The Design and Construction Process
15 Steps in Designing and Building a Quality Patio Pool
1. Meetings with a Design Consultant
You'll meet with one of our designers, perhaps first in our
office and then, in your home. The designer will review the site and discuss
with you, at length, what you want in a swimming pool and backyard environment.
(For profiles of our Design Consultants, please go to ABOUT US.)
2. Presentation
of Swimming Pool Plan and Price Analysis
You'll know what we suggest for your site and your particular requirements and you'll know what that will cost. If you want something extra, we'll add it. If you want to reduce the budget, our designer will show you how to do that.
3. Contract
The pool design is confirmed and a contract for construction signed. At that point, we will also give you a guaranteed start date and a guaranteed finish date - in writing! Only the weather or some very unusual delays in materials availability will affect that completion date.
4. Site Preparation
Your project superintendent will lay out the pool in your backyard. You'll have a chance to review it once more and to make changes if you want. You'll see exactly where the pool goes and how it fits into your backyard environment. The project superintendent, by the way, will give you his cell number so you can call him anytime you have a question about the construction of your pool.
5. Excavation
We'll bring in our crews to clear the pool area and to begin excavation. We'll remove all dirt and debris. You’ll see the pool take shape.
6. Installation of Plumping Lines
Much of the PVC piping used for your cleaning and filtering systems, water fill lines and other mechanical systems, including lights, are placed within the pool walls. We'll install those lines now and all other mechanical devices.
7. Installation of Steel
We'll reinforce your swimming pool with hundreds of feet of steel bars (rebar). We'll tie all these bars together and create a strong mesh pattern to reinforce the pool. This takes time - other companies don't usually take the time we do with this important step.
8. Shooting the Pool with Gunite (a form of concrete)
After our detailed pre-gunite quality control process and approval by the Governing Municipality Inspector, we schedule the project for the gunite/shotcrete phase. Specially blended Redi-Mix will be ordered and a highly trained crew will air place the pool shell.
A special concrete pump moves the material from the Redi-Mix truck into the pool via a special nozzle that sprays the gunite/shotcrete in place with high pressure that ensures a quality long lasting concrete structure. The crew then carves the steps and benches and shapes the pool walls and floor ensuring all finished dimensions are followed within our company tolerance.9. Other Planning and Installation of Mechanical Systems
While the pool cures, the project superintendent, the design consultant, and our technicians, will confirm the other peripheral installations - the decking, the landscaping, any patios or BBQs or other structures that will be part of your backyard environment as well as the location of your motor, pump and filtering systems. Once these are confirmed, we will install and connect the mechanical devices to the lines already laid within the pool walls. At this point, you'll still have a chance to make changes to the pool environment if you want.
10. Installing the Tile
You've chosen a tile for the upper edge of the pool. We'll tile the complete circumference of the pool now, and any other sections you wanted to cover with tile.
11. Installing the Deck
The deck can now be laid out, formed and installed. The actual installation process varies greatly because decks can be Kool Deck, colored concrete, Miracote, brick, flagstone,
aggregate or other surfaces. Concrete may need to be poured as a base. Each one of these surfaces takes a special skill to install - a skill Patio Pools craftsmen have.
12. Other Structures Completed and Landscaping Finished.
If there are any other structures or landscaping touches to be added to your backyard environment, they will be completed now - a BBQ, a waterfall, a rock sculpture, plants, trees, raised flower beds, a patio, a ramada. The environment will take shape.
13. Plastering the Pool (or PebbleTec) and Filling It!
Again, this major final step can go in a number of directions, depending on the interior finish that you chose. You may have chosen a plaster finish or one of the new PebbleTec finishes - available also in more than 15 different surfaces. Whatever you've chosen, the interior of the pool will be finished now, and once the interior surface is hand-finished and perfect, and approved by the project superintendent, your pool will be filled with fresh, clean water.
14. Mechanical Systems Started.
Once the pool has filled completely with water, all mechanical systems will be turned on and stabilizing chemicals added. Our crews will review your pool thoroughly and make sure that all mechanical systems (pump, motor, filter, lights, cleaning, etc.) are working properly and efficiently. The water will be tested for proper balance and clarity. Everything will be checked and rechecked.
15. Go on….go swimming!
You're ready to enjoy your new Patio Pool, a pool built without compromise, patiently, carefully, by highly skilled craftspeople using only the finest materials and mechanical equipment. You won't find a better-built, better-designed swimming pool anywhere. So go on, enjoy it. Jump in!