The Tidewater Pool Co

Contract was agreed upon and signed in August of 2012 with anticipated construction start date of December 2012. David Fabrezius (company owner) viewed site when contract was signed and as house was built. $30,000 for a 36x18 kidney shaped pool with concrete, slide, spitters, vacuum, shower, salt filter, plumbing, grading of yard, spa step and led lighting. In December revisited to reconfirm details. He was able to see the entire site with the house and deck completed. We explained where we would like the concrete to be and remaining details of project. Mr.Fabrezius changed the price of the contract to 31500. The new price agreed upon and he assured us that the price would not change. Construction was to begin prior to Xmas and completed prior to the end of February however that was verbally agreed upon never put in writing. The construction did not actually begin until the end of Feb. he had several dates and continuous excuses as to why it was unable to be done. Mr Fabrezius had over half of the money from the contract upfront. Once the hole was dug it took several weeks for the pool frame and liner to be placed in. Again numerous excuses by the owner. He would always state that he was going to be there at 745 am and would be lucky if he was there by 10. His employees informed me that that was his normal modes operandi as they were frequently at his house or job site and had to wait 2-3 hours for him to be ready or arrive on site. Water was finally in the pool. It took him several weeks to backfill the pool. A note when he back flushed the pool he did not have a hose attached to it and back flushed into our new neighbors yards. My fiancé made him aware of where the water was going and he told us that it wasn't going to be much water. I later found out that he flooded two neighbor's yards and they filed complaints with the building officials. He proceeded to blame them for being unreasonable and refused to accept responsibility for the fact that the backyards were now swamps. Concrete was to be poured in March and did not actually get poured until the end of April and beginning of May after I informed him that the kitchen that I ordered needed to be delivered and the concrete needed to be set prior to that. I had changed the delivery date 2 times prior and informed him he would need to pay the rede livery fee if it was unable to be delivered that date. The quality of the concrete was horrible. It was supposed to be significantly darker than it was. The workman ship looked as if he had never worked with concrete before. Several color changes and bleed overs. He had the concrete sloped so that all run off would go under the deck. The problem with that is he never changed the grade of the earth under the deck so it just fills with water when there is a heavy rain. The stamp band was supposed to be sealed prior to the remained of the concrete being poured. It was not when he poured the concrete patio there is bleed over on the edges of the entire stamp band. He stated that it would not bleed over and promised to come back and seal it while we were out of town as it needs 48-72 hours without being splashed. He never did. He installed sputters that literally spit. When he sold them to us he said they would shoot 30+ feet they only go approx 1-2 feet. The bigger issue with that is the water doesn't even make it back into the pool. The slide: initially he told us not to close our pool because you cannot drill into concrete until after it has set for a year. That said he drilled the holes for the slide and set the slide. The first time it was used it came loose. I informed him and he said it just needed to be tighter and he did so. It happened the next time my kids went down the slide I informed him and he has done nothing. All of the concrete is cracked around where he "secured" the slide to the concrete. The slide also leaks. He informed me that when a hurricane comes I should take the slide down and told me I would have to cut hose and repair it later rather than putting in an easy disconnect. When the concrete was in and we were ready to swim, he attempted to clean the pool. He hired a professional to come and get it ready. There was so much concrete and dye in the pool it was unable to be done. The pool cleaner recommended that he let her "flop" the pool. He said that that was dangerous and didn't want her to do it. Of course she was going to charge him to do it. So here I am stuck with spool with unswimable water. The next day he tells me that HE is going to flop it. He has never done it before and would not let the professional do it. Here he was saying that now it is ok to do. I refused to let him as one of the risks is ruining the pool liner. I told him we were going to drain it and we got into a huge cursing match (I won). His reason for not emptying it was that he would have to pay to refil it. At this point I had 4 kids that were dying to swim so I said I would pay for it. At which point he agreed. One note, we did have significant rain this year and I could have understood if The yard grating was never done properly. Any time it rains I have huge puddles across my yard. The inspector gave us our final contingent on him placing grass seed which again he said would but has never done. My contract states that the final balance is due when the job is complete. I have not paid it as he has not fulfilled his portion of the contract. I received a summons in the mail for nonpayment the other day. I would stay far away from this man. Since I have learned of 3 other that are in the same boat as me. I also have learned that his license in VA was not renewed so he is unlicensed at this time. Also he. May have been in business previously under another name, that part I cannot confirm but it is what I have been told. Moral of this story is you get what you pay for!,,