05.28.24 Customer service is terrible here. Came in this morning for an O-ring for my automatic chlorinator. My old one was all cracked up. I'm having water delivered tomorrow so I need an O-ring that would fit temporarily I knew I wouldnt find the right one. I asked the boy at the counter if he had O-ring that would fit the top that I have , he told me I had to have the model number. I mentioned I just want an O-ring that will fit it. I don't it doesn't matter if it's not the exact one. He said just a minute, walked into the back so I walked over to the wall where there were some O rings, a Lady come over and asked me if she could help me I told her what I was doing. She said that they couldn't help me find an O-ring unless they had the model number again, I told her I just wanted something temporary so I can get my phone running for water tomorrow and then I would get the right one. She insisted she couldn't. So I went to Ace they had a O ring there that I was able to use temporarily It's not the exact one, but it works. And I paid a lot less than what I would have paid here that's for sure. I had started coming here to get chemicals and water tested over the past 2 years I'll make my purchases elsewhere now. Thanks for the help!! read more

If I could give 0 stars, I would! Horrible service. I have heard that getting a new pool with them goes well, because a different person runs that side. However the maintenance side is the worst. First off, when you call expect to be greater by a grouchy old lady who is cussing out the workers while you are on the phone. She will also accuse you of lying when you say someone there missed an appointment and then doesn't apologize when she finds out she is wrong. The service we were promised we never got. They charge a ridiculous amount if money for maintenance. We didn't mind at first because we thought they would really do the work. They didn't. The man was nasty and rude when he came. I wouldn't recommend this company to my worst enemy! read more

Absolutely awful company to do business with. If I hadn't been so trusting in their "expertise" and documented everything, I would be suing them right now to recoup some of the money. I cannot speak to pools that they build. They may be fantastic with things they build, who knows. But for my pool (inground, about 25,000 gallons), I worked with them for over a year and it was just one problem after another. First of all, Darla (the owner who runs the store off RT 4) is the rudest person I have ever encountered in a customer service situation. She will tell you things that aren't true (whether she's intentionally lying or has a poor memory / notes, I won't judge), then call you a liar when you correct her on it. If you PROVE she's wrong, you'll get no more than a "oh, ok yes I see now".. No apology for her nasty tone. She is equally rude to people in the store as on the phone; my wife was in there one day asking her about pool chemicals and in the middle of a question, Darla simply turned and walked away! Then you have their expertise. The thing is, I believe that Merillat actually employs smart people who DO know what they are doing. The guys who do the work are very friendly and try to answer your questions as best they can. However, they are so obviously overloaded that they cannot get in and out of your location fast enough, no matter what you are having done. This is, by the way, if they show up at all. They are so overbooked (think airline booking) that sometimes they just don't show up. Don't expect a courtesy call to apologize and tell you when they'll be out. No, you have to call them yourself, only to have Darla say "Yea we got busy today, we'll be out tomorrow or the next day". This is a woman who obviously thinks she is doing you a favor to let you pay her money. The irony is that people go to "Mom and Pop" businesses like Merillat to get exactly the kind of service Merillat does NOT provide. After a year of problems - constantly inconsistent pressure, a hot tub that never got very hot, bad winterization - and faced with the latest problem, a filter pump that was doing nothing, I gave up and called Stevenson Pools down the road on Route 4. After literally a 10 minute phone call with Kenny, my pool was back up and running. Me, the know-nothing pool-novice, was able to fix the whole thing in minutes from just what he told me on a phone call! What I got from Merillat: * A broken pool * A dirty pool (never diagnosed that we had mustard algae. Stevenson spotted immediately, recommended a copper-based shock and we have now had a pristine pool for weeks) * Poor customer service * Darla actually YELLING at my wife on the phone * Accusations, lies, overcharges (call around, Merillat costs more for routine maintenance than anyone in the area) Don't waste your time with this company. Just call Stevenson or one of the others around here. Amanda and Quiet S's reviews are spot on. (For the record I have no affiliation with Stevenson beyond being overjoyed that in 2 phone calls and 2 short trips to pick up supplies, my pool is running better and is cleaner than it ever was in a year of dealing with Merillat) read more

Kevin met with us while our house was still being built and helped us map out our pool to not only fit our lifestyle but complimented our house. The design may appear simple but it is completely elegant. Plenty of room to swim and for us big kids, places to lounge. Kevin walked us through the entire design and build process and provided honest, expert advice (salt vs chlorine) and even taught me how to keep the pool maintained. We continue to have them open and close our pool since it opened in 2015 (except this year which was my fault for not calling soon enough sorry!!!!). The maintenance crew has always been professional and courteous and always take care when they service our pool. As with any major project, there can be hiccups and they have handled them promptly and courteously. We always look forward to May each when they pool opens! (The photo is the pool being prepped to close Sept 2021) read more

Merillat Pools & Aqua Maintenance - Our pool area - Pool Cleaners Near Me - Owings, Maryland

Terrible customer service. Had no record of the appointment to open our pool. Basically calling me a liar and saying that I had to prove we scheduled the appointment, even when told that they are switching to a new system for scheduling/payments. Lost a customer for life. Always rude when stopping in and never liked the vibe. read more

I had Merillat Pools and Aqua Maintenance install a new liner, new light, and open my pool this past June and I can tell you that they were the utmost professional people thru the whole process. Reading other reviews, I was a little hesitant at first but now, i am happy I did go with them. Their team came out to install the liner and always answered our questions with a "yes sir" or :No sir". They would stop to explain their process if I asked anything and made sure everything was running smoothly before leaving. They have called me a few times this summer season to make sure everything was running good. They are scheduled to come out to close my pool this week and I am certain I will have the same professional demeanor from their employees as before. Whatever you read on here is old posts as I never experienced anything like what was posted before. This is an "A" rated company in my book. read more

The employees I've dealt with were actually pretty nice. The lady who is in charge of the actual store, Darla, is completely RUDE. If it wasn't for the employees I definitely wouldn't be a customer here. The one employee that could actually tell you what's wrong and how to remedy the problem no longer works here. Expect to wait a very long time due to all the phone calls, water testing, talking to customers and employees for personal reasons. read more

We had Merillat build a pool for us and we could not be happier. They designed a custom pool that we could grow and expand as our budget allowed. They used a computerized graphic program so we could actually see how the pool would look and it actually had our home and woods and existing landscape in the images. This really helped me visualize the concept. The design had a fire pit and a trellis which we could later add. The pool took six weeks to build. I was super anxious about the tile and bottom color we picked and they assured us it would give us the look we were trying to achieve. We wanted a natural pond look as we lived in the woods. The pool turned out exceptional and far exceeded anything we could have envisioned. The pool is now four years old and we have not had a minutes trouble with anything. My home is about 35 minutes from their office and I go out of my way to get my water tested by them to this day. I initially used someone close by my house to test water but quickly found out they sold me chemicals I didn't need. Merillat always has been honest about the water needs and even said use this rather than that as you get the same result but less expensive. Also the pool was turn key. By turn key I mean I didn't buy one thing for the pool other than a few floats and pool toys. The pool came with a cover, Polaris vacuum, chemicals that's lasted almost the whole season, skimmer on a pole, and a great pool 101 class. I am so thankful we chose them. Oh and price, they were in line with the rest of the folks we priced. Their design and making sure the pool design met our needs and wants far exceeded any of their completion. We give them all thumbs up. read more

Merillat Pools & Aqua Maintenance - Our pool that Merillat designed and built. Couldn't be more pleased. - Pool Cleaners Near Me - Owings, Maryland

I had Merillat Pools, install my pool almost a year ago and could not be happier! My pool is amazing, all my friends think I live in a resort. I had 5 builders out to my house during the research phase of my pool and Merillat blew them all out of the water. Kevin's presentation was professional and extremely detailed. No other pool builder came close. I must say my pool is stress free. Everyone on the maintenance side is very helpful, and eager to assist me in anyway. They are extremely knowledgeable and are always right on the mark with any advice they have had for me. I will continue to recommended Merillat Pools to anyone I know. read more

We had a new liner installed in 2012 and every year since, when we open in the Spring, the liner is coming off the track. Last summer I called the liner distributor and was told they didn't install the correct liner for our pool. Merillat, of course, claims that the liner is compatible when installed with the right clips. Obviously they didn't use the right clips or we wouldn't be having this problem every year. I would not recommend this company to my worst enemy. read more

I can't say enough positive things about our experience with Merillat Pools. It was our first experience building a pool and they made the process so easy. They are both very knowledgeable and easy to work with. Never once did they push us to pay more or go against our original bid. It has been around 8 years since we had our beautiful pool completed and have had 0 issues! Anytime I have had a question about chemicals or stopped in the store in Owings for water testing, the staff is always knowledgeable and helpful. I would use them again if we ever moved and found the need to build a new pool. Barbara Jarboe read more

We had a pool built by Merillat Pools in the spring of 2015. They have opened and closed the pool, tested our water, and provided maintenance for us since finishing construction. Kevin designed us a unique and beautiful pool with custom tile, stone, and special features. This was no easy job, as our yard only provided one tough spot that was conducive to building a pool. He made it work! During the construction phase, they were professional, prompt, and managed to complete the project on time despite a significantly rainy spring due to the dedication and long-hours of their employees. Since the pool became operational, we have been very happy with their work! They have helped us to diagnose minor problems (usually owner error!) as they occur with the pool, help us keep the water balanced and crystal clear through their free water testing services, and open and close the pool professionally so that we don't have to worry at the beginning or end of the season. I highly recommend Merillat Pools for pool design, construction and your on-going maintenance needs. read more

Would NOT recommend this company and they will NEVER receive my business again! Owner (Darla) is a rude & incompetent. For many years, I've purchased products from them & scheduled closings. Two years ago, my son was visiting from out-of-town for the weekend to repair the plumbing on our pump. We stopped at Merillat to discuss but they did not have all the parts in stock (pressed for time, we went elsewhere). I recently called about another matter and while on the phone w/Darla, she asked my name and recalled (from 2 years ago mind you) that we did not buy our plumbing supplies from her. Darla spitefully told me to call the "other pool company" and hung up. So unless you're prepared to get scolded for purchasing pool supplies anywhere else, do not use this company. Not only is dealing with Darla the most unpleasant experience ever, their location on Rte. 4 is extremely dangerous to enter & exit from. I hope this *B* goes out of business soon!!! read more