Make Your Backyard

There’s nothing quite like a pool to beat the summer heat. If you’re considering taking your backyard to the next level, you may be considering whether you want an above-ground pool or an inground pool. Although above-ground pools cost less and can be installed more quickly, inground pools are significantly better overall. A custom pool adds value to your home, looks stunning, and will last for years to come.

Here are some of the many benefits of inground pools compared to above-ground pools:

Aesthetics

Inground pools simply look better than above-ground pools. Although you can use a wraparound deck or creative landscape design to help an above-ground pool look its best, this can’t compare with the appearance of an inground pool. Even a relatively simple inground pool design tends to look more aesthetically pleasing and high-end than an above-ground pool.

Depth

If you want a deep end, you won’t be able to achieve this with an above-ground swimming pool. There’s more of a limit on depth in these cases.

Customizability

With above-ground swimming pools, you have a limited number of options for size and shape. Typically, these pools are only available in circular, rectangular, or square shapes. Additionally, you won’t have the option to add water features. With inground pools, especiallyshotcrete pools, you have the ability to truly customize the design to match your preferences.

Home Value

Estimates for how much of your investment you can recoup vary depending on a variety of factors, but overall, an inground pool adds value to your home. You can enjoy the pool for years to come and if you move, you can get back the money you spent on building the pool in the form of increased home value. Above-ground pools, on the other hand, do not increase home value. In some cases, they may even decrease the value slightly, although this is more the case in colder areas.

Longevity

Above-ground pools typically don’t last as long as an inground pool. Both require various types of maintenance to last as long as possible, but with above-ground pools, you’ll typically need to replace the whole thing at some point. Inground pools are more durable and last for a longer period of time.

The Process of Building Your Dream Inground Pool

Although building an inground pool is a longer process, it’s worth it to get a truly custom design that fits your backyard’s aesthetic. To start, a member of our design team will meet with you to discuss your goals and vision for your pool, then we’ll create a design and make sure you love it before we continue. The building process includes many steps, such as getting permits and excavating the area. After the process is complete, you’ll be able to enjoy your new pool. Building timelines vary based on many factors, we can give you more details at our initial meeting.

Schedule Your Pool Design Consultation

If you’re ready to get started on building an inground pool, contact us today.

At Pools by Design, we use wet-mix shotcrete to construct beautiful custom pools. Shotcrete pools are durable, highly customizable, and look great. Our highly-skilled team has the expertise and experience necessary to apply shotcrete effectively.

What is Shotcrete?

Shotcrete is concrete that is shot out of a hose with high-pressure air. There are two different methods for applying shotcrete. In the wet mix method, which we use for our pools, the concrete is mixed in trucks before application For dry-mix application (also called gunite), the cement mixes with water inside the hose.

The Shotcrete Process

We apply shotcrete after building the rebar frame for your pool. We protect your home, walls, and landscaping with plastic sheeting before we begin the application process and will collect all wash-out. Our crew uses a specialized nozzle to spray the concrete onto the frame, creating your pool shell. We will check the thickness of the shell and ensure everything is structurally sound before continuing with construction. After applying the shotcrete, we will perform an extensive site clean-up.

Watching the shotcrete application process can be interesting and it’s one of the steps when you’ll see the biggest transformation. However, for your safety, you should only watch from a distance. Stay away from the shotcrete shell for at least three hours to allow it to harden properly. Make sure you keep kids and pets away from the area as well.

Benefits of Shotcrete Pools

There are three main types of inground swimming pools: fiberglass, vinyl liner, and shotcrete. Fiberglass pools are made from shells that are manufactured in factories offsite. Vinyl liner pools have a thin lining over a steel frame. We believe the shotcrete pools are the best option and this is why we use this material for our builds.

Some of the benefits of shotcrete pools include:

Highly Customizable

With a fiberglass pool, you are limited to pre-made shapes, sizes, and depths. You’ll need to find a shell that fits your vision rather than being able to design a pool based on your unique aesthetic preferences. Vinyl liner pools do have some flexibility in this regard, but since the material isn’t as strong, there are more limits to what you can do.

When using shotcrete, we have much more flexibility in what we can design and build. We can create a pool that is truly unique to you with a custom shape and additional features. This is the biggest benefit of concrete for pool building and a concrete pool can be a custom work of art.

Durable

This is an advantage over vinyl liner pools in particular. The liner in this type of pool is very thin and it’s easy to damage it, so you’ll have to exercise caution when swimming and probably won’t be able to let dogs in the pool.

Long-Lasting

If you take care of your shotcrete pool properly, it can last for decades to come. We build our pools with the best materials available so you can trust in their longevity.

Build a Shotcrete Pool in Tucson, AZ

If you are interested in a custom pool, we can help. We are the only Master Pools member in Southern Arizona and we have the skills to build your dream pool.

Contact us today to learn more about shotcrete pool construction.

Arizona pool owners are lucky because we get to enjoy an extended swimming season. However, unless you have a pool heater, you probably won’t be using your pool as much during the winter months. Although you won’t be swimming, there are still maintenance tasks that can help you keep your pool clean after the summer ends.

Pool Chemical Levels During the Winter

Just like you monitor your pool’s chemical balance during the swimming season, you should continue to keep an eye on it throughout the fall and winter. Even when you aren’t swimming, the levels of these chemicals can change and you will need to adjust them when necessary.

The levels should be:

• Chlorine: 1-3 parts per million (ppm)
• Total Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm
• Calcium: 200-400 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid (CYA): 30-40 ppm
• pH: 7.2-7.5

You won’t need to add chlorine as often as you do during the summer, but you should still add it to the pool regularly. A few times a week is usually enough to keep your pool clean. Keep in mind that in Arizona, temperatures don’t generally drop low enough to inhibit algae growth, so chlorinating your pool over the fall and winter keeps it safe to swim in once it starts to heat up again.

Clean Regularly

Every few days, check for any debris in the pool and remove it. You should also vacuum the pool regularly to prevent any debris from building up at the bottom of the pool. Even if you cover your pool or all or part of the cooler seasons, you should remove the cover every so often to clean.

Should You Fully “Winterize” Your Pool?

In climates where freezing temperatures are common, winterizing is a necessary and common process. It involves lowering the pool’s water level, blowing water out of the plumbing lines, and covering the pool. This is to prevent damage to the pipes if the water freezes.

In Southern Arizona, fully winterizing your pool is not always necessary, but it can still be a good precaution for the coldest months. Temperatures are sometimes unexpectedly low. The difference is that you can start this process later. Late December or early January is the general guideline. If you are unsure whether you need to winterize your pool, you can check with a pool maintenance expert to get their opinion for your specific circumstances.

Pool Cover Precautions

If you choose to cover your pool, it’s important to keep in mind that algae grows best in warm, dark, moist environments. When the weather is cold, algae growth is inhibited. On warmer winter days, the area under your pool cover can be a prime spot for algae growth. To prevent this issue, consider uncovering your pool on the warmest days of the winter and as we mentioned before, make sure you are still adding chlorine even when you aren’t swimming.

Building a Pool in the Fall or Winter

While the cooler months of the year are not peak swimming season, they are a great time for pool building. When you start the design process early, you increase the possibility of having a new pool ready for next summer. If you are thinking about adding a pool to your backyard, now is the best time to start.

To learn more about new pool construction in Tucson, contact us today.