Cody Pools Blog
Does your pool company offer financing?
November 1, 2012Category:
No pool company that we know of has “in house financing”. If they say they do, they are going to take your information and turn it over to a broker who is going to place the loan with the same banks that we can refer you to. The brokers will, usually, charge you for their services. We prefer to cut out the middle man and send you directly to the lender.
Most pools that are financed are financed via Home Improvement Loans. All three types of loans below will be a 2ndlien and use your house as collateral. If you have enough equity in your home, you could choose a Home Equity Loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit. Conditions apply to all. No one at Cody Pools, including me, has the authority to quote rates and conditions, but the following is a general description of some types of products that are used to finance pools.
Home Improvement Loans: We can refer you to banks that will finance 95% LTV with no money down. The banks also allow an “add back” that adds 50% of the pool project back to the value of your home. That can help with the equity number.
Home Equity Loans: These generally require more equity than the Home Improvement Loans. 20% equity is a general number.
Home Equity Line of Credit: These require the same underwriting criteria as the Home Equity Loan but are set up as a credit line. The interest rate on these loans will be much lower than the other types but are a variable rate. The exact rate is established by the bank.
Refinance: You could benefit from re-financing and include the funds for the pool in the new loan. The bank will help you decide which type of loan is the best option for your particular situation.
What determines the price of a pool? Well… that depends
October 15, 2012Category:
1. Shape and size: The larger the pool the greater the cost is obvious. The price for the vessel is based on the internal volume of the hole. That is derived from the perimeter, the area, and the depth.
2. Elevations: It is easier and therefore less expensive to build a pool on level ground than on the side of a hill. Considerations need to be made for structural integrity and lot drainage. Flatter terrains such as those around Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston generally don’t require the same amount of excavation as in Central Texas.
3.Access: The type of excavation equipment that can come in and operate will be a factor. It is more cost effective to excavate with a backhoe and load directly to a dump truck than to shuttle the spoils to the street with a bobcat.
4. Equipment: The equipment consists of pump(s), filter, and sanitation systems, floor cleaners and heaters. There are many options. Your choice may be to spend a little more up front and gain long term savings by using high efficiency equipment.
5.Utilities: The pump(s) will require electricity. Getting the service to the equipment area will vary from project to project. If a gas or propane heater is in the plan, the fuel line will need to be run to the equipment area. That will also vary.
6. Features: Water falls, spas, fire pots, etc. will also vary from project to project.
7. Materials: There are many options for pool interiors, deck toppings, coping stones, and rock work. Prices vary.
As one of the top pool builders in Texas our expertise from over 18 years of designing and building high-quality and low maintenance pools in Austin, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Killeen and Waco areas can help you realize your dream pool at the right price.
No Down Payment Required
March 20, 2012Category:
No down payment required. You may have heard that some pool companies require a down payment or a deposit. They want some money prior to beginning your swimming pool project. It is often a substantial amount of money- usually $1000’s of dollars. Some companies will require a 10% down payment.
Why shouldn’t you put money down or give a down payment? A “Good Faith” deposit is nothing more than a sales tactic designed to get you to “commit” to a salesman. This is an age old closing technique that should make you uncomfortable and unwilling to do business with that company.
Why is this the case? Allow me to share with you why giving a contractor money PRIOR to construction is tantamount to disaster. You have probably heard stories from someone you know paying a contractor up front or “putting down money”, only to have that person/company disappear. The contractor will give you an excuse for requiring the money- “Need to get a permit” or “Get the parts ordered” or “Get things going”. These are nothing but tricks to try and get money out of you.
Why do they need money? Good question. The fact that they need it should be enough to clue you in that this company has serious cash flow issues. In other words, they do not have enough money to start your job. Why else would they ask you for money up front? Do you want to do business with a company that doesn’t even have enough cash to START your pool?
Would you be willing to pay for your dinner before you get it? Or a new car before you have seen it? That is what they are asking of you. Pay before they have done any work at all. And hope that everything goes well.
Would you prefer to have a company begin building your pool before asking you for money? Cody Pools doesn’t require any money from you to start your pool. Zero dollars. In fact, you won’t pay us a penny until we have COMPLETED your pool excavation. And at that point, you pay us only for a portion of your total amount.
What’s in an Award?
March 6, 2012Category:
What’s in an award? You may have seen some pool companies claiming to have “Award Winning Pools.” Of course the question is what kind of award? Is it some obscure group or a person that simple sells awards? Is it an award or just something that is purchased over the internet? It is a real award at all?
Cody Pools, at the 2012 Region 3 Southwest Pool and Spa show, won 10 (yes 10) APSP design awards. Allow me to share with you what these awards are about and what they mean.
The APSP awards are either National or International awards (region 3 is the National Awards show). They are awarded at nationally held events twice a year. They are the most prestigious in the industry because they are judged by pool builders, either nationwide or worldwide. These pool designs are submitted and are evaluated and judged with NO knowledge of the builder or designer of the pool. Pools are simply identified by a number.
The judging criteria are as follows:
• Workmanship – Quality of Craftsmanship.
• Overall Beauty – Aesthetic appeal of the entire project.
• Creativity – Uniqueness of shape, deck, water features, etc and how they blend together.
• Integration – Blending of the entire project with the landscape and general house style.
Judges focus on the aesthetic features of the installation, including landscaping and/or other amenities that enhance the harmony created. Photographically observable factors such as workmanship, soundness of design, and safety measures required by existing standards, are also considered. As you can see from the criteria above, it not just the style of the pool that wins an award.
Why is this important? Given the challenges in try to select a pool builder, many of our clients enjoy the knowledge that Cody Pools is widely recognized as an APSP award winning builder. Most importantly, these awards come from other pool builders nationwide and are judged against 100’s of other designs submitted from all areas of the country.
What does this mean for you as a potential pool buyer? None of these criteria above you cost anything! You can select a builder that routinely wins awards for its design, creativity and safety. And Cody Pools leads the industry in setting higher standards as well as having the longest warranty in the business. Click here to see our 10 award winning pools.
Look, Feel, Listen and Learn
February 16, 2012Category:
Attending area Home and Garden Shows offer the unique opportunity to use your senses all at once when it comes to researching your next big home improvement venture. You, the homeowner, get to meet with many home and garden products and services providers in one location. You can get information about remodeling, kitchens, baths, swimming pools, spas, building supplies, lawn and garden care, decorating and much more. In it’s simplest form, you can research and discuss home improvement ideas with home improvement professionals in a relaxed environment before you make a home appointment commitment.
Cody Pools is pleased to announce that we will be hosting an exhibition booth in upcoming home and garden expos in San Antonio, Belton/Killen, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston. If you are considering a swimming pool for your backyard, please feel free to stop by and say “Hi”. Our Design Consultants will be more to happy to discuss swimming pool shapes, sizes, features and more.
Here are upcoming Home & Garden shows where we have an exhibit
3rd Annual Collin County Home and Garden Show
Friday, February 17th – Sunday, February 19th
Click here for website
32nd Annual San Antonio Home & Garden Show
Friday, February 24th – Sunday, February 26th
Click here for website
Great Big Texas Home Show
Friday, March 9th – Sunday, March 11th
http://www.greatbigtexashomeshow.com/GBTHGS/EventsHome.aspx
Now is the Perfect Time to Start Planning Your New Pool
January 30, 2012Category:
The calendar may say January 30th and the temperature is far from the 80′s, 90′s and hotter, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider starting your new pool right now. Our average construction time is 30 days from the day we layout the pool in your backyard to the start-up of the equipment. Factor in a couple of weeks before that choosing a design, decking, coping, tile samples and then securing all the necessary permits..well, it means that if you started today, you would be swimming by mid-March. Many 1st time pool buyers wait until March and sacrifice ideal Spring days in March and part of April watching their pool being built. Start in February and you can be swimming, grilling, hosting parties in March.
Welcome to Our Cody Pools Blog!
January 27, 2012Category:
In the coming weeks and months we will be posting blog updates regarding the latest in pool news along with ideas for throwing the perfect backyard party around your pool and more. So check back and check often and join follow our blog for a variety of informative and useful information.
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