Pool Construction Estimates

Mauro

Hello all, i'm in the pool maintenence and repair bussiness but want to jump in to pool construction.

I have allready couple of customers waiting for me for an estimate but at this time i have no clue in how to do it.

Is there any special software you guys use to do estimates?

Thanks in advance.

dirt diggler

yes ... It's called "Flying By the Seat of Your Pants, Version 2.1 2004"

i think you can find it at Staples






why do you need software???

Cole

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nadonailer

Shouldn't you be getting your license first?

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Mauro

And yes i got a general contractor liscense.

Why do i need a software?? this is 21 century where you use computers for productivity.

What is productivity? maybe that is to much for you to understand. but do a research maybe you will find the answer and you will jump in to the tech world.

joasis

Look at it from another point of view: If you were looking to hire a GC to do a job (pool or other) and the GC had absolutely no idea how to price the job, would you hire them? When I was a teenager, I could have built you a fine home...if you asked me what it cost? I have no idea...ask me 30 years later and a bunch of homes, I can tell you pretty close.

Welcome to the abusive world of contracting forums!

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Mauro

Same here with my maintenence an repair route. i started with 4 jugs of chlorine and no idea how much to charge. now i have more than 120 happy customers at $120 average. I did start just asking everywhere but i did find some nice people that help me on the way.

I guess maybe i will not found the help I need here but eventually i will somewhere.

Thanks Anyway

joasis

Best of luck, but I think you are asking the wrong question....I admire you for jumping into the pool business...but it all seriousness, if you have no experience, how did you get a license?

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Mauro

After having a Computer Science degree, Novell, Mcp etc... is is very easy to get liscense for comtruction, that is how i did it, just reading, applying, and passing the tests. Construction is not rocket science just use some common sense.

joasis

I guess they don't have an experience verification..ok.

Now, if I were you, and I wanted to get all the way in, I would probably get a contractor to bid the job to you...mark it up (as a GC would) and pass the bid along. Be ready for the risks, accept the liability, just as a GC will do, and scrutinize the job start to finish...being on site every hour the subs are there....like you said, it isn't rocket science, but you wont to know the scope and detail of the work.

Asking on a forum for advice specific to your market is not a good idea....costs vary so much across a region, let alone the nation, you have no accuracy with which to estimate. Permit costs can bury you if you don't have the numbers....and while in Oklahoma, the permit may be less then $100...what about your market? I can build my own pool for less then 10k....what about where you are? See what I mean...and while I am on it, advice it variable also....what works for me, probably will not work for you. Good luck.

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dirt diggler

alright ... here's is $15,000 worth of advice ....

the trouble with software is that - in the beginning - it tends to be too user friendly. Yeah, it's productive ... but early on ... you need ACCURACY first --- then productivity

you need to sit down on your first couple estimates and do some very in-depth pricing ... from total square footage right down to every 90^ pressure fitting and incidental

Heck, why not sit down with a pencil, pad, and a calculator the first couple times.

VERIFY all prices. Remember - many suppliers/vendors won't include the eventual tax, delivery & misc charges in their rates

Think about how certain elements of the project affect each other


Rarely are you probably going to run into a bare bones pool --- I haven't had one yet --- and I can only think of ONE time where someone wanted just a straight up pool - no bells/whistles - not even a deck


in other words - options ... (lighting, water features)

how does incorporating these options affect the bare bones pricing


Cost me $15,000 to learn that ... seems obvious, right?? Did to me too ...


maybe you can understand why I might scoff then ... at someone asking about software ...






the building is 10% ... the other 90% is making money doing it


you can *try* to high ball the heck out of something (to give you padding)... but if you do not understand the cost of it to begin with ... you're just "ballin" and then hoping.

POOLMANinCT

I've always enjoyed heling polite people

ruskent

Thats what i am going to do on this gunite pool i am designing.

I'd recommend any one to buy Pool Studios made by structure studios. Its a awesome design program. Makes it real easy to figure out square footage, permiters, etc.

dirt diggler

I really like that program --- i can't get the demo to work on my computer - but it is nifty and I like the colorfullness of it.

I am tempted to get it for presentation sake. Will not happen this year most likely


HOWEVER,

same thing I was telling Mauro in regards to estimating.



when you use software -- you are gaining efficiency - but you are losing an "in-depth" awareness of what you're doing. You lose the "every nook and cranny" type of touch that you WILL NEED

it's totally running before walking

you need ACCURACY before efficiency





Rusk - first fiberglass, then repairs, then gunite ...

I keep going back to this question - but you haven't answered it yet

Do you want to become a pool builder??

Answer that - and I'll continue. Not a "correct answer" btw - but just answer it

POOLMANinCT

matt. congratulations

who is going to take care of the engineering aspects? loads hydrolic stell sche etc... keep us posted... we are getting wacked w. snow & 25mph winds

ruskent

Dirt i have no idea what i want to do. No clue at all. I am really enjoying the design process of the jobs now. I love designing the pool and the entire property. Also wish i went to college for a LA degree.

Honestly, i'd like to do 5-6 250k and up backyards a year with custom gunite pools. Thats really where i want to be headed. I love having control of the entire job and control of the design of everything.

No way am i ever looking to do 200 pools a year. I want to get into the higher end work. Do a few big projects a year.

I have some people telling me to do everything in house while others say i should sub everything out for the entire project, similar to the way a GC builds a house. I have no idea which way i want to go.

So do i want to be a pool builder? I want to create stunning back yards.

Ray- I have no idea exactly how i am going to deal with the issues on this pool. I am going to met with a NESPA member who told me to call him if i ever had any questions. I will either sub out the entire thing, or find someone to consult me on this and sub out the various trades. Either way, i WILL have someone looking over my shoulders.

POOLMANinCT

nespa officer? I know all the boys down your way & most of region 1.. if somebody is willing to advise you/under their win, listen listen listen

POOLMANinCT

I don't think matt/rusk wants to be a poolbuilder. I think matts goal is to run a high end design/build landscape GC company. we have a few of those outfits out here. ultra high end clients. I have been on some of their jobs. some of these high end GC projects have hit 500000..
I think matt wants to design sell & install everything outside from the street to the backyard. I don't think rusk wants run the nozzle and trowle btw my bro as the LA degree, it functions more as a sales tool than anything else.

ruskent

I met the one guy from Mill Bergen pools in NY and he said to call him if i needed any advice. I'm going to give him a call on monday.

I am still waiting on my approval for my nespa membership. They better approve me since they already charged my credit card!! I ran into a guy from looploc at the home show this weekend and i think he said their was a hold up since i don't have the pool experience, but he was going to put in a good word for me.

ruskent

Seems like most high end design build companies have their own LA on staff anyways. I can always hire one.

I really just want to design, sell and run the jobs.

And dirt- The design program is worth every penny. The people are floored when they see it in person. Full color rendering drawings look nice but its not the same as seeing the job in 3d.