Pacific Paradise Pools

We are sorry to see that Mr [redacted] 's pool plaster is experience the issues that it hasWe have done what we believe to be reasonable, to help with this issue, including paying an independent plaster professional, to examine the plasterHe examined the surface and determined that, the issues are not a defect in workmanship but seem to be water chemistry relatedWe provided Mr [redacted] with a bid for remediation,, which the plaster professional seems to believe would make the pool surface much more presentableUnfortunately, Mr [redacted] has declined to pursue the recommendationsThough saline systems can have a negative impact on pool surfaces, this is not always the case but consistent water chemistry can minimize adverse issues tremendouslySaline system manufacturers, have recommendations and parameters, to follow, in their instruction manuals, which should be followed carefullyWe are not afforded the opportunity to monitor water chemistry of clients who service their pools themselves and this is unfortunateWe desire nothing more than to see pools, we replaster, look nice for years but sometimes conditions are beyond our control

We apologize for the confusion regarding Mrs [redacted] 's desire for a free estimateOur understanding was she contracted our services, for an onsite evaluation, in order to as the cost to complete another companies incomplete workWe typically have a fee of $ to dispatch the service truckWe believe she may have seen an ad for our new construction services for a free estimate but contacted our repair department for this evaluationAgain we apologize for the misunderstanding and we have discharged the invoice in question

I whole-heartedly recommend Pacific Paradise PoolsI had originally selecting another firm who bungled my job on day two by hitting a 12,volt electricity line (by failing to call dig alert)Needless to say, I was in a terrible bindI had a huge hole in my backyard, and I needed a new pool contractor that I could trust Rich Tonti personally met with me many times to ensure me that he could take over the job and get it done correctlyHe proposed additional design elements that enhanced the projectI awarded Pacific Paradise Pools the job and was delighted with the quality of the work and how beautiful the project turned outMy only regret is that I had not hired them in the first place! Rich is surrounded by other very knowledgeable and professional staff membersThey also are there to help you understand and work the pool equipment, and are in touch with me regularlyI feel like my pool is in good hands, and I highly recommend Pacific Paradise Pools!

As
mentioned earlier, we are sad to hear when a homeowner is frustrated with their
pool; even more so when we considered them a valuable client. As far as this pool remodel, our customer
appeared to be very educated during the bid process, when they called to obtain
a replaster and new pool
equipment bid. We understand that often a
customer has many conversations with potential contractors in which differing
information is shared at each of the meetings We believe this to be the case in this
instance which resulted in missed expectations on both sidesThough they had purchased epoxy
month earlier to patch loose tiles, we were unaware of a preexisting structural
crack that needed attentionAgain if we had been made aware of the concern, we
would have made the suggestion to repair and addressed it in our bidOur remodel
contracts states that we exclude structural work during a replaster project
unless expressly called out in the scope of work
Though the
owner has been treated with respect and dignity from our initial encounter, we
unfortunately received less information, than other contractorsWe believe we worked within the budget constraints of the
customer’s information and request services There has been no misrepresentation by our staff;
we hired a leak detection company, in which the client had previously agreed
to pay for The owner also agreed to pay
for the newly found crack repairs, understanding that there would have been a cost
to address during the remodel process.
We helped them in the process of finding the leak, a repair company
and we made several trips to their home.
Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain a bid quick enough for their
needs We wish them nothing but the best
and believe this issue to be resolved to the satisfaction of the client and our
firm

We are sorry to hear that Mr *** is unhappy with his replaster
applicationHe was not happy with the original, one year
old plaster by the pool
builder, and it appears he is seeking different results from the same colored
plaster product There are alternative
aggregate products, the owner has been informed of, but has chosen not to purchase
A simple way to explain this color variation is to compare it
to newly purchase denim jeansOnce washed, they will never be the
same; but in this case we have colored plaster dye, underwater 24/7, with
chlorine bleach in the waterThe concrete decks, next to the pool show the
same mottling and variations he is concerned about, which is within the concrete
and plaster industry
We discussed this color variation prior to replastering the
pool and spelled it out in his plaster agreement. We have agreed to follow the recommendations
of a National Plaster Council professional evaluation, if they deem workmanship
is a factor in the color variations. It
is highly unusual to see a crack in pool plaster, that is not related to poor
gunite underneathHowever, plaster separation is covered under warranty and our
firm stands behind repairing this type of issue when it arises

We are terribly sorry that Mr [redacted]s plaster is in such poor condition.  Mr [redacted] does not have a professional service company maintain his pool and our concern is that the plaster is suffering from poor...

water chemistry with extreme highs and lows in the pH and combined alkalinity.
 
As you can see in the plaster report from Applied Materials line 7) states that the water chemistry was extremely corrosive to the plaster and there was not a failure of the product or installation. Mr [redacted] said he had added acid 3 days before our visit not the day of our visit, but in either case, the pH was at a dangerous level to any swimmers. Please reply back and allow us the proper response.
 
Thank you
 
 
[redacted]
Pacific Paradise Pools
3007 S. Harbor Blvd
Santa Ana, CA. 92704

We are sorry to see that Mr [redacted]'s pool plaster is experience the issues that it has. We have done what we believe to be reasonable, to help with this issue, including paying an independent plaster professional, to examine the plaster. He examined the surface and determined that, the issues are not a defect in workmanship but seem to be water chemistry related. We provided Mr. [redacted] with a bid for remediation,, which the plaster professional seems to believe would make the pool surface much more presentable. Unfortunately, Mr [redacted] has declined to pursue the recommendations. Though saline systems can have a negative impact on pool surfaces, this is not always the case but consistent water chemistry can minimize adverse issues tremendously. Saline system manufacturers, have recommendations and parameters, to follow, in their instruction manuals, which should be followed carefully. We are not afforded the opportunity to monitor water chemistry of clients who service their pools themselves and this is unfortunate. We desire nothing more than to see pools, we  replaster, look nice for years but sometimes conditions are beyond our control.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Pacific Paradise Pools gave me very explicit instructions regarding the care of the new plaster in the pool.  I was to run the pool pump for 72 hours following the pool being filled.  I was to brush the plaster 3 times a day, for at least 10 days.  I was not to introduce salt into the pool for 30 days.  At this point the plaster would be smooth and ready for salt.
As can be seen by the response from Paradise Pools, the pH levels have been very difficult to maintain.  The day following the inspection by the plaster expert, the pH was well above the "ideal" level.  (Making the "dangerous" pH level period to be about 24 hours.) 
The expert's report also stated that the reason the pH levels are difficult to maintain is that salt water pools are especially vulnerable to this kind of attack, as it raises the total dissolved salts level.  Finally he stated that introduction of a "5-mole borate" chemical would make this situation much more manageable, without a repitition of the leaching effect.
Given that Pacific Paradise was so explicit in their instructions for post installation care of the plaster, please have them explain:
a)  Why I was never told about this condition occurring in plaster pools (Mr. [redacted] even said to the when he first observed the growths that "Well, white plaster pools can have this problem").
b)  Why I was never told that salt water pools are especially suseptible to this problem.
c)  Why I was never told of the 5-mole borate chemical that would mitigate the problem.
I find it unreasonable to believe that they were unaware of this problem, as they took classes with the very same plaster expert that inspected my pool.  Did they just hope it wouldn't happen, or is this a plan to force me to have a "professional" take care of my pool?
I still maintain that Pacific Paradise has to bear at least some responsibility for this, even if it was inaction on their part that led to the problem.
Regards,
[redacted]

In
response to concerns expressed by our customer, we are sorry to
hear that they are having issues related to their swimming pool....

 As part of the original scope of work, the
customer hired us to do a cosmetic pool remodel and minor plumbing with a
strong desire to keep the costs down. They appeared to be educated in the process
and had other bids, prior to our initial meeting. We acknowledge that there is now
evidence of a structural crack, manifesting itself in the shallow end of
the pool.  We have visited their home on
several occasions to assist them in resolving any issues they may have had.
We were contracted
to replaster , retile, replace equipment, abandon spa booster pump and do minor
plumbing, but not replumb the entire pool or spa.  We were not aware of structural cracks or
asked to do any structural repairs.  Our contract stated that we specifically exclude
structural work unless expressly called out in the scope of work. However, when
we do discover such an issue, we typically would give a bid to make corrections
prior to replastering and there would be additional costs incurred.
We do agree,
that after the new equipment installation, the jet action was not as strong as
if we had replaced spa jets, repiped the spa or installed a new booster pump.
However, consolidating the equipment and eliminating the old booster  pump, was requested by the owner so we obliged.
 After the spa was operational, we made
several trips to determine if we could increase the performance of the old jets
but were limited due to their age, the type of jets and new plaster.  We provided a price to replace the jets, at
that time, but they declined the services.
After
being made aware of a recent water loss issue, we made several trips
to assist in diagnosing the problem and helped them obtain a Leak Detection Company.
At the conclusion of the detection, the customer was made aware of a structural
crack, unrelated to our scope of work. The customer did not pay for the
detection but we did.  We also helped
coordinate, an underwater crack repair company but it was determined the repair
required more extensive work than the repair company was prepared for at that
time.  As is evident now, there is a crack
going down the side wall of the pool and the tile is falling off in that one location. It was agreed
to, with the owner, that they would contract with an independent repair company
directly and that we were not responsible for the structural cracks in the
pool.  
We are sad
to hear when a pool owner runs into such a frustrating situation but we have
made several trips to assist them with their problems at no cost to date.  Unfortunately, sometimes we are limited in fixing
what falls outside of our contracted scope of work.  We believed we had helped the client many
times along the way and have never refused to help with a  resolution.

We are sorry to hear that Mr [redacted] is unhappy with his replaster
application. He was not happy with the original, one year old plaster by the pool
builder, and it appears he is seeking different results from the same colored
plaster product.  There are alternative
aggregate products,...

the owner has been informed of, but has chosen not to purchase.
A simple way to explain this color variation is to compare it
to newly purchase denim jeans. Once washed, they will never be the
same; but in this case we have colored plaster dye, underwater 24/7, with
chlorine bleach in the water. The concrete decks, next to the pool show the
same mottling and variations he is concerned about, which is normal within the concrete
and plaster industry.
We discussed this color variation prior to replastering the
pool and spelled it out in his plaster agreement.  We have agreed to follow the recommendations
of a National Plaster Council professional evaluation, if they deem workmanship
is a factor in the color variations.  It
is highly unusual to see a crack in pool plaster, that is not related to poor
gunite underneath. However, plaster separation is covered under warranty and our
firm stands behind repairing this type of issue when it arises.

I whole-heartedly recommend Pacific Paradise Pools. I had originally selecting another firm who bungled my job on day two by hitting a 12,000 volt electricity line (by failing to call dig alert). Needless to say, I was in a terrible bind. I had a huge hole in my backyard, and I needed a new pool contractor that I could trust. Rich Tonti personally met with me many times to ensure me that he could take over the job and get it done correctly. He proposed additional design elements that enhanced the project. I awarded Pacific Paradise Pools the job and was delighted with the quality of the work and how beautiful the project turned out. My only regret is that I had not hired them in the first place!
Rich is surrounded by other very knowledgeable and professional staff members. They also are there to help you understand and work the pool equipment, and are in touch with me regularly. I feel like my pool is in good hands, and I highly recommend Pacific Paradise Pools!

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
While we appreciate the response from Pacific Paradise
Pools, the response is not accurate and supports our claim that Pacific
Paradise Pools was negligent in the remodel of our pool. There is an obvious
disconnect between the project and the actual involvement of the person
responding to this complaint.
The letter lists the scope of work and fails to mention the
work on the pavers or misstates the extent of plumbing work that was performed.
While we are not seeking restitution or resolution of the spa jet issue, we do
believe that we were left with spa jets that are worse than prior to the
remodel. The letter states minor plumbing was performed. The entire pool was
replumbed. The drain was removed, a skimmer was removed, a dedicated vacuum
line was installed all pipes were replaced. It was intended to be and was a
complete plumb remodel. We have accepted the sub-par spa jets and this item is
not raised in the complaint but does indicate a breakdown in project
management.
The real issue is the crack that was not repaired at the
time of the remodel. The letter states they were not aware of the crack and
that if there had been they would have addressed it. While the author of this
response may not have been aware, the project manager and other employees certainly were.
In fact, prior to the decision to remodel a Pacific Paradise employee visited
our home on two occasions and assisted us in attempting to fill the crack with
epoxy. The project manager said they would address the crack after the
demolition work was complete and the crack was exposed. While it may not be
written in the contract we were verbally told by the estimator and project
manager that the crack repair could cost an additional $1800. After the plaster
was removed, the project manager told us that he had good news the crack did
not need any repair work.  The project
manager is aware of this pre-existing issue and the author of this letter is
either unaware or unwilling to accept what his project manager has reported.  We have documentation from other proposers
both in writing and in photos of the pre-existing crack. If Pacific Paradise
Pools would like to continue to be of the position that the crack was not
present at the time of remodel, than we will be happy to prove them to be
dishonest and therefore negligent by their own omission.
As a side note, we were concerned about the quality of the
work performed and the lack of the project managers knowledge throughout the
construction. We witnessed several issues with the work that we had to have them redo or correct after completion. We even made a personal visit to the owner Rich Tonti to express
our concern. That visit was made after repeated attempts to reach him by phone.
We are proactive people and tried to remedy our concerns while the construction
was still active. Rich recognized the Project Managers inexperience, telling us
that “he really thought he had more knowledge after all these years in the
business.” Despite that converstation, Rich never visited the site nor did he
send another PM. In fact, the PM was rarely on site while the sub contractors
were working.
While Pacific Paradise Pools has made several visits to the
home after the remodel, they have on numerous occasions failed to respond and
instructed staff to be untruthful with us. The proposed a fix that the
recommended contractor did not approve of and refused to perform. He left the
job site when Pacific Paradise Pools arrived stating he did not want to be
involved with “their mess.” Every contractor that has looked at the pool has
agreed Pacific Paradise Pools was negligent. To date Pacific Paradise Pools has failed to return calls that were promised almost one month ago. We were forced to correct the issue with another contractor even making a call to Pacific Paradise Pools to let them know we had the crack exposed and offered them the courtesy of looking at the work they and their subs had done which resulted in the crack remaining. No return call was received.
 
The end result is a $6,000 expense incurred by us and a
patch job on a new pebble tech surface. We are not only disappointed with the
work performed, but we are very discourage with the dishonesty of
Pacific Paradise Pools. This item will remain open until Pacific Paradise Pools
recognizes their negligence and reaches a fair and just remedy.
 
Regards,
[redacted] and [redacted]

We apologize for the confusion regarding Mrs. [redacted]'s desire for a free estimate. Our understanding was she contracted our services, for an onsite evaluation, in order to as the cost to complete another companies incomplete work. We typically have a fee of $ 95 to dispatch the...

service truck. We believe she may have seen an ad for our new construction services for a free estimate but contacted our repair department for this evaluation. Again we apologize for the misunderstanding and we have discharged the invoice in question.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
While it is true that Pacific Paradise Pools performed all of the activity, and that the problem is one of water chemistry and not one of workmanship, I reject the premise that they bear no responsibility for the condition of the plaster after the initial installation.  Pacific Paradise was very specific about the way the new plaster needed to be treated for 30 days after installation.  But for the continued well being of the plaster after that period, there was complete silence.  When the problem first appeared, and Pacific Paradise became involved in the dispute, [redacted], upon seeing the problem for the first time stated "Well, white plaster pools can have this problem".  Well, if that is the case, why didn't Pacific Paradise warn me of that problem?  And when the plaster expert showed up, he stated that salt water pools are especially suseptible because of their contribution to the total dissolved salts in the pool water.  More than once, the plaster expert used the phrase "You remember from our classes . . ." to Mr. [redacted].  It is reasonable to infer that Mr. [redacted] was aware of the contribution that salt water systems made.  Yet I was never made aware of this problem.
Mr. [redacted] stated in an earlier letter that one of the contributing factors in the problem, was that I didn't have a "professional" taking care of my pool.  Well, Pacific Paradise was taking care of my sister's pool, and the same problem appeared.  More than once, the "professional" told my sister that they didn't particularly like salt water systems, and used conventional chemicals to keep her pool in balance.  So much for that argument.
The plaster expert recommended adding a chemical he called "5 Mole Borate" to the pool to prevent future outbreaks of the problem, after the remedial work was done on the plaster.  Yet when Pacific Paradise made their recommendation for remedial action, they admitted they had no experience with the borate chemical, and left it to me to make that decision.  So while Pacific Paradise points to the plaster expert to bolster their case, they reject his recommendations for chemical use.  One can easily infer that Pacific Paradise is cherry-picking the parts of the final plaster report to make their case.
Finally, Pacific Paradise made a bid for remedial work that is 25% of the cost of the entire plaster replacement contract they executed on my pool.  The remedial work consists of emptying the water, performing an acid wash, scraping off the offending growths on the plaster, re-filling the water and balancing the chemistry. 
I don't think so.
Regards,
[redacted]