Southern Pool Designs

Dave, Tracey and I would like to thank you and your staff, especially Larry & Dixie, for the quick and undivided attention that was given to us. This effort was extremely thoughtful and as professional as anyone could ask for. Thanks again from both of us and I'll see you on the 1st tee! Paul R

I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you and your team that we're extremely pleased with our pool. We're especially glad that we selected the in floor pool cleaning system and Jandy handheld remote control that you recommended but we were initially reluctant to purchase. We have not had to vacuum the pool once, even with the spring leaves falling from the oak tree that overhangs the pool. Please also thank Rick Harper for helping us work out many of the details in the field.

Our experience with Southern Pool Designs couldn't have been a more pleasant experience. From the initial design process to quality of the final product. In the beginning, due to economic conditions, we knew the pool would take a little longer than it may have a few years ago. The pool was completed in a very reasonable time and with little to no issues. We would HIGHLY recommend Southern Pool Designs to anyone wanting a quality pool. Thanks again SPD for all your help and professionalism!

I went with Southern because I love the way the salesman took care of us. However, this process has been everything but smooth. It has taken our project several months, almost a year to complete. We have had broken promises & no visits for weeks at a time with no communication. I am thankful for Joel, the salesman and Stephen. I feel they have tried their best to do what they can. As for the company itself, I am not happy with the process.

I regret recommending Southern Pools to several of my neighbors. My one neighbor's pool does not work well with the automation. Why in this age of technology would a person have to go turn their pool lights on/off using a manual switch.ugh. Why must they constantly go to the breaker box to reset the pool! PISS POOR Installation that's why! My next neighbor, been sitting with those eyesore pavers in their yard for months!

It seems Southern Pools send out 1 person a month to do one job at a time on one day only. It's crazy! My OTHER neighbor pool was completed after what felt like forever, however they called me upset that I recommended Southern Pools because they had a leak after going through different issues! I will NEVER recommend Southern Pools again. All I can do it apologize for recommending

I always have great interactions with the office staff every time I'm there to do maintenance or there HVAC system

Very good service. Pool looking very good! Jennifer Services: General construction, Design

SPD did not make a pool for me. Thank goodness, because response was real bad. It was a month before Patrick could come to my house initially, which to start was fine, even though he came on the wrong day. I spent weeks emailing back and forth, and on-site sessions at his office for over an hour working on a design, and getting the quote right - all because email wasn't getting it done. Also, every email was a week or more for a response, and I constantly had to remind him about when he promised to get back with me (which he missed every single time, several times over).

Way too many broken promises. I'm not sure how this place has so many good reviews, if they can't even get past the initial design and quote. Overall, this company just wasted months of my time and I'm very disappointed.

Where do I begin? Problems from the start. 6 months in and not close to finished. Pool contract was signed on October 1st. A full month later, the site survey guys took their first look at the property and tell me that the designer should not have drawn it up that way because it is not to code. This was the first red flag. I had to redo the design of my pool over a month after contract because the designer didn't know that the pool had to be 5 feet away from the windows.

In December, a guy shows up and says he is there to dig up the yard. My yard has not been flagged at this point and my irrigation has not been moved. No prior notice to prepare, and not willing to let them dig an unflagged yard, I turn them away. The excavation contractor was irritated and said "Do you want your pool done this year or not?". Actually, I just want it done right.

Red flag number 2. For the next several weeks, workers arrive on site on random days at random times. I'm never notified in advance. I have a dog, so that's an issue. I'm constantly questioning where we are at in the process. Excavation is started in December and they are moving at a very fast pace. As plumbing is going in, I am notified that I now have to pay to move my HVAC lines and drains.

So plumbing stops and they get scheduled somewhere else. I have to hire an HVAC company to move the lines. It costs me $1k. HVAC guys says the plumber could have easily done this. I'm also irritated that the site survey didn't catch this sooner. Seems rather obvious. Red flag 3. I notice that the bubbler for the sun deck is not plumbed in. I send the designer a text to point out the error and a week later they come back out and do it.

Red flag 4. I get a call from the designer saying that the tile I had picked months earlier is not in stock. Tile installer is delayed as we figure out a solution. Finally, we find a new supplier. Tile guy arrives to start work. Within an hour he realizes that the pool is actually built TOO HIGH. It is not level with the lanai deck. Let me say that again.

They built the concrete shell of the pull so high that the lanai is 3 inches lower than the edge of the pool. This is a huge mistake. The tile guys pack up and leave. SPD has Rick out to the site. I see him doing measurements and looking very concerned. He leaves. Tyler arrives by himself later with his laser measure and swears that it is all measuring up perfectly.

Crisis averted. Wait no. The next day they all concede that the pool was built too high and they would probably have to cut up to 3 inches off the top of the hardened concrete shell. WHAT? How is that possible? Red flag 5. I suggest that they are going to have to demo and rebuild the lanai and summer kitchen because the alternative sounds like a structural and design nightmare.

I envision the end result being a stunted pool with mismatched ledges and elevations because, well, they make a massive mistake in the basic function of measurement.2 weeks later the GM calls me to say that they found the solution and it is to redo the lanai and summer kitchen. 2 weeks to reach out to me and take credit for my solution to the problem.

They have the kitchen company come out a few days later to assess. 2 weeks go by and now I have guys drilling holes in my pool shell. What's happening? I don't know because nobody from SPD has communicated with me and I have to ask for updates. They are now back to cutting the pool shell down? They were boring holes to see if there is enough room to cut 2-3 inches off.

So the plan of redoing the lanai and summer kitchen is gone? They say that it might be, but they might have to do a little of both, or I might have to have a lip around the pool. It's been 5 weeks since they discovered this and they still don't have a solution? OMG. This pool won't be done until fall. I had to ASK THEM to come out and clean up the job site in the meantime because I had no safety fence around the pool, nails sticking up from lanai, rebar poking straight up, and chunks of concrete all over. 6 months in.

Southern Pool Designs are master custom luxury pool builders. Their team was so knowledgeable and created a custom pool design we could never have imagined. The lighting effects, landscaping and waterfalls offer such a relaxing escape that we rarely need to vacation anymore. It's like having our own private paradise right at home!