Customers out thousands of dollars after pool company leaves unfinished work

Customers make complaints against Passion Pools LLC

HOUSTON – The promise of a brand new pool -- the dream of turning your backyard into your own private paradise resort -- is not uncommon. Howard Walper and his wife Erin have always wanted to achieve that dream, and together, they worked to make it happen.

“Every time I’d see somebody’s house who had a pool, it was kind of like having an oasis of tranquility in their own backyard,” Walper said.

But Walper said the oasis he dreamed of has turned out to be an ugly, unfinished cement hole in the backyard, complete with filthy water, exposed rebar and sharp nails sticking out of wood boards.

“You have small children, you just love having things like this kicking around for them to cut themselves on,” Howard said jokingly.

Howard hired a company called Passion Pools LLC out of Magnolia, Texas, last December. He said the contractors let weeks go by without work being done, so he fired the company after shelling out about $34,000.

“We paid them a lot of money," Howard said.

Howard is not alone. Channel 2 Investigates found a total of six families that gave Passion Pools thousands of dollars for pools that were not completed.

Nicki Petrelli, a lawyer and mother of two, said she gave Passion Pools $63,475 for a luxury pool and spa for her kids. Now, she is suing the company.

She said she first signed a contract with the company last July, but became angry after several delays in the construction of that pool.

“My children have been wanting to swim in a pool that we don’t have -- we still don’t have," she said. "This has been going on since last summer."

Petrelli fired Passion Pools and has since hired a new pool company to finish the project.

Paul Sarver, of River Oaks, said he paid Passion Pools more than $56,000, but after four months, he said the job was still not complete.

Sarver also fired the company and has filed a civil lawsuit in Harris County claiming Passion Pools violated the Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Jason Mier said he hired Passion Pools last July to remodel and rehab his aging outdoor pool. He said he paid the company more than $22,000, but he also became angry with constant delays in completing the job.

He said he signed his contract with the company in July, but several months later fired Passion Pools because the job was still not completed. He said he heard a lot of excuses as to why the job was taking so long.

“Things like, 'Oh, it’s raining,' but there was no rain over here," Mier said. "They had issues with contractors and subs that were not doing a good job."

For several weeks, Channel 2 Investigates has tried to track down Roger Russell, who state records show is director of Passion Pools, as well as Robert Campbell, who is listed as both director and owner of Passion Pools LLC. We were unsuccessful in reaching either one of the men directly.

We had hoped to interview both men about any problems the company was having that could have slowed the progress of their projects. We never got those interviews, but Passion Pools sent KPRC Channel 2 News the following statement:

“We would have been happy to give interview, but at the advice of our business advisers, we have been told to make a statement instead because (1) we are involved in a lawsuit with one of our customers and (2) interviews can be distorted through editing.

"Passion Pools LLC has been in business since 2014 and the principals have a combined experience of over 30 years in the pool building industry.

"Passion Pools LLC has built hundreds of pools and has satisfied customers.

"Passion Pools LLC did run into cash flow issues due to 13 of our customers not paying under the terms of their contract for completed phases and completed pools.

"Passion Pools LLC also had several employees of their sub-contractors not perform to Passion Pools LLC's standards and a very wet summer. All these factors contribute to unforeseen delays on certain projects, such as: acts of God, inclement weather, war, riot, labor disputes, etc... (Please see section 3 of contract agreement between homeowner and Passion Pools LLC).

"Passion Pools LLC is working hard on the issues that arise from these troubled times.

"We are looking at each job, case by case, to work on a resolve. Please understand we have many customers who have never had an issue.

"Passion Pools LLC has left their Magnolia office when lease was up to save overhead cost.

"As for the customers that have been aired in this report and all other parties that may follow, there is (sic) several reasons to their frustrations -- one being several delays in permitting, engineering, HOA approvals, sub-contractors being kicked off job sites, rain delays, unpaid addendums, unpaid draws or late payments.”

 

Below, we have included a video tutorial by Bill Spencer and photographer John Barone, aimed at teaching you exactly how to do a background check on the next contractor or company you wish to hire to do work on your home.



About the Author:

Emmy-winning investigative reporter, insanely competitive tennis player, skier, weightlifter, crazy rock & roll drummer (John Bonham is my hero). Husband to Veronica and loving cat father to Bella and Meemo.