How to choose a pool repair specialist in the UAE

Start with the licence

Every legitimate business in the UAE operates under a trade licence issued by an economic authority or free zone. The UAE government portal lists the official tools for verifying licences, including:

• the National Economic Register, run by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism
• the Ministry of Economy and Tourism enquiry for commercial company licences
• Dubai Economy and Tourism's search for licence information
• Abu Dhabi's enquiry service for economic licences
• trade name services for Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and trade licence services for Fujairah

When you check, confirm three things: the licence is active, the name on the licence matches the name on the quote and invoice, and the listed activities cover the work you need. A free zone company may have different permissions from a mainland company, so ask if anything is unclear.

Match the specialist to the problem

"Pool company" covers very different trades. Choose for the problem you have:

• Water loss: a leak detection specialist with pressure testing and acoustic equipment
• Tiles, mosaic, coping: a pool tiling specialist who works with immersion-rated systems
• Waterproofing and shell repair: a contractor with experience in pool membranes or the specific shell type
• Pumps, filters, controls: an equipment service technician
• Chillers and heat pumps: a technician qualified for refrigeration work; the Jandy heat pump manual, for example, specifies installation by a licensed and qualified pool equipment contractor and maintenance by a technician certified in heat pump repair where local requirements exist

Experience with your construction type matters too. Fibreglass, vinyl liner and stainless steel pools each need specific skills.

Get findings and scope in writing

A good specialist explains what they found before they explain what they want to do. Ask for a written document that covers:

• what was inspected or tested, and what the results were
• the proposed work, and the products or system to be used
• whether the pool must be lowered or emptied, how it will be drained, and how long materials must cure before refilling
• who obtains any approvals from the authority or building management
• what is excluded
• the planned sequence of work
• warranty terms

For leak detection, ask to see a sample report before you book. It should show which lines were tested, which held and which failed, and how the leak position was confirmed.

Warranty terms

Ask two separate questions. What does the contractor guarantee about their own workmanship, for how long, and what would void it? And what manufacturer warranties apply to any equipment being installed? Manufacturers set conditions in their manuals, such as installation by a qualified contractor and correct water flow, so ask whether the installation will keep the manufacturer's warranty valid.

Insurance

Ask whether the company holds liability insurance that covers work at your property, and request a copy of the certificate. Building and hotel managers will normally need this for their own records.

References and evidence

• photos of similar jobs, ideally on the same pool type
• contact details for two or three recent clients you can call
• for larger jobs, the address of a completed project you can view

Questions to ask

1. What do you think is causing the problem, and how will you confirm it?
2. Have you worked on this type of pool before?
3. What exactly is included in your price, and what is not?
4. Who will be on site, and who supervises them?
5. How will you protect the deck, garden and interior during the work?
6. Who arranges approvals and access with building management?
7. What happens if you find something unexpected once work starts?
8. What warranty do you give, and in what form?

Red flags

• Breaking things before confirming the cause. LeakTronics, a leak detection equipment maker, advises confirming a failed pipe line with a second test before anyone cuts the deck. A contractor who wants to start breaking tiles or concrete on a hunch is guessing at your expense.
• No written findings or scope. If it is not written down, it cannot be compared or enforced.
• Licence details that do not match the company name on the quote or invoice.
• Pressure to decide on the spot, for example with a price that is only valid today.
• Ignoring approvals or suggesting you skip building management.
• Dismissing manufacturer instructions for curing times, flow rates or chemical use.

For building and hotel managers

Dubai Municipality's public pool guideline defines a contractor as a business engaged in the design, construction, alteration and maintenance of pools, and requires operators to ensure that competent persons carry out maintenance. Operators must also provide work procedures, the manufacturer's maintenance manuals and permits to work, prepare a work-specific risk assessment, and protect pool users during works. In Abu Dhabi, the municipal guide requires specialised, certified companies to treat the water of pools larger than 280 square metres or disinfected with chlorine gas. Build these requirements into your tender documents so that every bidder prices the same obligations.