Ocean Blue Pools Inc

First of all, I have to say that Ocean Blue Pools exceeded my expectations. It’s a family run business and they were great from start to finish. Baron and his wife came to our house and spent a couple of hours going over everything. They really took their time and answered all of our questions. Some pool builders came in, took some measurements, and were out in 30mins. During the design process we made lots of changes and Baron responded to all of my emails promptly. I appreciate the care and effort they took. Once we signed with them, Lisa and Maddie took over in the office scheduling everything. They did a great job of letting us know what day workers were coming and they were always just an email away if I had any questions. They even helped us get the new gas meter we needed for the heater since Centerpoint gas did nothing after repeated calls and emails from us. Ivan was our project manager and he was excellent to work with. He’s very nice, can answer any questions about construction, and always came to check on the work that was done. This was the first time we’ve had a pool built and they made it feel pretty easy. Everything went smooth despite some bad weather and us adding things during construction. I would highly recommend them.

Very helpful/Prompt/Pricing way less than other companies for same product

Ahead of schedule and got exactly what we designed.

Overall the project went well. Took a little longer than I expected because of rain delays but I am happy with my pool and my kids love it.

Highly recommend! Mike was great -- he did a fantastic job of working with us to keep our design under our price limit. Our pool was completed ahead of schedule! All of the Ocean Blue employees responded to emails or calls quickly. We called Ocean Blue after a referral from a friend and we have already given referrals to other friends.

Ocean Blue Pools built a pool for us in 2015 for our new construction home in Fulshear, TX. After a few months, we started to see significant cracking and failure of the coping. This was after a number of the pool mechanical systems were not operating correctly and had to have interventions. One of which was the overflow line being obstructed with construction debris, resulting in our pool almost overflowing. (We had to set up 4 water hoses to siphon water out so that the pool didn't flood our home.) We hired the same structural engineer who designed our home foundation to try to help us get a reasonable solution so that we could get the pool safe for our family. The repair the company did execute was not in line with recommendations of the structural engineer. The underlying root cause has been expansion and contraction of the soil under that pool/decking. After multiple attempts to get the coping and other issues addressed in a satisfactory manner, we filed a complaint with the BBB. We finally decided to file a complaint after a response from the owner indicated "We are a for-profit company but we will have our contractors propose whatever you want done at COST for you, adding no profit." The company finally responded formally to our complaint with the BBB. Their formal response now claims that the failure is an "Act of God". I cannot, in good faith, recommend this company to anyone in Houston who wants to build a pool. This experience has been and continues to be a nightmare for us, with a vendor who is looking for every way possible to not take accountability for their product. I am able to provide photos of the issues if requested. Ocean Blue Pools response is available on the BBB website.

Overall we spoke with 5 pool builders and did not feel comfortable with any until we met Mike Prince, with Ocean Blue Pools. From my first phone call to set up a meeting, to 4+ design revisions and the final quote, it all took less than 21/2 weeks. From excavation to filling the pool, took only 6 weeks. That included delays because of the some of the worst flooding in Houston occurring during building. We were originally told to plan 8-10 weeks depending on weather. Mike listened to what was important to us and provided the best design possible, the right equipment and a beautiful pool, all within a reasonable budget! It is easy to do anything exceptional with a big budget, we achieved an exceptional look with a relatively small budget! We had very limited space due to easements, everything that was important to use was worked into the design. The contractors were professional, on time, cleaned up beautifully after each day of work and were very easy to communicate with when needed. They always showed up in company trucks and it appeared they had a great deal of experience. Mike was on property often to check on the contractors and make sure everything was being done to the high standards of Ocean Blue Pools. Any areas that needed attention along the way were corrected very quickly.. There was excellent communication between Mike and the internal office staff. Having built a few pools over the years, we were very hands on concerning the design and did make changes along the way. They kept on top of change orders and kept us informed as to when the next contractors would be coming. Whenever we had questions or concerns, everything was followed up on quickly and explained. Overall I would highly recommend Ocean Blue Pools. Many of our friends have commented on how beautiful the design is, the quiet equipment and easy cleaning system (interesting what others notice). There are a lot of decisions to make along the way, it was great to be able to rely on a companies experience to be guided in the right direction on somethings one may not even know about. We look forward to sunny days to be in the pool, but even with all the rain we are having it is still beautiful to look at! Thank you Ocean Blue and Mike Prince!

Overall the job went very well. Everyone we worked with was very professional and extremely friendly. There were some issues initially with some of the subs, but upon speaking to many sources this was an industry issue due to a labor shortage and couldn't have been helped regardless of the company we used. I worked closely with Mike, who was very patient in all of my many changes and radical ideas around design, and he both listened to me, but also had very valuable input and suggestions to make sure we were pleased with the end result. Everyone there was very easily accessible and responded quickly when ever I had questions or issues. I think the thing that stood out to me the most through the process is I could I tell I was working with not only professionals, but genuinely good people that cared about their customers.

They actually started building the pool in March or April. It cost like $65000. They could have given me more information and kept me updated better. Their price is good, they were pretty comparable with everyone else.

I can admit that I was very reluctant to take on a new pool but was gently pushed by my wife and kids to proceed. We originally received a first round of bids in October of 2014 and Ocean Blue was one of the original bidders. We met with Mike Prince and provided some base drawings and measurements and he presented several options that would fit within our yard that was heavily limited due to utility easements. Mike was also very accommodating and flexible in regards to the equipment. I had done a lot of research on different equipment and he was very forthcoming with information and recommendations based on their experience. We finally decided in June 2015 to proceed with the project using Ocean Blue after reviewing many proposals and after speaking with several of their previous customers. Unfortunately, we did not start the build until July and as several have also stated - the rain fell. Ocean Blue did what they could to keep the project moving forward but it was difficult to work when we had nearly daily rain for a month. The sub-contractors were very experienced/talented and all issues that we reported were always addressed quickly. We started the pool in July 25 and filled the pool on September 10. Make no mistake - building a pool is a destructive process that will add stress to your daily life, but Ocean Blue walked us through the process, communicated effectively and made sure that we were happy with the results. I would also like to add that Mike, Ivan, Lisa and Kirsten have all been very responsive - even post project. Mike and Ivan walked through the entire process of setting up and running the pool automation and also performed a full walk through that involved monitoring pool chemistry, cleaning the filters, pump baskets, etc. Point is - they spent the time to ensure that I would be able to fully maintain the pool. I give them an A. Thanks to all at OBPI.

It was an amazing process watching them build our pool. Mike Prince the Project Manager and Design Consultant came and interviewed my wife and I to find out exactly what our vision was for our pool and decking. We walked the back yard and showed him the vision we had. He made measurements and took notes of the special things we were requesting. After about a week, Mike sent us what he perceived as our vision for the pool and back yard. He hit the nail on the head, even down to the smallest details. The price was right on budget what we had decided to spend on the pool, equipment and decking. They began in August and even with tremendous amounts of rain they were able get the final inspection to bring our pool on line in November 2014. My wife and I were in the pool on Nov. 17, 2014, our anniversary. Mike and Lisa Prince and the entire staff of Ocean Blue Pools are professionals who go the extra mile to ensure the final product is a first class quality product. They are there with you from start to finish and there is no problem to large or small that can not be taken care of by them and their staff. If you are looking for a quality pool builder, I can definitely recommend Ocean Blue Pools, Inc.

The pool is really nice but getting it done was a bad experience. When we signed the contract in April we had been given an 8 week installation duration. It wasn't until we followed up that we were told they were two months behind and we would just have to wait. They missed almost every date provided and it was a battle to get it done. There were multiple things that looked cheap that we had to have redone. It seemed like every step was an uphill battle. The workman had little regard for what they tore up and naturally none of the repairs were covered. finally got it finished at the end of August almost 5 months later.

Ocean Blue team was the most responsive team when we were looking for proposals for our pool. They deserve the high rating. We ultimately did not use them, but recommend them highly for anyone building a pool and wat a profession team to work with.

Great design / bid experience. Very responsive, multiple design options and quick to tweak based on things we liked or did not like. End design was a great product and was very cost competitive with other bids we received from alternate builders. Ultimate selected another builder that a friend had built with and had a personal experience with. Would not hesitate to recommend OBPI to others though based on our experience.

NOTE: for privacy I'm using my friends account, but my builder will know who I am :) Built a huge lagoon style pool, with oversized spa, 10 ft tall huge moss rock waterfall, with grotto/cave and curved slide with stairs and slide formed out of gunite and stained to look like natural stone. Pool has huge tanning ledge with three LED lighted water gushers, LED color changing luminar deck jets. Snack/Bar table with a Texas star with bench inside the pool. Two smaller moss rock waterfalls on the sides. Flagstone coping and stacked spa overflow with really nice deco tiles. two LED pool lights, LED light in the spa and in the cave. ALl the lights can change colors. Luna Quartz gorgeous blue Montego plaster.Three variable speed pumps, best Hayward products. Inline chlorinator, tiger shark, nice heater for the spa and pool. Built in gas fire pit faced with flagstone filled with lava rock. They also contracted the tree removal and gas lines for a future gas grill. Pool has advanced automation system with remote, pool uses low amounts of chlorine and an advanced ozonator. Water is easy to maintain and is always clear, even with heavy rain. Our pool build took four months, a little longer than most but this pool is two maybe three times larger than most. It's 32,000 gallons with lots of water features. Tons of rain caused delays, a long with some of the sub contractors having a back load of jobs. If you build in the summer it's real busy. I gave a B rating for responsiveness only because there was no category for delays. We had several we had several weeks of delays when they were forming the stairs to get up the slide. The subs just couldn't grasp our vision or the builders. Once the owner of the gunite company came out to explain in more detail to his crew what to do, they got it right. Also had another delay at the end of the build when it came time to choose what coating would go on the stairs and slide. Once chosen took some time to find an available sub contractor with experience in applying it. We have had some minor things that have needed adjustments or needed to be swapped out(two lights on the gushers burned out) Any issues were addressed right away. They are easy to get in contact with. I can always contact Lisa or Ivan and if they are busy they will have someone else help me. I gave them an A for price, because although our pool was expensive, we got bids for a similar size pool from at least 6 other builders and some of them wanted almost double and there design wasn't as good, nor were the other companies fast with bids or easy to get in touch with. Sometimes you think "well, if it's that much cheaper it must be too good to be true" but I assure you I got just as good of a pool if not better than the companies that wanted so much more. I would work with Ocean Blue again and I do recommend them if you want a pool that will be the envy of the neighborhood and provide years of fun for your family.

Went great. They dug the pool August 3rd and we filled the pool with water September 28th. We gotta lot of rain this summer that slowed things down a bit but everything went very smoothly and was done in a timely manner. Our pool is absolutely beautiful. We are extremely pleased. Great company and great people to deal with. Highly recommend.

He didn't really sound like he wanted the job.

Lisa Prince and her team of employees and subcontractors arrived on time and made some excellent recommendations on renovating our pool area. She arranged for us to look at a project which incorporated many of the ideas we were discussing. We ultimately decided to resurface and reconfigure our layout by adding more concrete decking. Lisa and her project manager worked closely with their primary subcontractor. Attention was paid to both large and small details, i.e. drainage and finishing. The result is stunningly beautiful. It is also more functional than our previous layout.

We had a gunite pool and spa installed in our backyard. They were very patient and helpful to us when we were designing our pool. Ocean Blue did a great job from start to finish. I would highly recommend them to my friends and family. We love our pool! Thank you to everyone at Ocean Blue for making it such a great experience.

Ocean Blue ( Mike and Lisa) were very proffesional and understanding thoughout the whole process. We had 3 different companies come out, and Ocean Blue to us was more interested in obtaining what we wanted, instead of what was most typical (Cookie Cutter) style pools. Our only complaint, which they did inform us of, was the time after the inital dig, it seemed to take forever for the other projects to be completed. But in all reality, I think we were just over anxious and wanted everything done now. They quoted us 30 working day (not includung weather days) and were spot on (30 Days). We highly recommend them Tim and Mary Vatuna

Ocean Blue Pools is easy to work with, responsive, patient, understanding and well priced. We are very happy with our experience with them. They are willing to explain every step of the process and answer any question.

The salesman, Paul, came to our house to discuss our options. We had never owned a pool and really didn't know what we wanted. We had an approximate price range but it was not fixed. Our yard had a dry creek bed that was installed last summer and we wanted something that would blend well. He did a great job of laying out the details with suggestions that he input from his experiences. We were then invited to visit the office where we could see the tile and deck choices. This was in July of 2013. We didn't want construction to start until the first week of August so that was the scheduled date with allowances made for weather, etc. The dig started on August 9 and we had water in the pool on September 7. Because we opted for the salt water system we didn't get completion on the salt conversion until October 17. This is a function of the chemical balances of a new pool. The construction was wonderful. We were given time lines throughout the project and kept apprised if something changed. Since we had never gone through this before we had no idea what to expect but we were not looking forward to it. We have 3 dogs and didn't know how it was going to go. The workers were all very nice and respectful of our property and dogs. They showed up on time and did the work that needed to be done. We didn't have to be home for the work even though we wanted to see what was going on. They let us know the times that we might need to let our neighbors know when large trucks would be on the street during the gunite process which kept us in favor with neighbors. The schedule of the installation and payment due dates was clearly laid out in a book for us. It gave us details of what to expect which is nice since verbal communication might get misunderstood or questions could come up that the book provided reference for. They were also always available by phone if we had a request or concern. We can't say enough for the company.

When I first started looking for pool consultations, I found Ocean Blue Pools on Angie's list. They had good reviews and seemed like a nice, friendly company. I decided to give them a call. I had a lot of anxiety about building a pool because I didn't know the first thing about a pool. I have never had or maintained a pool. My family was moving to Texas but I was still located in NJ. Ocean Blue said that they would be able to start the pool as soon as we closed on our house...we didn't even have to be in TX! From the very first moment, I was totally impressed. Lisa Prince talked me through the whole process of building a pool (we got a hot tub too), getting the permits, decks, (We once even had a 30 minute conversation on drains). Any time I had any questions, Lisa always answered them very patiently. Another day, we spent over 2 hours on the phone discussing salt water vs. chlorine pools. (We went with salt.) Once we decided to go with Ocean Blue, I sent them our property survey and Barron took over with the design. He was able to send me pool designs with the pool our on actual property survey. He said he would be willing to send me a many designs and make as many tweaks as I needed until I was happy. Just deciding on the designs was so much fun! I flew out to Texas to meet with Mike Prince, because I wanted to be sure 100 percent how the pool would look in the yard. I didn't want to spend this kind of money on a pool without talking to someone in person and getting a feel of how it would look in real life. Mike had so many great ideas and again walked me though every step. Once the pool was started, Lisa or Jackie would call me if anything had to be changed or added. For example, more gas lines had to be added because the meter ended up being much further away. They kept me informed of their progress and even sent me pictures as it was being built. By the time we arrived in TX, the pool was well over half way done. I think it was a couple more weeks until it was finished. Once the pool was finished, they gave us "pool school" so we would know how to maintain our brand new pool. I am so happy with how the pool looks. All our friends tell me our back yard looks like a resort. Even now, a couple months later, I can call/text Mike with any questions that I have and he is always there to help us. Having a pool put in ended up being so much fun and the end result is fantastic.

Ocean Blue Pools helped us design the pool we've been wanting for years. First, Baron (the owner) worked with us until we got the design exactly as we envisioned. Then, Mike laid out the pool and answered our questions during this stage. There are so many things to consider. It really helps to have a knowledgable person like Mike with you during this early stage. As the pool began to get built, Lisa stayed on top of all the necessary documents and Jackie was keeping all the contractors lined up for when it was time for them to come in and do their part of the construction. This is also critical if you ever want to get the pool finished. I can't say enough about the communication between us and Ocean Blue Pools. It was outstanding! Never did I think we were on the back burner. Our pool was just as important as the next one. Ivan also did a great job coming out and checking on the contractors and keeping us informed about what to expect at every stage. All in all, we're very happy with the outcome and we HIGHLY recommend going with Ocean Blue Pools if you're considering installing an inground pool.

Customer communication is non-existent, period! After one visit & numerous email/telephone conversations I had decided on what was needed for our pool. I knew I was looking at over $100,000 quote with pool, kitchen, covers, fencing, etc. So no small pool. So on July 9 I was told that we would get a quote. During the following weeks, I would request an update & I would get a response that they would get back to me. So on August 7 I sent them an email stating how disappointed I was with their communication & lack of follow through & to remove me from their potential customer list. This is not the way to run a business.