My Flagship Pool
The A Street Pool
When I started doing concrete in 2020 I knew concrete patios weren't my end goal, but I wasn't quite sure yet what was. After a few years building outdoor living spaces I started feeling drawn towards pools. So in 2023 I decided to start the journey into pool building.
But how does one learn to build pools? My thought was to find a pool builder that was close enough to drive to regularly, but far enough away that they would not be concerned about me as future competition. After all, not many people out there would willingly teach their competitor and show them all of their tricks of the trade.
I was able to get connected with an experienced pool builder in Southern Missouri, near Springfield. In late 2023 and all through 2024 I made regular trips to work alongside this experienced pool builder and learn how to apply my concrete skills to the pool building trade, while still running my concrete business locally in NWA.
I helped build four pools in Missouri during this time, getting my hands dirty on every step of the process. Using the experience from these Missouri pools, I was able to get Swimming Pools added to my Arkansas contractor's license.
Then I added a pools page in late 2024 to my website and kept marketing my concrete like usual.
Enter Kyle and Amanda.
Kyle and Amanda were considering moving to upgrade their home, but thought they would first look into how they could level up their current house. They have a large backyard and two young children, so the idea of a pool was attractive, but several of their friends and family members had built pools in the past, and their experience with their pool builder was less than ideal, particularly with the concrete decking portion of the project.
That's when I entered the picture.
I told them all about my journey so far from concrete patios to pools, and that I was looking for someone that was willing to take a chance on a young contractor who had never built what they wanted from start to finish, but was determined to make sure it was done to perfection.
We started with a simple paper sketch that I drew on a piece of printer paper and a few inspirational photos we could find online.
Then after a few iterations, we wanted to get an idea of how everything would scale and flow in their backyard. So I bought a huge piece of plastic and laid it out in my own yard and, using several large tape measures, spray painted the pool to scale on this large plastic sheet. Then I brought the plastic to their yard so we could get a real feel for the size of the pool and the flow of the different sections. We checked all the boxes that could be checked with a custom pool: tanning ledge with bubblers, an in/out bar with in-pool seating, a large shallow area for volleyball, a deep end with a rock water feature for big cannonballs, and a separate pad for a standalone hot tub unit.
Having the painted layout in the backyard helped us realize it was a better idea to flip the tanning ledge to the uphill side and to move the hot tub location. After everything was worked through in the backyard with the plastic sheet demo, we moved on to 3D renderings.
Now we had a final detailed rendering. At this point we had been working together for a month back and forth on design and planning. The pool builder that I had been working with in Missouri also made a drive down to meet Kyle and Amanda and assure them of my ability to build an awesome pool.
Whether it was my numerous online reviews, my pool builder mentor's co-sign, or simply the pleasant experience they had with me up to that point is unclear, but Kyle and Amanda had decided that I was the guy they were looking for to upgrade their lifestyle without changing where they live.
And that's what I did.
My small crew and I personally completed every aspect of this pool project. Layout and planning, excavation, concrete pool shell, tile, plaster, plumbing and pool lights, equipment setup, decorative concrete wall facade, low-voltage lights, and the decorative concrete pool deck.
The two things that I did not do were the wooden features (gazebo and deck remodel) and the landscaping (flower beds, sod, irrigation). Kyle and Amanda contracted these services separately as they were outside of my expertise.
It should be said that Kyle and Amanda's design taste was so perfectly aligned with my own that it felt like I was building my own dream pool. The earth-toned tan flagstone pool deck pairs with a stamped wood plank gathering area, the darker brown coping and step caps, and the stacked stone wall facade were all in line with what I would choose myself. I still just can't get over how well all these design choices fit together, along with the added gazebo and landscaping to create what I think may be the best-looking backyard in Northwest Arkansas.
I think of this project as the thesis project of my concrete career so far. It has brought together quite literally every skill that I have acquired over the 5+ years prior. The excitement I had every day going to complete the next step is what I think many people wish they got from their day job. Every time I go to check on things and visit with Kyle and Amanda, I take my time soaking in the culmination of all my years of hard work.
Now I am bringing the experience that Kyle and Amanda get to have every day to the more typical backyards many of us have here in Northwest Arkansas. I feel I can bring this sort of resort-style enjoyment to the backyard of anyone in NWA that wants it. I've meticulously refined this pool offer to be the best possible building and ownership experience.
The Finished A Street Pool
Take a Closer Look
From the raised pool walls and sun shelf to the waterfall, lighting, and covered outdoor-living space, every part of this backyard was designed to work together.