After 83 years of building pools, family owned Pulliam Pools is soaking up success. 
   The Fort Worth-based firm was named Small Business of the Year by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for a company with 51-100 employees. 
   Third generation pool builder Barry Pulliam bought the business from his father, Doren, in 1985. Barry Pulliam got his feet wet in the pool business when he was 10 years old. He took a break from the family business during college and pursued other ventures before returning home.
   "There's a joke in my family that you get chlorine in your veins," he said, with wife Lizz attesting to that.
 

Taking the plunge

   Barry's grandfather, Theo, founded the company in 1916 as a cement contractor.
"There were no such things as pool contractors back then," Barry Pulliam said.
   However, his grandfather built concrete cattle dipping vats and consequently was asked to build a public pool in Gatesville in 1924.
   Slowly, the pool industry began to tread water, and by 1948 Pulliam Pools purchased the first gunite machine in the state of Texas, Barry Pulliam said.
   "Gunite was the next generation of pool construction, and my dad designed some structural specifications that are still being used today," he said.

No more vacuums

   Pool construction and maintenance has significantly evolved during Pulliam Pools' tenure.
   "Pools are more carefree," Barry Pulliam said. "There's more automation and less maintenance."
   Marked improvements have been made in the filtering and plumbing systems, he said. Automatic pool cleaners do most of the work for the pool cleaner -- a major breakthrough from the days of having to "vacuum" the pool.
   "You used to have to vacuum the pool, and keeping it clean and maintaining the water quality was hard work." Barry Pulliam said. "People from my generation who aren't familiar with pool advances may think pools are too much work. But I like to show people what's available these days."
   The most recent innovations to pools have been interior coatings, he said.
   Previously, everyone had a white-plastered pool that gave the water a baby-blue tint. Now pools have finishes that make the water a bright aqua or a green color, for example. Black bottom pools are also available which warms the pool temperature or for those who swim more often at night, he said.
 
 Buyer's market

   Price marks another major change in the pool industry.
   "When I was a kid, pools cost two times what a Cadillac costs," Barry Pulliam said. "Now they cost less than a Cadillac. Financing is more readily available and more middle-income people are getting pools."
   Pulliam customer Jamye Kirkham said, "A pool is a large investment, and I'm pleased we trust Pulliam with this investment."
   And because the pool industry is highly competitive, Barry Pulliam said it's a good time for the consumer.
   "There are lots of pool companies in the area and that keeps prices down," he said. "But we've been in the business so long and we have the volume to offer low prices on a consistent basis."
   Pulliam Pools also keeps costs in check by belonging to Aquatech, a national organization that allows co-op purchasing for pool builders.
   "Only one builder from each market is invited to join Aquatech," he said.

Making waves

   Pulliam Pools personnel is key to the company's success, Barry Pulliam said.
   "People not only need to be skilled at their trade, but they need to have good communication skills," he said. "Even if you do everything right when you build a pool, if you don't communicate well with the customer, they're not going to walk away from experience totally satisfied."
   Pulliam customer David Brawner said, "There is no doubt in my mind that your company is the best pool builder in the metroplex, and I welcome any of your potential customers the opportunity to come by and see for themselves, what a fine job Pulliam has done for us."
   Pulliam staffs an in-house plumbing crew and all other trades are hired through subcontractors.
   "Like a homebuilder, we sub out most of our work," he said. "When my father was running the business, everything was in-house because of lack of subcontractor base here."
    Now Barry Pulliam puts a great deal of time into "cultivating subcontractors", he said. The company also works with several subcontractors exclusively known as "captive subcontractors."
   And Pulliam makes sure he has the staff to accommodate the work, he said. His crew has grown from three designers and two superintendents to seven designers and seven superintendents in 10 years, he said.
   "First we add the personnel, then we take on the work," he said. "We hire the superintendents first and then the salesmen."

Diving in

   Pulliam Pools' growth has paralleled the population growth throughout the greater Tarrant County area. Pulliam serves Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Denton, Wise and Palo Pinto counties. 
   "Growth follows rooftops," he said. "There are pockets where we're doing a large concentration of work, and Northeast Tarrant County is a hot spot right now."
   Pulliam is scheduled to dig 15 pools the first week of November. The company digs anywhere from 25-30 per week during the summer.
   "Winter used to be a major slow down, but not as much anymore," he said. "Customers are more educated and are planning ahead more."
   Pulliam offers a wide variety of pool designs and materials. Designers help customers choose a pool type based on criteria such as home design, lifestyle and budget.
   "We don't build cookie-cutter designs," Barry Pulliam said.
   Pool designs go through fads just like home interiors and fashion.
   Ten years ago geometric pools were popular and brick coping was new to the market, he said. Now rock and natural, free-flowing pools are popular. Spanish tile is out and Southwestern tile is in, he added. And 50 percent of pools are now built with spas, he said.
   One of the most memorable projects was for a contractor litigator, Barry Pulliam said.
  "He sued contractors for a living. But he was a joy to work with because he was so knowledgeable about the construction industry," he said.

Customer communication

   Pulliam Pools keeps the lines of communication open with its customers from the initial visit to after the pool is complete. Customers receive questionnaires throughout the building process, as well as continued contact through a seasonal newsletter, "Pool Talk."
   And many of Pulliams' customers continue the communication through letters.
   Ben and Martha Wood wrote, "...It is nice to deal with a company who really puts the customer first and can live up to its schedule commitments."
   Customers Andy and Chris Gaines said Pulliam "removed from our minds, the fears and horror stories relating to swimming pool construction."
   Besides discussing design or types of tile, Pulliam also stresses safety.
   Lizz Pulliam introduced the "Be Wise, Supervise" water safety program in 1996. The program features "water watcher tags" that encourage adult supervision around the pool. Cook Children's Hospital Fort Worth now manages the program. Every customer receives a kit with safety tips, a children's coloring book, information on CPR classes and the tags.
   "Any child drowning could have been prevented," Lizz Pulliam said. "It's a tragedy we want our customers to avoid. It's so important that we address safety issues with them and educate them."
   The Pulliams also added a 600-square foot education and technology room for its customers featuring pool gadgets and operating systems, as well as cross section of a pool. 
   "An educated consumer helps the industry as a whole," Lizz Pulliam said.
   And educating the customer is not always a difficult task.
   "People who buy pools are gregarious and friendly. We make friends out of our customers," Barry Pulliam said.