There’s a difference between unexpected expenses and bait and switch tactics when it comes to your swimming pool purchase. We at Watercolors Custom Pools pride ourselves on not using bait and switch tactics, but there are times when there are legitimate unforeseen expenses that have to be billed to the customer. We’ve compiled a list of potential ones here:

Buried debris in yard where pool is going: This just came up last week on a pool we were excavating in Atlanta. When excavating we found the remnants of an entire house that had been buried in a back yard. This leads to extra excavation costs because you obviously have to have the trash hauled off and then have dirt brought in. This can more than double if not triple the cost of excavation; depending on the size of the swimming pool.

Inadequate soils: Sometimes it can be determined that the soils in your yard are not adequate to withstand the weight of a concrete swimming pool. If the soil is not amended to make it resistant to compaction, this could lead to problems with the concrete pool shell. For this reason, it is necessary to remove the soil and bring in soil that is adequate for compaction. This again can increase the cost of excavation by 150%; depending on the amount of soil needed to be removed and replaced.

Groundwater encountered: In some cases, when excavating, you may hit groundwater. If this occurs, stone must be brought in to de-water the hole. A drain with a self priming pump will also need to be installed beneath the swimming pool. This allows for the water to be diverted to another area. Encountering groundwater can increase the cost of a swimming pool significantly.