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Distinguished Pools

Poway,
CA
4.90
4.9/5
53 Reviews
San Diego's Boutique Pool & Spa Professional | 16x Best of Houzz

Business Details

Business Details

Distinguished Pools

Phone Number

(760) 274-0062

Website

Business Details

Address

License Number

Reviews for Distinguished Pools

User
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Our pool was finished and filled back in April 2021. I don’t write reviews until I know I’m confident I got the right product and service originally promised. Today was just another reminder that Distinguished Pools knocked it out of the park. We have been enjoying our pool everyday. Whether that’s getting in, sitting by it or just admiring it from the window. Dan, his crew and all the folks he works with to accomplish every step of the job were nothing but stellar! Not only is the pool a work of art and functional, but the customer service Dan and his crew provide is just priceless. To this day, if I have a question I would call or text Distinguished Pools, 99.9% of the time I get an answer back the same day and within no more than 2 hours. They really go the extra mile to make sure you are confident in your multi-thousand dollar purchase. If you feel you have an issue they are willing to look in to it or just give you the info you need to continue to grow as a pool owner.

We researched a couple other pool building companies and I have to say that I am SO glad that we decided to go with Distinguished Pools. I have neighbors that have gone with other companies and they seem to have a few to several complaints about the build, the pool, and the communication.

As a new pool owner, a few recommendations.
1. If you can swing it, GET A POOL COVER! We got an automated pool cover and it was pricey. We have 2 young kids and we needed peace of mind about letting them play outside without worrying about any accident involving the pool. Now that was the only reason we got one, BUT man did we get more benefits from it! It keeps the pool warm, it keeps the water from evaporating (water conservation) and it helps keep the critters out!

2. Get the auto-fill; otherwise you will be filling it up very frequently. We don’t have to worry too much because of the POOL COVER, haha. But I would have loved the convenience of the built in auto fill. Not too big of a deal to go out turn on the faucet and let it run for a bit though.

3. Splurge for the mini pebble. It helps with traction, it extends the life of the plaster by like another 5-10 years, I believe it was, but the color makes a great view. Can be a little rough on the toes if you’ve been in for a long time, but eventually you don’t realize it any more.

4. Take advantage of their 1 month service after the pool is filled, get all the education you can from them to learn about your pool and how to take care of it. But you can always call and ask. We had gotten a different pool service because of location, but we’ve gone through 2 companies already because they weren’t tracking the chemicals properly. Liquid chlorine, no bueno for tile decor.

All in all, do your research on companies, but hands down…Distinguished Pools!
Forgot to mention, they provided us a paper that said to get other estimates! And References! What company does that?! A confident one.
Consumate Professionals.

August 3, 2021
Zoe B
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

After trying to work with a couple different companies who were unreliable, we found Distinguished Pools. Dan and his team did an awesome job. From coming up with the design through filling the pool, Dan kept us in the loop with every little detail. He was always available to answer our questions or help with any problems. We love our new pool and we use it almost daily. If you’re looking to get a pool built, Dan is your guy, no doubt about it!

July 6, 2021
acboganey
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

We were looking to have an in-ground in our back yard. We were fortunate to have Distinguished Pools do the work. From the start to project completion every member of the Distinguished Pools team made extordinaruy efforts to provide a quality product, on-time, and within budget. The owner Dan took the time to give us appreciated assistence in the selction of tile, heating and pump equipment that would meet our needs. The finished product is better than I expected

I would give Distinguished Pools my highest recommendations and I would use them again for future projects.

January 8, 2015
pedersen1963
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

This is our first time ever building a pool from ground up. We had many resources to chose from when we started this project. A good friend referred Dan Ramos and his company Distinguished Pools saying he is accurate in his pricing, knowledgable and very helpful in helping design the perfect pool. Well, as we approach completion of our pool it is all True and the referral couldn’t have been more spot on. We are so pleased with Dan’s professional attitude and direction our backyard (pool) is exactly what we visioned.

There are many choices when making this decision and we are happy we made the right one.

Thank you Dan and Distinguished Pools!

December 31, 2014
gingerina
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

We hired Distiguished Pools for a remodel/makeover. We were extremely pleased with the results and especially with the entire staff. The job was completed on time and the crew was very professional. I would recommend them and would use them again. After completion we were so impressed with the company that we switched to their monthly pool service and have been very satisfied with their service.

December 30, 2014
Stephen Burfield
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Dan Ramos and the Distinguished Pools team and subcontractors were fantastic! From conception of the pool/backyard project through completion it was an overall exceptional experience. We went to several pool companies in the San Diego/Poway area and Distinguished Pools was the most responsive. Here are some specifics:

Scope of Project: Remodel/renovation of a 50 year old pool and a major backyard renovation to include: tree removal, extensive concrete removal from backyard, yard leveling and drainage, location change of pool equipment, extensive stone work for deck, wall and pool, adding electrical service to areas, and a BBQ island with natural gas grill, burner and Green Egg.

Concept: We had approached two San Diego Pool companies for estimates and ideas prior to Distinguished Pools and we never received an estimate or return visit. When we approached Dan Ramos for an estimate and ideas for the project he came to the house, measured and inspected the existing pool and used the information to create a computer aided design of the property that could be manipulated to help us in the visualization of the full project, materials choices, lighting conditions, everything. While this was a $150 cost, it was worth so much more than that to be able to take project specifics and be able to see results visually. That cost was credited to the project. Worth every cent!

Savings: Dan worked closely with us to on all the details. Cost trade offs from what we thought we might want and the possibilities that newer construction techniques and methods could provide. While I know it likely impacted his bottom line, Dan’s suggestions and advice saved us tens of thousands of dollars on the overall project.

Demolition and Construction: Distinguished Pools staff and subcontractors were extremely professional. Due to COVID, I was working from home most of the time, so I could hear the morning safety briefs that the tree cutters gave their crews. The specifics of the day that the team leads gave to the other workers, the general courteousness that all of the worker provided. These were hands down some of the hardest working teams that I have seen for a long time!

Dan Ramos was here nearly daily to check on the project and provide any additional guidance. Dan also kept us well informed of delivery schedules, construction stages, and what to expect each step of the way.

It is always dirty and dusty, fact of life, be ready if you have a pool project. But the teams from Distinguished Pools did a great job of cleaning up on a daily basis.

Project Invoicing and Billing: No surprises here, was exactly as expected. Extremely smooth process.

Project Completion/Start Up: Again no surprises here, Distinguished Pools staff, explained what was happening, time frames, what we the owners needed to do (filling, brushing, skimming), and what they would be doing.

For a new pool or pool remodel/renovation, Distinguished Pools has my highest recommendation!

July 2, 2021
quaglietta13
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Dan Ramos owner is very knowledgeable, honest and straight forward person.
Dan does not promise anything he can not deliver.
Dan’s estimate was not the least expensive, but after interviewing and receiving estimates from a 6 other contractors, I felt the most comfortable with Dan.
His crew and the whole deconstruction of almost 3000 square feet of concrete, installing pavers, relocating the equipment, refinishing the plaster, replacing all the coping, tiles and updating the spa was timely and on spot.
We never thought the pool and the backyard would look as great as it does.
I highly recommend Distinguished Pools and will do so to anyone that needs his services

December 30, 2014
Richard Steinberg
1.0
1/5
Distinguished Pools

I contracted with Distinguished Pools to come do a site visit. As per their policy, they charge a $150 fee for the site visit, design drawings and a visit to their offices to review their designs.

When Dan came to the property, it was determined that site layout would be cost-prohibitive to moving forward with a pool design, due to a variety of reasons. We mutually agreed that it would be unwise to move forward with the design as it was unlikely we would be able to proceed within our budget parameters. Dan had other suggestions on how to maximize the layout of the property with a drop-in pool/sauna, but such a design would NOT require further assistance from Distinguished Pools. He even provided an alternative contractor that might be able to assist with a deck/drop in sauna concept.

As mentioned, we agreed not to proceed any further with the pool design.

I was a bit surprised when the $150 fee hit my credit card and left a message asking if there was the opportunity for some portion of the fee to refunded as we would NOT be proceeding with design drawings and/or the office visit. Cindy promptly returned my call and politely listened to my argumentation, but needed to check with Dan. After doing so, she called back and engaged me in some circular argumentation offering me the chance to proceed with the design drawing and the office visit, even though we had mutually agreed that this would be a waste of time. Essentially, the fee is non-refundable. PERIOD. Even though I paid for three things (site visit, drawings, office visit) and only took advantage of one of those things (site visit), the fee (or even a portion of the fee) could NOT BE ADJUSTED.

Distinguished Pools has a business to run and they have to decide how to treat their (potential) clients. It is ultimately a business decision about how to handle unique situations like mine. I leave it up to you to decide if you wish to do business with this company. My situation may be unique, but think twice before you contract with them if there are any potential curveballs that may be associated with your property.

May 28, 2021
wlmhunter
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Dan from Distinguished Pools designed an incredible pool in our space. He is creative and understands the space, and what his clients want. He listened to our thoughts and gave us something better than we had imagined. The project was completed on time and any issues that came up were resolved easily. I would highly recommend Distinguished Pools for design service and build.

December 30, 2014
David Loughlin
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

I hired Distinguished Pools to build my dream backyard. I received quotes from a few local companies prices were all fairly similar. I chose Distinguished pools for a few reasons. 1. The price included everything from the pool itself, decking, solar heating, landscaping and outdoor kitchen. Other companies gave prices just for the pool and guesstimates for the other options not included in the price. This is an expensive project and knowing what costs are in advance and not having to sub out other work was important to me. 2. The design. My house is located in Coastal San Diego so the size of our lot is not huge. Distinguished Pools design was much more thought out and creative. The pool size was just about identical to all of the other companies designs but I ended up with a pool deck that is 6 feet wider and than the other designs. They did this by utilizing the side yard and moving a large retaining wall for the sunken kitchen. The pool looks great and we only have the usually cosmetic touch ups you get at the end of every project. The project took longer than planned due to a rainy winter and a pandemic but Distinguished Pools worked around the issues and got it completed. The materials where high quality along with the pool equipment. They were also very easy to communicate with. The owner of the company is the person you work with from start to finish unlike other companies where you work with the salesman then get handed off. I would use Distinguished Pools again

September 14, 2020
rotospark
4.0
4/5
Distinguished Pools

We have a beautiful, large vanishing edge pool thanks to Distinguished Pools (Dan Ramos). This was a big pool project and included significant stone and landscaping work. As is to be expected on a project of this scale, problems did arise but I was pleased that Dan and Distinguished Pools always took full accountability to get it done right. Dan kept me well informed. He has been and remains very responsive. In summary, Dan has been extremely dependable (budget management, follow up, issue resolution. etc).

October 24, 2013
PH – User
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

We hired Distinguished Pools to revamp our 20 year old tan on tan on tan boring pool. Dan has great ideas about expanding the Baja shelf and brightening up the colors of the glass tile and pebbletech. He also suggested to widen the opening of the spill from the jacuzzi to make the water falling a bit more noisy. I like to hear the water. We also added stone around the jacuzzi. Replaced the coping with travertine and voila a new pool. We have really enjoyed working with Dan and his team and even hired them to maintain our pool. Can’t say enough good stuff about Distinguished.

March 4, 2020
Robin Horst
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

We can’t express in words properly about our amazing experience with Dan and his team at Distinguished Pools and give them the proper justice. They created a beautiful tropical paradise for our family and friends to enjoy. They exceeded our expectations for sure! Every detail was carefully executed! Hiring a contractor is so stressful and for us usually results in our dissatisfaction. I can’t say that at all about Dan and Distinguished Pools. They cared about our project and our home as if it were theirs. They are everything you want in a pool contractor. I only wish they did more than just pools because we would hire them for everything! They truly designed a work of art in our backyard! We never want to go inside. We are beyond happy! From the minute they broke ground till the last paver being installed the experience and journey was a pleasant one. Dan was here monitoring every detail making sure it was perfect. Thank you Dan and Distinguished Pools for creating an amazing pool for us to enjoy for years to come!

July 17, 2013
Matt Bingel
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Distinguished Pools is definitely the best company if you want a quality pool. I researched around 30 San Diego pool companies. After a couple months I cut down to the top 5 companies & then to the top 3. As I went along I finally figured out that many of the companies just can’t build a good pool. Dan, the owner, put together a CAD projection of my resort style pool and the ending pool matched exactly! The execution of the pool was amazing. Dan & Fred exceeded our expectations in every area!

August 29, 2017
Peter Huffman
5.0
5/5
Distinguished Pools

Dan did a very large project for me 2yrs ago, that entailed a lot of requests (large grotto, multiple waterfalls, outdoor kitchen, hardscape, etc). I interviewed multiple pool contractors in San Diego (and nearly all of the large well-known names in town). We couldn’t have been happier in terms of the commitment to design, construction detail (a friend told me their rebar was the best they had ever seen), and service ever since.

While the project turned out beautifully, there were a couple of minor issues that arose shortly after construction and they were absolutely on top of every fix to ensure it was to our desired standard. That in itself was as important as anything else in the entire process – to witness their commitment to ensuring we received the highest quality of care.

Our pool is truly special; and I couldn’t imagine using any other contractor if/when we build another pool in the future. Additionally, I have already referred Dan to a couple of friends when asked for his contact details (and I rarely refer a professional service b/c I don’t know if it’s worth the risk of referring someone w/out complete confidence). And I’m not one to right reviews, but Dan and his team earned my highest vote of confidence so people can benefit from him in the future.

June 23, 2017