Questions we hear every week

Most of our finished pools land between $58,000 and $160,000. Fiberglass pools usually run $58,000 to $95,000; classic gunite pools $75,000 to $120,000; a gunite pool with a spa $110,000 to $170,000. Full backyards with outdoor living go higher. Your written proposal shows the exact number line by line.

In our contracts: almost nothing that is required. The permit, the barrier, the electrical and the start-up are all listed. What we do not include unless you ask: full landscaping, sprinkler redesign and furniture. We list those as "not included" so nothing is assumed.

A deposit at signing, then payments as stages are finished: excavation, shell, tile and deck, and completion. You never pay ahead of the work. The schedule is in your contract.

We do not lend money ourselves. Many families use a pool loan or a home equity line. We can introduce you to independent lenders, and our financing page explains the options and shows example payments.

Fiberglass is faster and lower upkeep, but comes in set shapes up to about 16 x 40 ft. Gunite can be any shape, size or depth and can include spas, ledges and vanishing edges, but takes longer and costs more. At your consult we show you both for your yard.

A salt system makes chlorine from salt in the water, so you buy and handle less chlorine and the water feels softer. Salt is a little harder on some stone, so we choose coping and deck materials to suit it.

Not to swim in summer. A heater stretches the season into spring and fall, and a spa needs one. Heat pumps are cheaper to run; gas heats faster.

Fiberglass: 4 to 7 weeks on site. Gunite: 10 to 14 weeks. Both come after design (1 to 3 weeks) and permits (2 to 6 weeks, plus HOA time). Rain and rock add days. We send a photo update every Friday.

For a gunite pool, sign in fall or early winter. For fiberglass, early spring can still work if the shell is in stock. Winter is a good time to build: crews and permit desks are less busy.

Machines need a path about 8 ft wide, usually through a side yard. We protect what we can, restore the path we used, and tell you up front what will be disturbed.

Much of west Austin is limestone. Your contract prints a per-load rock rate before you sign. If we hit rock, we call you the same day with photos and a count.

Yes. In-ground pools need a building permit almost everywhere in Central Texas, plus electrical and sometimes gas permits. HOAs often need their own approval. We handle all of it.

In most cities, yes. Rules commonly ask for a barrier at least 48 inches tall with self-closing, self-latching gates and alarms on doors that open to the pool area. Your city's code decides the details, and we check it for your address.

A structural warranty on the shell for as long as you own the home, 3 years on our workmanship, and the manufacturer's warranty on equipment, which we register for you. Details are in the contract.