We’re building a swimming pool. No, not for me, but for a customer. If there is ever a specialized trade, pool construction would be it. They use their own vocabulary, have issues I don’t know that much about, use parts I don’t know the name of, and have a perspective on their work that wraps only around enhancing people’s leisure time. In the end, though, pool construction, like other sub-trades, is all about expertise and experience. From my end, it’s all about bringing their team into alignment with the overall goals of our team, and making sure that all the players work as a cohesive group. But, trusting them to do what they are good at is the underpinning of our relationship. Pools in NE Ohio can have myriad issues after the fact, and they’re all bad, so hiring a great sub is paramount. Even so, everyone makes mistakes, and ours did. The kitchenette is no place for pool pumps! An easy matter-now!- to move those pipes into the right place. So, trusting your team, but verifying that things are in the right places is critical. And given the labyrinthine tangle of piping that goes under a pool, keeping all the lines straight is an artform unto itself. I’m just glad I don’t have to do it!
