These are the full details of my experience with Pool Werks and the business's owners, Chris and Kasia.
I contracted with Pool Werks to open our in ground pool and perform weekly maintenance. Communications began on April 3rd, there were many mixups with the contract process (incorrect names, confusion on the costs). Immediately ran into problems with communication on when services were to be performed. They did not perform any service until May 9th. They were supposed to open the pool - but only removed the cover - never even put a single chemical in the pool! I had this verified by a pool company with 37 years of service locally - he did several tests confirming ZERO chlorine, 6 bags low on salt - the pool was never opened properly! It quickly turned into a nightmare from there and I requested services be stopped, my money returned for services not completed, and culminating in this company taking a significant amount money from my card on file without my awareness, permission or consent and refusing to return it. This additional theft of money is on top of them refusing to return my deposit for the opening that they never completed. In all they have taken over $1500, did not complete the services and refuse to return the money. We will be taking them to court.
Further details:
At the beginning, when they did not show up for the opening as they said they would, I contacted Kasia, one of the owners, to ask when they would be out. I had already paid the deposit money for the opening. She insisted I had called her and moved the date of the opening out 1 month, which never happened - clearly her organization skills are lacking and she had me confused with someone else. Communication stopped and she would not respond to my phone calls. Chris, the other owner, would also not respond to my texts or calls. She finally replied on the following day that someone would be out Monday.
They sent out 4 people including Chris to open the pool - opening a pool means getting it uncovered, cleaned, scrubbed and adding the chemicals necessary to begin clearing the water. Pool Werks charged $750 for the opening, and when Chris was out physically to estimate the opening, said it would be an additional $100 because there were a lot of leaves on the cover and it would take longer. $850 total to open the pool, per the owners estimate. That's the amount I signed the contract for.
After getting the cover removed, the workers realized the main pool pump was bad and needed to be replaced. They put the cover away, skimmed leaves from the top of the pool water and left. I paid almost $2000 to Pool Werks to replace the pump (a couple days later) and was told they had finished opening the pool while replacing the pump. After a couple days of no change at all in the pool color, and also smelling no chlorine at all, I called Chris and explained that I don't think they opened the pool correctly. There were a lot of leaves still at the pool bottom, the skimmer baskets had never been emptied, the water was completely algae-filled, the sides of the pool were still very dirty and had not been scrubbed. Chris refuted this, said the work had been done and that I needed to wait 3 days and update him after.
I decided to get another opinion from a professional pool builder with 37 years in Cary and he quickly confirmed there were no chemicals added to the pool. See photos of this below. I immediately told both Chris and Kasia that I wanted a refund of the pool opening costs, minus the additional $100 they charged me for the extra leaves because the workers did remove those. Both owners were not agreeing to refund me - they were both pushing back saying they performed the pool opening, even in the face of the proof I provided telling them they didn't even add shock during an opening. I made several attempts, repeating to them I did not want their services, to refund my money and had to threaten to take them to court and to share this story with you all on reviews and social media before they would agree to refund me. They asked that I agree to not share this story with you, and then they would refund me. Well that refund never came and now they will not return my calls or messages.
After all this - there is even more. Just tonight - 5/19/2022 - almost two weeks after they botched my pool opening, they charged the card they had on file for $1090 - out of the blue, without my consent. It has the cost of the pool opening at $850, PLUS 2 hours of labor at $120 (NEVER AGREED UPON!). Of course they are not answering my calls or texts.
That is theft, plain and simple.
Again, this is the 100% factual series of events backed by the text messages, contract images and emails I have shared below. Pool Werks did not complete the agreed upon work, kept my full deposit money, tried to silence me from sharing what they did with you all, and then CHARGED ME AGAIN, FOR EVEN MORE MONEY, WITHOUT MY CONSENT. These are facts.
I am sure they will get on here and reply, saying "there were so many leaves!", that I was a jerk for cancelling my money and that I was rude at the end with them - that's all fine - but nothing they can say will refute all of this evidence proving the company they really are. I hope you find this review helpful and that is saves you from an unnecessary massive annoyance.
1 review 