Complaint Review: Karl Keene (Presidential Poools And Spas Of San Antonio) - San Antonio Texas

It has been several years since we contracted Presidential Pools and Spas to build our pool, but it still stings when we think about how we were taken advantage of by Karl Keene.  When we contracted for our pool we were new to the San Antonio area.  We built our "dream" home and wanted a pool for our child to grow up swimming in.  We dreamt of pool parties and fun in the San Antonio sun.  

I like my pool, but we have had to do many things above and beyond to get it were it is today.  We are thankful that we got off easy from this situation.  Several people lost a lot more money, sleep and stress than we did.  However, when I came across the rebuttal comments from the person himself I can't help but get angry again.  

Our pool was, for the most part completed, however, PPS plumbed the pool equipment incorrectly and we had to have it redone.  We were initially given a contract with the completion time of 4 months.  Four months had come and gone by many many months and the pool was not completed.  We tried contracting the owner on many occasions, however, our calls were never returned.  The job needed to be finished and he just wasn't doing it.  I remember him finally coming to me and wanting the last draw for funds.  I said I would give it to him when he completed the pool.  This is when I knew we needed to cut ties when he strong armed us and said, "I will complete the job when you pay the last draw."  So, he had us over a barrel.  He flat out stated he wouldn't complete the finishing work on the pool until we paid him.  However, it had been several months since he had last worked on the pool.  In my mind, he wasn't going to complete the pool, because he hadn't yet. Ultimately, I gave him the last draw and NO he did not come back.  AND he never told us anything.  He didn't communicate anything with us.  We ultimately had another pool person complete the finish work, we had the pool equipment replumbed, the filter he put in was inadequate for the size of pool so we had to get a larger one, the spa jets are inadequate for the size of spa, he suggested a salt water pool and stone around the pool.  This was a nightmare because the rock was eroding so fast.  It took a few years until we realized it was the salt water doing the damage so we had to change from a salt water pool to a chlorine pool.  We feel these are things a reputable pool builder would have known and done.  HOWEVER, we feel we were actually lucky.  There are/were people with holes still in the ground thanks to this car sales man. However, it still stings thinking back to how this grifter took advantage of us. 

Most business owners are so excited and passionate about opening up their company that they simply desire to share great products and services with members of their community. I had been in business most my whole life and never had a better business bad report and had never been sued because I passionately delivered the very best I could all the years of my career. Then in late 2007- Spring of 2008, vehicles such as the Rip-Off report made it easy for competitors and/or client(s) to use multiple names making up multiple tales of how bad they were treated, what an easy rip-off it all is! I know I gave it my best shot to keep my clients happy, sure mistakes are made by all parties, and naturally I would do anything within reason but there are shoppers out there who simply will shoplift not caring what it cost the 7 day a week working business owner. Shoplifting cost business owners about 20% of their profits, but the shoplifters don't care. Not only do they shoplift, but when you catch them, and reason with them to be honest, they choose instead to use the internet to destroy business owners’ reputations. My father informed me to take the high road, ignore the critics--- so I choose to reflect on comments the majority of my clients have posted over the years such as this comment of a grandfather who paid our company for what we agreed to perform and we delivered a winning package for all parties! 

Karl Keene 

What other client(s) have shared:

"Karl,   I truly hope your business continues to flourish.   We are indeed proud of our pool and it gets better and better as we add little touches to the landscape and landscape lighting.  Plus, we are most appreciate for the personal service you and Julie provided.  The personal contact and little things like the tour of a pool construction site before our ground breaking and digital photographs of our own construction made our experience much more enjoyable and less worrisome than it might have been.  Getting the pool built and usable in barely a month for my grand daughter’s arrival was priceless.  Nothing can replace their excitement when we showed them a real, unique, in-ground pool instead of the plastic inflatable one they had used last year at our house in Nebraska.  Being able to teach a 2 and 3-year-old little girls their first swimming strokes was an experience of a lifetime for us.  No other pool builder in the area that we know of could have made the time line and accomplished that.  Your ideas made the final product a much better asset for our home than we had envisioned.  Lights, heater, spa, decking, water features,and patio plus timers, remote control, and quality equipment improve that value and our enjoyment.  We also appreciate your extra effort in locating fence and patio subcontractors that went beyond your obligations as a pool contractor. Lois and I have used our pool almost every day since water was put in,weather permitting.  But, we have noticed that while neighbors don't swim too much in their pools as the weather cools,we can comfortably swim in the heated pool on cool autumn days adding to our year around enjoyment.  Thanks for all you've done. Ken Clark II"

The difference with thankful clients verses the shop lifter is, honest clients' like Mr. Clark paid for the changes they made, such as fencing, changes we were agreeable to add unlike shoplifters making changes plus adding additions to the contract, but then refusing to pay for the extras they took. KK

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He is still living in Luverne Mn, is living in an apartment on Main street.  Here is a link to help you locate him:  http://www.mylife.com/c-1365055560  Or contact the Rock County Sheriffs department.

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Karl Keene is currently living in Luverne Minnesota.  He is on probation for a fraud conviction in Texas and was recently arrested and held in the Noble County Jail for an extended time.  He was recently released after he obtainded a court ordered in home breathalzyer tester.

 He should not be to hard to find, Luverne is a town of only4,853 people!