Complaint Review: Backyard Leisure - Raleigh North Carolina

Backyard Leisure equals Backyard Nightmare. Run far away from this company if you value your money or sanity. They will say or do anything to get your money, and will FAIL in every way possible to provide you with what you purchased.   Backyard Leisure was paid $26,000 to install an inground pool between April 12 and April 20 at my home. Completion of work should have been done first week in May at latest. It was mid-July before pool was usable, and only after I hired another pool company (at my own expense) to fix/repair/replace the shoddy work and equipment that BYL had performed. During the pool installation, BYL did everything BUT install a working pool, and I have had the worst experience ever dealing with backyard leisure. I would not be able to recommend this business to anyone reading this review.

During in ground pool installation, BYL employee damaged my fence (which I will have to pay a fence company to repair) and commercial grade stairs which were to be placed in pool (i was blamed).  No backwash plumbing was installed. Another pool company installed this plumbing at my expense. The filter installed by BYL was the cheapest and smallest filter, and not the appropriate size for the pool they sold me (too small). Excessive mud left on pool bottom (which was dropped into pool during backfilling by employees Jason and owner's brother). Another pool company has had to vaccuum the excessive mud out of pool manually. Again, this was at my expense.  No concrete was installed. I paid $3000 for it. 6. No waterfall was installed. I paid $2500 for it. When BYL would show up (sporadic at best), a trail of trash, mud and debris would be left from the backyard, through my side yard and into the street in front of my house. I had to clean up their mess. They also left 8 plywood panels laying in the side of my yard for 3 months. I finally paid someone else to remove and dispose of them.

Backyard Leisure's website states they will obtain necessary permits, (for in ground pool) which is what I was told in the store by employee Aaron at time of I signed contract. This was not the case. Backyard Leisure's website also states "getting an inground pool installed by BYL could not be easier. They offer "turnkey installation handling ALL aspects of pool installation." This was not the case for my pool installation.  Due to BYL NOT obtaining proper permit by city in April, this delayed completion of pool (by the other pool company I had to hire). The bottom of the pool is rough and bumpy. Additionally, one end of pool floor is higher than the other. The pool bottom was not properly graded. This would be a significant cost now, and should have been done prior to installation of liner. If you get on the Radiant Metric pool website, there are complete instructions for installation and backfill. BYL did not properly backfill (and install I'm guessing!) at time of installation according the RM recommendations.  There are two gaps in the top metal coping on either side of installed stairs. The water does not circulate properly around the entire free form shaped pool because only one jet was installed. Radiant Metric recommends a minimum of two jets for the size pool I purchased. When I questioned why no backwash lines had been installed, I was told by manager Chris to use a flexible pool hose. Employee Jason also installed initial plumbing lines backward, and those had to be redone correctly. The too small filter was installed on a 12 by 12 garden stone, rather than a poured slab, and filter was leaning significantly shortly after installation. Multiple, multiple calls placed. Many days and weeks of not showing up, even after being told they would be there. My backyard was one big mud pit from mid April until another pool company was able to have pool up and running in mid-July. This business was happy to take $26,000 from me and still has yet to respond to these ongoing issues. 

To avoid litigation, I agreed to a $3500 "refund" and after BBB closed the complaint I filed, they refused to pay until I deleted any reviews I left. When I refused to delete reviews, I finally had to threaten them with legal action to get a check. (which I am supposed to pick up this morning.   I would be wary of any positive Google reviews, as employee Aaron tant left one of the Google reviews.   The store manager has refused to accept any blame for any of BYL mistakes........either I personally am responsible or the weather is at fault. Not them.  I have never once heard from the owner of the BYL. Not ONCE during the entire process. I hope he is happy spending my $26,000.  To compare, I called (((REDACTED))), to come in and evaluate the mess left by Backyard Leisure.  The owner, Scott Hoffman, drove out to my home THAT DAY and agreed to help. He has personally been to my home at least 10 times in the last 6 weeks. I have called and texted him multiple times each week, and he has done the same with me, never failing to keep me involved in the process and up to date on progress. He is never more than a phone call away. His staff is courteous and helpful.   Well worth the additional money I am having to pay to get things completed.    

If you are thinking of getting a pool from Backyard Leisure, read my review again and ask yourself just how much time, sanity and money do you have to lose by doing business with them?  Be aware that they have locations in Raleigh, Concord and Greensboro, but they are still the same crazy bunch of morons.   I have pictures if anyone wants to see them, and AH owner has supporting information on the mess BYL left me.  One last thing, another dissatisfied reviewer on another site used a credit card to pay them, and was able to recover their money for their "experience" with BYL. Going forward, I would recommend using a CC for any  major purchase like this, and at least you have the CC company on your side if you get screwed by morons like BYL.