Next Generation Swimming Pools by Paul J Ramirez

The owner, Paul J. Ramirez, was contracted to install an above ground pool that we had already purchased on my location. He did come and survey the site and gave us a bid of $2500.00 for installation. He wrote up a contract and both he and I signed it. In the contract he described the development of the site and the construction of the pool and then listed the payment times as 10% down ($250.00) at signing, $1000.00 when he started the project, and $1250.00 when he completed the project. We signed the contract and gave him the $250.00. This all was done on 11-30-2010. He explained that it would be February or March when he would be back to complete the work, because it needed to warm up so the liner would fit right. In the Middle of February we called to see what his schedule was so we could start to plan. There was no answer, but we left a message and they called back a few days later. We were not here to take the call, but they left a message that they would be out to start the project the first week of March 2011. As March approached we tried to call to see if there was a more specific date, but again no one answered so we left a message again. We waited a few days and still no response so we called again. Again there was answer so we left another message to call when they could, but it never came. Then we started to call every day, sometimes at night sometimes in the morning sometimes midday and many times two or three times a day. We would call the office phone as well as Paul's personal cell phone. No one would call us back. We began to look for other phone numbers, so we did a Google search for the name and there was another pool service in Killeen that had the same persons name as owner. We called that number and it was another family member with the same name, but a different pool company. He said he would get in touch with Paul and have him call us. We again waited for the call for a few days but no one called. We tried several times after that to get him to return our calls. By now it was March 24th so I began to look for another pool contractor. I found one in Georgetown, and went to see them the next day. They were eager to do the pool and said they would be out the next week to install it. I got home that evening and called to tell Paul I was voiding the contract for lack of performance. Again there was no answer, but the next morning I finally got a call from Paul. He asked if he could come out and start on the pool that day. When I told him of all the times I called and tried to get in touch with him, he didn't seem surprised, but tried to explain that his office person was not giving him the messages. I then told him many of the calls were to his personal cell phone he should have been able to get my messages. He didn't try to explain why then. I asked him to return my deposit of $250.00 and he said he would put it in the mail. Today is April 30, 2011 and we still have not received the money. The other company did come out and installed the pool 4 days later.