Free resource
The Installer Vetting Guide
Every question you should ask before signing a pool installation contract — organized by phase, based on hard experience.
How to use this guide
This guide is organized into five phases that mirror the hiring process: initial research, the quote stage, reference checks, contract review, and the first week of work. Work through each phase in order.
Not every item will apply to every project. But if a contractor can't or won't answer a question on this list, that's information too.
Initial research
Before you contact a single contractor, do this background work. It takes an hour and will save you weeks.
- Verify the contractor's license on your state licensing board's public database. Confirm it is active, not expired or suspended.
- Check for complaints or disciplinary actions on the same database. One complaint may be a dispute; multiple complaints is a pattern.
- Search the contractor's business name plus your county in court records. Many states have free online access to civil case filings.
- Confirm they carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation. Ask for a certificate of insurance — not just their word.
- Check how long the business has been operating under its current name. Contractors who repeatedly close and reopen under new names are a red flag.
- Look at the age and volume of their reviews. A contractor with 50 reviews from three years ago and none recently may have changed significantly.
The quote stage
Get at least three written quotes. Use these questions to evaluate each contractor — not just their price.
- Who specifically will be on-site managing your project day to day? Get a name, not just a company.
- How many active projects are you currently running? An overextended contractor is a slow contractor.
- What is your current lead time before you can start? A contractor who can start immediately may have a reason for the open calendar.
- Which portions of the work will be subcontracted? Who are those subcontractors, and have you worked with them before?
- What is your realistic completion timeline for a project like mine? Ask them to walk you through each phase and how long each takes.
- What are the most common reasons projects like mine run over schedule? How do you handle that when it happens?
- What permits are required, and who pulls them? The contractor should pull permits — if they ask you to, that is a red flag.
Reference checks
References are only useful if you ask the right questions. Always ask for references from the last twelve months.
- Ask for three references from projects completed in the last twelve months. Politely decline references older than that.
- Ask each reference: Did the project finish on time? If not, by how much, and what was the explanation?
- Ask: How was communication throughout the project? Did you always know what was happening and what was next?
- Ask: Were there any problems or disputes? How did the contractor handle them?
- Ask: Would you hire this contractor again? Listen carefully to any hesitation.
- Ask: Was the final cost close to the original quote? If there were overages, were they explained and agreed to in advance?
Contract review
This is the most important phase. Do not sign anything without confirming every item below. Consider having a construction attorney review the contract.
- The contract must include a specific completion date — not "approximately X weeks." An actual calendar date.
- There must be a penalty clause for delays not caused by documented, agreed-upon circumstances (weather, permit delays, etc.).
- Each payment milestone must be clearly defined and tied to a specific, verifiable deliverable — not vague language like "rough plumbing complete."
- The contract must include a lien waiver requirement at each draw. Before you pay, they provide written confirmation that subs and suppliers have been paid.
- There must be a right-to-cure clause: written notice of default, a defined cure period (10–14 days is standard), and the right to terminate and hire a replacement if they don't cure.
- Hold back 10–15% of the total contract price until final completion, punch-list sign-off, and final inspection. Any contractor who refuses this is telling you something.
- The contract must specify a communication cadence — how often you receive project updates and in what form. Silence should be a contractual breach.
- Confirm the contract specifies which party is responsible for obtaining each permit and inspection.
First week of work
The first week tells you a great deal about how the rest of the project will go. Pay close attention.
- Did the crew arrive when they said they would? A contractor who is late on day one is showing you their habits.
- Is the on-site manager the person you were told would be managing your project?
- Are permits posted on-site as required by your local building department?
- Is the contractor communicating proactively, or are you always the one reaching out?
- Document everything from day one: photos, dates, who said what. If something goes wrong later, this record will matter.
Red flags to watch for at any stage
- Asks you to pull permits instead of doing it themselves
- Refuses a holdback or insists on front-loading the payment schedule
- Can't provide references from the last twelve months
- Gives you a verbal quote only and resists putting details in writing
- Pressure to sign quickly or claims the price is only good for a limited time
- Office address is a mailbox or shared suite with no physical presence
- Communication slows down or becomes inconsistent before work even starts
- License or insurance certificate can't be independently verified
Read the full story behind this guide
This checklist came from a real experience — eight months of delays, a partial settlement, and starting over. The My Story page has the full account.
Read my story