ComplaintsforBikini Pools of Florida

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I just had my pool replastered with bikini pools and I paid in full 13k out of my savings and hard earned money.They broke a pipe and the pool wont hold water. They originally said they would pay for it and now they are saying they wont (stated in text message that he would-the owner). Bad business practices, also changed estimates on me, and has taken advantage of a single mom. Each time they came out to do something they left a huge mess. Even left razor blades on the deck which I confronted the pool company about and he denied, gaslighting me saying they dont use razor blades and they have nothing to do with that. They also outsourced a start up company, being a single mother living alone with kids and dogs I asked to be notified when they were coming on my property, and they have completely disregarded my requests and show up early when we are all sleeping or when ever they please at the risk of being bitten by my dog (which I have made them aware) and overall making me feel unsafe. Start up guy isnt brushing the pool also or doing what he told me he would do either, as I have a camera on the pool at all hours. I also have camera footage to prove that the pool held water prior to this renovation and can prove and provide 24hr footage proving this.

  

  Business response

  07/03/2023

  I was first contacted by ****************************** via Bikini Pools webform quote request on April 30th, 2023.  *********************** and I spoke on the phone about the work she was looking to get done and I informed her I could come see the pool or, because she was a working single mom, I could use ****** Earth to get an idea of the pool size and provided an estimate for the work; she chose the latter and I provided her an estimate via email on May 3rd.
  
  On May 16th I visited ******************* residence to see the pool, choose surface and tile options, discuss the process, and sign the contract.  During this visit I looked at pool and noticed the surface was a non-plaster fiberglass finish and informed her that it would have to be removed.  While unhappy with this added expense, I assured *********************** that I would supply this service to her at-cost.  During the same visit, I noticed the skimmer looked original with significant signs of advanced aging including discoloration as well as the fact that she had several capped fittings in her pool.  I asked *********************** if she had any leaks and if she wanted to replace the skimmer at the same time.  She informed me she did not want to replace the skimmer and that she was aware that she had at least one leaked and that is why shed capped the fittings, and that she did not want to address these issues because it was not in her budget, and she had other projects besides her pool that she needed to complete.  We agreed these issues would be addressed another time and discussed that Bikini Pools would not be doing anything plumbing-related.  We signed the contract that day to:
        Install new waterline tile which she had select
        Remove the fiberglass surface at-cost, with an initial estimated cost of $3,500
        Resurface her pool with Marquis ****** quartz aggregate in ***** Blue made by PMM which included an at-cost Start-up service for proper surface curing through AquaServ, a 4.9-star ****** rated pool maintenance company
  
  I sub-contracted with Pro Hydro Blasters, a five star-rated local surface removal company that Bikini Pools has relied on for years, to remove the fiberglass from the ******************* pool to ensure the new surface properly adhered to the shell and they completed their work on May 22nd.  The total cost for the surface removal came to $2,700; $800 lower than my estimated amount, and I informed *********************** on May 23rd that I would (and did) remove from her final bill, as promised.
  
  On May 23rd Bikini Pools grinded & prepped the existing waterline tile and planned on installing the tile the following day, May 24th, however, we were unable to go to ******************* house on May 24th due to a scheduling issue.  ***********************, was unhappy about this and so to try to make it up to her, I offered to include abalone shell additive to her pool surface, which sparkles in the sun, at no cost; this was roughly $800 worth of material.  The new waterline tile was installed the next day, May 25th, 2023.  During the time Bikini Pools was completing the tile work, *********************** had a roofing company working on her roof.  The tile *********************** chose was a 2x3 mesh-back glass mosaic.  We installed the tile and it looked magnificent.  Mesh-back tile can be easily ripped by hand though a small razor is often used to split the 12 sheets in half to install as waterline tile. 
  
  On May 31st ******************* pool was resurfaced with PMM Marquis ****** ***** Blue quartz with hand-cast abalone shell.  Prior to this, Id informed *********************** that while the pool is filling up the water is likely going to be on the green-ish side until chemicals are able to be added.   
  
  On June 1st, while the pool was still filling, I received a concerned text from *********************** that she felt her pool was green and that the incorrect surface had been put in.  She also said the abalone shell was not added.  I assured her the correct surface and the abalone shell were in her pool.
  
  The next day, Friday, June 2nd, I received another text, this time aggressively written, accusing Bikini Pools of leaving razor blades all over the deck that [she] cleaned up.  This made no sense to me, as there would barely be a use for a single razor blade let alone multiple blades to separate the mesh-backed tile.  When I responded back attempting to explain that the blades were certainly not from Bikini Pools and more likely from the roofing company shed employed, my message was curtly dismissed.  In subsequent messages that followed, she again accused me of putting the wrong surface in her pool.  I assured her again it would be blue once the pool was full and chemical treatments could begin.  The following day I received a message from *********************** acknowledging that her pool was in fact now, as blue as shed hoped.
  
  During resurfacing, all fittings including return jets (returns), vacuum, and drain grate are replaced.  Because of this, the capped fittings *********************** had in her pool prior to Bikini Pools work to prevent the existing leak, were removed and replaced with new fittings.  This exposed the pre-existing leak she and I discussed and so to combat this, I purchased several new caps at no cost to her, returned to her pool and with her present, began capping the return fittings again.  When all the returns were capped but the leak was still present, we capped her vacuum line and the leak stopped. 
  
  At this time *********************** became quite angry, claiming her vacuum line didnt leak, that it must have been caused by work done by Bikini Pools, speculated that it was caused by the surface removal process, and insisted I fix this for her immediately. 
  
  Knowing that there was a pre-existing leak, I offered to pay for a full comprehensive leak detection service through AquaServ.  I explained to *********************** that as Bikini Pools did not do any work on anything plumbing-related, as wed agree on prior to signing the contract, that if the leak was present where the line enters the pool, which could be the result of a poorly glued fitting, which can happen from time to time, that I would indeed get it fixed immediately but if the leak was not located towards the front of the line, then this could not have been done by the work we did.  She agreed and the leak detection was completed on June 7th.
  
  The results of the leak detection showed the leak was an estimated 18 down the vacuum line which is not only not close to the pool entry but is beyond the gunnite pool shell.  It seemed very clear to me that this was the pre-existing leak and could not have been caused by any work done by Bikini Pools or its subcontractors.
  
  Before informing *********************** of these results, I consulted with Bikini Pools found ****************************  I provided ****************, a 19-year pool industry veteran, all the details including the leak detection results.  He too concluded that this leak could not have been caused by Bikini Pools. 
  
  I next consulted ***************, owner of Pro Hydro Blast, again providing the details.  ************ was even more confident that this was not caused by the surface removal and even pointed to pictures taken by *********************** that show the surface removal process in place and the fittings being sealed.  I similarly consulted ***************** for his opinion, as well as *********************** of ************************, both extremely seasoned pool professionals with tens of years of experience and they too concurred that the likelihood that a leak under the ground outside the pool shell, 18 down a vacuum line, under a concrete deck, was impossible.
  
  At this time, I contacted *********************** to discuss the results of the leak detection as well as explain why it was completely implausible for that leak to have been caused by work contracted through Bikini Pools.  Before even having the chance to complete the explanation of the results, *********************** became irate and began yelling and cursing at me before telling me shed be taking legal action and hanging up.   
  
  She immediately followed up with a barrage of text messages including messages telling me shed fired AquaServ startup service for some reason and when I replied that I knew she was upset about the situation but that it couldnt have been caused by Bikini Pools she replied, You should have insurance for a reason.  From this message, I believe this was her underlying plan all along to cast blame on the company that resurfaced her pool hoping they would just pay to have her pre-existing leak fixed to avoid the hassle and wrath she would unleash if they didnt.
  
  Eventually, *********************** messaged me requesting I cease messaging her, which I did, yet she continued to send me messages one after another, including one message which claimed that an agent of ******** had told her mother, who lives next door to **********************, that Bikini Pools had caused the leak.  I immediately followed-up with AquaServ to verify this statement and *****************, owner of AquaServ, informed me that ******************* claim was a complete fabrication and that AquaServ stood by their opinion that the leak could not have been caused by Bikini Pools.
  
  In the subsequent days following my attempted explanation, *********************** posted on the ******* ******************* that I had caused the leak and was refusing to pay; posts that were subsequently removed from the group.  *********************** also posted a long list of similar complaints as a review on Bikini Pools business ****** account, one of which was that Id stopped messaging her, like shed requested, though she left that out of review.
  
  Like ******************* erroneous claims of razor blades being strewn about her deck, incorrect surface material applied and her pool not being blue, and lack of abalone shell included in her work, her claims of Bikini Pools causing this leak are completely false and misdirected. 
  
  I fully empathized with ******************* financial situation as a single parent, coming from a similar household myself growing up, and worked diligently to provide the work wed contracted for at extremely fair and sometimes below market cost while providing it in workmanlike manner.  I was willing to work with her to get the leak addressed at an at-cost price as well, though *********************** unfortunately refused this path and instead began lobbing her false claims against Bikini Pools through various channels, including the Better Business Bureau.
  
  Just as I concluded in my response to her erroneous one-star ****** review, I wish *********************** only the best and hope someday reason and logic will prevail and shell understand how it is impossible for Bikini Pools to have caused the leak as she claims.
  
  Thank you,
  
  ***************
  Bikini Pools of Florida
  

  Customer response

  07/19/2023

   
  Complaint: 20158428
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have video evidence to prove the damage was caused by bikini pools, and his responses are gaslighting, and refusing to address the issue at hand. He admitted fault, was proven fault, and evidence is provided. I am available to provide video evidence of no leak prior to the work provided by bikini pools. I have video footage of razor blades left on the deck by his team as well (2 blades) in which he has made a big deal about but yet I ********** him know one of my pets or children could have been hurt. This matter will be escalated to small claims court when repair is finished with another company if Bikini pools refuses to fix. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

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