After a long winter of traipsing through mud, I am so excited to share our pool with you. We partnered with some fantastic vendors and contractors to make my “west coast meets east coast” vision come to life and this passion project is a dream come true. Let’s get into the nitty gritty of the construction before sharing the reveal in next week’s post…
When we purchased our home we fell in love with the backyard, the three weeping willow trees and the expansive gardens. We had put in a gunite pool at our previous home and decided to wait on putting in a pool on this new property due to several factors but the biggest one being cost. At the height of Covid, pool prices sky rocketed and we knew how much of an investment a pool was so we decided to hold off. As soon as things got back to “normal” we started doing some research on the cost differential between a gunite pool and a fiber glass pool. Although every market is different we found that there was at least a $20k savings going the fiber glass route so we began the process!
I was very lucky to be able to partner with Ring’s End to make this pool project a truly unique design experience. When working on putting in a pool, a lot more goes into it than just digging a hole. Due to the fact that we live by the water, we had to rework most of our back deck area to ensure the pool was compliant with wetlands and FEMA regulations. This meant switching up the back stair configuration and updating the millwork surrounding the base of our lifted home.
Prior to the construction, the house had dated dark brown decking and I wanted to lighten everything up because guess what… the pool we selected is WHITE! Craziness I know but gosh I’ve always dreamed of a white pool. We installed Timbertech®’s Legacy Collection in Whitewash Cedar and added trim boards by Tru Exterior® surrounding the pool to create a seamless and dreamy monochromatic look.
We ended up hiring local pool company Marquee Pools and masonry extraordinaire Becker Companies to bring it altogether. The pool size is about 16’ wide x 30’ long and we placed it where the patio was right off our upper deck. We decided against salt water because we heard it may be corrosive to the plastic over time but we did end up adding a chlorine softener which helps a lot. We splurged for the automatic pool cover for safety and also because it keeps in the heat so ultimately brings down costs.
Although we had bluestone at our previous pool, I wanted something different and really pushed for limestone. Due to freezing temps in our Northeast climate, the team really didn’t recommend installing limestone around the pool (not to mention it easily stains) so I went with the closest thing to it, tumbled linen marble! I am OBSESSED. The marble is textured so not slippery and it stays cool underfoot during those hot Summer months. I couldn’t be happier.
The white of the pool makes the water look sea green and the surrounding white marble truly gives those resort vibes which instantly is relaxing. Due to the fact that most of the work was done over the winter time, I knew I had to get my landscape design organized in order for it to be planted as soon as the temps warmed up in April. I chose a white and green backdrop to showcase the pool and well I can’t wait to dig into that with you in next week’s post.
Bottom line, from start to finish, the pool took about eight months to complete. The pool itself is not what takes long, it’s the permitting, the inspections, the masonry, the fence, the landscaping etc. When budgeting for a pool make sure to add up those line items so you aren’t surprised by any additional costs. It’s a daunting experience but sooooo worth it. I can just hear the water splashes and giggles with friends as I write this post! Now stay tuned for the pretty part just a few days away. ☀️
