Pool Builders in Gilbert, AZ
Custom gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl-liner pools built phase by phase across Gilbert and the East Valley. Free design consultations and clear written schedules.
Follow along as we document each stage of building custom pools across Gilbert and the East Valley.
Building a custom pool is one of the bigger projects a backyard will ever see, and it goes more smoothly when you know what each week brings. A gunite pool is built in a set order, and every phase has to cure or pass inspection before the next begins. Here is what actually happens from the empty yard to your first swim.
Everything starts on paper. We finalize the shape, depth, and features, then submit for the Maricopa County permit. Once it clears, the crew marks utilities and excavates the hole to plan, usually in a day or two. Seeing the outline in the ground for the first time is when the project starts to feel real. If you are still weighing shapes and depths, our gunite pool construction page walks through the options.
Next a grade 60 steel rebar cage is tied to match the design, and the Schedule 40 PVC plumbing for the skimmer, main drain, and returns is roughed in. Then comes the day the shell is sprayed. Shotcrete is applied pneumatically over the steel and shaped by hand, and it needs to be kept damp and cured for about a week. This is the structural heart of the pool, so it is not a stage to rush.
With the shell cured, the detail work begins. Waterline mosaic tile goes on, coping stone caps the edge, and the surrounding deck is poured or set in travertine, pavers, or stamped concrete. This phase often takes the longest because it is precise, hands-on work, and the finished look depends on getting it right.
The interior is troweled with white plaster, quartz, or pebble aggregate to seal the surface. Quartz and pebble finishes last far longer than standard plaster, often 15 to 25 years. Then we install the variable-speed pump, filter, heater, and any salt system, add the self-latching safety barrier, and fill the pool. The first week of startup is careful chemistry work to bring the water into balance.
From permit to first swim, most gunite pools in Gilbert take 8 to 12 weeks, with weather and inspection timing driving the spread. Rain, a busy inspector, or a change order can add a few days, which is exactly why we give you a written schedule up front. When you know the sequence, the wait is a lot easier to enjoy.
Thinking about a pool for your Gilbert backyard? Contact us or call Onwardphoto at (480) 306-4622 for a free design consultation and a realistic timeline.
Onwardphoto provides pool builders in Gilbert, AZ, and we manage the entire journey from a bare lot to a swimmable backyard. Our crews handle custom gunite pool construction, fiberglass pool installation, vinyl-liner pool builds, spa and hot tub integration, saltwater chlorination systems, variable-speed equipment sets, and surrounding pool decking. Every stage is planned before the first shovel moves. We pour, plaster, and deck pools across Val Vista Drive, the Agritopia neighborhood off Higley Road, and the Power Ranch community near Germann Road.
A gunite pool is built in stages, and each one has to cure and pass inspection before the next begins. We start with a layout and excavation, then set a steel rebar cage and rough in the Schedule 40 PVC plumbing. After that comes the shotcrete shell, sprayed pneumatically over the steel and left to cure for about a week. Tile, coping, and the deck follow, and the interior plaster or pebble finish goes on last. Knowing the order helps you picture exactly where your project stands on any given day.
Most custom pools in the East Valley take 8 to 12 weeks from permit to first swim, weather and inspections permitting. Excavation and steel usually wrap in the first two weeks. The gunite shell and its cure add another week or so, and tile and decking often run the longest because they are careful detail work. A fiberglass shell moves faster, since the factory-molded piece is set in days rather than sprayed on site. We hand you a written schedule so the milestones near Cooper Road are never a mystery.
The materials matter as much as the calendar. We build shells with grade 60 steel rebar and pneumatically applied shotcrete, finish interiors in white plaster, quartz, or pebble aggregate, and set waterline tile in glass or ceramic mosaic. Safety is wired into the structure too, with an 8 AWG copper bonding grid around the shell as NEC Article 680 requires. Homeowners near the 85297 ZIP choose us because we explain each decision in plain language and stand behind the finished pool.
We build pools throughout Gilbert and the surrounding East Valley towns in Maricopa County, from established neighborhoods to the newer subdivisions off Higley Road.
Not sure we reach your street? Call (480) 306-4622 and we will confirm.
A concrete pool comes together in a set order, and we walk you through each phase. Here is how a build progresses from an empty yard to opening day.
We finalize the shape, depth, and features, mark the utilities, then excavate the hole to plan and haul the spoil off site.
A grade 60 rebar cage is tied to the shape while the Schedule 40 PVC skimmer, main drain, and return lines are roughed in.
Shotcrete is sprayed pneumatically over the steel to form the shell, then cured and kept damp for roughly seven days.
Waterline mosaic tile, coping stone, and the surrounding deck in travertine, pavers, or stamped concrete go in next.
The shell is troweled with white plaster, quartz, or long-lasting pebble aggregate to seal the surface and set the final look.
We install the variable-speed pump, filter, heater, and salt system, add the safety barrier, then fill and balance the water.
Pool pricing depends on the build type, size, depth, and finishes you choose. Vinyl-liner pools carry the lowest first cost, fiberglass shells sit in the middle, and custom gunite gives you unlimited shape and depth at the top of the range. Excavation, steel, the shell, decking, and the interior finish each add to the total, and we put a firm number in writing after we walk your yard.
Ready to turn your backyard into a finished pool? We will walk your yard, talk through gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl options, map out the phases, and hand you a written estimate with a realistic schedule. Most Gilbert builds break ground within a few weeks of design approval.
Call (480) 306-4622