Frequently Asked Questions

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Pool pricing varies according to the size and features. Adding upgraded features like spas, waterfalls, grottos, fountains, LED lighting, outdoor sound systems, benches, tanning ledges, spas, rock features, pool automation systems, etc. will increase the price. Landscaping and outdoor entertainment areas like outdoor kitchens and covered/uncovered sitting areas are also available at an additional charge.

Yes, although we do them in conjunction with swimming pool installations, and typically not as stand-alone projects. Our crews have many years of experience installing outdoor entertainment spaces of all types and sizes, and creating beautifully landscaped backyards.

An in-ground Gunite pool includes;

• Up to 400 Sq Ft. of concrete pool decking (additional decking beyond 400 sq ft is charged at the current price per sq ft charge)
• Gunite Pool Shell (base price is based on the area of the pool footprint)
• Standard 6” x 6” waterline tiles
• Standard Concrete pre-cast or brick / flagstone coping
• Standard white plaster (upgrades to quartz or Pebble-tec available)
• Pool Equipment
  • Cartridge Filter
  • 1 Pump-More pumps may be needed depending on water features (waterfalls, bubblers, sprayers, deck jets, etc.)
  • Freeze Guard system and Pool automatic timer controller(s)-(remote app control system upgrade available)
  • All required plumbing, manual valves and piping (electronic valve upgrades for remote control available)
    • Return lines
    • Skimmer(s)
    • Vacuum port
    • Main Drains
    • Pool refill line
    • Pool Overflow Drain
  • Pool Vacuum system with hoses
  • Telescoping pole
  • Skimmer net pole attachment
  • Pool Brush Pole Attachment
  • Floating Thermometer
  • Water Chemistry Test Kit
• New Pool Startup 4-hour Pool School Session with Technician
• As all our pools are custom built, many upgrades and other options are available for an additional charge.

From the time the construction agreement is signed, until the pool is filled with water, it is averaging between 45 and 60 calendar days. There are many factors that affect the timeline including, but not limited to:

• Weather delays
• City Inspection delays
• HOA and City / County Approval Delays
• Material availability
• Financing / Funding delays by the lenders / customer

All 3 are good, long proven options for pools. We recommend a salt pool for the following reasons:

• You can swim all day and not get “red eye”
• The water is not salty like the ocean, it is only half as salty as a tear drop (3300 to 3500 parts per million)
• When you get out of the pool, your skin is soft, your hair doesn’t dry out and become damaged from the chlorine
• The salt does not damage the pool plumbing or the equipment (like pumps and heaters)
• There is an additional cost to install the salt cell and controller, but the savings from not having to buy chlorine tablets every month and the benefits of swimming in salt water instead of poison chemicals make it worth it in our opinion.
• Ozone systems are good for killing viruses and bacteria, but also require additional supplemental sanitation (such as chlorine) since the water is only sanitized as it passes through the Ozone cell, and it takes roughly 6 to 8 hours to fully circulate all the water in your pool through the system.

• After the pool is initially filled and the plaster has 4 weeks to properly cure, bags of salt pellets (the same salt that go in home water softening systems) are added to the pool and allowed to dissolve and circulate. The amount of salt to add depends on how many gallons of water the pool holds, with a target salt level of 3500 PPM.
• Once the salt is fully dissolved, the pump is turned on and the water runs through the salt cell. Inside the cell, there are metal plates with electrodes. As the salt water passes over the electrodes, it separates the chlorine (Cl) molecules from the salt (NaCl) and releases free chlorine into the pool. The cell is set to keep the salt levels at 3500 PPM in the pool.
• As with chlorine pools, stabilizer (cyanuric acid) is added to the pool to bond with the free chlorine which keeps the sun from burning off the chlorine, so it can stay at the proper level in the pool to keep it sanitary for swimming.

• Yes, we have partnered with several banks that specialize in pool construction loans. We also work with mortgage lenders if a cash out refinancing or home equity loan or line of credit is a good fit for you and your financial situation.
• Minimum credit scores are 680 for most home improvement loans, although there are often exceptions for certain circumstances.
• Current loan interest rates are running in the high 6% range.

• Payment terms vary depending on the type and size of your project.  Our construction agreements outline the terms, so you will know exactly how much you owe and when the payments are due.

• We provide a pool water test kit with every new pool, and instruct you how to use it.
• Maintaining the proper pool chemistry is the key to having a beautiful, clean, algae-free pool to swim in.
• If you do not want to check the chemistry yourself, you can take a water sample down to retail stores like Leslie’s Pool and they will test your water for free, and tell you what chemicals you need to buy and how to add them to the pool safely.
• Common chemicals are Muratic Acid (to lower/balance PH), Alkalinity Increaser (commercial grade baking soda, to raise/balance PH and raise total alkalinity), Stabilizer (to stabilize chlorine levels and prevent burn-off), Hardness Increaser (Calcium to prevent your plaster from leeching/etching too quickly) and No-Phos (to remove phosphates which provide food for algae and uses up chlorine quickly).

• First you will work with us to create your custom pool design, and select your materials for construction.
• Next, once a design is selected, we will agree on a price and sign a construction agreement.
• Then, we will begin the permit process with the city/county you reside in. This process begins with having Dig Tess come out to your property and mark all the underground utilities. The electrical provider for your area will review the plans to make sure we are not building in an easement, or that a utility re-route agreement is not required, and provide their stamp of approval. We then send your pool plans to the city/county for review and issuance of the permit. HOA approval, if applicable, will be required before scheduling your dig date.
• Once we have the permit and all necessary approvals, we schedule the dig crew to come out. They start by taking down your fence for access and begin laying out the forms for the pool. A temporary plastic construction fence will be put up, and it will remain in place until the end of the project.
• After the pool is dug, the next crew comes in to lay the steel, install grounding, and place the stub plumbing.
• Next is the Gunite crew. They come in and shoot the Gunite and form the shape of the pool shell. Gunite is a special dry mix of concrete that allows it to be applied to form the vertical surfaces.
• After the Gunite is in and has at least a week to cure, the plumbing crew comes out to install the pool equipment pad and the pool equipment, and connect the plumbing from the stubs over to the pool equipment location.
• Then, the electrician comes out to connect the pool equipment to power and ground the equipment per code.
• The next step is the installation of the tile and coping around the pool (and spa if applicable).
• Now the decking forms can be laid, and the concrete decking can be poured. If using pavers either on sand or concrete, these are installed at this time as well. Spray decking, paints, stains, seals etc. are applied to the deck surface and mastic is installed between the joints.
• We then have the clean-up crew come in, and they work to restore your yard back to the original condition by grading the yard, laying sod, removing trash and excess construction materials, dirt etc. This is also when the temporary fence is taken down and the original fence is put back up.
• The last step is to plaster the pool. As soon as the plaster is completed, the pool is filled with water, and the plaster cures under water. At this point, the pool is complete!

• Yes, the gunite pool shell has a lifetime warranty against defects, cracks, or leaks related to workmanship.
• The plaster has a 1-year warranty for standard and Quartz plaster and a 3-year for Pebble Tec.
• The pool equipment has a standard 1-year warranty for most parts, but some of the higher end equipment comes with longer factory warranties.
• We also recommend working with home warranty companies such as American Home Shield or 2-10.com to protect your investment in the future.
• All other items have a 1-year warranty for workmanship (labor only.)