While the majority of pool builders are honest and reputable, the unfortunate truth is that there are a few bad apples in the industry. Newlyweds Lauren Sotomayor and Elvin Sotomayor found out the hard way when they hired the now-defunct Bellar Pools to build their dream backyard pool. Partway through construction, Bellar went out of business, leaving the Sotomayors and other Houston-area homeowners with a hole in the backyard and a hole in their pocket.
“It’s that betrayal of people you let in your home and that you trust,” Lauren told KPRC 2.
According to estimates from other contractors, it would cost an additional $14,000 to $18,000 to finish the Sotomayor's project.
Luckily, the good guys came in to help. Bill Unger, owner of Premier Pools & Spas of Houston, reached out to the Sotomayor family and agreed to finish the project for just $2,000 — the remaining amount the couple had yet to pay Bellar.
“I saw an opportunity to help,” Unger says. “I couldn’t imagine starting a family and being burned for $50,000 in the first month of marriage. I had the resources to help them and feel it’s my responsibility as a leader in this industry to give back. I sleep better at night knowing someone is out there smiling because of Premier Pools & Spas.”
