CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
The first meeting between you and our
designer will determine a variety of very
important things ranging from decisions
about budget, pool styles, and features
to performing a site survey, which helps
indicate the best possible placement
for your pool and its equipment. Once a
plot plan (a detailed drawing that shows
the footprint of your home on your lot,
property boundaries, easements, etc.) has
been obtained from your homebuilder, the design process can begin. Key factors to consider are the architectural style of your home, the desired location and sun exposure of the pool, access, views from inside your home and from your pool, and, of course, your vision of your dream pool. An assessment of cost can sometimes be made at this point, but due to the many variables involved in a typical pool build, this estimate is configured later and put in writing. However, a preliminary design sketch can be made during this first meeting and used as a guideline to prepare the detailed cost estimate.


CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT
This process is fairly simple with Sonoran Waters, as we don’t have a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo to wade through. We’ll review all of the items included in the construction of your pool, and provide a detailed design for your approval. We will submit all of the engineering and permit documents directly to the city you live in, so a small deposit is collected at this time.
THE FUN BEGINS
Once the building permit is granted (this period varies from city to city), we lay out the shape of your pool right on the ground, typically using paint. Sometimes, grading or modified excavation or other site prep may be necessary prior to layout. Your approval of the pool’s shape, placement, and dimensions are all that is needed prior to the excavation.
THE DIG
The excavation crew arrives amid a clamor of noise and big machinery, even causing some minor ground shaking here and there. This inconvenience is temporary; usually less than one day. (Everybody’s heard about the occasional dreaded “hard dig”, which can extend the dig process by several days. We’ve got some pretty tough soil conditions here in the desert, but don’t worry – the only cost to you for a hard dig will be the actual cost – no mark-ups or add-ons – and you will be advised before any work proceeds. It’s important to keep children and pets safe at this time.
THE POOL TAKES SHAPE
Next comes the plumbing, with only the highest
quality pipes and fittings available in the
industry used in the construction of a
Sonoran Waters pool. The plumbing crew
will leave pipes capped and under
pressure; don’t worry about the heights,
they will be adjusted later. Re-bar
installation is next. The re-bar cage looks
like a giant skeleton, and is, like a
skeleton, the reinforcement for the
shotcrete, or body, of your pool. This is a
good time to take pictures. Electrical runs are completed next, and an inspection is ordered from the city. For this reason, the trench we dig to get power from the electric panel to the pool equipment
must remain uncovered. Please watch the little ones
at play; we’ll hurry to move things along, but we
want to make sure everything is perfect, too.
SHOTCRETE, THE FUNNY WORD
Another really interesting process to watch
(but stay back, it’s messy!) is the spraying
in of the shotcrete. This is the word used
for the process of installing the concrete
shell of your pool. Watering of the
shotcrete is required, so it’s a good excuse
to take a day off of work. Standing water
in the bottom of the pool is okay, as is
cracking caused by shrinkage as the
shotcrete dries. These cracks are expected
and cause no problems in the pool’s structural integrity. A clean-up and grading for decks follows, along with filling in the trenches.

info@sonoranwaters.com 480.502.5344

MASONRY
Masonry features such as walls, planters, BBQ islands, fireplaces, firepits, boulders and water features are built now, and painted later. The pool deck and patios are drawn on the ground, again with paint. This is a great time to throw in your two cents, because we value your input during this stage. Besides exercising creativity, you can make sure shapes and sizes work with your furniture and landscaping plans.
ALMOST THERE
You’ll be surprised how much your pool changes once the tile is installed, right after the decks are completed. Keep in mind that concrete needs to cure before any deck surface is applied (cool deck is applied the same day concrete is poured). This “curing” period is usually about a week, but sometimes longer. (We know, this is the desert, but Murphy’s Law requires that it rain on somebody’s parade.)
SAFTEY FIRST
Fencing and pool barriers have to be in place before we can order Final Inspection. True, you can almost hear the water splashing now, but compliance to city codes are necessary before the first drop of water can go in your pool. If your doors are to be self-closing or alarmed, the city inspector will need access inside your home this day (often on short notice). With gas lines already connected to features such as the heater, now is the time to call for new meter install and gas hook-up. This can be a busy time, as you will have to call for this connection, and also be home, as the gas will have to be turned off and the pilot(s) re-lit.
SEND OUT THE INVITATIONS
Now that the city has certified your pool, we can finish the interior surface. This process takes a couple of days for pebble, and one day for plaster. Start the hose! It can take a day or so to fill your pool so you’ll need to keep an eye on the water level, and call us when it's full. We’ll get that messy slurry box out of your yard as soon as it’s dry and hard (usually a couple of days), and apply finishing touches such as paint to walls. We’ll do a start-up to make sure the water’s chemistry is perfect, and we’ll provide a walkthrough to explain everything to you.

THE REFERRAL OF FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, RELATIVES, AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES IS THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT WE CAN RECEIVE. THANK YOU FOR RECOMMENDING US.
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