ComplaintsforASP America's Swimming Pool Company

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  As part of the contract ASP was to "Drain Pool and Monitor Process" stating the pool would be under supervision while draining for a charge of $350. In discussing the contract before signing I stated we could drain the pool. ASP advised they must drain and monitor the pool because if drained improperly it could damage the pool. ASP placed the pump & hose in the pool and left, approximately 1 hour later the hose came off the pump. We put the hose back on it came off again. I notified ASP {that day} that the hose kept coming off the pump. Approximately 2 days later ASP came out and put a longer hose on the pump and again left. Shortly after leaving the hose came off, we took the pump out and put a clamp on the hose and continued to drain the pool. At 8:30 that evening Lisa from ASP called to ask if the pool was drained and wanted me to "watch the water and turn the pump off when it was finished". I advised Lisa it was part of our contract that ASP was to drain and monitor the pool. We turned the pump off that evening and back on the next morning and took the pump out of the pool when it was finished draining. In our final payment I deducted $300 "drain & monitor" fee (allowing $50 for ASP dropping off the pump) and sent ASP an email advising why. This prompted a heated call from ASP advising (by phone and written letter) they will send us to collections and put a lien on my house for the $300. After much back and forth and a certified letter threating to put a lien on my house I payed the full balance. I am asking for a resolution from BBB for the $350 for work ASP charged but did not perform.

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  I had spoke to Mrs. ****** on different occasions, and there was a problem with the pump. However, I did send out a technician and pulled him off a job in order for him to go there to rectify the pump. We were not aware that the hose popped off the pump until I called and Mrs. ****** and asked her how things were Going I also had a plaster company that was supposed to go out to the pool that day and they left because the pool was not empty charging us at $800 pull off charge which we were responsible for paying. Miss ****** knew that the plaster were coming out that day. If the pool was not empty, she should’ve informed me the night before and I could’ve brought out two additional pumps . It takes about 10 to 12 hours to drain a pool. My crew is not going to sit at her property and watch Water be Pumped out. Also, Miss ****** did not inform me that the pool was not empty when the plaster company came out and she did not tell me that the plaster company left due to water in the pool. This left ASP with a $850 pull off charge which we did not charge her for. I told her that if she did not want to pay the $350 that she owed on her contract that we would put Her in collections and also put a lien on the home. I also informed her that without paying the $350 the balance left on the contract that there was no warranty on the plaster warrantees are only honored with a zero balance. I am sorry that Miss ****** had such a hard time with the pump, and I did send someone out and tried to rectify it, but Miss also failed to tell us that the plaster company was there and left and she also failed to tell us that we are being charged $850 for the pull off The job. Monitoring the water removal is done by periodic phone calls not my staff staying out there 12 hours especially when the pool was being pumped out overnight. I’m sorry she feels the way she does but ASP will not be refunding any money.

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed a contract with ASP of Central Maryland in January of 2023 for a pool renovation to be completed March-May time frame. The communication has not been good the entire time, but since May 6, 2023 when the plaster crew did a terrible job, no one has come out to look at the issues or offer any kind of solution to the chiseled out accent tiles which left scratches and rough areas and the major discoloration of the pool plaster. I have included screen shots of pictures and emails to show our concerns and their lack of concern for our pool project. We do owe a small balance on our bill and have the money to pay it, but they have not responded to any of our requests including our latest email on Sept 6, 2023. We worry if we pay the balance, we will never hear from them again. The pool plaster does have a warranty, but we think the issues are due to poor workmanship, not the plaster failing. We are ready and willing to file a civil suit, a complaint with MHIC, and whatever else we can do to get their attention to: 1. respond to any of our emails/phone calls 2. come to our house in person to look at the current state of the pool 3. fix the terrible plaster job-which probably means re-plastering and installing the accent tiles correctly

  Business response

  09/25/2023

  I have spoke to Mr. and Mrs. ****** on several different occasions they owed a balance which avoided their warranty. They did, however pay within the last week and I did forward their complaints about their plaster to the plaster company warranty department. The warranty department has been in contact with the ******‘s and determined that it was not a warranty issue but a chemical in balance of the ******’s pool water The ******’s have reached out to the plaster company via email themselves and are dealing directly with them. The issue with their plaster has nothing to do with the quality of our work for the workmanship of the plaster company. Any further questions please feel free to reach out.

  Customer response

  09/30/2023

   

  Complaint: 20615151
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  1) ASP-CM cites the fact that their lack of service and response is due to us not paying the remaining balance of $2638.  However, complaints about the status of the plaster and accent tiles were filed via email, phone and text messages starting 5/7/23 and no appointments were made to see the pool or work with us, citing how busy ASP-CM was with other jobs.  ASP-CM then agreed on 6/23/23 to schedule an appointment for us when we paid half the balance at that time (which was $5275) but as of 9/30/23 no one representing their company has seen the pool plaster for themselves or responded to our complaint about the poor workmanship around the installation of the accent tiles, and molting of the pool plaster.  The poor workmanship for the accent tiles is centered around the fact that the accent tiles were installed too late in the plaster process.  Since ASP-CM had no representation there and accent tiles were installed only after I reminded both companies that the plan was to install them after the pool had been fully troweled and smoothed.  As a result, the plaster was scraped away from the tiles leaving rough texture, uneven surfaces and discoloration around many of the tiles.  The molted plaster issue has also been there since the first few days of the install and can not possibly have come from chemical imbalance of the pool, if that even is the cause of the other observed discolorations. 
  
  
  2) Now that we have paid in full on 9/18/23 solely to avoid going to collections, all ASP-CM has done was to connect us to the subcontractor Poolside Plastering under the pretense that our plaster issues were due to material defects. However, within 24 hours of submission of pictures of the pool, Poolside Plastering has now claimed that pool issues are solely from chemical imbalance issues.  There is no definitive proof of this by ASP-CM or Poolside Plastering and neither company has scheduled an appointment to see the pool for themselves.
  
  
  3) ASP-CM never provided written pool care instructions before or during the installation process, claiming that instructions were sent, but that email "bounced".  Written instructions were only provided 7 days after the installation when we called ASP-CM to try to get a response about the accent tiles.  As such, ASP-CM is liable for not having shared detailed information with us about the proper care of the pool, especially when the first 10 days are critical to ensuring the plaster finish is properly cured.  Poolside plastering also did not provide any written instructions and left the site without telling us the job was complete.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******
  
  

  Business response

  10/04/2023

  Asp Responded to the ******* and put them in place with the plaster company. The ******* provided the plaster company with water sample reports at which that time it was relayed to them that the discoloeration was due to scale build up and would need a acid wash to remove the color difference. Seigal having supplied serveal reports led to the conclusion of the color difference Responce from the Plaster company to the **************** ******
  Sat 9/30/2023 3:04 PM
  
  ?
  
  
  My apologies as I forgot to address your concerns regarding the check cracking. This occurs in all cement-based finishes and is more commonly seen in finishes without an abundance of aggregate at the surface, such as a Sheen or Tec Pebble finish. Your builder should have provided literature or explained this to you. Check cracks and mottling are common and nothing to be concerned about even when visible. In your case the check cracks and mottling are being enhanced by the presence of scale. Once the scale issue is corrected most of that will disappear.
  I am attaching the literature from the National Plaster Council that explains mottling and check cracks.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  Matthew 
  Plaster Division
  Warranty Claim/Repairs
  Sat 9/30/2023 2:32 PM
  
  
  Rob.
  The guidelines that everyone follows are based on parameters. These parameters are correct, but it's the responsibility of whomever services the pool to locate the numbers that work best for each individual finish. I am by no means a chemical expert and was just sharing what I've learned, through evaluating thousands of finishes, works well with most Fina finishes. The numbers I gave you fall within suggested parameters. It's a science and if everyone's water was the same coming from the spigot or a water truck it would make things much easier. 
  The darker areas in your finish appear to be areas where for one reason or another calcium scale did not develop. A good example is the darkness around your deep end floor return. This is normally a telltale sign of a calcium issue as the constant flow of water prevents the calcium from forming as quickly. It will eventually form though unless you're running your filter system 24/7.
  With the information you provided me it showed that at most times your readings were not even within the parameters provided. Also, you should be adhering to the parameters as provided by Pebble Technologies and not those of your water testing service. Again, I was only giving you advice with the numbers I've found that seems to work well with the type of finish you have. We at Poolside have no responsibility in the care of a finish or any issues caused by chemical imbalances after application. We only warrant defects in material and workmanship which I am not seeing any evidence of. 
  I could make a service call to show you how easily your pool could be restored, to the way it should look, by performing an acid test but this would be a chargeable visit as I've already seen what I need to see through the photos and chemical readings provided. If you need further reassurance, I could always submit an IRF to Pebble Technologies requesting a visit by one of their QA representatives when they visit our area again sometime in the spring of 2024.

  Matt

  I feel that ASP addressed the concrens after the balance was paid to insure that they had a plaster warrenty, And We let pool side plaster make there judgement call as they hold the contract for the warrenty.

  Customer response

  10/10/2023

  Complaint: 20615151
  We reject their response because ASP has not acknowledged or responded to our complaints on topics #2 or #3 as stated in our previous BBB complaint. These issues have been brought to their attention MULTIPLE times including the day of install on May 6, 2023. Please respond to the following two items.
  
  Topic #2: improperly installed accent tiles. A third party plastering company has confirmed that the way the accent tiles were installed is incorrect and has led to a poor uneven finish around each tile due to the Poolside Plastering team scraping away the troweled finish around each tile to expose the tile.  This has nothing to do with chemical imbalance or other discolorations or roughness that ASP and Poolside claim on the water chemistry.  There are 68 accent tiles in total and all were incorrectly installed. Our issues have been raised repeatedly since May 6th on this topic but neither ASP nor Poolside have addressed this issue. We ask that the plaster be removed around each tile along with the tiles themselves and new plaster and tile be installed properly. Please see attached pictures and email from May 6th pointing out the problem and asking for help.
  
  Topic #3 Both ASP and Poolside plastering have raised the issue that water chemistry is paramount to preventing discoloration and that imbalanced water chemistry has led to the issues we have raised. But both companies are liable for not providing written instruction until 7 days (May 13, 2023) after plastering was completed and the pool was filled with water. The contract we signed explicitly states that all information will be provided before work is completed. Since this is not the case, the issue of water chemistry imbalance is directly the result of us not receiving proper instruction from ASP.  We are asking that they pay for the proposed acid wash treatment from Poolside plastering to reduce surface roughness and discoloration.
  
  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. ↩