Diamond Pools

I had footprints in my plaster from a dog that had died prior to the plaster being done. The mexican plaster company did not acid wash the pool prior to the plaster and the foot prints came through. Also their electrician wasn't licensed in East Baton Rouge Parish. Once the pool changed names to gunite pool they made an attempt to get the footprints out by draining the pool and acid washing, however it did not work. I have had a couple issues with cracking flagstone but that may have happened anyway. I kept after them would show up at their place of business and they attempted to make things right. If they are in business its under a different name now. Pros: Decent Price, pretty pool design Cons: Poor workmanship with their contractors more

I hired Diamond right after Katrina and JOYCE was my salesperson also. She told me it would only take 6 weeks to install my pool. Well it took 6 months! And talk about poor quality workmanship. When Joyce measured out my pool she charged me extra saying my pool was going to be bigger then the allowed amount for the price. When Charles and his crew came out to stake out the pool he discovered she had my pool measured too big and if we put one in the size she quoted and charged me for I would walk out my back door and fall in the pool. Well I never saw that extra $2,500.00 they charged me get taken off my bill. Now I have problems with my pool leaking water, and all the flag stone around the pool is popping up. To make matters worse I hear they are out of business... UGH!!! Anyone have any suggestions on what can be done about these people? I heard Joyce lived in Laplace. Cons: there are 100s more

Can anyone help me with Charles Farrell and Joyce Whitcomb? I want to serve them, but I can't find them. Thanks. Cons: 3 years later more

I knew I wasn't the only person ripped off by this company. Every negative review that I read sounded like words coming straight from my mouth. I hired Diamond Shotcrete in 2006 and heard from them regularly until I gave them my deposit. I had to beg and plead with them to come and work on my job. My salesperson, Joyce, was as smooth as glass. She always knew the right thing to say to calm me down and make me believe all was okay with my job. They constructed my waterfall wall with the wrong materials and installed the wrong tiles, and Charles Farrell had the nerve to tell me, through Joyce because he never spoke to me, that I would not like the tiles that I picked out and I would be upset later if I had them, so he refused to put them in. Of course, he didn't refund me for the upcharge on those tiles. He held up the closing on my house due to the incompletion of the pool. I paid another pool contractor $12,000 to complete it and clean the mess left in my yard. My pipes were not buried, you can acually feel the vibration of the water going through them, standing on the ground, and I have several leaks. I sued for damages in 2007, he didn't show up in court, then when I was awarded a default judgment, he countersued me citing that I had lied, but he didn't show up to court to defend his own suit against me. No good, deadbeat. Joyce Whitcomb - Charles Farrell When you encounter those names in any business RUN!!! Pros: Absolutely NONE Cons: Too many to name - sleazy business practices more

I had my pooled installed by this company over 3 years ago and I continue to have problems and can NEVER get a return call. I even had an attorney write them a letter and they didnt even respond. The sales person 'Joyce"" was a good seller, but she cannot deliver on what she sells. I even started calling her at home and that didnt help. Two months after my pool was installed my polaris pump went out and David their repair guy came out and replaced it charging me $100.00. I was totally upset, called the office and was told he should have not have charged me, well I wasnt home, my elder mother was and she didnt know any better. Talk about take advantage of the elders in this world! I was told my money would be refunded to me, well it is 3 years later and I have not seen my money again! Pros: NONE I CAN COME UP WITH Cons: THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SPACE FOR ME TO LIST THE CONS OF THIS COMPANY more

FIRST RECEIVED QUOTE FROM DIAMOND, THEN DECIDED A YEAR LATER TO GO AHEAD WITH POOL. SAME SALES PERSON - JOYCE - BUT NOW WORKS FOR GUNITE SWIMMING POOL CONTRACTORS LLC. SAID IT IS SAME COMPANY, BUT NOW MANAGED BY THE FORMER OWNERS GIRLFRIEND - CYNTHIA GONSOULIN. CAN NOT GET ANYONE TO RETURN CALLS, POOL IS NOT FINISHED. THEY WROTE NSF CHECK TO THE CONCRETE COMPANY WHO IS CALLING ME TO COLLECT THE BAD DEBT. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY FOR A POOL UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY TO JUST THROW AWAY. Cons: CAN NOT FINISH WHAT THEY START more

This company is the most fraudulant company in the pool business. Charlie Farrell is a fraud. He should be in jail. The only people writing raving reviews for this company are the owners and the salesman. Cons: the whole pool more

Diamond Shotcrete and owner, Charles, should be permanantly put out of business! Charles NEVER returned a single phone call - NOT ONCE!!! He NEVER EVER has come to our home to see the HORRIBLE results of the people he sent to my home. I have over 100 photos throughout the 11 months that they were ""working"" on our pool - a few show the beer cans and trash that the workers left throughout our yard! Charles did cash all of my checks!!! I had to spend an ADDITIONAL $12,500 to complete my pool by a DIFFERENT contractor!!! NO ONE would take our calls after months and months, we gave up hope. Half of the time, the voice mail was full. Diamond Shotcrete should be avoided at all costs. We tell everyone that we know about how dispicable a company Diamond Shotcrete is and just what we think of Mr. Charles! Pros: Absolutely NONE Cons: UNprofessional THIEVES more

They never returned our phone calls in 3 years. There is no contacting them unless you wake up early and go to the office and catch them on there way to other jobs!!! So once you have paid and they leave make sure everything is in order because you will be stuck with what you have. You will have to pay for services thru another pool company. That is what we had and have to so, because the job is sub par. more

Our gunite is coming through the plaster in one part of the pool. Upon completion of the pool we were reassured that the plaster crew would come out to fix the problem. Months later after weekly phone calls from us that were never returned, the plaster problems has not been corrected. This company is unresponsive and unprofessional. They may get your pool built quickly but will not correct any problems. more

Diamond Shotcrete completed my pool in 3 1/2 weeks. What a beautiful job. They came in over $5,000.00 cheaper than the competition. You want a beautiful pool, quality job at a great price, give me them. You go guys!!! Thanks for everything!!! Pros: Completed by the date promised. Quality Job, Quality Equipment. more

I can't warn potential pool buyers enough to stay clear of this company. They were recommended to me by acquaintances who have both since discovered faulty workmanship and problems with their pools (pool drain that leaks / flagstone coping is cracking off). The company has been unresponsive and unavailable to assist them. They have also recently been removed from the list of Better Business Burea members. I have also heard the owner was forced to shut down a few prior pool businesses but resurfaces under different names every few years. I am not sure what problems I may have because no one will come and finish my pool! This company crosses the line and is truly unethical and unprofessional. Pros: nice website & portfolio Cons: no accountability, unprofessional, unavailable more

I used this company to build my pool and they did a terrific job and I am completely satisfied. My pool was even more beautiful that I dreamed. The maintenance is as easy as explained. I love it!!!! The construction was a little messy, but I was warned about the mess. more

This company does beautiful work but promises of quick turn-around times and owner job supervision are not true. Complaints or attempts to resolve issues are met with resistance and cause further delays in the completion of your project. This company over-promises and under delivers. Read your contract carefully...owner reserves the right to prolong your project if you complain and is happy to pass this information on to you. Pros: Quick contract Cons: Slow progress, professionalism, Unresponsivennes more