From Family Roots to Community Legacy: The Story of Precision Pools

by tanya_martins_2 | January 15, 2025 11:55 am

By Tanya Martins

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Precision Pools, established in 1984 by Emmett DeAngelis in Kitchener, Ont., began as a pool service company. Incorporated in 1986, the business transitioned to building inground pools and, by the early 2000s, evolved into an upscale builder, often serving as the general contractor (GC) for their projects. Precision Pools maintains tight control over quality and scheduling by handling most work in-house.

While Emmett remains the company’s president in a mentor role, daily operations have been overseen since 2008 by Rob DeAngelis (Emmett’s son) and Dennis Zaborski, who became co-owners alongside Emmett. In 2016, Rachel DeAngelis (Emmett’s daughter) joined as an owner, solidifying the family-run dynamic. Rob, Dennis, and Rachel, all rooted in the Kitchener-Waterloo community, believe that operating with honesty and integrity is essential to business success and community growth. Their collaborative leadership ensures top-tier quality and client communication: Rob and Dennis are present at every job site, while Rachel manages office operations to keep the business running smoothly.

Pool & Spa Marketing (PSM): What sets your company apart and makes it stand out from other pool builders?

Precision Pools (PP): We stay current with our education through seminars at the industry’s conference and expo or seminars with specific companies. We also keep up with upgrades to pool designs, lights, heaters, pumps, and especially automation in our industry. We get location and building permits for every project. Our area has many municipalities and townships, and each one is slightly different regarding its pool enclosure bylaw. Obtaining the permits saves the homeowner the hassle and coincides with our “we take care of everything” philosophy.

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PSM: Could you share details about the business, such as the number of employees?

PP: We have seven full-time employees, including owners, and expand to 12 to 18 employees during the building season.

PSM: Could you describe the services your business offers, such as pool/spa installation, maintenance, repair, and other related services?

PP: Our work mainly involves custom inground pool builds and large restorations. We fully service every new pool build and renovation for at least three years.

We do all our hard surface work, including concrete pool decks and armour stone or pavestone retaining walls, often leading to complete backyard makeovers. We employ a team of associated contractors to build our pool houses and related structures. Electrical and gas contractors also work under our supervision.

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PSM: Please share some information about the types of pools and hot tubs your company specializes in.

PP: We build custom steel, wall vinyl-lined inground pools. Most of our projects have vinyl-over-steel steps, and sun ledges or benches are often attached to the steps.

PSM: What recent projects has the company been involved in?

PP: Last fall, we completed renovations on three inground pools, each requiring a different level of work. We also worked on a new build with large concrete squares that we formed and poured, and there will be turf between the squares. We have also been working on a new build with large concrete retaining walls. We subbed that portion of the job out, but the project also has a lot of concrete flat work that we have done.

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PSM: What are some of your business’s most memorable or challenging projects?

PP: Over the years, we have had several challenging digs where we have hit water, sand, or both. We have also encountered complicated and restricted access to yards. However, the most memorable projects are those based on the homeowner; we have built pools for some of the nicest people. We also have projects where we’ve tried something new or large-scale projects that instill a sense of pride when you think of what the yard looked like before the backyard oasis we’ve created for our clients.

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PSM: To what extent does your shop handle the pool installation process in-house?

PP: We handle almost all aspects of the installation process in-house. From the quoting to design, building permits and locates (and any other special permits that may be required). We are on every dig to ensure the excavator is digging the pool in the proper location and to the proper specs. We set up and level every pool and do the plumbing, which we encase in concrete footings that also hold the steel in place. We backfill, prep the concrete deck, and pour all the concrete surfaces. We build retaining walls and water features, and if time allows, we install ornamental aluminum fencing for some projects. We install the liner and the equipment, do all the plumbing at the equipment, and give the clients an orientation on how to operate their new pool.

PSM: What equipment does your company currently use to complete its projects?

PP: We have various smaller machines, including excavators, track loaders and skid steers, to keep our employees from doing too much heavy lifting. We continually upgrade our fleet of trucks and equipment to enhance efficiency, improve safety, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure that we can meet the evolving needs of our customers while minimizing our environmental impact.

PSM: Can you describe your company’s planning and design process?

PP: We visit the home to discuss the client’s wish list in a casual and no-pressure manner. We conclude the visit with a rough budget and timeline. The following week, we prepare a more detailed budget and email it to the homeowner. If the budget and timelines are suitable, we take a small deposit and design the pool and backyard makeover. A final quote is prepared once the design has been revised—if needed—and approved. We design all our projects using 3D pool building software, allowing our clients to see exactly what their finished backyard will look like.

By allowing the sales and design process to evolve, we can gain the trust of our clients, which leads to a trusting and collaborative relationship throughout the building stages.

PSM: How has your business evolved or expanded since its inception?

PP: Our company evolved from a one-person show to an ownership group of three. While still a family business, we have brought others whose philosophy aligns with ours. That is a focus on quality workmanship and meeting clients personally to understand their actual wants and needs. Each owner has their area of expertise. Clients can visit our showroom, which is part of our owned office, shop, and construction yard.

PSM: How has technology impacted your business operations, from design and planning to maintenance and communicating with customers?

PP: When Precision Pools started designing pools, they were completed by hand on lined paper. Cell phones were not used then, but a phone in the truck allowed us to forward the office line and answer almost every call. As cell phones became more widely used and the company expanded, they became the primary means of communication. Email is used heavily and is easily accessible on our devices.

We began using 3D pool-building software more than a decade ago. This software allows us to show the client a 3D design of their yard and provides a 2D design with dimensions we use in the field to construct the project.

Most of our clients get automation on their pool, which allows them to operate it from their phones and allows us remote access to help with troubleshooting, which has been helpful over the years.

PSM: What is the key factor in maintaining long-term success within the industry?

PP: The key to surviving in this industry, as in most, is to choose the right employees, train them well and do your utmost to keep them. They are as much a part of the company as you are.

PSM: What are your future goals and aspirations for your swimming pool business?

PP: To keep making clients happy and be active in our community, we need to continue pushing ourselves to improve our work and look for any weak spots to work on. Never settle for good, and always strive for greatness.

PSM: Apart from challenges posed by the pandemic years, what is one of the significant obstacles your company has faced, and what strategies were employed to overcome them?

PP: One obstacle we faced was building pools in the fall and not completing them before the weather turned cold and snowy. To protect the pool, we would install a temporary liner and partially fill it, adding time and money to the project.

Several years ago, we found a way to tent pools and add a heating device under the tent so we could install the pool liner, fill the pool, and install the winter safety cover. In the spring, all that remained was to open the pool and get it swim-ready for our clients.

PSM: Is there anything else you want readers to know about your business or your journey as a business owner in this industry?

PP: We feel very fortunate to be able to do what we do. We make people’s dreams come true, and it is very fulfilling. It has not always been the easiest journey but has always been rewarding.

From Bare Beginnings to the Ultimate Summer Escape

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Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/from-family-roots-to-community-legacy/

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