Complaint Review: Nationwide Pools - Pompano Beach Florida

My main objective in writing this letter is that hopefully I will save other people from getting caught in the same trap I am in…

My dream of having a pool in my yard has turned into a nightmare, so please BEWARE of this company. This is my story:

On the first days of October, 2012 Santiago Serna came to my house to give us a quote to build a pool in my house. 

I already had another quote that was less expensive that what Nationwide had to offer, but Santiago convinced me that this company was very professional, that they would deliver the best quality and everything on time and that if I decided to go with them I would have my pool ready in 8 weeks, ready to enjoy on Christmas vacations. With a very professional presentation and with a brochure emphasizing on Highest level of Quality, and Customer Service, and Delivering the Best On Time Product in the Industry, and with the advice of Santiago Serna of going to a large company like Nationwide pools and avoiding the risk of a small company going on bankruptcy I decided to go with them even at a higher cost.

I went to Nationwide pool's offices on October 10, 2012 and after going over the city limitations of 20’ canal maintenance easement I signed a contract for a 14' x 26' pool and I gave a deposit. 

A few weeks later, I received by mail a 10' x 26' pool plan. When I called Santiago to tell him it was not the pool dimensions we had agreed on the contract, it took me weeks until finally I came to an agreement with the owner Keith Stuart, (as we never heard back from Santiago although I left him multiple voice messages).

On December 6, 2012 Keith Stuart came to my house and I signed a contract addendum with a compensation of 3 deck jets and 2 feet of extra pavers around the pool due to size of pool reduced to 10’ x 24’. He personally checked with his project manager that there would be enough space for the machinery to enter the property. I gave him a second check (presite dig) and he offered to start the pool January 8,2013.

On January 8, 2013 no one came, no one called. After several calls to Nationwide’s office they finally came January 11, 2013.

January 16, 2013, I went to Nationwide’s office to make all the material selections for the pool. There we met Felicia and I selected the material with her asking her to show me the ones that were included in the price as I did not wanted to pay any extra money. She strongly suggested to have an upgrade on the size of pavers and although I wanted to think about it, she said I had to make a decision right away so she could place the order and have the material ready in storage. So I paid that day some extra money so that she could order those pavers right away.

When the crew came to dig the hole in my property, they had to tear down the gate I had, and a tree, something that was not mentioned on the contract or by Keith Stuart when he and his project manager came to inspect the property.

On January 25, 2013 I paid another big check for the gunite, and on February 11, 2013 we paid the last big check for Brick and Tile. All payments were done the same day they requested them and they were very efficient to collect them. (The only thing they have done on time is collecting checks).

On March 7, 2013 Felicia (answering my text messages) wrote me that the deck would be completed that week or definitely by early the following week and that we were almost done with the pool. I had my family coming to visit, so I had been calling her and texting her to have the pool ready before their arrival.

March 13, 2013 I sent her another text asking when they will come to work on the deck, she replied that the deck should be delivered soon.

Now 19 weeks have gone by since they started the pool (the estimated time was 8 to 10 weeks), 12 weeks have gone by since Felicia told me that the deck would be ready soon and our pool is not ready nor we have at least an estimate of when it will be.

Felicia claims that the pavers’ company have not deliver them and that the company is not giving her not even an estimate of when they will be delivered.

I tried to contact Keith Stuart several times through his office and I never heard back from him. I had to find his cell phone number over the Internet and when I finally could get a hold of him on April 8, 2013, he promised to call back next day with a solution. I never heard back from him and he never answered my calls again…

April 16, 2013 I sent them a certified letter and e-mails trying to get a written response from them, I still have not heard from them.

We have paid 96.14% of the pool, and all we have is an unfinished pool and a destroyed garden that we have not been able to use since all this started (5 months so far). I couldn’t enjoy my pool on Christmas vacations, nor Spring Brake, and now I am afraid I won’t be even able to enjoy it on summer vacations…

We already had to hire an attorney, as we want to get a refund from them and just finish with another company what they have not been able to do….

Maria

Miami, Florida