ComplaintsforFive Star Pool

• Initial Complaint

  03/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a contract that states warranty for fiberglass shell at 15 years. Labor and material at 1 yr. I sent Five Star Pools a text showing numerous holes in the pool shell. Five start responded by saying the pool was no longer in warranty. I attached a copy of the contract showing 15 years on the shell. They did not respond. I asked if they were going to stand by the warranty. No response. Previous history that shows a pattern: Since the completion of the re-surfing of the pool I have had nothing but issues with Five Star Pools. They had to do a new gel coat application because the original job was not done correctly. However, before they agreed I had to deal with negative e-mails, texts and calls. We had to take pictures and constantly go back and forth on the issue. By God never let me come out and see what the issue is and come up with a solution. What gets my goat is the contract says 3 coats of fiber glass to the shell and three coats of gel coat. If they actually had applied all three coats then why did they have to redo another application. Now the old pool shell is showing through the new gel coat. Also, why are there holes in the shell now? For the gel coat the response was I want to see pool chemical logs. Well the contract doesn't say anything about logs or what the chemicals need to be maintained at. Then the response became out of warranty. I had another company come out and give me an opinion on the gel coat and fiber glass coating to the pool. The response was the pool was done incorrectly. Like the previous interactions instead of sticking to the warranty or coming up with a solution "I expect the response to be that I'm the issue and then they will berate me" in their response, if they respond.

  

  Business response

  03/22/2023

  Hello BBB,

  Five Star Pool did complete *********************** existing pool fiberglass resurfacing in March 2018 . Under sign contract fibergalss mesh have limited 15 years warranty and 1 year warranty for Gel Coat and labor . Five Star Pool did not install fiberglass pool shell - this was re-coating of existing pool . Project went well according to schedule and was paid in full . About one year later customer contact us with issues on gel coat , at that time customer was claiming he have missing gel coat in some areas - Five Star Pool drained and re-gel coated pool under warranty at no cost to customer (this issue was already linked to lack of pool maintenance)  This was March 2019 . Years later customer contact ********************** again in March or April that he experiencing missing gel coat again and this time only in consistent line around pool right where water surface is - on email communication between customer and ********************** (attached to this respond) , was determined that customer using not industry approved brush to scrub debris where its build up at water surface level and to our understanding customer don't do weekly pool maintenance since there was surprise on customer side that they suppose to do pool maintenance . Five Star Pool also offered official investigation in to customers issue and request maintenance logs for weekly chemicals maintenance , but customer said he didn't know he suppose to maintenance pool weekly. At tis point 4 years out of warranty Five Star Pool still provide free material for customer in 2022 so customer himself can do touch *** on gel coat since he did agree there is no fault in Five Star Pool installation or materials (refer to attached emails documentation) .Five Star Pool answered and addressed all customer concerns , went far over agreed warranty limits. 

  - after investigation there is no issue with fiberglass mesh in new coating (if there is report of no weekly pool maintenance , there is no warranty at all)

  - issues on gel coat are linked to lack of weekly chemicals maintenance and improper pool maintenance like hard brushing/scrubbing of gel coat 

  - black spots on lates photos are gel coat stains (most likely cobalt - coming out from original pool shell) and will need to be chemically treated to be removed 

  Let me know please if there will be any further questions 

   Have a good day 

  Five Star Pool 

  Customer response

  03/24/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this ******** because: Naturally Five Star does not have a solution. See attached word document with images for my rebuttal to ***** and the baseless accusations. 

  Hello BBB,
  

  Five Star Pool did complete *********************** existing pool fiberglass resurfacing in March 2018 . Under sign contract fibergalss mesh have limited 15 years warranty and 1 year warranty for Gel Coat and labor . Five Star Pool did not install fiberglass pool shell *this was re*coating of existing pool . Project went well according to schedule and was paid in full . About one year later customer contact us with issues on gel coat , at that time customer was claiming he have missing gel coat in some areas * Five Star Pool drained and re*gel coated pool under warranty at no cost to customer (this issue was already linked to lack of pool maintenance)  This was March 2019 . Years later customer contact ********************** again in March or April that he experiencing missing gel coat again and this time only in consistent line around pool right where water surface is * on email communication between customer and ********************** (attached to this respond) , was determined that customer using not industry approved brush to scrub debris where its build up at water surface level and to our understanding customer don't do weekly pool maintenance since there was surprise on customer side that they suppose to do pool maintenance . Five Star Pool also offered official investigation in to customers issue and request maintenance logs for weekly chemicals maintenance ,but customer said he didn't know he suppose to maintenance pool weekly. At tis point 4 years out of warranty Five Star Pool still provide free material for customer in 2022 so customer himself can do touch *** on gel coat since he did agree there is no fault in Five Star Pool installation or materials (refer to attached emails documentation) .Five Star Pool answered and addressed all customer concerns ,went far over agreed warranty limits. 
  * after investigation there is no issue with fiberglass mesh in new coating (if there is report of no weekly pool maintenance , there is no warranty at all)
  * issues on gel coat are linked to lack of weekly chemicals maintenance and improper pool maintenance like hard brushing/scrubbing of gel coat 
  * black spots on lates photos are gel coat stains (most likely cobalt * coming out from original pool shell) and will need to be chemically treated to be removed 
  Let me know please if there will be any further questions 
   Have a good day 
  Five Star Pool 
  
  Lets break this down from day one.
  *I agree with Five star pool that they did not install fiberglass shell. What that has to do with the issue I dont know?
  Initial issue after pool was completed: We are seeing numerous spots where gel coat was not applied.
  
  
  
  Here is the contract that states: 3 coats of fiberglass and 3 coats of gel coat
  
  ***** clarifying fiberglass application
  
  Warranty information added to contract before we allowed work to proceed. Not sure why as a customer I have to ask for warranty information to be added to the contract.
  
  Image provided by *****. When I look at this image it does not look like four applications of fiberglass that are white and then a bright white gel coat application.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Waiting on ***** and ******** to gel coat issue
  
  Hes going to fix by doing touch up until we argued the point that touching up is not going to fix all of the issues.
  
  
  Carefully read the ******** about fiber mesh and gel coat
  
  In pictures I dont see white fiberglass. Also, based on *****s comments if the fiberglass is white then how is it I can see the old pool shell color that was blue?
  
  Picture is above. Two months later ***** agrees to redo pool Gel Coat.
  
  
  Where is it in the previous e*mail that per *****s current ******** to BBB: Five Star Pool drained and re*gel coated pool under warranty at no cost to customer (this issue was already linked to lack of pool maintenance)  This was March 2019. Must have been some toxic chemicals for a year to cause the 3 coasts of gel coat to break down. not sure how I was able to use the pool?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  E*mail to ***** about more gel coat issues. I dont have water line tiles!
  
  
  Again, based on *****s comments about fiberglass application being white, why am I seeing the color from the old pool shell above and below the water line?
  
  ***** confirming two coats vice three per contract
  
  You can see the blue through the gel coat and missed gel coat spots in left upper corner. Also, gel coat missing above water line.
  
  
  More gel coat spots that were missed after 2nd coat
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Back to chemicals and no longer doing fiber glass pools.
  
  
  My ******** to ***** about chemicals and getting an estimate for repair
  
  
  Fiber Tech estimate. If ***** was h*** bent on not warranting the pool then why agree to come out for Fiber Tech?
  
  
  Fiber Tech opinion that the pool was done incorrectly
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Then starts the pool chemical log and warranty. Nothing in the contract about maintaining pool chemicals at a certain desired level to maintain warranty. Nothing on Five Star web site or brochure.  So, lets pull the missing chemical log out of the air for warranty work. I would think that ***** would make ever effort to ensure the customer understands chemicals and what the proper maintenance of said chemicals not just for warranty work but for ensuring the customer maintains the pool correctly.
  
  My ******** to *****.
  
  Holes in fiberglass coating not shell Not sure how holes show up in fiberglass coatings if there are FOUR layers applied!
  
  
  
  
  March 16th ***** ***************** **** ,
  
  Warranty for work we performed for you expired long time ago * refer to previous emails . 
  
  Have a good day 
  
  ***** 
  
  *Heres what I really love about *****. ***** ******** to BBB it was determined that customer using not industry approved brush to scrub debris where its build up at water surface level and to our understanding customer don't do weekly pool maintenance since there was surprise on customer side that they suppose to do pool maintenance .
   Another pull it out of the air ********. Not one e*mail concerning what brush I use or dont use. Not one e*mail that states I dont know what the proper chemical levels should be. However, not one e*mail by ***** to also ensure that my chemicals are at the proper level for a fiberglass pool which is different for fiberglass for the calcium hardness. I have been doing the pool chemicals etc since 2010 so Im sure I know what I need to do.
  
  
  
  Another lets make up *** ******** by *****: said he didn't know he suppose to maintenance pool weekly. Show me an e*mail!
  
  
  Lets talk water line and gelcoat issues per *****. In the e*mail and images the issue for the gelcoat missing was not just some spots at water line, above water line but also the curved part of the pool BELOW the water line.
  
  Next:
  Five Star Pool still provide free material for customer in 2022 so customer himself can do touch *** on gel coat since he did agree there is no fault in Five Star Pool installation or materials (refer to attached emails documentation) .Five Star Pool answered and addressed all customer concerns , went far over agreed warranty limits.
  ***** provided gelcoat for me to do touch *** since ***** is so hard to work with. First the gel coat provided did not include catalyst. Second this is a spray application not a roll application like the applications supposedly done by Five star. I really like to know where ***** pulls his statements from: I agreed it was no fault by Five Start for installation and material? Again, show me the e*mail.
  Sure did not do me any favors with providing the one gal of gel coat that I could not use.
  
  Addressing another ******** by *****: * after investigation there is no issue with fiberglass mesh in new coating (if there is report of no weekly pool maintenance , there is no warranty at all). What investigation?
  * Did you come out? Still on the maintenance and chemicals for ALL ********s. You have nothing but thin air to back up any accusations. Fiberglass coating is still under warranty. 
  *Where did you pull the no warranty if no maintenance from? Not the contract or any valid proof since you havent been on site since the initial redoing of the gel coat.
  
  * black spots on lates photos are gel coat stains (most likely cobalt * coming out from original pool shell) and will need to be chemically treated to be removed. Heres a fun fact *****. The black spots started within one year of the four coats of fiberglass and the three coats of Gel Coat.
   Oh by the way. Based on your own admission you only applied one gel coat and then a second after you had to redo the gel coat.Breach of contract.
  
  
  
  Contrary to popular belief, these black spots are not rust or algae. They are, in fact, caused by mineral breakdown within your fibreglass shell. The fibreglass bulk layer that lays beneath your coloured gelcoat surface breaks down over time and tiny pin holes begin to break through the weakened gel coat.
  Getting Black Spots /Bubbles on my Pool Surface * ***** Fibregla
  www.perthfibreglasspools.com.**/services/fibreglass*pools/getting*black*spots*bub
  
  *Amazing how I have this issue with 4 coats of fiber glass and 3 but really 2 coats of gel coat!
  *The problem with ***** its always a fight and never a solution or how can I resolve the issue. Its blame the customer and pull c*** out of the air with no justification for said comments.
  *Here is another example of great craftmanship
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Suppose to be caulking under paver. Looks like something else was missed. I will say they did come out and fix but it shows a pattern.
  
  
  This picture is not of dirt but where *** smeared the caulking on the gel coat. Looks great. Thanks *******
  
  
  Heres my solution: Based on the fact that the company no longer does fiberglass pools refund me the money or send Fiber Tech the funds and Ill have the pool done right.
  
  
  Note: Images attached to word document that was uploaded.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  03/30/2023

  Hello ,

  Let's explain this simply, logically and in facts from what we can all see on previous attached photos.  On previous photos you can clearly review color of Fiber Mesh and Resin and Gel Coat which was use to coating your old fibergalss pool - it is all BRIGHT WHITE - there is NO any dark pigment presented in this layers , and dark spots wasn't on freshly finished fibergalss coating at time of completion in March 2018. Five Star Pool didn't install dark spots on your fiberglass pool coating obviously . 5 years later You will need to find out , where dark spots coming from (they are not coming out of bright white fiberglass coating obviously) , what they are, and how to treat your pool to prevent it from happening again. Five Star Pool don't offer pool maintenance services, so once again, I am recommending you to hire professional pool maintenance company for your pool . 

  Thank you and have a good day 

  Roman 

  Customer response

  03/31/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: you never addressed the issue or provided warranty work for fiberglass issue from the  supposedly . 3 coats . Still dont understand the white coating and how I can see the original blue coating from the manufacturer of the pool. So, based on your response you arent going to do anything I take it? 

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩