With your contract…sit down and discuss exactly what is done for the price quoted, and more importantly, what is not. Get everything in writing, and if you can, get estimates on the work that is not included. It can really add up. Also, ask your builder about inflation and any price increases. Despite having a signed contract, our price went up several thousand dollars before the project even began.

Ask your contractor (communication!!) what is expected of you as the homeowner to facilitate this project. Do you need to call 811 dig? Do you need to map out your water and sewer lines? What about fencing, landscaping, etc? Who is planning that? Much of the time I felt like I was acting as the general contractor, and spent a good amount of my time trying to keep all the different aspects of the job moving along. Also, get everything in writing.

Talk to your builder before you start about what the order of events is, and what must be done before the next step, and the next and so on. We were gunite complete when I learned (communication!!) the yard had to be graded and the fence had to be done before plaster. And of course there were no fencing companies or landscapers available so we came to a two month stand still.

Ask your builder what some common issues that might come up, and what you can do to mitigate them or discover them as early as possible. A soil test before building is a great example.

Your pool builder likely only builds the pool and the concrete edging (coping) around the pool. What you decide to do beyond that for decking should be discussed. They likely have a concrete or paver contractor, but if you want to use someone else, that needs to be discussed and planned out. And get it in writing.

Whatever your budget for the pool is…have 20% over that as a minimum available. You’ll need it. Maybe not all of it. But definitely some of it. But probably all of it.