What does building a custom gunite pool involve?
Gunite is concrete sprayed over a cage of steel rebar. Because the shell is shaped on site, almost any size, depth and outline is possible. That makes it a strong match for custom designs and the tighter lots common in South Florida.
The build is a sequence. The pool is laid out and dug, the steel and the plumbing go in, and the shell is sprayed. Then come tile, coping, the deck, the equipment and the interior finish. Each stage has to be inspected and finished before the next one starts, which is why a coordinated crew matters.
A well-built shell depends on things you never see once the pool is full: steel placement, shell thickness and the plumbing lines under the deck. We spend our attention there first, because the finish on top cannot fix a weak shell.
Who is a new pool right for?
A new pool suits families building their first pool, owners of a new or recently bought house with an empty yard, and people replacing an old pool they would rather start over on than patch again.
It also suits owners who want a particular shape, a spa, a shelf for lounging or a clean modern edge that a standard design cannot give them. If you are not sure whether your yard has room, the free estimate answers that. We measure, look at setbacks and utilities, and tell you plainly what fits.
What design choices shape a new pool?
Start with how you want to use it. Laps, lounging, kids, entertaining and quiet evenings call for different layouts. Once that is clear, these are the main decisions.
- Shape: freeform, geometric or a clean rectangle that suits the architecture of the house
- Sun shelf or tanning ledge: a shallow platform for loungers, shallow seating and small children
- Spa: attached to the pool and shared with it, with its own jets and heating options
- Water features: waterfalls, scuppers and sheer descents that add sound and movement
- Infinity or zero-edge: a vanishing edge that works best when the lot has a view or a level change
- Lighting: LED lights in white or color, placed so the pool glows rather than glares
- Salt or traditional chlorine: both work, and the right choice depends on the deck stone and your preference
- Interior finish: plaster, quartz or pebble, each with different texture and color depth
Can you build the whole backyard, not just the pool?
Yes. We take on full backyard packages: the pool, the deck, sod, concrete, fence and pergola. One team coordinating the work means fewer gaps between trades and a single point of contact when something needs a decision.
A pool is easiest to plan with the entire yard in mind. Where the deck ends, where the fence sits and where the pergola throws shade all change how the pool gets used. We settle those questions during design so nothing has to be moved later. Marble, travertine, pavers and concrete are all options for the deck, and the drainage is planned along with it.
What are the site realities in South Florida?
The water table is high in much of Palm Beach and Broward, especially near the coast and the canals. That affects digging, dewatering and how the shell is designed. Soil is another unknown. Muck, buried debris or rock can turn up once excavation begins, and these hidden underground conditions are quoted separately. We would rather say that before you sign than after the machine is on site.
Hurricane season runs from June to November, and heavy summer rain can pause excavation and finish work. Waterfront lots on canals and the Intracoastal may carry extra rules. We look at the site during the free estimate and flag what we see.
Florida's residential pool safety law, Chapter 515 of the Florida Statutes, also applies to new pools. In general terms, it requires safety features such as a barrier, a screen enclosure, a pool cover or alarms on doors that open to the pool. Your building department confirms what applies, and we talk through the barrier during design so it isn't an afterthought.
How do engineering, permits and HOA approval work?
A new pool needs plans and a permit. Planning, engineering and permitting are quoted separately, and the permit is pulled through the city building department, or through the county in unincorporated Palm Beach County. Each city has its own process, so we work out the steps early.
If your community has an architectural review board, the application and the fees are the homeowner's responsibility. We supply the drawings and specifications for your submission, which usually helps it move faster.
We do not promise a fixed number of weeks. Timing depends on permits, inspections and weather, and we lay out the expected sequence in your proposal.
What drives the price of a new pool?
Size and depth matter, but they are not the whole story. The biggest swings come from the extras and the site. Every pool is custom, so we price it after we see the yard, in an itemized proposal with a clear total.
- Size, depth and shape, including how many curves and levels
- Spa, sun shelf, waterfalls and zero-edge details
- Interior finish, tile and coping selections
- Deck material, deck size and drainage
- Equipment level: pumps, automation, salt system, lighting
- Fence, pergola, sod and other backyard work
- Access for equipment, which affects excavation and shell work
- Engineering, permits and hidden underground conditions, quoted separately
How a new pool construction project runs
Design visit
We walk the yard, talk through how you want to use the pool and look at access, setbacks and utilities.
Drawings and itemized proposal
You get a pool design and an itemized proposal with a clear total, so every piece is visible.
Engineering and permits
Plans and engineering are prepared and the permit is pulled through your city or county. We supply drawings for HOA review.
Excavation, steel, plumbing and shell
The pool is dug, the steel and plumbing go in, inspections are passed and the gunite shell is sprayed.
Tile, coping, deck, equipment and finish
Tile and coping are set, the deck and equipment are completed, and the interior finish goes on.
Fill, start-up and walkthrough
The pool is filled, the equipment is started, the water is balanced and we walk you through care.
Where we do this work
We handle new pool construction across Palm Beach and Broward counties from our Boca Raton office, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Hollywood and Miami.
