Proper planning...

It was called the "Seven P" rule - Lets go ahead and use the non-military version with a slightly less colorful vernacular:

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poorly Planned Pools

Yes, I realize this may sound pretty basic. You would think that the average person would take the planning stage of their project pretty seriously, yet this is probably the most common mistake most consumers make when tackling a major home improvement project. This is a substantial project that will last for a few months and cost as much or more than that new car in the driveway.
So how do you properly plan your yard?

1. Research. Research different yards, materials, styles, etc. Clip photos from magazines, take pictures of yards or design elements that you want to incorporate into your yard and ask around. Ask your friends and family what they like the most and what they regret the most. I think you will find that most people would have done things very differently if they had spent a little more time in the planning stage. Remember, this project is not cheap and will be in your yard forever (or until you sell the house).
2. Find a builder. As a pool builder and general contractor, I am constantly put in the position of finding sub-contractors and I will share some of my thoughts on this process. There are (3) key factors that seem to be very telling... 1) How long have they been in business (continuously). This is important because it shows a track record of reliability through good times and bad. Why is it important that a contractor has stayed in business "continuously"? It is important because there are several shrewd/unethical/etc. contractors out there who will change their corporate name from time to time, change their license number and thereby rid themselves of the liability of previous projects. This holds true for people that operate a franchise of a company... how long have they been the local franchise owner? what happened to the last franchise owner?? Often times, it's not a pretty story. 2) What is their history with the License Board? Lets face it, in the business world you can't please everyone all the time, and I don't expect to find a contractor that has never had a complaint - BUT - it is very easy to reconcile problems with the license board, so when I see a complaint on the license board website, I know to stay away. 3) Referrals. I won't hire anyone without at least one referral. Not the one they hand me on a printed sheet either. In some cases, I've even asked to speak with a referral that had complaints - the mark of a true professional is how they deal with problems (real or perceived). If you find a professional that has a long history in the local community, clean record with the license board and has good referrals, you are ready to move on to the next step.
   
3. Develop the Plan. Now that you have done your research and found your contractor, it is time to put the two together and develop the plan. The key elements involved here are design style, material selections and arguably the most important - budget. I can't tell you how important it is to have a realistic budget in mind when you are in the planning stage of a project. It may seem counterintuitive to share your budget with your contractor, but I guarantee you that this will save you time and frustration later. With a proper budget in mind, a good designer may be able to introduce innovative new ideas that are not normally incorporated into a "do it for as little as possible" design. Lets be realistic here - if you don't think that the design is worth the budget you are not obligated to anything. However, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how unique your design turns out. The plan is the backbone of the project, it should be complete and professional. Read all the notes and ask questions. All too often I hear stories from people in this position "the designer told me that this is just a concept plan..." or "we will make all the changes we want during construction". This is a recipe for disaster. ALL of the details should be noted, as well as any changes to the contract. No matter how good the story sounds, if it's not on the plan, you will not get it for free.

Follow the "Seven P" rule and I guarantee you that you will not only end up with the back yard of your dreams... you may actually enjoy the process!