Reliant Pools

We have the most amazing pool and hot tub! We worked closely with Joel H at Reliant to design and plan the pool around our very specific specifications, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Joel will take you from design to picking out each individual item needs for your project, go over budget and every step in detail all the way through fruition to what he refers to as "pool school". His team, Tyson the super is super, and they all know their business! If you have a question, they have an answer, if you need something, they are available at any hour. These guys are A +. From design, to excavation, to rebar to gunite guys.. they're all pro and super fast and detailed. The masonry is second to none as well. They have a winning team all around.
Check out their designs, their products, you won't be sorry. We spared no cost to get exactly what we wanted and it's better than we hoped for. Thank you Joel and Tyson and Reliant Pools! We recommend them and if we could give 10 stars we would.

We have built two pools with Reliant Pools. Both experiences were great. Elijah was able to translate my rambling and 20 differ Pinterest pictures in to the perfect design. Joel made sure everything was the build ran as smooth as possible. We build our second pool during 2021 when it seems everyone was building a pool. Joel nor any of the trades teams compromised the quality of our pool by speeding through any of the steps to "just get it done" and then move on to the next job to make as much money as possible.

After speaking with friends that are having nightmares experiences with the quality of their pools that put in by other companies, I so glad we chose Reliant Pools again. If we ever move and put into a third pool we will chose Reliant again.

FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE... just wanted to start with that out of the gate, and I cannot stress this enough. Reliant Pools built us an incredible pool, spa, shower, cabana and fire-pit... on time, on budget, and with minimal hassle. Joel Hefner not only sold us on the project, he designed it, managed it, and enhanced it to levels we still cannot believe.

This was our third pool build, and the first two experiences were awful. Really awful... mistakes, compromises, unpaid sub-contractors, blatant lies, and delays of up to 2 years. With Reliant Pools, we experienced none of this. They designed us a beautiful pool/cabana that had some challenging hurdles... a severe slope down to the lake; a massive oak tree in the middle that had to be saved and protected; septic system to avoid; and no city water or gas. But Joel and Reliant overcame each of these issues, and created a contemporary resort-style pool and cabana that fit right in with our home and lake views.

Reliant started on time, finished on time, and along the way made the whole process run smoothly with no stress. Joel was on site dozens of times, measuring, managing, testing, thinking, and most importantly, collaborating. If we ever saw a minor issue with construction, Joel had already seen it too and had a plan... every time. This actually shocked us, as our prior experiences with other builders were so bad.

In need to say a few things about quality. The construction quality was excellent, with no cutting corners and always suggesting better options at no additional cost. The personnel quality was so impressive too, not only with Reliant personnel, but also with the various sub-contractors. The finishes were also high quality, with Reliant's showroom having almost everything we needed to see to make a wise decision, other than picking out slabs of granite for the cabana. And lastly, the quality of the pool equipment and the installation methods were just perfect.

There is no need to get multiple bids or shop around. I can honestly say Reliant Pools was the best construction experience of any kind that I have ever had, which includes building houses, pools, stone and concrete work, etc. And everything just works... flawlessly... and much of it from my phone app. Reliant built us a pool, spa, cabana/kitchen, outdoor shower, and fire-pit, all in a challenging outdoor area. And it's perfect. Looking back, I would not change a thing.

Joel and Relaint pools built a phenomenal custom pool for my family and I. One of the chief reasons you'll want to choose Reliant over their competitors is because they will design a pool specifically for you, down to the smallest detail. When we were shopping for a company, all the rest came to us with cookie cutter designs that they already use. Joel and Reliant listened to what we wanted and built us something unique and custom for our space and our taste.

Furthermore, the service you will receive from Reliant is second to none. Joel was always available and extremely responsive. The staff at Reliant is friendly and personable. Joel personally oversaw every phase of construction and was hands on making sure every detail was correct. Reliant worked fast, too. Our pool was complete sooner than expected. The different phases of work were seamless and everyone took great care of our home and yard as they worked.

We couldn't be happier with the end result. The pool turned out AMAZING! Every aspect of our pool is of the highest quality. From the materials used to build it, to the equipment's reliability and ease of use, to the aesthetic beauty, and the pool's functionality, everything is perfect.

I strongly suggest and even urge you to choose Reliant Pools.

--- Update ----
Our pool is done and it turned out quite nice. I'm still not overly pleased with some of the contractors, however, Elijah and Joel were more than willing to work with me on what the contractors billed me for. I will say, Elijah and Joel are honest guys who are genuinely good to work with. Could the project have been ran better? Yes. But, I do feel they will make any wrongs right, and they have. For that, I thank them.
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Our pool build started out really good. We chose Reliant after firing another pool company before they even started digging. Based on where our water and sewer meter was, it was our hypothesis that those lines most likely ran through the backyard. The other pool company (Waterview pools, you can read my review on them) was going to excavate without even finding where those lines ran. Had they hit those lines, that would have cost thousands in repairs out of our pocket. Since the other company was unwilling to do a pre-dig and they made numerous other errors like not calling the "Dig Line" first (against the law, by the way), we immediately fired them before they started. That brought us to Reliant Pools. Joel and his team were more than willing to do a pre-dig to find out if those lines were there. And sure enough, they were. We had to adjust the pool dimensions to compensate for that, but that wise decision saved us a lot of money and headaches. Joel had other suggestions like pre-wiring our irrigation before starting the pool so that we wouldn't trash all the zones. This is a very good suggestion, because if you're building a pool in the spring or summer months then you want to preserve as many irrigation zones (that have active grass growing) as humanly possible. Otherwise, you'll be hand watering for months to come.

Now, where it went wrong. From the beginning we mentioned to Joel that our electrical panel needed to be checked out, because it was old and we doubted it's viability to support the amps. Joel did call the electrician to check it out first, but he never showed. Not until the electrical on the pool was started seven weeks into the project, and sure enough, our panel needed to replaced. This means pulling another permit, more inspections, and so forth. This time could have been saved had they actually assessed this from the beginning. This oversight easily cost us weeks additional to the project that otherwise could have been saved.

Some sub-contractors were good (like the excavators), some not-so-much. Like anything there will be good and meh; however, you will need to micromanage your pool build if you want it done right. I was under the assumption that Joel would be out more often to make sure things were done correctly (and that was the primary reason we picked them), but unfortunately, he was not. Since I'm a stay-home-mom, I made it my mission to meet with the guys every time they showed up and talk with them on what needed to be done. I caught numerous things that should have been articulated to them, but were not or they simply forgot. For instance, the excavators were not clear on the pool depth (suppose to be 5.5 feet), the electrical team were putting the panel in the wrong place, the tiling guys did not know that a step needed to go into the tanning ledge, the spray deck guys missed a section. Fortunately I caught these mistakes early on.

Lastly, our timeline got way drawn out. I mean, ridiculously so. Our pool is basic. Very basic. It's a rectangular pool with no heat or hot tub and we didn't even add decking.

Footnote: Recommendations if you are considering putting in a pool.
1) DO IT IN THE WINTER!!!! You'll thank me later, but it saves your grass and irrigation since it's dormant. Additionally, the contractors are less busy, so schedules are easier to nail down, and they enjoy working in the cooler weather, which means a better product (or at least, that's my opinion). We started ours in late spring and thought it would be done in eight weeks. As it went into the hot summer months, I saw progress on the pool slow down substantially and contractors became scarce.
2) If you want it done right, then MICROMANAGE it. That means talking to the subcontractors daily, inspecting their work nightly and making sure it meets your expectations. Make sure everyone is clear on what needs to get done that day.
3) Your yard will get trashed. And I mean, not just a hole-in-the-ground trashed, but I mean, there will be piles and piles of trash in your backyard for months to come. There will be rodent families making their home in your new found junkyard. If you're anything like my husband and I, it will drive you crazy. It's also dangerous debris everywhere, so be aware if you have children running around. I just found a razor blade a couple days ago. Actually, my toddler found it. Nice!
4) Read the details in the contract and what they vs. you are liable for.

Called to solicit a visit for a bid and design and after a 30 minute discussion we agreed to meet in the evening at our home. After racing home and changing plans to be there on time for our meeting we got no show, no response to text message and no follow-up. That plus an upfront $250 design fee was an indication that Reliant has enough business and doesn't need ours.

Update - Despite the company owner's attempt to pin this as an issue on my behalf please note that we had all required surveys ready to review and were advised we could discuss during our appointment time. Despite this and the long phone conversation they were a no show with no response to text messages. Clearly the season is cooling down and Reliant and other pool builders are turning to those clients they initially did not have time nor true interest to consult with. I conveyed my best to the partner who was hospitalized which may or may not have been when we contacted Reliant. As stated to the person from Reliant I wish them the best as we have selected our pool designer.

Reliant Pools is by far the best pool builder in Austin Texas. I have worked with several pool companies in the area and they are by far the most knowledgeable and deliver the best service.

Joel and Elijah are pool masters. The design phase was all about our pool and not what they wanted to sell. Elijah was patient, creative and by far the best prepared to gather all of the information needed for my first proposal. He worked with us during the entire design process and never pushed us in a direction that was away from our the original thoughts of our dream pool. He made suggestions that were appropriate and was clear when my ask was one that would compromise their desire for quality.

During construction, Joel and his subs were professional, respectful and organized. Joel is there everyday and checks in to make sure we are on track. He also made suggestions regarding the design and as a result we made some changes that really improved our pool environment. Joel has continued to check in nearly 10 months later to make sure the pool in all that we expected. He is a true pro.

Reliant pools is the pool builder you use when you want "your" pool not the pool the pool company wants to sell you. We will use them again.

I had such an amazing experience with Reliant Pools. Everything we completed perfectly in a very timely fashion. I was kept updated along the way and never had to worry about a thing! Joel was my main POC though out the process. He couldn't be better at his job. Would drop anything at any time to resolve an issue. My pool is gorgeous and I would recommend Reliant Pools to ANYONE!!

My husband and I highly recommend Reliant Pools. Prior to building our pool, we met with numerous pool builders in the Austin area over a course of three years. Determined not to settle, we continued our search until we were confident we had found a builder whom we could trust to build a high quality product at a reasonable price. Reliant Pools not only met, but exceeded our expectations in every way. From design to finish, they were timely and professional. We are thrilled with the outcome of our project, and wouldn't hesitate to use them again or to recommend to family and friends.