Often people ask us how long we have been in business and why the name. So we decided to write up a brief history for our 35th anniversary for your interest. Our founder Pentti Tuulos began building pools in 1962 as an extra service to home owners while in employment with a general contractor. In 1962, pools were quite rare, and pool contractors even more so. When Pen was asked to build a pool for the home they were working on, he took up the challenge, and taught himself the skills required. The home owner was so pleased with the pool that the word spread and Pen became highly sought after to build pools in the area. Soon after the company formed a separate division called Finbuilders Pools in Sudbury. Pen built and serviced hundreds of pools in the Sudbury area with them, while also building a reputation for quality and service well-known throughout Northern Ontario.

          In 1973 Pen and his son Tomi decided to launch out on their own. The name chosen for the new company was Skilbuilders, to not only highlight quality workmanship in pool construction and service but general contracting as well. It soon became apparent however, that the pool trade occupied the majority of the business. Within a few short years the company grew to cover a territory from Huntsville to Timmins, Sudbury and North Bay. Skilbuilders kept offices in Sudbury, North Bay and a head office in Trout Creek.

          Skilbuilders became well-known for their ability to take on difficult jobs and unusual pools, like building a horse pool and spa for Sudbury Downs, and incorporating natural rock formations into free-form concrete pools. The company would tackle the most difficult commercial and residential pool problems by employing experience with the latest technology.

          Throughout its history, the company has remained a family business, employing relatives and neighbors alike. In 1986, son Tim became a full-time employee of the company after 10 years of part-time summer work, bringing his family of three boys and wife Linda to the business. In the latter part of the 90’s Pentti Tuulos worked part time and then started full retirement in1999.

Having grown with the business, he has brought Skilbuilders in the next Millennium with the same quality and service customers have come to expect over the past 35 years. Despite economic downturns and tough competitive markets, Skilbuilders has serviced customers for 35 years in a business notorious for “fly-by-night” companies and mass merchandisers. The experience gained in the last 35 years in commercial and residential pool and spa care and construction is passed directly on to the customer, by our knowledgeable staff. Skilbuilders Staff are trained with experience and by Industry Experts in the latest pool and spa advancements in construction and technology.

          In the last 9 years Skilbuilders Ltd. has won 6 national awards for swimming pool design and technical difficulty and 1 international award for swimming pool design. Our goal is not to build quantity but build quality. After all, a pool is an investment that will remain with a house for many years, and almost all of our pools built in the past 35 years are still being enjoyed today.

          Many changes have occurred in the past years. New sanitation solutions like salt water generators, LED lighting systems and pool controllers that give full automation to your back yard. Our approach is to offer products and technologies that have proven themselves in the market place.

Skilbuilders Ltd. Pools & Spas is the exclusive Fox pool dealer for the North Bay area. The unique X-brace walls with powder coating give these pools a lifetime warranty. If you ask most pool owners what make of pool they own most just shrug. The Fox pool owner always knows and brags that they have a Fox pool.

To compliment the pool line we also sell Marquis spas from Fox pools. A Marquis spa has been named Consumer Digest Best Buy for 7 years. Best in quality, energy efficiency, therapy jets and customer satisfaction. Call us to see what a difference we can make for your backyard vacation.

UPDATE: This May 22^nd 2008 Pentti Tuulos has celebrated his 90^th birthday.

Tim Tuulos, President

Skilbuilders Ltd. Pools & Spas