Swimming Pool Contractors Vs. Landscapers Who Install Pools

Who wouldn’t love to have an inground swimming pool in their backyard, right? Definitely not us! And we’re willing to bet if you’re reading this, it wouldn’t be you either! A pool is a great facilitator of fun, enjoyment, and relaxation that not many people would pass up if given the chance. However, it’s a huge investment.

You will spend tens of thousands of dollars on a pool project, and that’s not to mention the thousands of dollars you’ll need to factor in to maintain the pool. So, you probably want a contractor who knows all of the ins and outs of building and installing an inground pool, right? Well, there’s something you should know when searching for a contractor to hire to install your inground pool and complete all other aspects of the project.

Swimming pool contractors are the most popular and can be some of the most reliable people when it comes to building inground pools, but there’s a second option for a pool installer that has popped up in recent years. That second option is a landscaper who will offer the installation of inground pools. The reason for landscapers beginning to offer the installation of inground pools is the need for landscaping materials such as concrete, brick, pavers, stone, and more. However, you should be very careful about choosing a landscaper to install your pool for a few reasons.

And those reasons are exactly what we’re going to discuss in this article.

We want you to be aware of what each type of pool builder does and more importantly, why they do it because this is a huge investment and it deserves to be treated with the utmost respect and care.

What Does a Swimming Pool Contractor Bring to the Table?

Swimming pool contractors are just what the name says–they are individuals contracted to build and install swimming pools whether they be inground or above ground.

They likely know all of the details about swimming pools from the design process throughout the construction process and even after the pool is completed. Those who do their job correctly have studied pools of all types and use the highest quality products! As well as that they know plumbing, electrical work, pool maintenance, water chemistry, automation and much more. Swimming pool contractors should be able to tell you everything you need to know about pools off the top of their head. After all, they’re considered experts.

On top of their expertise with swimming pools, they also pay great attention to the design of a pool project. The pool and surrounding features go hand-in-hand to create an all-encompassing project. A pool contractor will work with you throughout designing your pool project to accommodate the land it will be built on and will collaborate with you and a landscaper to see that design come to life as the pool is being built.

So, when searching for someone to build and install your swimming pool, you should be on the lookout for those who label themselves as a “swimming pool contractor.” However, as we noted, there is a popular alternative that has arisen in recent years who also make themselves available to install swimming pools–one that you should be particularly mindful of.

What Does a Landscaper Who Installs Pools Bring to the Table?

Landscapers who install pools can be appealing because of the convenience factor. If you hire a landscaper who also installs swimming pools, you can kill 2 birds with one stone. The landscaper can install the pool and the patio, which are two of the main aspects of the entire project. So, we definitely see where this type of contractor can be beneficial. However, it can be a slippery slope.

You see, landscapers are experts in their field just like swimming pool contractors are in theirs. Usually, a landscaper is brought in near the latter portion of the swimming pool construction process to install the patio material and any accessory landscaping pieces. Since there are a variety of materials you can use for the patio that will surround your pool, landscapers can provide you with samples of what they look like and help you decide which material meets your wants and needs. Sounds like more of an emphasis on design, right? Well, that’s because it is.

The service that landscapers provide revolves around just that–design. They provide materials and place them in a way that is meant to be appealing to the human eye. So when combined with building a pool, they tend to focus more on making the entire project look as good as possible than building the pool correctly down to the smallest of details. And truthfully, this isn’t really intentional–it just comes along with the fact that a landscaper has specialized in that line of work for years. It’s ingrained in them to focus on design and when they enter the pool industry, they bring their attention to design with, which can be difficult to place behind the attention to detail needed for the pool structure itself.

When comparing a landscaper to a swimming pool contractor, you should take this into account. By no means does it mean that they can’t adequately install a pool, but you should definitely take the time to research them by practicing the proper research tactics we’re about to discuss.

How to Properly Research a Landscaper Who Installs Swimming Pools?

If you do, in fact, choose to go down the path of considering a landscaper who installs swimming pools to build your pool project, these are some of the things you may want to do:

• Request samples of work
• Request references
• Compare your research to the information the landscaper provides
• Get a quote/have meeting with swimming pool contractor(s) and compare it to that from landscaper

Since swimming pool contractors are the measuring stick when it comes to the installation of swimming pools, it’s a good idea to meet with one (or a few) just to pick their brain about swimming pools. You’ll be able to compare the information they provide with that from a landscaper to hopefully move closer towards deciding who you should hire.

You should also do your own research about swimming pools regardless of who you’re considering hiring, but even more so if you’re leaning toward a landscape. You can never have too much knowledge, and with an investment this big, it will definitely put your prospective hires to the test!

If you take these steps, you’re sure to prepare yourself to not only know enough about swimming pools to get started on your purchasing journey, but test contractors to see who they are and what they stand for as well!

Should You be Hesitant About Hiring a Landscaper to Install a Swimming Pool?

When you think about designing and building a pool, do you think of a landscaper accomplishing those tasks? Probably not. You probably think about a swimming pool contractor because, well, they’re the experts just as landscapers are the experts on landscaping. They each specialize in something and likely do great work in that field. However, as we’ve noted, landscapers have begun entering the swimming pool industry, which may not exactly be something they’re experts in.

With all due respect to landscapers who install pools, many have turned to installing swimming pools because they see it as a great way to increase their revenue. The convenience for clients to have both the pool and patio completed by the same contractor is appealing and therefore, an attractive business decision. And in the end, a business is a business. Everyone is always looking for ways to expand and create more revenue. That’s just the way the world works. But our point here is that landscapers aren’t usually in the swimming pool reasons for the same reasons swimming pool contractors are.

Like we said, swimming pool contractors are experts on swimming pools and if they’re in it for the right reasons, want to provide their clients with the best swimming pool possible. Of course, landscapers can be in it for the right reasons as well, but the fact is that they are more likely to get into the industry to increase their revenue than to apply their expertise to help clients get the best product possible.

We don’t mean to say that you should never trust a landscaper to build a swimming pool because some may take both aspects of a pool project seriously to the point where they handle every step with the utmost care. And that’s great if they do! We just want you to take the proper research tactics to understand what you’re getting into and who you’re getting into it with. After all, a swimming pool is a huge investment that you should be comfortable with and excited about! Please be sure to make the right decision as pool issues and repairs are way more costly to correct than landscape issues.

To get started on learning about all things swimming pools, take a look at some of the articles below!