When it comes to hiring a swimming pool removal company here is the best advice: Hire a company that has removed a lot of pools. That’s it. It’s just that simple. Practice really does make perfect. Plus, there’s a reason why a particular contractor has done a lot of work. People trust them – they have a track record. Pick a contractor that knows their stuff!

Here’s another bit of advice: Always check the references of pool removal contractors. People have been getting burned by contractors of all types for years because of not following this step. You especially want to do this if you live in an area where there aren’t a lot of in-ground swimming pools. The chances of any one contractor having a great deal of pool removal experience won’t be high. The important thing is that you can verify the jobs they have done, and see if their customers were satisfied with the contractors work. Do yourself a favor, check them once and check them twice – call at least 3-5 of their former customers. See what they thought of the work performed. It could save you a huge headache later.

The other thing: people concerns money: Be very leery about giving a contractor money in advance. Did you know that most states have laws about how much money a contractor can ask for up front? Its true. It seems that people have been getting burned by contractors for so long, that the government finally had to step in. If you are serious about your pool removal and want to do it right, you might make it a point to know what your state law is regarding this. Generally, it’s a very small percentage of the contract price. In cases where permit fees are high and it takes a long time to get approval, contractors may want the customers to cover those costs. Bottom line: If a contractor asks for a lot of money up front, do yourself a favor: don’t do it!

The main point to get across is this: do a little home work before hiring a contractor. A pool removal is a big deal. It can be expensive. You really need to ensure that it is done professionally, and at the right price. Whatever you do, don’t go with the first bid that comes your way. And if a particular contractor seemed a little shady – trust your instincts, they probably are. Keep looking! When you have confidence that your contractor can deliver, then you can relax and actually enjoy the process. Think about it: your new backyard and new lifestyle are waiting!

Today the home owner has the opportunity to choose from alternative green building materials and make a difference.

Insulated Concrete Forms: These preformed blocks are made with expanded polystyrene (EPS) and metal rebar which can be stacked to build your frame. They are then filled with concrete to create an insulated and exceptionally strong wall!

The Benefits of Building a Home with Insulated Concrete Forms

* Ease of Use – These building blocks are very easy to use. They require much less crew and take significantly less time to build than a traditional home
* Energy Efficiency – The insulation properties of polystyrene and the high thermal mass of the concrete help to reduce the internal temperature fluctuations to create a more efficient and comfortable indoor environment.
* Noise Reduction – Insulated Concrete form walls make an enormous difference in the reduction of noise transmission.
* Fire-resistance – This product is highly rated for fire-resistance and has been proven in some products to have a four hour resistance rating!
* Strength – These walls are exceptionally strong and can be built to hurricane/seismic standards.
* Mildew/Rot – These walls will not support the growth of mildew and mold.

This alternative building material is an excellent home structural choice for those living in areas where their homes are exposed to severe weather such as hurricanes and tornadoes.

These blocks are made using concrete which does raise some environmental concerns. Concrete depends on cement and the production of cement is an enormous environmental hazard! However there is now in existence cement substitutes which are being implemented into green build design.

If you are interested in building a home using these blocks insist that your builder uses a concrete with a high concentration of fly-ash.

Structural Insulated Panels

SIP’s are high performance building panels that are used to form and build walls, floors and roofs both for commercial and residential purposes.

They are made by sandwiching foam insulation between Oriented Strand Board (OSB). OSB is an engineered wood product that is formed with wax and resins and compressed.

This building material has all the same benefits of ICF’s however they do not compete with insulated concrete forms for fire resistance although they do meet fire testing standards.