I did not see that one coming. This contractor seemed so nice. We met in April. Signed a contract for a 36 x 16 feet pool with automatic cover. Was very adamant about the pool cover as we have a 3 years old and have a baby due in a week. It was agreed that we would wait a year for the deck to go in as we let the soil set during winter.

After digging the hole, contractor calls me telling me he can’t put the cover in without installing coping stones. He has his excavator contractor send me a quote. 45$-55$ per square feet for the coping stones (brick or bluestone). We need 137 sq ft so it is a 6800 $ hit. I read online about concrete being much cheaper. I asked the contractor about it. He doesn’t answer. He also says he needs 7 to 8 load of mater 4 and compaction as we now cannot wait for the soil to settle. It is 6000$.

Thank you in advance for any help/input we can provide.

I also received this text out of the blue at 8 PM after all is done. So it is another 3150$.

We found one sewer line in the way (we expected it as the town had marked it). Contractor sent his plumber. To reroute the pipe around the pool, he asked 3675$. We just redid the entire plumbing in our house so I was fortunate enough to have another plumber on hand. My plumber charged me 700$.

Is this normal practice ? We feel like we are in a nightmare. We have a contingency fund but it seems endless. We have a gigantic hole in our backyard and our families with young children are coming next week. I am also very pregnant and due any day. They know about it and it feels like we are the perfect target.