Approximately 15 months ago, the Buchanan family envisioned enjoying backyard pool parties. After careful research, they selected a contractor who was in the process of installing a fiberglass pool for another family in Gardendale. Chaz Buchanan recalls the contractor, Greg Kirk of Pristine Pools of the Shoals, as being professional and seemingly trustworthy. However, their dreams turned into a nightmare after paying over $50,000 to Kirk.
The contractor dug the hole for the pool shell, but the promised pool shell never materialized. Frustrated by the lack of progress, the Buchanan family canceled the contract and sought a refund, which they never received. Chaz Buchanan described the situation, saying, “You had a ten-foot by 25-foot hole that was 9.5 feet deep.” This led the family to file a lawsuit, alleging breach of contract and fraud. In response, Greg Kirk’s lawyers denied the claims made in the lawsuit.
Bankrupt Pool Builders Owe $1.4 Million
The Buchanan family’s experience is not isolated, as revealed by Pristine Pools’ bankruptcy filing last fall. In the bankruptcy documents, Kirk listed three dozen rejected contract creditors owed a total of $1.4 million. Mapping these creditors showed that most were in North Alabama, with nine in Madison, including three in the same neighborhood.
Shanna Averette, one of the affected homeowners in Madison, hired Kirk after the Buchanan family, attracted by his competitive pricing and promised installation timelines. Averette paid Pristine Pools $44,000 but faced delays and received the pool shell seven months later. Frustrated by the prolonged process, the Averette family eventually canceled their contract and paid an additional $36,000 to another company to complete the pool installation.
Efforts to seek Greg Kirk’s perspective on these issues were met with evasion. When approached at his home in Muscle Shoals, he instructed reporters to call him later, and subsequent attempts to contact him went unanswered. Beyond the Buchanan lawsuit and two other unresolved customer complaints, Kirk faces criminal theft and fraud charges initiated by the Alabama Attorney General, relating to two failed pool projects in Madison County.
In light of these challenges, the Buchanan family, having abandoned their initial plans for a backyard pool, hopes to raise awareness about their experience to prevent others from falling victim to similar situations. Despite the pending criminal charges and ongoing civil lawsuits, Kirk’s bankruptcy proceedings are currently affecting the resolution of the legal matters surrounding Pristine Pools.
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