So you’ve decided to finally take the plunge and build a pool? Well good for you! Your dream “home vacation” spot awaits! But you might want to put on the brakes before you sign on the dotted line with a pool builder.

And here’s why. Planning for the pool, the space around it, and the space around that, is the most important part of building the pool. There are plenty of contractors who can get the build done but very few who will think twice about how your pool relates to the house, the hardscape around it, and the land around both. So really, even before you hire a pool contractor, you should hire a landscape architect first. Now I’m not “tooting my own horn” here (well, maybe I am a little) but I really cannot emphasize the importance of hiring a landscape design professional to help you with this process.

In this case, let’s say the design professional is us! Here are some of things we can help you with: placing the pool in a location that makes the most sense for the layout of your entire space; making sure that the elevation of the pool coping relates properly to all door thresholds and hardscape elements (this includes understating where the stormwater goes); designing the patio area around the pool so that you don’t have too little or too much paving; choosing complimentary materials including the pool finish, tiles (if needed), coping stone, and hardscape stone; grading the entire space around the pool; designing any auxiliary structures such as outdoor kitchens and pool houses; designing plantings that soften the entire space (while adding some pop of color and year-round interest); and lastly, placement of those pesky fences that are required by every town.

Now that’s an impressive laundry list of some of the major components typically involved with a pool build. But beyond that, we can also help you manage your budget. We’ve worked on several projects where clients built their pool (without the help of a designer) only to find that they have 1) boxed themselves into a corner in terms of future construction or 2) didn’t quite grasp that it would take another chunk of money to repair their yard after the pool was built. When you work with a designer like us, we’ll help you pull the costs together for all the project components before you start. In this way, you can phase your project if needed, while still having an understanding of the costs for the entire space. That my friends, is peace of mind.

My last tidbit of a sales pitch for using a Landscape Architect is that we can manage the entire project for you. Pool projects can involve the pool contractor, an electrician, a gas plumber, a fence installer, a lighting contractor, an excavator, a mason, and a landscaper. Trying to pull all these people together at the right times can be absolutely maddening. We should know! On all our pool projects, it’s our job to manage all these contractors. Now since we build much of what we design on a pool project, we’ve got the excavator, mason, and landscaper aspects covered. As for everyone else, we’ve established solid relationships with vendors we trust and can bring in the right people at the right time. I’ll admit that some pool projects have added to my strands of gray, but I’m happy to take one for the team.

So let us take care of everything! From design through the build, we’ll help get your dream landscape built and save you a few gray hairs.