On September 1 my swimming pool received extensive damage resulting from a pine tree falling during Hurricane Gustav.
Upon contacting numerous pool companies, most stating they did not work on vinyl lined pools or were not licensed to work on vinyl lined pools, I contacted the pool company that replaced my pool liner in Jimmy Tulk d.B. A Tulk Enterprises, P.O. Box 86830, Baton Rouge, LA 70879. Tulk was referred to me in 2006 by Sabine Pools, Highway 44, Gonzales, LA because Sabine Pools was not licensed to do business in Baton Rouge.
Upon speaking to Jimmy Tulk, he informed me that he was licensed, insured and bonded and would give me an estimate for my insurance company and would repair the damages to my pool caused by Gastav.
On September 29 Mr. Tulk came out and gave me an estimate totaling $14,625.00.
I contacted Mr. Tulk to schedule the repairs. On February 23, I wrote Mr. Tulk a check for $2500.00. At that time Mr. Tulk stated that he was finishing up a job a Runnymede Condominiums and would begin my job as soon as he was finished. A few days later Mr. Tulk stated he needed more money to start the job. On March 1, I wrote Mr. Tulk another check for $5500.00 which he picked on March 2.
On March 5, an employee of Mr. Tulk's, began removing the concrete around the pool with a jack hammer when I was told it would be cut back approximately 3 feet with a saw. The concrete around the pool was removed by March 10th I did not hear from or see anyone from Tulk Enterprises until I contacted them on April 2nd, to inform them that after an extremely heavy rain on March 26th my pool walls had started caving in. On April 9th, Mr. Tulk came out and blamed the construction of my pool and additional Gustav damage as the reason the walls were caving in. He then gave me another invoice for $2500.00, to give to my insurance company.
On April 30, I contacted Mr. Tulk to find out if there was anything I could do to get my pool finished by May 8. I informed Mr. Tulk that I had locked in a re finance rate of 4.5% but that rate was due to expire on May 15 and all work need to be complete in order for me to refinance. Mr. Tulk informed me that the following week all work would be complete.
May 4th and 5th no one worked on the pool. On May 6th Tulk worker arrived around 10am and began moving busted concrete around in my yard. At approximately 1:30pm I confronted the worker asking why he was moving rocks around in my yard and not working on my pool. I was told he could not do anything until Jimmy Tulk straightened the pool walls. At that point I contacted Jimmy Tulk and asked when he planned on doing his job at which point he hung up on me. At approximately 3:30pm, Mr. Tulk arrived with two other guys and began yelling at his worker for telling me there was a problem with my pool walls. (I was listening from a back room) He then instructed the worker to get his crew over and start on the concrete and not to worry about the pool walls, Just pour the - concrete is what I heard Mr. Tulk tell Rodney.
The next his crew poured and finished the concrete on one side of the pool. When Jimmy Tulk arrived on the site I asked why the concrete was not finished around the entire pool and was told that my insurance was not covering concrete around the entire pool. I was told that the $6400.00 for concrete repair was for setting the coping. When I inquired as to why the coping did not match and the walls were not even he stormed away. As he was walking away I told him the job was totally unacceptable at which point he left.
I then contacted several pool companies and pool contractors. I was told by six different licensed pool contractors that the damage caused by Tulk Enterprise was so severe that the entire pool would need to be replaced.
Incorrect work includes:
Using the incorrect size and shape coping
Removing the decking with a jack hammer causing additional damage to the deck
Concrete that was replaced now drains into the pool instead of away from the pool
Leaving the pool drained for such a long period of time and not having it covered
I then contact the Louisiana State Licensing Board for contractors and found out the Tulk was not licensed, insured or bonded. I also found out that permit should have been obtained and the work Tulk did was not up to city code. I then contacted Jimmy Tulk and told him not to return. Mr. Tulk stated that I owned him the remainder of the money and I told him to contact my attorney. I also told Mr. Tulk that I had contacted numerous pool companies to look over his work and he then hung up. Approximately 5 minutes later Mr. Tulk called and offered to save me a lot of money at which time I declined and hung up.
Beware before using this company.
Check with the Louisiana Licensing Board for Contractors and make sure the company is licensed especially if your job is over $7500.00. Also make sure permits are pulled and everything is inspected. The law is to protect us not hurt us.
I hope this information help keep some else from the problems I am having.
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