tile work

Posted on January 31, 2012 by karen

When I’m faced with a pool tile repair or a complete redo part of me wants to groan long and loud. The work isn’t brain surgery, any determined do-it-yourselfer can do it, the effort is just labor intensive and messy, especially if you are stripping old tile off to replace with new.
Success will be determined by your commitment to prep the area properly. If your job proceeds anything like mine do, half way through, you’ll be wondering what you got yourself into. I usually throw a few creative curses at myself too, as I spend hours chipping off shattered tiles that refused to just pop off entact for me. Then, once the tile has all been removed, the messy part begins. The remaining adhesive needs to be thoroughly ground off because anything remaining will throw off how well the new tile lays in the old space. I usually end up looking like a dusty albino.
It truly is a nasty job, but if you stay focused on completing the prep work right, the new application will be a breeze….compared to the prep work.

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged adhesive, application, focus, prep work, tile repair | Leave a comment

Pool Maintenance

Posted on January 18, 2012 by karen

Swimming pool maintenance doesn’t have to be overwhelming to new owners. All that is needed is a little common sense…and maybe the internet. When in doubt about a situation involving your pool, don’t going barreling forward, step back and think a minute. Or better yet, with all that our phones can do nowadays, go the old fashioned route and call someone, or connect with the internet and search for answer.
Don’t be like the new pool owner who called me one day. he led off the conversation with “I know just enough to be dangerous.” Unfortunately, I had to agree with him after he explained that in an attempt to clean his inground vinyl liner he had drained his pool for a couple of days, and now he wanted to know how to stretch his liner back in place. I had to tell him you can’t and that his only fix was a new liner. A phone call or internet search would have informed him that vinyl liners, above or inground, shrink when completely drained.
If this customer had used common sense he would have saved himself the cost of a new liner and lost swimming time.

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged inground, liner, maintenance, new owner, overwhelming, Pool, swimming, vinyl | Leave a comment

My first Swimming Pool season in Michigan

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Legendary Escapes Pools

My introduction to the swimming pool industry was a simple one. I was looking for summer work in May 1988. I was home from school between my junior and senior year of college. I was hired on as general labor for the swimming pool Opening season. I worked with a crew of two other veterans (both my age or younger) to the pool business. These guys, Kenny and Tommy, gave me my start. Little did they know that 23 years later I would still be doing it and they would just be talking about it.  Every guy that I ever worked with and then visited with later, always talked about the swimming pool business with great memory and longing. Each one has a  list of stories whether it be a pool service job, a swimming pool construction job or some other aspect of the swimming pool experience that is their favorite memory.

Each time I have one of these talks with a former worker, I’m left wondering what it is about the swimming pool business that does that to people. Is it the age they were at? Was it the physical labor and being in physical shape that they long for? Or is it just they fun that the swiming pool  business  affords? What do you think?

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged michigan, Pool, season, swimming | Leave a comment

Ask the Pool Guy has opened his specialty store

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Legendary Escapes Pools

Find all the swimming pool products that you need for a productive summer. You’ll also find specialty endorsed products that the Pool Guy recommends like Ferri-Iron-Tablets, a must have for those pools in high iron content areas.

The pool guy has researched the best available products in the industry and brings them to you in his exclusive online shoppe. Shipped direct to your door, eliminate the need to go to the store, try to find what you need, and walk out empty handed only to find out what you need has to be ordered anyway.

Dealer pricing direct to you. Easy, convenient, and exceptional!

Shop with the pool guy today and experience the difference in your swimming pool supply shopping experience!

Shop with Ask the Pool Guy

 

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged guy, opened, Pool, specialty, store | Leave a comment

Custom Swimming Pools in Michigan

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Legendary Escapes Pools

I’ve been involved in the swimming pool industry for 23 years in southeast Michigan. Over the years , I have seen many trends come and go. In those early years for me, we built a lot of very basic swimming pools with little or no design involved. Today, the average consumer want their yard to be something special and different than everyone else. It is truly the age of “custom swimming pools” in Michigan.

What I see for the next few years is a trend towards complete back yard renovation. The swimming pool is just a small part of the entire environment. Fire features, outdoor kitchens, and low voltage lighting packages are the big upgrades. Michigan, even with all of its challenges is a great place to live and build swimming pools. Now all we need to do is think spring!

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged custom, michigan, pools, swimming | Leave a comment

Using unique materials in any building project can be a creative piece of art…

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Legendary Escapes Pools

Al Curtis tends to use natural elements, stone, and reclaimed elements such as brick and 100-year old barn wood to finish off his backyard masterpieces. This builder who built a dream home for himself and his family took this to an entirely new level. It’s artistic, creative, and looks to be a cozy home. We’re just wondering what the pool will look like?
Read more in the post about the home here.

 

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged a, any, art, be, building, can, creative, in, materials, of, piece, project, unique, using | Leave a comment

Brighton Entrepreneurs Rock the Kasbah with Branson in LA

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Legendary Escapes Pools

Rock the Kasbah Allan Curtis, Sandi Maki (Photo Credit: Harry Singer)

(Brighton, MI) – Hollywood stars mingled with socially conscious entrepreneurs at a gala fundraiser in Hollywood last week, and two local Brighton business owners were on the red carpet. Sandi Maki and Al Curtis, owners of Legendary Escapes Pools and founders of the Insights Group, attended the 5th annual “Rock the Kasbah” event, and met hosts Richard and Eve Branson. More than $600,000 was raised at the event to support the efforts of the Eve Branson Foundation and Virgin Unite, two non-profits working for social change via economic opportunities. Maki and Curtis are well-known in Livingston County for their social networking and business development work, where they not only run their own successful businesses, but invest their time and efforts to help other area entrepreneurs build their dreams. Their invitation to the event helps build exposure for SE Michigan and the vibrant business mindset that is continuing to build here.

Rock the Kasbah Red Carpet Event in Hollywood

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged branson, brighton, entrepreneurs, in, kasbah, la, rock, the, with | Leave a comment

People who are changing the world!

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Ask the Pool Guy

So there was this guy at one of our suppliers (SCP – Livonia, MI) this summer who was so smiley and happy you just couldn’t help but have a better day after having been in his presence. I know @askthepoolguy Allan Curtis will agrees entirely – thank you Scott Brenneman for being that guy!

Every day – but especially on this day (Thanksgiving) we are reminded to express our gratitude. Let’s make it habit every day – and if we sometimes forget, that’s okay too. Just remember to each and every chance you get – and that will change the world!

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged are, changing, people, the, who, world | Leave a comment

Choosing the right pump for your swimming pool:

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Ask the Pool Guy

Choosing the right pump is a very important decision for your swimming pool. The pump works with the rest of the equipment to keep your swimming pool running well. A good quality pump that is the right size for the pool will help the rest of the equipment to work optimally. Be sure you choose a pump with the appropriate hp for the size of your swimming pool—too small and it won’t work effectively, but too big and it will simply become less cost-effective and energy-efficient.

 

Posted in Service Team On the Go | Tagged choosing, pump, right, the | Leave a comment

Welcome to Legendary Escapes

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Legendary Escapes Pools

Posted in Ask the Pool Guy | Tagged escapes, legendary, to, welcome | Leave a comment