms come during hurricane season. Richard’s pool company, please fix this issue NOW.

They were an hour late for their appointment - which had a 4 HOUR WINDOW. Then, the technicians (who did a good job) didn't have the correct pump to fix my problem. This was upsetting because I had a technician previously tell me which pump was the problem - which I relayed to their service manager, Bradman. He assured me they would have the correct pump on their van. They would have to come BACK AGAIN to solve my problem - even though I had already told them what the problem was, and that it had been diagnosed by one of their technicians!!! I spoke to Bradman at length. He would not waive the service charge ($169), even though I was willing to pay for the repair. In my mind, this would have been reasonable compensation. He refused, saying he reduced the price of the pump - though he wouldn't tell me how much. And he said he didn't have authority to waive the service charge, even though he is the SERVICE MANAGER! He also didn't offer to let me speak to the person who had this authority. So the minimum I could spend was the service charge plus tax (total: $182.91). At this point, I am tired of dealing with these guys. I've had other problems in the past, but we could resolve those. I don't trust them and don't want them to come back.

Entire process went well. I have dealt with at least 7 different people from this company that have helped me with the design of the pool, contract process, HOA approval, construction, water testing and purchase of supplies. All have been extremely professional and provided great customer service! Any issue or question was immediately addressed and answered. Pool was built in a very timely manner and is beautiful! Very pleased with the service I received!

The technician was courteous, efficient and hardworking. He also quickly diagnosed a second problem, which to my surprise was covered by a manufacturer's lifetime warrantee.

We went sole source because of a recommendation - shame on me. Richards was great up front in the showroom and looked great as far as the "talk". On the dig which was on Galveston bayside, they buried a front end bucket digger in the middel of the site on Day 1 (May 20) resulting in bulkhead leakage and ground liquifaction. By the time it was extracted with another equipment, and the contractors for steel/gunite/plumbing returned the next day, the hole in the ground resulted in bulkhead failure from severe leakage. The project manager then blamed us for the failure and it went downhill. The pool was filled with a gravel bottom which was too shallow with our 4' depth design and the pool walls were raised to add depth..ending up at 3'6"...hard to do flip turns in this lap pool. Many modifications were necessary including the reduction from 2 to 1 skimmers.The spa wall sloped and the walls were not squared; this resulted in some jackhammering and "jury rigging" to make it look correct. Considering the problems from the beginning, the project manager should have been on site every day, although was largely absent. He didn't listen to our concerns and largely wanted to "get it done" and lost interest in the project. We began to act as project managers and worked with deckers, tile/stone guys and later plumbers to get what we wanted. In the pool dig which began the problems, the project manager told the digger that he "sic... screwed up"..we have the video..they now had to go through our side yard which was originally to be avoided and this was in addition to the already damaged/soiled and dirt piled underhouse access..it of couse was destroyed, so we needed new yard grass which they tried to aviod saying it was not in the contract to repair yards. In the failed dig, the liquifaction resulted in our overhead walkway piling to fail and threatened a total collapse. A contractor was called in to fix the skyway. This story goes on, however they tried to make us pay for all costs of repairs and rental equipment resulting from the failed pool dig...quite insulting. They tacked some additional charges on for things that they said we wanted although related to adapting to the raised pool resulting from the failed dig. We negotiated a price rather than go the legal route which was a heartbeat away. The clean up was deplorable. We had to specifically make a list of what needed to be done, rather than them clearly identifying that the huse needs to be returned to its' prior condition before the construction. We ended paying our own contractor to repaint our posts underside of the house (on stilts in Galveston) and repair a damaged piling hit by the heavy equipment and further damage not repaired by their electricians activities. I could continue to describe faults in the pool, however a reader can get the flavor of our experience. On a positive note, the pool look is beautiful and the equipment is first rate. It does not work as expected, because of the faulty design although for this Galveston area is adequate; we dont get oak leaves here nor lots of pollen, mainly insects and some dust/dirt. I built another pool years ago (of course another company) and it was a total pleasure and enjoyable process. This one was very stressful and gave us considerable anxiety. We have had not further contact from any staff at the compnay as a follow up to assess our customer satisfaction. Advice is to NEVER go sole source...find out who can really do the job!

Richard's Total Backyard Solutions have been very prompt, very thorough in explaining all of the costs, process, and timing, and they've been out there when they say they're going to be out there for the most part considering the weather. We chose Richard's Total Backyard Solutions because of reviews and we knew someone personally who used them.

My experience has been outstanding. I like everything. I like the time in which they completed the project, the products that they used, and the sales staff. I also recommend a particular salesperson there by the name of Mark Baker.

My husband and I have discussed having a pool for sometime and we finally made the big jump into it! Richards Total Backyard Solutions was incredible! We went in the sales office and sat down with a designer who worked with us on every detail until it was exactly what we wanted. Just a few days later we were underway with the project. The project manager, Nelson, was so helpful and polite. I had a lot of questions about every step and he always answered my phone calls, even on Sunday mornings! It was a great feeling to have such wonderful customer service. It took about 6 weeks from start to finish and we could not be happier with the results! Richards Total Backyard Solutions is the best pool company around. The quality of the product along with the customer service can not be matched. Every day I walk into my backyard and feel like I'm in a tropical paradise!

After getting quotes and designs from several pool companies I chose to go with Richard's Total Backyard Solutions because they had a much better design and had a better grasp of all the different types of construction necessary to complete my project. Within days of contract signing the work began and was completed faster than I thought it would take. They kept the mess to a minimum, which was considerable because of the size and scope of the work. I had a great relationship with the superintendent who was on the job almost every day. When completed, the pool and patio were more beautiful then I imagined. The best thing about the whole experience was my ability to speak with someone quickly when I wanted to make changes. They quickly quoted the change in cost, made the design changes and continued working without skipping a beat.

Richards Pool was the only company that actually returned our call and met with us to discuss our potential pool plans. We met with Janet and she was awesome. She took our wish list and designed a pool/landscape package that totally amazed us. Janet worked with to keep the costs as low as possible. She worked with the association (which was no small feat), gathered all the documents needed for the permits, made all the arrangements for the construction process and handled every situation that was needed to get the job done. Once we signed the agreement, we then met with Ryan - who oversaw the construction process. He explained everything in detail and gave us both what could and may be expected with the construction. There were a couple of glitches - but those were items out of the construction crews control, andRyan handled the small glitches with much professionalism.The construction went as planned in the timeframe that was given to us. The crew was efficient, they cleaned everything as best as they could. The one exception would be that when the concrete for the patio decking was poured, the concrete was splashed on the side of the house - and that took quite a bit of effort to clean on our part. But, all in all, the pool is beautiful, the landscaping is everything we wanted and we can't wait to start using our new pool. We will continue to purchase our pool supplies (and toys) from Richards because of Janet and Ryan. If you want an awesome and amazing experience with a new pool, visit Richards - you won't be disappointed!

The original build was not too bad. There were certainly problems, but they did address them. For example, there was a leak that they fixed in the first few months. Unfortunately, the service has fallen off dramatically. They gave us a warranty, but it has become worthless. We recently realized that the pool was leaking again. We called Richrards, left multiple messages, and we even sent emails. We were promised calls back, but they never came. Eventually, we hired Watts Pool Service (who we found on Angies List). They came out and identified the leak, which was the result of poor workmanship on the sump drains. Again, we called and emailed Richards, repeatedly being told that we would receive a call back, but none came. Eventually, we ended up paying Watts to redo all of the sump drains. It costs us about $1,000 to repair the shoddy workmanship by Richards. I think that this company may have been good in the past, but there has been a dramatic change in management. I would avoid them.

I could write a novel about the issues we ran into with them. Needless to say we've moved from the old house and will be building a pool at the new home and are NOT considering Richards and recommending all our neighbors against going with them as well.

Dig was on August 18 and Plaster was on September 27. The subs this company uses are all quality from the excavation, plumbing, stone, electrical and concrete crews. There were no delays and the contractor Ryan is available and professional. the designer or sales person Chris is great and has good follow up. There are several crews this company uses and a couple sales people, I can not speak for the others. If you use Richards use Chris Hinze and Ryan Reeves you will be happy with them. I was referred from a friend who used them to build their pool and have referred 2 of my friends who will probably be building early next year. There are the final touches still pending but we love our pool. I wish I could post a picture so you could see the quality. I highley recommend these guys. One more note this company has a lifetime warranty on the pool, equipment and decking as well. The owner also met with us and gives his direct contact information. The store staff are great and Jennifer and Alexis have gone out of there way to help with needs. Alexis is great with the chemicals and teaches a free pool school they have monthly as well.

See above. However, an update. I recieved several other quotes for the same job they quoted me $11,000 for and these quotes all came in at between $3000 and $4000. I am going with the one for $3750 and they are doing more. It is with another Angies List member too.

Overall? As of today, no response from the company. If they don't have the time to respond to a potential customer then I could'nt imagine the kind of service they would provide for me. I would not use this company for any service.

They used a lot of subcontractors some of which I was not happy with and they were not very good at communicating what they were going to do and when or why.

Richard's was the ABSOLUTE WORST company we have ever done business with. Our simple deck project took three months to complete and there were numerous problems. Communication and professionalism were totally nonexistent. This company removed our old deck and then left the dirt mess for weeks before they returned to do more work. All Richard's cared about was getting our money. Once they had us signed and sealed we were of no consequence to them. When we had concerns or questions after construction started, Suzy (scheduler) was rude and snippy and never returned our calls. As a matter of fact, I often wondered if anyone at Richard's had access to a phone because they certainly didn't use the phone to speak to us! Shortly after the project was completed (in April of 2006), we noticed our pool was losing water and we soon detected water coming up through the new deck. We called Richard's -- no response. We called again -- still no response. We finally went to Richard's in person to see if we could speak to someone who could help us -- no one was available. Several weeks later we heard back from them and were basically told it wasn't their responsibility (we never said it was) and they weren't interested in doing a repair, BUT IF WE HAD SOMEONE ELSE DO THE WORK WE WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY ON THE DECK!!! Just sickening. The only positive from this whole experience is we did a bunch of research and found a great, established, family owned pool company that not only repaired the leaking return line and deck, but they also did a beautiful remodel for us last year. Every time I think about Richard's I get sick to my stomach, knowing I was taken for a ride and there are other unsuspecting folks out there who are going to think they're contracting to do business with a good company when in fact all they're going to do is throw away their money and support a sham. From J.R. Richard on down through the "service" folks and the sales staff, Richard's Total Backyard Solutions should be avoided like the plague.

Absolutely the worst company we have ever dealt with, from J.R. Richard on down. Incompetent, unresponsive and lacking in any sense of responsibility or customer service. We sued once to get them to complete the pool. We will sue again for the cost of repairing the drainage system (upon which our city occupancy permit is conditioned) which they dug up. We signed a contract after their salesman looked around our yard, then filled in a total price. As construction continued they came back asking for thousands more dollars because of their employee's incompetence. They fired him but refused to finish until we paid. We sued and settled. They flooded an interior wall of our new home while working in the yard by aiming our water softener hose back at the house. Removed and lost a gutter on the corner of the house. Left the drainage pipe they dug up lying out, and installed a pipe cover in front of our gate so we can't open it. You could not invent a worse pool experience.

Like I said, the construction process was a terrible experience. The response I got to my letter of complaint was that "Construction is not easy, stress is typical during construction and that they were at the mercy of the subcontractors" (I have a copy of my original complaint and their response.) I responded to them that I signed the contract with them, not with the subcontractors. I made all my payments on time. I also challenge the terms of these contracts on which they define a "Finished job as a hole that has been plastered." In any kind of business a complete job is when it has been finished and all the equipment has been tested.

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED!

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED!

They were terrible. It was the wrong grill. The grill they brought didn't work. They have contractors that didn't understand the job. They didn't perform.

THEY WERE NOT PROFESSIONAL AT ALL. THEY DID NOT ALWAYS SHOW UP WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. THEY DID MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES WHICH THEY CORRECTED. I FELT I HAD TO BE ON TOP OF THEM AS THEY WERE WORKING. IN THE END IT DID TURN OUT TO BE OK, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I STAYED ON TOP OF THEM.

Richards returned my call immediately, followed up with an estimate to installed the pool. Their prices were quite reasonable and they designed the pool with our help and suggested the depth. The pool was scheduled as soon as a day was available. The Richards work crew was right on time. They did a wonderful job on the pool and cleaned up all the mess and from start to finish. It took about a month.