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14 Dec Reality vs. Reality
I was having a discussion with a good friend of mine about perception and reality. He made the often cited reference to two realities. He said that I have my reality and you have yours. I explained that I am of the opinion that there is one reality and that there can be perceptions of reality.
When it comes to landscape design and construction, there truly is only one reality. I’ve been around thousands of swimming pools, luxury outdoor kitchens, tennis courts, pavilions and outdoor fireplaces in The Hamptons and on the North Fork during the past thirty years. Some of them are well thought out, built extremely well, and some of them are built poorly. However, many times landscape construction can be perceived as well built when it is not.
It is relatively easy to create the appearance of a beautiful swimming pool, spa, patio, and landscape. It is also fairly easy to create a portfolio of beautiful photos of pools to put on a web site. Be forewarned, the quality of construction is not always apparent. Swimming pools need to be built and engineered in a precise manner. Having skilled and experienced professionals is crucial when it comes to gunite pool construction. To be concise, the pool needs to be perfect. Perfectly planned. Perfectly excavated. Perfectly poured. Perfectly level. Perfectly plumbed. Perfectly supervised. Perfectly guaranteed. That’s the reality.
How can the homeowner, realtor, architect, or contractor, know the difference between a credible pool builder and one that present a false reality? The answer is to be inquisitive. Ask for references and referrals, along with proof of long term credentials within the business community, and check for continuing education degrees in this ever improving industry. Earlier this week I had a prospective client call me for the fifth time this month. Each conversation lasted for an hour or more. I have never answered the sheer volume of questions about a pool that we may design and have built. At the end of our most recent conversation, the client apologized for taking up so much of my time. The reality, my reality, was that she had done me a favor. Answering hundreds of questions is one of the only ways that I can assure someone that we know exactly what to do, how to do it, and the fact that we do it properly each and every time.
Swimming pools, spas, luxury outdoor kitchens, patios, and pavilions are major investments. You deserve to enjoy the highest quality available; not just the perception of the highest quality. At least that’s my reality.