Business ProfileforGator Pools & Spas, Inc.

We contracted with Gator Pools & Spas, St. Cloud, FL. to construct a pool. At contract signing, we informed the salesman, Troy, about our concerns of water from the pool deck entering our lanai area. Troy assured us the drain channel they install would alleviate the possibility of water intrusion, so we proceeded to sign the contract. During construction, we brought to the company owner's attention the proposed slope of the pool deck would cause flooding of the lanai. Once the pool deck concrete was poured, water from rain cascaded into the lanai area up to our ankles. The owner then installed a wider drain channel, but to no avail. Flooding continued. Root cause, they did not dig deep enough to install the shell. The finished wall height and concrete deck was 2.5 inches higher than the drain channel over a 70 inch span. Water overran the drain every time it rained or when water was splashed from pool. We hired an attorney, engineering firms, & architectural subject matter expert to represent us against Gator Pools. NOTE: READ YOUR CONTRACT. IF THE POOL COMPANY IS AT FAULT, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT OF ATTORNEYS FEES OR COST TO REPAIR. We spent thousands on engineering and the attorney. After several back-and-forth efforts, we received a settlement from their insurance carrier to make us go away. We hired another construction company to make remedial repairs to handle the water issues and lanai flooding. This could have been avoided if the pool was excavated 3 inches deeper in the beginning of construction. Poor measuring on the owner's part during excavation, HE did the actual excavating, caused us a year's worth of trouble and more construction mess to come. PRIOR TO SIGNING A CONTRACT KNOW YOUR LEGAL REMEDIES IN ADVANCE. YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE THEM.