Trust the Process, Trust the Builder, Says Saline Pool Owner
(Saline, Mich.) – For Troy Baars, water has been a lifelong companion. An avid boater, water has always been a big part of his summer months. Since his current home is not near any lakes, and his kids are a great age to take full advantage of it, he decided the time was right to build a custom pool and turn their backyard into a summer fun spot.
This was the beginning of a challenging process of interviewing pool builders and getting quotes. The first few Troy and his wife Kathy interviewed seemed competent, certainly, but they lacked any sort of imagination in their pool design and overall concept. Then the Baars met Allan Curtis of Legendary Escapes. We asked Troy about the process, and what made him decide to hire Legendary Escapes to create his new backyard environment:
Legendary Escapes: How did you decide to work with Al and Legendary Escapes?
Troy: We found Al online, talked to him on the phone, and he came out to visit. It was his vision that sold us; the hot tub, the custom design, and all the little details he envisioned. He was definitely not the lowest price, but that wasn’t the point. We have a beautiful custom home, and I wanted something really special for our pool.
Legendary Escapes: And did you get that unique something you were looking for?
Troy: Absolutely. Everyone who’s come to visit has been impressed by it and comments on how unusual and unique and fun it is. They are definitely not used to seeing something like this in a backyard pool.
Legendary Escapes: What surprised you most about the pool building process?
Troy: With Al, you have to leave your control issues at the door. If you are the type of person who wants to micromanage every detail, you’ll be disappointed. We had to trust Al, and trust his vision for the end result. If you are going to be there looking over his shoulder all day, expecting to be in on each little decision, it won’t work for Al and it won’t work for you. Learning to trust Al was a challenge, even more so for Kathy than for me; still, as we saw the results of Al’s ideas come to life, we relaxed into the process and learned to let go.
Legendary Escapes: Any advice for the homeowner interested in their own Legendary Escape?
Troy: Trust Al. He’ll give you an idea of what he’s going to build, and then you have to let him explore that idea and evolve it. Don’t get caught up in the details, and just keep your eyes focused on the end result.
Legendary Escapes: And what about the end result?
Troy: We love it. It’s just what we wanted – something unique and completely custom. Al was definitely the right choice.