Frequently Asked Questions

We build custom gunite (concrete) pools and fiberglass pools, plus patio and outdoor-living renovations and repair/resurfacing work on existing pools. Gunite is fully custom-shaped and engineered for Texas clay soils; fiberglass installs faster with a lower-maintenance gel-coat finish.

A gunite pool typically runs several months from permitting through final plaster because it is built in sequential phases (excavation, steel, gunite, plumbing/electrical, decking, finish, start-up). A fiberglass pool is faster since the shell arrives pre-manufactured and is set in one piece, cutting weeks off the construction phase.

Yes. Permitting and, where applicable, HOA or architectural-review approval are handled as part of the design phase before construction starts, so the project is not held up mid-build waiting on paperwork.

Yes, through Foundation Finance and Lyon Financial, both of which offer financing built for pool and backyard construction. Financing terms are discussed during the design and planning step.

Gunite pools are fully custom: shape, depth, tanning ledges, raised spas, water features, and integration with decking or an outdoor kitchen are all designed around your lot. Fiberglass pools come in a set range of manufacturer shapes but still allow custom decking, lighting, and water-feature add-ons.

Start with a site consultation: a walk of the property to evaluate soil, drainage, and layout, followed by a design built around your home and budget. Use the contact form on this site to request one.

Size, depth, and shape are the starting point, but the bigger cost drivers are usually features (raised spa, water features, tanning ledges), the finish (plaster vs. pebble), decking material and square footage, and any outdoor-living work bundled in. Gunite generally costs more than fiberglass for a comparable size because of the custom, phased construction. An exact number requires a site evaluation, not a generic estimate.

Gunite and shotcrete are both sprayed concrete methods used to build custom pool shells; "gunite" is the more common industry term in Texas and generally refers to a dry-mix process, while shotcrete is wet-mix. Both produce the same kind of fully custom, rebar-reinforced concrete shell, and the terms are often used interchangeably by builders.

Houston-area clay soil expands and contracts significantly with moisture. A gunite shell, properly engineered with rebar density and bond-beam detailing for local soil, is built to flex with that movement; a vinyl liner or an improperly set shell is more prone to shifting, cracking, or leaking over time.

Gunite typically needs roughly 28 days to reach full cure strength, though plaster or pebble finishing is often applied sooner, with the shell continuing to cure underneath. The exact schedule is set during construction planning based on weather and mix design.

Yes, that is the main advantage of gunite over a prefabricated shell: the rebar cage and sprayed concrete are formed to your design, so freeform shapes, custom depths, tanning ledges, and integrated spas or water features are all possible in a way a fixed-mold fiberglass shell cannot match.