In an economy where most pool companies weren't taking on new clients or would only promise you a wait list or a year-long project at best, Pools by John Clarkson was eager to start my pool project and promised a pool by the summer! Pools by John Clarkson started my pool mid-March 2023 and I was relaxing in my pool mid-June! They more than made good on their promise and I am thrilled with my new pool. The first step had been bringing their design consultant, Jordon (JR) Rothman onsite to survey the property, inquire as to my design ideas/desires and explain the whole process. He was extremely knowledgeable and a true professional. JR was a pleasure to work with from the very beginning. He quickly provided artist renderings, and design suggestions that made the process fun and easy. He presented a design that included a beautiful hot tub and an extra large sun shelf, exceeding all my expectations. From the start of the project, the entire team made me feel like an old friend- just as excited about my pool as I was! My project manager, Edmund Meyer, did an amazing job of scheduling the individual crews required for each phase and following up on each to a timely completion. He excelled in his leadership role by taking a genuine interest in all of my concerns and questions with quick responses and resolutions. I often dropped by the office when an invoice was due. Their customer service team, Annette Clark and Debbi Werling were so warm and welcoming. Always smiling faces and kind words. If I had a question or concern, they always had the answers and always responded in a proficient and expeditious manner! If you are looking to build your own beautiful pool, I highly recommend Pools by John Clarkson. read more

Clarkson did an incredible job of designing and building our pool. The entire team was a joy to work with and very knowledgeable. Even after completion they continue to reach out and follow up with us to make sure we are good. Highly recommend for any and all pool/spa builds. read more

Pools by John Clarkson - Pool & Hot Tub Service Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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if you want your pool green there the best at it bad communication and will leave you upset trust me I have proof to

Hiring Clarkson Pools for our renovation was the single most frustrating and costly mistake of our existing pool remodel. We chose them despite cheaper options, paying nearly $10,000 more because we thought we were buying superior quality and expertise. Instead, we got delays, rework, unresponsiveness, and constant battles just to get what was promised in our contract. Once the contract was signed and the deposit was made the whole pace and tone of the project began to change. The deposit was paid on December 16, 2024. The contract required work to start within 6 weeks (by Jan 27, 2025). Clarkson didn't begin draining the pool until Feb 10. The pool was supposed to be plaster-ready within 6 weeks of mobilization (by Mar 21, 2025) and fully complete by Apr 4, 2025. In reality, the pool was not swimmable until the first week of July -- three months late. Deck work dragged on until August 2025. Clarkson blamed permitting delays, even though only one inspection (the final safety/electrical) was required. In truth, there were weeks of inactivity with no real weather justification. Almost every major phase of the project had to be redone at least once. Reinforcing dowels were installed without cleaning the drilled holes; I could pull them out with my fingers. The reformed pool beam and waterline tile were both installed incorrectly and had to be ripped out and redone. The new pool drains weren't set square initially. When they finally pressure-tested (months after I began asking), the system failed because pipes hadn't even been glued together. Both drains had to be cut out and replaced, causing further delays. The resurfaced deck bubbled and cracked almost immediately because existing cracks weren't properly remediated. Low spots caused water to pool. Correcting these issues dragged on until August before it was finally completed. Our original contact, David Mauney, was chronically unresponsive. As an example, during the week of Feb 17th, I sent him 3 texts, 2 voicemails, and 1 email with no reply until I escalated with a blunt message that weekend. This was not unusual. His supervisor, Shannon Phifer, avoided direct communication. I left multiple messages that went unanswered until I physically showed up at their office. Only after this visit did I get a return phone call. Clarkson Pools also attempted to hold the job hostage on more than one occasion. First by refusing to schedule plaster until I paid the full remaining balance, even though the job was incomplete. The second was during the completion of the Punchlist, which included the retexturing of the bubbled and cracked deck. Only after escalating to senior leadership, Judson Clarkson (COO) and Jordan Clarkson (CEO), and negotiating additional partial payments did work resume. Though it should be noted that neither Judson nor Jordan ever formally responded to my emails. In contrast, Lance, a newly hired but experienced project manager who Clarkson Pools brought in half-way through, was the only person who showed consistent responsiveness. While not perfect, he made a genuine effort to keep things moving despite little support or resources from his own company. The failure of this project rests squarely on Clarkson Pools' leadership and systemic mismanagement -- not on Lance. Bottom line, while the final product looks good, it is in spite of Clarkson Pools, not because of them. Every step forward required me to catch errors, push for corrections, and escalate to management. As a construction professional, I understand that challenges happen -- but this wasn't bad luck. It was a pattern of poor scheduling, poor quality control, and poor accountability at every level. We hired Clarkson Pools for their reputation, paid a premium for what we thought was professionalism, and instead endured one of the most painful construction experiences we've ever had. Future potential customers think very carefully before signing a contract with Clarkson Pools. The polished sales pitch and higher price did not translate to quality or reliability. read more

We recently contracted with Pools by John Clarkson to correct defective water falls installed by another pool contractor. The original water falls were defective and needed to be removed and replaced with new ones. This was to be a highly involved and complex task requiring removal of the top of a wall including pavers and bull nose bricks. After that, there was the task of removing the falls themselves that required a lot of skill and expertise. The team led by Vanessa Coates did an outstanding job performing these tasks. Vanessa was on the job site daily overseeing every phase of this job making sure the team did things right. They managed to quickly open the wall and remove the old walls in a day or two. Then they identified an issue with the plumbing and engineered a complex valve arrangement that allowed individual regulating of the flow to each falls. After the falls were installed, they replaced the original pavers and matched our old bull nose bricks with an exact color match of both bricks and grout. You cannot tell any work was done except for perfectly working water falls. Thanks so much to the project manager Vanessa Coates and the John Clarkson crew for doing a outstanding job and repairing a very big issue with our brand new pool Kudos to all! read more

We had a leak yesterday from a seal that split in two. To make matters worse, we had company in town from Colorado. We called PBJC around noon. We spoke to Annette and then Kyle. Within hours, they sent a technician to our residence and our pool was up and running perfectly. If everyone had this kind of customer service, the world would be a happier place. Kudos to PBJC for taking care of your customers. We had them build and design our pool and it has been a wonderful experience. Thanks again! read more

Beware of PBJC. I wanted to wait until the project was finished, but couldn't keep waiting and wanted to warn others in a timely manner about shortcomings in service that have shaped my assessment. In short: -Communication is inexistent regarding when milestones will actually be completed. 'I don't know' may be an honest answer by the company, but unacceptable in project management. -Their phone constantly directs to voicemail...no matter what time of day a call is placed. Sometimes calls are returned, though most times multiple calls and messages need to be left prior to getting a call back. -No verification that specific finishes can be applied to the material selections, resulting in the selected design finishes not being possible (up to this point no correction has been proposed for the mistake). -Subpar workmanship on paver and coping installation. Time will tell if items get corrected as they claim they do...though we are 20 weeks into a 12 week project and review of the paver work did not result in rework (yet). According to PBJC, we are 'already at the point where things will move really fast'. That was 10 weeks ago. We have had a project manager on site weekly, which we appreciate, but I don't know that there is effective communication or optimization of resources and processes to actually get work completed in a timely manner...even considering the effects of the pandemic. Rather than focus on delivering quality in product and service, PBJC seems more focused on digging out more pools weekly...leaving their customers unhappy and with a MASSIVELY DANGEROUS hole in their back yard for longer than is acceptable. Their product may be 'ok' in the end, but their service so far is subpar, and not worth the premium in costs. I would love nothing more than for PBJC to make good on their sales pitch, deliver a good product, and give me a reasonable date (read: within 1-2 weeks) on when my project will be completed. Until then, look elsewhere. read more

Beware of using PBJC's Aqua Classics division to build your pool. The only part of the pool that PBJC even does is the quote, permits and getting the chemicals right once the pool is complete. They sub-contract out every major portion of the build. I have no issues with the work performed by the sub-contractors (for the most part), but as the Prime Contractor PBJC were basically absent on all fronts. As a Project Manager myself, I know that when you sub-contract work out it is still the Prime Contractors job to coordinate and communicate with the customer. I never knew when someone was coming out or when milestones would start/finish. All I ever got was the same song and dance about how they should be doing things better but they never correct their mistakes. I spoke to the lead salesman of the Aqua Classics division at length about how he could improve their processes and become one of the premier pool builders in the area, but it always seemed to go in one ear and out the other. To give the entire experience a grade i would have to break it down into sections: Communication and coordination - F Planning/milestones/schedules - F Sub-Contracted work quality - B- Responsiveness to issues - D Respect for customers property - D Billing - A+ (They always made sure to communicate and coordinate when a payment was due) After construction Services (Chemicals/cleaning) - B+ so far Overall I should have a decent pool once I get done repairing everything that was destroyed in the process of the build (some was expected, while others were not). However, I would not recommend using aqua classics for any reason if you value coordination, communication and exceptional customer service. read more

The only reason I'm giving a 2 is because they did actually finish our pool. Horrible follow up on any questions or problems. Rushed in finishing the pool and left our decking in horrible condition, ground in dirt stains everywhere! Said they'd take care of it no problem. Almost 3 months later, still not resolved! They charge a very high price to supposedly "stand behind their product ", what a joke! We almost feel like we were conned. read more

Overall, I haven't been very satisfied with their customer service. I've tried scheduling a service call for several weeks and continue to get the run around. If you don't pay the service fee in advance, you are repeatedly pushed to the back of the line. Are you kidding me I have to pay $95 just to be put on the schedule. Sounds backwards to me. They are asking for a lot of faith in their business. The rest of the world believes you pay when you receive a service. Maybe I'm wrong though?? Unfortunately they lost a very loyal customer and a great reference. read more

Good Grief! (where to begin?), simply put, if you don't have 100(+)-k to dump on a new pool, don't even bother these people. They, "pander to elitist" charging nearly double that of any other repair. The fact that we paid $125.00 (non-refundable) for what basically amounted to a, "sales pitch", they then had to, "go back to the office" just to gives us an estimate for a simple repair. The estimate was nearly double what anyone else would charge for the very same work, I believe, (IMHO) that they purposely over-inflate the estimate astronomically to, discourage any commitment and you subsequently, by doing so, forfeit the deposit. (with very little effort on their part) They also want ALL of the cost of parts, "up front" (50% down, %50 upon completion), they literally don't want to be out ANY expenditure whatsoever. Is this a good, "business model"?, Yes if your, "bottom line" is your top priority (not your client), is it illegal? No, is it an ethical business practice?, "border line" in my opinion. If you need a simple repair in a timely manner at a reasonable cost, this is not the place, go to Florida Bonded Pools instead, (sure, Florida Bonded has hit a few, "rough spots" lately but I think that they are, "back on track").... read more

Would hate to see their service considering how they drive. They did not yield at a sign and almost caused me to run in to them when I had the right of way. From their reviews of customer service on here it looks like that should not be a surprise. read more

We had a consult 2 wks ago, never got the estimate as promised and haven't heard a peep since.

There is not enough room on this site to write how thankful and appreciative we are to Shannon at PBJC! Upon our initial meeting with Shannon and Erich in June 2020, we were immediately impressed by the level of expertise, knowledge and professionalism they displayed,. They took a lot of time to sit and talk with us about our swimming pool needs and how we envisioned our new pool, and how we'd use it - including asking us about our "must have" list. They discussed line item by line item with us so we could weigh all the options to make our decision. After weeks of thoughtful consideration, input from family members and taking into account the potential for cost savings, we decided to hire another pool company who came in with lots of promises and a bid just under what PBJC proposed. WE'RE STILL REGRETTING THE DECISION to not hire PBJC!!! What a NIGHTMARE it's turned out to be with the OTHER pool company. We are now 12+ months into the pool project (yes you read that correctly, 12 months) with "the other guy" and are still not done. The other guy left off so many details from his estimate that we're now at the same price as what PBJC originally quoted us. (Top of the list of what wasn't included with "the other guy" : no electrical for the equipment, no footer, no water sanitization system?! Aren't these things a requirement to operate a pool? We have learned so much from this horrible experience.) We have buyer's remorse 100%. However, to our amazement when we contacted Shannon at PBJC in hopes of gaining a little advice, he went above and beyond with his expertise and his generosity of time and talent to help bail us out of this disastrous situation. There is something truly remarkable about a team who epitomize professionalism, have an affinity for their craft, and who consistently demonstrate overall integrity and kindness. THANK YOU, SHANNON and your crew at PBJC...your benevolence and professionalism have not, and will not, go unnoticed. With kindest regards and thanks! read more

Professional friendly staff and workers from start to finish. Went above and beyond for someone who has never had a pool. Helpful with style and size all the way to how to care for the pool. We would recommend Judd & Jordan and PJC to everyone whether big or small or simple or extravagant! They do beautiful work! read more

Pools by John Clarkson - Just perfect! - Pool & Hot Tub Service Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We recently completed a pool, spa and outdoor area with Pools By John Clarkson and could not be happier with the result. Our project was completed this past Feb 2016 and everything from the level of customer service to the quality of products used to complete our pool and outdoor area was top notch. There were a few changes that we asked to make as the project was well under way and Kyle at PBJC addressed the changes that we asked and made sure that we were 100% satisfied with the end project. You have great access to your rep who is handling your project, including their cell number, and they always got back to us within the day to address any questions. I have already turned a few close friends onto PBJC and will continue to do so. Thank you, Robbie and Georgina read more

We would like to thank the entire PBJC family for their outstanding work on our dream pool. From the beginning, our designer, Jeff Hocker, was very informative and responsive to all our questions and needs throughout the entire process. We are particularly grateful to our project manager, Eric Jent, who went above and beyond in making sure every aspect of our pool was perfect. He immediately attended to any issues that arose during the project, and his level of professionalism, integrity, and friendly nature made us feel at ease during what could have been a potentially frustrating experience. Having emotionally prepared for a project of this size, we were expecting at least some challenges, but thanks to Eric none of that occurred. We were also extremely impressed with all of the subcontractors and team members that work with PBJC. Additonally we would like to thank some of the other staff that we have had frequent contact with such as Jim Sasser, Jim Grey, Darren, Brandi, and Steve. We initially decided on PBJC based on their reputation, and we were not disappointed. Everything from the customer service to the quality of the building materials shows why this company has earned and maintained their reputation. We are extremely pleased with our finished product and would recommend PBJC to anyone wishing to construct a pool or spa. read more