Seven things to verify before you sign.
Licensed & insured
Confirm active contractor licensing and liability/workers' comp insurance before any work begins.
Soil studies & engineering
We don't keep engineering in-house — we hire a specialist as needed for soil studies, especially on sloped or limestone lots. Ask any builder how they handle this.
Permits & HOA handled for you
A full-service builder manages city permitting and HOA architectural review — you shouldn't have to.
Itemized, written quotes
Pricing should be broken down by shell, finish, decking, equipment, and any engineering or permit costs.
Written workmanship warranty
Get warranty terms in writing, not just a verbal promise — including what's covered and for how long.
Real reviews & references
Look for a high volume of genuine 5-star reviews, and ask to see or visit a completed local project.
Manufacturer certifications
Certifications like PebbleTec Elite Builder signal a builder trained and accountable to the manufacturer's standards.
Reasons to walk away.
A large deposit demanded before any design or engineering work is done.
No written contract, or pricing that isn't broken down line by line.
Reluctance to provide references or show completed local projects.
No mention of soil studies or engineering on sloped or limestone lots.
Vague or verbal-only warranty terms instead of something in writing.
No help navigating permits or HOA approval — leaving you to figure it out alone.
Eight questions that tell you everything.
You do not need to know how a pool is built to interview a builder well. You need to know which answers should be specific. Vague answers to any of these are the signal.
“How do you handle rock?”
Limestone is everywhere in the Hill Country. You want a written allowance and a stated rate, not an open clause that bills whatever it bills.
“Who engineers the shell for my lot?”
On slopes and expansive clay, the steel and shell should be engineered for your ground. Ask who does it and whether you get the drawings.
“Who pulls the permit and files with my HOA?”
The answer should be the builder. If it is you, that is weeks of your time and the risk sits with you.
“What is not in this price?”
Exclusions are where quotes differ most: fencing, gas runs, electrical panel upgrades, irrigation repair, landscaping, water to fill.
“Who is on site day to day?”
Every builder uses subcontractors. What matters is whether one person supervises them and whether you can reach that person.
“How does the draw schedule work?”
Payments should follow completed stages — excavation, gunite, decking, finish — not the calendar, and never far ahead of the work.
“What does the warranty cover, in writing?”
Shell, finish, and equipment are covered differently, and equipment warranties come from the manufacturer. Get all three spelled out. See how ours is written.
“Can I see a build you finished near me?”
A builder who works in your neighborhood should be able to name it. Photographs of somebody else's pool are not a portfolio.
Three quotes, three different pools.
Most homeowners compare bottom-line numbers on proposals that describe different projects. Line these items up first, and the cheapest quote often turns out to be the most expensive one.
| Line item | What to confirm on every proposal |
|---|---|
| Interior finish | Plaster, quartz, or PebbleTec — and which product line. The gap between them is thousands. |
| Decking | Material and square footage. “Decking included” with no area stated is not a number. |
| Equipment | Brand, model, and whether the pump is variable-speed. Automation and heater listed separately. |
| Excavation and rock | A stated allowance and a rate beyond it, plus who hauls the spoil off. |
| Engineering, permits, HOA | Included or billed later, and who files. |
| Utilities and restoration | Gas line, electrical panel, fence removal and replacement, irrigation and sod repair. |
| Startup and handover | Who fills the pool, who runs the first month of water care, and what training you get. |
If a proposal will not put these in writing, that is the answer to the question you were asking. We wrote a longer piece on exactly this: what vague pool contract language costs Hill Country homeowners. For the numbers themselves, start with the pool cost guide and the build timeline.
Checks you can run in an afternoon.
Insurance, from the carrier
Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly by the agent, listing general liability and workers' compensation with current dates. A photocopy is not verification.
The business entity
Texas does not license pool contractors statewide, so the entity record matters more here. Confirm the legal name on the contract matches an active registered business, and check how long it has existed.
Reviews, read properly
Ignore the star average and read the three-star reviews and the owner's replies. Look for reviews that name a neighborhood, and for a pattern in what went wrong.
A real reference, not a list
Ask to speak with a homeowner whose pool finished more than a year ago. Warranty response after the check clears is the part a fresh reference cannot tell you about.
Every box, checked.
✓ Google Guaranteed & BBB accredited
✓ 5.0-star rated, PebbleTec Elite Builder
✓ Specialist soil studies & engineering, brought in as needed
✓ We manage permits & HOA approval
✓ Written workmanship warranty, itemized quotes
Meet the Founders →
Common questions.
What should I check before hiring a pool builder?+
Verify the builder's license and insurance, ask how they handle engineering and soil studies (we bring in a specialist as needed rather than keeping this in-house), confirm they manage permits and HOA submittals, get an itemized quote, and check for a written workmanship warranty. Look at real reviews and, if possible, ask to see a completed project in person.
What are red flags when choosing a pool builder?+
Watch for a large deposit required before any design work, no written contract or itemized pricing, reluctance to provide references, no mention of engineering on sloped or unusual lots, and no clear warranty terms in writing.
Should I get multiple quotes before choosing a builder?+
Yes, it's reasonable to compare quotes, but make sure you're comparing like-for-like scope — finish level, decking material, engineering, and permits included. The lowest number is not always the lowest total cost once change orders are factored in.
How do I know if a pool builder is trustworthy in New Braunfels?+
Look for Google Guaranteed status, BBB accreditation, a high volume of genuine 5-star reviews, manufacturer certifications like PebbleTec Elite Builder, and local experience with Hill Country soil and permitting. J. Oliver Pools holds all of these.
Talk to a builder
who checks every box.
A first conversation costs nothing, and there's no pressure.