We live on the Chesapeake Bay, and if it weren’t for Splash Pools, we probably wouldn’t have a pool today. Prior to finding Splash, we had several pool companies visit our home for estimates, and nearly all of them told us the same thing: “You won’t be able to get a permit being this close to the water.”
Splash, however, was the most accommodating. They said, “Let’s try to get the permit, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll refund your initial deposit, minus the permit fee.” Sure enough, six months later, we had our permit. The process required us to jump through several hoops with the County, but Splash kept us updated every step of the way.
I’d also like to highlight one of the owners, Sean Locklear. Sean handled the administrative side of things—contracts, ordering materials, change orders—and I was very impressed with his responsiveness. He answered emails promptly, often after hours or even on weekends. Like any construction project, there were changes and minor issues that came up along the way. For example, we needed to add a small retaining wall around part of our pool. Sean gave us a very fair price for the addition, and in the end, the wall extended further than what we had originally paid for.
We also had a minor issue when one of their landscaping employees accidentally hit our underground dog fence with a skid steer—despite being made aware of its placement. Sean immediately took responsibility and covered the cost of the repair without hesitation.
The pool itself was installed impressively fast. It was in the ground and filled with water the same day in early March. From there, the remaining work—including the concrete collar, bonding, coping, pavers, electrical work, black aluminum fencing, an additional paver patio under our deck, county inspections, and “pool school”—was completed in about two and a half months.
Now that we’ve spent the entire summer enjoying the pool, we couldn’t be happier. Everything has been running smoothly since the handover after pool school. Maintenance has been simple with the combination of a surface robot and an underwater robot that keeps the walls and floor spotless. I handle the water testing myself using a Taylor K2006 test kit and have had no issues keeping the water balanced or algae-free.
Overall, we are extremely pleased with our experience. We’re especially grateful to Splash Pools for taking the time to see if a permit was possible rather than moving on to an “easier” project. Their dedication and follow-through truly made the difference for us.