Bello Domani Outdoor Designs and Pools

Bello Domani ("Bello") built our pool in May of 2017 and by August 2017 the pool was cracked and leaking. Bello was notified of this and acknowledged this issue in August of 2017 (attached - 20170821_Gmail). Another email thread from September 2017 through October 2017 discusses cracks in the coping, pavers, and pool. The pavers were repaired. Bello said they would "Monitor for any cracks for a few months and see what it looks like then" (attached - 20170928). Email thread from November 2017 through December of 2017 states that Bello will "shut the pool down for a few weeks and make some cosmetic repairs which will take about two weeks for all. I'm [Bello - Chris Campbell] thinking during January [2018] if that works for you." 'All' is described in a previous email as "cracks...and adjust the tile line and coping and then re-pebble the entire pool" (attached - 20171213_Gmail). Email thread from April 2018 to October 2018 (passed January 2018 as promised) in which the Gentry's are discussing the issues with the app for the pool and repeatedly requesting information on "how long we are planning to watch the pool's sinkage" and "what is the plan of attack after you feel the pool is finished leveling out?" Bello's replies were ambiguous and there was no follow through (attached - 201804-10_Gmail). Email thread from January 2019 to February 2019 in which the Gentry's are asking the status of the repairs. Bello states they will check if the "soil conditions has settled...and then get a plan together from there. I [Bello - Chris Campbell] will update with a schedule." "I have her gentleman that did the gunite coming out...He [Bello - Brad] should be out end of next week to look at all" (attached - 201901-02_Gmail). So from August 2017 acknowledgement to February 2019, still nothing has been done to address the cracks in the pool.

I initially contacted Bello Domani because they were listed as certified Belguard paver installers. Chris Campbell came out promptly and was very upfront about the cost of different elements that I wanted and was very low key. There was a bit of a delay between his coming to the property and actually providing the estimate, but I think this was due to some personnel changes in the office. I got 4 quotes in all for the project. Bello Domani and two other vendors were all in the same general ballpark price wise. The 4th vendor was more than double the other three vendors and was quickly eliminated from consideration. I ultimately chose Bello Domani since they were willing to do the entire project. Once construction started things went fairly quickly. The crew arrived about the same time every day and put in a long hard day of work. Billy, the work crew supervisor, was very easy to deal with and the crew seemed to know exactly what was expected of them each day. The only glitch involved the fact that I had an existing sprinkler system in the back yard. I was charged $500 for "reconfiguring" the system and naively took this to mean that everything would function properly when the job was finished. The crew did move one sprinkler head about 10 feet as it was located in the area the patio was installed, plus tried installing a couple of different type sprinkler heads. However, the end result was that the two back corners of my new landscaping received zero water. I finally called my irrigation company, who, for a significant additional cost, added additional sprinkler heads and an additional zone. In hindsight I should have brought the irrigation company on board at the beginning of the project, rather than paying Bello Domani $500 to "reconfigure". The total cost for the irrigation work might have still been about the same amount, but it would have been far less frustrating if it had been coordinated with the hardscape. However, the end result is great. Everyone that has seen the patio has been very impressed with the quality of the workmanship. The fire pit and bench are definite standouts. There were definite glitches because of the sprinkler system, but I am quite pleased with the hardscape work and overall quality of the work. Note: The price for the patio, bench, fire pit, and sod was approximately $16,000. I also had the company do a new flower bed, with stone wall and landscape lighting that was an additional cost. Even though I requested this work from the beginning, it was written up as a separate contract. This made things somewhat confusing as the sod was part of the hardscape contract, but was not actually installed until after the flower bed and stone wall were completed. I think that this was in part because company was in process of hiring a new landscape designer when I first contacted them.

This should have been a simple job.  Nightmare!  Nightmare! Nightmare!  Salesman first came to see us in April.  Signed contract May 1.  Told they could probably start work on May 19th.  Waited all day, and no one showed. They denied telling me that. They did not plaster pool until towards the end July!   Then, pool plasterers left plaster splotches on flagstone coping which should have been sealed prior to plastering .  Bello Domani tried to insist this was not their fault--but these spotches were not there the day before they plastered and were there when the plasterers finished. The workers left in a hurry as it had started raining and left a mess.   Also, they threw chunks of wet plaster into my flowerbeds.  This plaster got in my Maltese dog's tail which had to be shaved by his groomer (dog will not go near the pool).  The first person who tried to remove the splashed plaster said he thought he only made it worse by spreading it around.  After trying twice to remove the splotches, a third person (Brad) came out to the house to look at it.  He insisted that the coping had been previously sealed, which it had not. We didn't even know you could seal rocks and coping which is why their salesman sold us on it.  This Brad person ended up actually YELLING at us which is when we told him to get off our property. I was livid that a contractor whom we were paying for work at our home had the audacity to actually call us liars and yell at my husband and I.  I immediately call the company, but they did not return my call, of course.  The next day they apologized and said they would not send Brad back to our home.  Bello Domani then blamed this on salt leaching up from within the rocks, the people who stained and sealed our patio must have gotten that on the coping, it was there before they ever started work, etc., etc., everything but themselves.  Finally they had someone else came out and sanded it off the flagstone.  It is now the middle of August!  Another subcontractor comes in the afternoon, cleans the coping once again and seals it.  I asked the contractor why the coping was so dark, and he explained it was only because it was wet but you wouldn't be able to see it when it dried which made sense so I gave them the final 40% check.  The next day I go outside to inspect the work, and the coping is covered in a white film. Because of the previous trouble we had had with Bello Domani,  I immediately stopped payment on the check I had given him until they came out and fixed this and notified him that I had done so.  Chris Campbell was furious that I had stopped payment and started with all the threats.  I asked that he come out and look at it, and he refused--said he would send Brad.  We told him anyone but Brad since this person had verbally assaulted us last time.  He said he was sending Brad anyway, that we couldn't tell him who to send.  We had to tell him that if Brad set foot on our property we would have him arrested for trespassing.  I hired a company to come out and tell me what was wrong with the coping and give me an estimate to fix it.  They said the sealant had been improperly applied and it was going to cost almost three times what we were charged to apply it to have it removed, that we would have to drain the pool and have it bead-blasted off.  Bello Domani finally sent a stone restoration company out to look at it and give a report at the end of September.  I didn't get their report until November--he had computer problems and said he had to do the report from memory!  Finally got the report and we were supposed to have a meeting with the three of us, but he said Bello Domani would never get back to him with a schedule.  Bello Domani also indicated in writing that this wonderful sealer has to be applied by authorized applicators, which they were, and had a 15-year warranty.  Because of all the problems, I contacted the manufacturer who is in Australia and they gave me the name and number of the Regional Manager over Texas.  Turns out Bello Domani is only authorized to sell this product but not to apply it!  And, I sent him videos of the coping.  His response was that the sealant was incorrectly applied and he explained to me how it should have been done.   

These are the two biggest of the problems that occurred.  It is now almost a year since we first contacted Bello Domani and it is not finished.  Chris, the president, has refused to come out to look at anything. He still insists the coping had been previously sealed regardless of what we tell him.  Every email I have sent to him, he has replied with a threat to put a lien on my house and charge me all kinds of attorney's fees.  None of this has happened, of course, because it is his shoddy workmanship that created the problems.  I have received nothing in writing regarding any of the warranties on anything.  Also I have learned that when a contractor is going to work on your property, according to Texas Code, he is supposed to provide you with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all subcontractors who will be working on your property.  And, when the job is completed, final payment is not due until you have received letters from each subcontractor stating that he has been paid in full for all work done, and a signed and notarized letter from the contractor himself indicating that the job is complete and paid in full and that no liens will be filed on the property.  I never received a list of subcontractors but will require the letters if and when this job is ever complete.  My coping still looks terrible!  As I said, working with the company was a nightmare.  They refuse to accept responsibility for anything,  are non-responsive, and will not correct their mistakes.  I would be happy to pay them the remainder owed on this job if they would fix their error. 

  We meet Bello Domani Outdoor Designs at the Home and Garden show and were impressed with what they had to offer.  Ron came to our home and explained his ideas and we were thrilled with his vision.  We are very please with the expert workmanship of the men who carefully place each stone with perfection. There was a supervisor at our home every day overseeing the project as well as Chris, the owner of the company who stopped by to check on the progress.  Every question or concern we had was treated with the utmost respect.  We are so please with the finished product and can't wait for spring to enjoy our new patio and entry.  This was an investment in our home and the cost was fair for the amount of work and planning that went into the job.

We highly recommend Bello Domani Outdoor Designs for your future plans 

Can't say enough good things about this company. Chris came out with his CAD system to design the patio. Graciously entertained our questions as we went through the interactive design of our patio. He took care of submitting the design to our HOA for approval. Once we got the approval, the installation was scheduled by Amy. Ron and the installation crew were amazing! They arrived on time, worked like a well oiled machine! They relocated our sprinkler heads and sod before beginning the installation. The installed the entire patio in 2 1/2 days. Everyone knew their job and worked hard getting it done. They came early and stayed late. When the installation was complete they cleaned up the yard! Would highly recommend them to anyone!

Very happy with the results.  Chris came out to design and give us an estimate, then met with us to do product selection and colors.  Gary and his crew of 3 worked for six long days.  Ensured proper base compaction then installed large flag-stone like pavers and border pavers, then installed a seating wall with caps, four steps down and the lighting.     After seeing the extensive work that had to be performed, I believe the price to be very competitive.   We selected Bello Domani because  they are certified Belgard paver installers, and their repeated appearances at the San Antonio Home Shows, but we're definitely glad we went with them.