Pool Builder
Going Above & Beyond For Pool Customers
Scott Payne knows a few things about making brand ambassadors out of his pool customers. As one of the leading pool builders in Pennsylvania, he says he considers it his personal priority to make sure that his customers are happy with the end product.
His company Scott Payne Custom Pools is a local fixture in Montgomeryville which is located roughly 40 minutes between Allentown and Philadelphia as the crow flies. Word-of-mouth referrals are important to the builder who says that when it comes to the backyard, his clients are looking for a firm that does it all.
Recalibrating For Success
“Over my career, I saw the disconnect with some of the companies I worked for in the industry. We set up the model of Scott Payne Custom Pools to be different. When you’re expecting a client who is spending a lot of money with you to GC their own project, that never ends well. So we vertically aligned with carpenters, landscapers, and hardscapers. We created a very good sub-base,” said Payne, “now most of that work is in-house for us. We employ Scott Payne Outdoors as our sister company and have four full-time carpenters in that company. We have landscape, hardscape and fencing in-house, with a landscape architect on staff. There’s a benefit to it, and the customers appreciate it. They want to write one check to one person,” said Payne.
Being a One-Stop Shop
Being that all-in-one solution for the homeowner means that quite often, Payne is handling every aspect of the backyard renovation. This goes for everything from the swimming pool, to the hardscaping, to the landscaping, to all of the carpentry that goes into building the various outdoor amenities his clients are looking for. “When clients call, they ask, ‘You do everything, right? Yes, ma’am. Good, that’s what we want.’ and it just reinforces the decision for them,” said Payne.
Payne said that being that one-stop shop is what his pool customers are looking for nine times out of ten. “I have a silly rule, and that is if someone asked me more than three times for something, I explore it just to see what it would take to become fluent in it,” said Payne, “for example, we do sports courts. Now we’re one of the top distributors on the East Coast for Versa Court. We do X Grass for putting greens. Now we do Danver outdoor door cabinetry. There’s just such a benefit to being that person and having all that in our back pocket. We’re a Generac dealer and do generators. Why? People ask for them or they had bad experiences with their existing contractor. They complained about it. So we got licensed. We’ll do 50 to 60 generators this year. It makes sense. We’re already there. We have an electrician there, and we have a gas guy there.”
On Educating Himself
For Payne, the path to becoming a top pool builder would mean educating himself on what he’d need to learn to make a difference in his own local market. That meant taking the time to take classes that would make him a better builder. “I made a promise when I started the company to forget everything I thought I knew,” said Payne, “I was taught things when I worked for a national builder who was very high volume. Everybody had the same sentiment and that was how it was always done. Their process never factored in if it was right or wrong or justified.”
“I developed a relationship with Kevin Ruddy from Omega Structures. And at the time he was entrenched in Genesis with Skip Phillips and Brian Van Bower. We had this amazing friendship and he kept telling me to come take a class,” explained Payne.
“I just thought it was such an oxymoron because everything that this company stood for was not what Genesis stood for. There was just no sense in doing it their way because it was going to benefit me, but it was never going to trickle down to my customer. Literally, I think the day that I started my company, I called Kevin Ruddy and I said, hey, I’m ready,” said Payne.
“He connected me with the office at Genesis. The first class I took was in October of 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was a pool studio class at a Master Pools Guild event. So it’s a very nice hotel and I didn’t have a laptop. I did my pool studio on a desktop. I literally dragged my CPU down there with my monitor, my keyboard and my mouse. And I walked into class the first day and it just brought looks and laughter, but I set it up on a table where everybody set their laptops up, and that was it. I was hooked. And I’m very proud to say that I completed my SWD. 150 hours of education all over the country inside of two years,” explained Payne.
On Educating Pool Customers
Payne said that getting that education was key for him simply because building pools in Pennsylvania can be difficult at times. That education often comes into play when it comes time to educate the customer about what is involved with building a pool. “I think the consistency of state, county, and township regulations do not exist in Pennsylvania. It’s a state where every township has its own set of rules. We build in probably 40 townships in a 75 miles square area. Each has different rules and regulations. I have a full-time person where all they do is handle permits. They expedite engineering, download and fill forms out. It’s all they do all day.”
Other than the permitting concerns are the restrictions that come with building an inground swimming pool. “Stormwater management has become very prevalent in the past ten years. In almost every township it could cost the customer an additional $5,000 to $15,000, depending on how big the devices are,” said Payne.
While the pandemic spurred a tremendous increase in outdoor living improvements, rising costs are also something Payne said he has to frequently contend with. “When it comes to price increases, there’s a sadness to it. I have to be honest, we had a base price pool that we sold all day, every day. Pre-Covid that base pool was $59,000. The base price of that pool today is $84,000. It’s at the identical margin and we’re not making a penny more on that pool,” said Payne, who said it’s his unfortunate duty to break the news about what pools cost these days.
It’s also incumbent upon him to educate consumers about the pool-building process. “The process is horrible. It’s like a hip replacement,” explained Payne, “the client says, ‘I don’t want to go to PT, I don’t want to be in a hospital, but I want to dance.’ So I’m going to come in, I’m going to tear your yard up for six weeks, six months, hopefully not six years, right? But you’re going to have that first party and you’re going to remember Scott Payne Custom Pools. That’s why I do this,” said Payne.
Making every customer happy is the goal, even when things go awry, said Payne. “I think I was in business about two years and I was called out on a job for a woman named Rachel. She gave me her budget and her wish list. The number she threw out was not going to get this done. I politely start to excuse myself and say, listen, you’re probably more of a vinyl pool client than a gunite pool construction. She gets upset and I listen to her. She says, ‘I went through this hard divorce, and want to build a swimming pool for my kids, you’re going to be the builder.”, said Payne.
“I pictured my mom with my sister and me, struggling. So I said, okay, you know what? That budget, can you stretch it? And she said, ‘Yeah, I can stretch it.’ And I said, okay, ‘I’m going to bend. You stretch, I bend and we’re going to do this together,'” said Payne.
The project, which was one of Payne’s first, had its inevitable hiccups. One Payne counts as a costly lesson in doing the right thing when it counts. A few weeks after starting construction of the pool, Payne would hear back from his customer with an urgent concern. “I think it has something to do with the pool she said,” explained Payne, “the toilets are all backed up and I think you hit the sewer line. I walk through her backyard, and I walk through the neighbor’s yard, and I walk another yard over and guess what I find? A sewer line that goes right through the middle of the pool. The sewer line is leaving the basement at about seven feet deep. It’s under the pool. My excavator more than likely nicked it. Gunite comes in and shoots over it and concrete just seeped into the pipe,” said Payne.
“There’s a Marriott around the corner. I get them a room, and call my excavator,” said Payne, “I said, ‘can you do me a favor and bring the mini X and meet me at that job? He and I, over the next five or six hours dig down the front side of this pool to find the pipe. Sure enough, it’s broke.”
“We find the break. Now I have to make a decision, do I fix it or do I move it?”, said Payne, “The pool is parked on top of this pipe. I do the right thing. We dig all the way around the deep end of the pool and demo the equipment that was already set. We connect it, if you can imagine, like a question mark to the other side to the lateral going three yards down. We dig the hole, plumb it, put in cleanouts and get it inspected and backfilled. We reset the equipment, which is now junk. We redo all the plumbing, paid for that twice. We tiled, coped, and put the deck on the pool while still completing it in 28 days. It cost me $8,500 for that mistake but that story sticks out to me as a win, as setting the expectation at that point that we’re going to do things the right way, because it’s not about money. It’s about integrity.”
Today’s consumers expect automation to make their lives easier – from adjusting their home thermostat to closing their garage door and cleaning with robotic vacuum cleaners, home automation devices are now the norm.
It’s only natural that this trend is taking hold in the pool industry, with pool owners looking for ways to make it easier and more efficient to maintain their pools and spas. But as a pool professional, have you considered how automation can make your job easier and help you grow your business?
Here are three tips for using automation to help take your pool business to the next level and provide your customers with outstanding service.
- Work smarter with advanced pool automation technology.
It’s called the “brain of the pool” for a reason. With an advanced pool automation system like the IntelliCenter® Pool Control System, connecting pool equipment like colored lights, water features, and more to the automation system is easy with features like a setup wizard with step-by-step instructions and autodetect technology. Pool automation allows you to effortlessly set automation schedules, monitor pool and spa status, and check water chemistry.
Whether tackling regular maintenance or something more complex, you can quickly troubleshoot problems, resolve issues, and get out of the backyard faster using an intuitive touch screen. The IntelliCenterPool Control System is the most versatile Pentair automation system, delivering the latest technology to pool servicers, builders, and homeowners.
“When the IntelliCenter System came out, it was much more user-friendly than the EasyTouch® System we used,” said Alex Karol of Lehigh Valley Aqua Pools in Northampton, Pennsylvania. “It was like going from a flip phone to a smartphone with a touchscreen and having everything at your fingertips.”
Customers with older automation systems who need an upgrade without replacing their whole system can use the IntelliCenter Upgrade Kit for IntelliTouch® and EasyTouch® Pool Control Systems to easily upgrade their older pool automation systems to the latest technology. With an Upgrade Kit, you get all the benefits of the latest system, including an intuitive touchscreen display that effectively shows functions in both day and nighttime modes.
Building on the product’s existing capabilities to bring these systems up to date allows professionals and pool owners to experience all the latest features of Pentair automation. Installation is easy: it installs on the current wiring and housing. Just change the bezel, board, and transformer.
With an Upgrade Kit, it’s easy to give your customers what they want and give yourself some new business as you continue adding upgrades to their pool equipment pads.
- Save time in the backyard while offering an effortless pool experience.
The days of staying after hours at your customers’ homes for impromptu fixes to the pool equipment pad are nearly over. Using Remote Monitoring, accessed through their Pentair Pro account, pool professionals can remotely monitor a customer’s pool and connect to equipment via the IntelliCenter Pool Control System.
“It gives us the opportunity to log in to the client’s pool to see if there are any error messages,” said Craig Horning of Infinity Pools & Spas in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “If we see something that might be malfunctioning, we can address it early before it becomes a very large investment for the customer.”
Monitoring and controlling your customers’ systems remotely will potentially prevent extra service trips to customers’ backyards, and the benefits don’t end there. While you’re boosting your business by offering remote monitoring and white glove service to pool owners for an additional fee, they’ll enjoy an effortless and stressless pool experience. Because the system interfaces with mobile devices, it also offers pool owners convenient remote control from anywhere with the Pentair Home app.
- Ultimate peace of mind for your customers to enjoy water.
Pentair’s solutions offer a virtually hands-off, connected automation experience for consumers with pools of nearly any shape or size. And with the IntelliCenter system, pool owners can now control water features, monitor water chemistry, spot-clean their spa, and more – all from the comfort of their home using the Pentair Home app.
Homeowners currently using the IntelliCenter2 app are being migrated to the Pentair Home app in early 2024 for an improved and expanded app experience.
In the Pentair Home app, pool owners can access an easy-to-use dashboard on their smart device and receive alerts sent directly to their phones for peace of mind anytime, anywhere, so they can get back to enjoying their pool. The IntelliCenter Pool Control System is designed to easily accommodate new equipment add-ons as your customers’ backyard oasis grows.
Give your customers the technology they expect with the Pentair IntelliCenter® Pool Control System. Learn more about how IntelliCenter makes pool automation easier at pentair.com/intellicenterhub.
By: Rama Budampati, General Manager of Pool Automation and Sanitizers, Pentair
The pool industry has thousands of builders but at the same time, it’s still a relatively small industry where one’s reputation may proceed them. JC Escudero stands out in this regard for his transparency and honesty in explaining the dark side of the pool industry to his customers. The founder of J Designs Pool & Spa, a boutique pool construction firm in Los Angeles, Escudero has taken a unique approach to his craft. Unafraid to delve into the nuances of the pool construction process, he has become a vocal advocate for educating consumers about the dos and don’ts of building a pool.
A Departure From The Norm
Escudero’s journey into the pool construction business began with a revelation during his tenure at a large builder. He shares, “I used to work for a pretty large builder, and when we decided to open our own company, I knew exactly what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want to do that type of volume. With that brings a lot of issues because you don’t have the time to really cater to that many clients and have the same attention to detail.”
His vision was clear – to be a boutique builder, focusing on craftsmanship, larger projects, and fostering better relationships with clients. The inception of J Designs marked a departure from the norm, a conscious effort to create a more personalized and quality-driven approach to pool construction.
As Escudero reflects on the genesis of his company, he recalls, “We knew we had a big market at the turn of the 2008 mortgage crisis, and we used to work more in the Riverside area.” However, economic downturns prompted a strategic shift. “People were not buying pools at that time. The economy was upside down,” he notes. Escudero decided to move to Los Angeles, specifically the San Fernando Valley, tapping into a lucrative market despite the challenging economic conditions of ’08.
Educating The Client
Escudero was eager to set himself apart with his commitment to openness and transparency with customers. Many pool builders shy away from discussing the potential pitfalls of the construction process, fearing it may deter potential clients. However, Escudero believes in addressing the elephant in the room. “I’ve always been a very straightforward person. I open my mouth. Sometimes I get in trouble by doing so, but at the same time, I like to tell people the way things are,” he explains.
Escudero emphasizes the importance of informing clients about the intricacies of pool construction. “There are key components that every pool needs and explain what those are. I tell my customers about the roadblocks that exist in pool construction and what they absolutely need to know,” he says. By laying out the challenges and limitations, Escudero ensures that clients are well-informed and their expectations are met without any misconceptions.
Developing a Library of Content To Educate Customers
To extend this philosophy beyond one-on-one interactions, Escudero and his team have created an educational system. Through blogs, articles, and videos on their website, they provide valuable insights into the pool-building process. “I decided with my wife Liliana to put it together in the form of an educational system for our clients so they can easily, by themselves at their leisure, watch videos or read blogs and articles to impart them with that knowledge,” he shares.
This dedication to education is rooted in Escudero’s desire to establish a bond with clients before even meeting them. “When I get to their house, they already know me. There’s already a bond without even meeting them,” he states. By fostering this connection, Escudero ensures that clients are comfortable and well-informed, setting the stage for a successful collaboration.
One of Escudero’s videos called “The Dark Side of the Pool Industry” discusses issues that can come up with hiring unlicensed contractors, dealing with permitting hurdles, and how misinformation can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction.
Addressing the Elephant in The Room, Unlicensed Builders
One of the critical issues Escudero addresses is the prevalence of unlicensed builders in the pool industry. In one of his videos, he unveils a startling fact – the swimming pool industry boasts the highest number of complaints to the California State License Board (CSLB). He attributes this to the influx of unlicensed individuals posing as contractors, taking advantage of unsuspecting clients.
Escudero’s concerns go beyond merely acknowledging the problem; he actively seeks solutions. “The industry has been taken by a lot of scammers that don’t have a license that claim to be contractors. That happens everywhere, not only in California,” he points out. His website serves as a platform to guide consumers on what to look for in a contractor, stressing the importance of licenses, insurance, and adherence to the law.
Escudero’s commitment to transparency extends to the financial aspects of pool construction, particularly the often-misunderstood issue of payment schedules. He addresses this concern with a straightforward perspective, stating, “I get a lot of the times clients asking about payments, and I tell them payments are supposed to be by law, not 30% upfront like they charge in some markets. Who in the right mind is going to give you $40,000 upfront?”
A License May Not Be Enough
“Just having a license is not enough,” Escudero asserts. He acknowledges the shortcomings in the current licensing system, where individuals can obtain licenses with minimal knowledge of the trade. This, he believes, contributes to the industry’s negative reputation, leading to client dissatisfaction and distrust.
In his pursuit of improving the industry as a whole, Escudero doesn’t shy away from sharing the less glamorous aspects of the trade. He urges consumers to be vigilant, emphasizing the need for proper payment schedules, a clear understanding of construction processes, and awareness of potential red flags.
“Telling the story that way helps me and helps set my company apart automatically from the bad name or the hush-hush underground things that are going on,” explained Escudero. Through his unwavering commitment to education and transparency, JC Escudero is not just building pools; he’s constructing a foundation of trust in an industry that at times can be clouded with uncertainty.
Listen to our entire conversation about The Dark Side of the Pool Industry with JC Escudero on the Pool Magazine podcast.
Riverbend Sandler Pools (“Riverbend”), the leading residential pool construction, service, and maintenance provider in the Dallas – Ft. Worth metroplex, and a portfolio company of Concentric Equity Partners (“CEP”), announced the acquisition of Hauk Custom Pools, (“Hauk” or the “Company”), a Celina, TX-based provider of pool construction, remodeling, and repair services. Riverbend will be acquiring Hauk from Owner, and long-term pool industry veteran Robby Hauk, who will remain with the Company in his current leadership role for the long-term future and retain a substantial individual ownership stake.
Hauk Custom Pools is a leading residential pool construction brand in the Northern DFW market and has been a PSN Top 50 Builder for many years. Hauk was founded by Robby in 2001 after he spent several years working as a design consultant with Riverbend Sandler Pools. It’s great to see how the relationship has come in full circle and the Riverbend Group was able to partner with Robby after all these years. Hauk is a true leader in the Northern DFW area and has built over 4,000 pools. The Hauk brand and its employees will continue the pursuit of outstanding quality and service.
“While looking for the right partner to help me grow the business and add additional services, it was important to find someone that had the same values as Hauk pools”, said Robby Hauk. “Knowing the history of Riverbend and what they have accomplished with other acquisitions, led me to get comfortable with those discussions”.
“Robby and the Hauk team have continued to build a strong presence in the Northern DFW market, an area we have been wanting to build out at Riverbend” said Riverbend Sandler CEO Bruce Mungiguerra. “We’re excited to continue building on the Hauk name and adding additional services such as service repair and weekly pool maintenance to the brand”.
Adam Lucas, Principal at CEP, adds: “We have tremendous respect for what Robby has built over many years and the success he has achieved with Hauk”. “We’re honored he chose us to partner with the Hauk platform going forward and excited to partner with his leadership team”.
More News About Riverbend Sandler Pools:
- Riverbend Sandler Pools Announces Acquisition Of Pulliam Pools
- Claffey Pools Acquired by Riverbend Sandler Pools
- Riverbend Sandler Announces Acquisition of Crystal Clear Custom Pools
- Riverbend Sandler Announces Acquisition of Pool Steward
About Hauk Custom Pools:
Headquartered in Celina, TX, and serving the Northern area of the DFW Metroplex, Hauk is a premier provider of residential pool construction and renovation, services. Founded in 2001, Hauk has been a leader in custom pool design and installation of some of the most impressive pools built in the metroplex. While Hauk has been in business for over 20 years, the business is stronger than ever and growing annually. For more information on Hauk, visit www.haukcustompools.com
About Riverbend Sandler Pools:
Headquartered in Plano, TX, Riverbend Sandler Pools is the leading residential pool construction, service, and maintenance provider in Dallas Fort Worth. The Company differentiates through its specialized and high-touch design process, commitment to quality craftsmanship and customer service, and established track record of success. The Company was founded by Charles Barnes in 1981 and grown over a successful period of more than four decades to become one of the largest pool builders in the Southwest U.S. Riverbend Sandler’s guiding philosophy has always been: “Don’t cut corners, take a little more time to build it right and never compromise quality craftsmanship.” For more information on Riverbend Sandler, visit www.riverbendsandler.com.
About Concentric Equity Partners:
Concentric Equity Partners is a private investment firm that partners with leading middle market companies by providing capital and strategic advisory to accelerate long term value creation. Concentrics approach is simple: support entrepreneurs and operators by providing the resources required to achieve extraordinary results. The firm’s investment team is made up of individuals with distinguished track records as operators and professional investors across a variety of growth oriented middle market companies. Concentric Equity Partners is the direct investing arm of Financial Investments Corporation, a private asset management firm and family office with over $2 billion in investment commitments under management. Financial Investments Corporation was founded in 1994 by father and daughter Harrison and Jennifer Steans and has been partnering with private companies for more than 25 years. For more information on Concentric, visit www.ficcep.com
Download the NEW Pool Magazine App
Sponsored Advertisement
French Diver Makes Splash After Flop At Opening of Olympic Pool
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Celebrating Their 5-Year Anniversary
Earthquake in Taiwan Causes Waterfall From Rooftop Pool
Patent Pending Apple Watch SOS Feature Could Prevent Drownings
These Skaters Are Willing To Clean Your Pool For Free
Pet Alligator Kept in Pool Seized By Authorities
Rooftop Infinity Pool Will Be Part of Soccer Stadium Redesign
Sponsored Advertisement
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Announces Heritage Pool Supply Group As Newest Strategic Partner
Chlorine Poisoning Incident at Swimming Pool in Italy
Ask the Masters, Pool Pro & WU launch exclusive membership program
Thousands of Frogs Invade Aussie Mans Pool
Fluidra Continues Strategic Expansion with Acquisition of Taylor Water Technologies LLC
Inflation May Affect Growth This Year in the Pool Industry
Too Big To Fail – Olympus Pools Implodes
Sponsored Advertisement
Sponsored Advertisement-
Pool News4 weeks agoLandslide Damages Homes, Destroys Swimming Pool in California
-
Manufacturer2 weeks agoSRS Distribution Announces Next Phase of Growth by Combining with The Home Depot to Better Serve Professional Customers
-
Pool News4 weeks agoFluidra Launches €20 Million Venture Capital Fund – Fluidra Ventures
-
Cleaning and Service Equipment and Supplies2 weeks agoRecent Leslie’s/Harris Poll Study Shows Nearly Three-Quarters of Americans Mistakenly Assume Clear Pool Water Is Clean, Swim-Safe Water
-
Manufacturer4 weeks agoBofA Downgrades Latham Group Citing Weak Pool Construction Market
-
Pool News2 weeks agoHotel Pool Had Numerous Violations in Case Where 8-Year-Old Was Pulled Into Pipe
-
Pool News5 days agoEarthquake in Taiwan Causes Waterfall From Rooftop Pool
-
Equipment Supplies3 weeks agoFWP Faces Class Action Lawsuit Stemming From 2023 Cyberattack