Some pool designs are more popular than others and there are certainly some “standard” pool shapes to choose from. Although one of these may work perfectly well for you, there are also some less conventional shapes that you probably have never seen before. By working with a knowledgeable Phoenix swimming pool contractor that has experience with custom pool design, you can open up a range of possibilities that you might never have thought of.

Rectangular – The oldest and most obvious shape for a pool, and one that dates back at least to ancient Roman times. Rectangular pools work well in rectangular yard, especially one that features a more formal, geometric landscaping layout. The corners of a rectangular pool can be rounded to soften the design a bit. Rectangular pools are a good all-purpose choice that can accommodate many different activities well, from swimming laps to a game of “Marco Polo.”

Lap Pool — If exercise is your main goal and yard space is limited, consider putting in a dedicated lap pool –a narrow rectangle just wide enough for one or two swimming lanes.

Grecian – A classic look that starts with a basic rectangular shape, but with truncated or “cut off” corners. The Grecian look can complement architecture and backyard garden areas that have a classical theme, but some pool surface area is lost by cutting off the corners.

Roman – Another classic, symmetrical design that starts with a rectangle, but adds semi-circles at the pool’s ends and/or sides. The corners are usually elegantly rounded as well. The semi-circles are good places to add steps or submerged benches.

Kidney – First designed in 1948, this is probably the most common asymmetrical pool shape. The main appeal of the kidney shape is its lack of sharp angles or corners. The round lines of the kidney shape go well with more contemporary home designs and fit well with backyards that don’t conform to the geometric regularity of a rectangle. The indented area can be a focal point for patio furniture, statuary, landscaping features, a water feature or even a spa area. In a limited space, the kidney shape also creates the sense of the pool having two parts for different activities and visually demarcates the deep and shallow ends.

L-shaped – Just what the name says, the L-shaped pool consists of two small rectangles joined at a right angle. This shape can be used to strongly demarcate the shallow and deep ends, and is a good choice when the deep end of the pool is meant for diving. The L-shape makes the best use of space on properties where the backyard has a similar shape. A variation is the Lazy L, in which the angle between the two parts of the pool is a less severe 45 degrees.

Freeform – Again, just what the name says, a freeform pool is limited only by imagination.  Freeform pools lend the most natural feel to a backyard and may give the impression of a pond, a secluded cove or a desert oasis. Rock waterfalls or a grotto built into the perimeter of the pool can add to the naturalistic effect.

Hop Cassidy Pools is a leading Scottsdale swimming pool builder with experience in designing pools and spas of every shape and size for homeowners and contractors throughout the Valley. Our licensed, certified pool professionals can help you choose a pool design that will fit you and your family’s needs while adding to the beauty and value of your home. We’ll even help you visualize your new pool with our state-of-the-art 3D pool design services.

The professionals at Hop Cassidy Pools have been constructing the highest quality Arizona swimming pools for more than 25 years. The season for swimming in central Arizona is fast approaching, so call us today at 480-905-8780 to get started with a free initial consultation.

Where an infinity-edge pool has one or perhaps two sides built below the waterline, a perimeter overflow pool is designed so that water spills over all sides. As with an infinity-edge system, the water that flows over the sides of a perimeter overflow pool is caught and recirculated.

The appearance of a perimeter overflow pool is often described as mirror-like. With most pools, the water’s surface is in almost constant motion. Ripples and waves bounce off the sides, interact and reinforce each other because they’re confined in a relatively confined space.

In a perimeter overflow pool, the water is allowed to pour in a thin sheet over the edges. Since the water is not bounded by anything, disturbances don’t persist for very long. The result is a smooth, reflective surface that lends on atmosphere of serenity to its surroundings. Because of its mirror-like quality, a perimeter overflow pool will be visually tied to the surrounding architecture and landscaping and create an integrated effect in a way that no ordinary backyard swimming pool can.

Incorporating water features into a perimeter overflow pool may not be the best choice, because moving water will interfere with the unique stillness and sense of tranquility that are the hallmarks of this kind of pool. To play up its reflectivity, the shell of the pool can be finished with a smooth material in a dark color.

Pool construction for a perimeter overflow system is even more exacting than for an infinity-edge setup. The edge of the pool must be extremely level to create even flow over the entire perimeter. The building tolerance is typically one-sixteenth of an inch or less. Only expert pool builders are able to construct a pool to this exacting standard.

Likewise, excellent hydraulic engineering is required for the behind-the-scenes components that make a perimeter overflow system function properly. To catch the overflowing water, a gutter is constructed around the perimeter of the pool. The gutter must be built with the right size, shape and slope to efficiently direct the water it collects through pipes to a holding tank for eventual recirculation.  The system must be built in a way that allows water to flow freely and trapped air to be displaced smoothly, otherwise continual “gurgling” sounds created by water drainage will disturb the sense of calm.

Decking cannot be built right up to the edge of a perimeter overflow pool because there must be space to allow the water to overflow into the gutter. The slot between pool edge and deck shouldn’t be wide enough for a person’s foot to accidentally catch in; one inch is usually the maximum. Some pool owners prefer the cleaner look of a much narrower slot, perhaps as small as a quarter inch. Like an infinity-edge pool, a perimeter overflow pool might be situated on sloping ground in such a way that it appears to merge into the sky or an adjacent body of water. With this kind of arrangement, the pool would likely not be entirely surrounded by a deck.

For 25 years, Hop Cassidy Pools has been constructing the finest Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa swimming pools. We specialize in custom pool design, construction and remodeling for Arizona homeowners and contractors. Call Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 to put our expertise to work in creating your personal desert oasis.

If you’re thinking seriously about installing a pool, it’s probably because you’re looking forward to hours and hours of relaxation. But rushing into an agreement with the wrong Valley pool builder could result in weeks and weeks of headaches and frustration. Not all Phoenix pool contractors are the same – far from it! – and some of the people you may encounter offering Phoenix pool construction services may not really be qualified to build pools or to build the kind of pool you want. And of course, a few who put themselves out as pool professionals are outright scammers.

In pool construction, as with pretty much every other trade or craft, quality work costs money, but it’s well worth it in the end. Remember, there’s a well-founded saying that goes, “If you think the cost of a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur.” In pool construction, hiring a contractor that is amateurish (or worse) could mean:

• a yard that’s torn up for months, and stays torn up because the “contractor” goes out of business or leaves town after pocketing thousands of your hard-earned dollars
• damage to your home or property for which your pool builder does not carry the proper liability insurance
• violations of zoning laws or building codes that may require costly demolition and reconstruction to get into compliance
• improper or missing safety features that put your pool in violation of state law or city ordinances, put your children at greater risk of drowning and put you at greater risk of a lawsuit
• faulty construction and/or shoddy materials that make your supposedly long-term investment turn out to be a unsafe, unsightly or unusable in just a few years

To avoid these nightmares, don’t take the plunge into pool construction with any individual or company who:

• only has a background in pool repair or maintenance, rather than construction
• has been building pools for less than 10 years
• boasts only about how many pools they’ve built, how cheaply they can build them or how quickly they can get yours done
• won’t provide a long list of potential references from which you are free to choose a few to call at random
• won’t let you visit their office – perhaps because they don’t even have one
• doesn’t have accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, or doesn’t have a rating of “A” or above
• is not a member in good standing of the Association of Pool and Spa Professional (APSP), and National Plasterers Council (NPC)
• cannot provide you with their Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) license number, or gives you a number that doesn’t check out (and do be sure to check!)
• presents you with a construction contract that doesn’t specify materials to be used or subcontractors to be employed
• pressures you into quickly signing their contract, and seems uncomfortable if you suggest having an attorney review it

Based in Scottsdale, swimming pool contractor Hop Cassidy Pools has a long history of building top-quality pools all over the Valley of the Sun for discriminating homeowners and for home builders with the highest standards. Hop Cassidy has achieved a stellar reputation during our 25 years in the pool construction business. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and we’re licensed to build both residential (ROC #B-05 091104) and commercial (ROC #A-09 110818) pools. Call the pool professionals at Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 for a no-obligation consultation, and work with a contractor that will make building your dream pool almost as carefree as lounging in it on a hot Arizona afternoon.

State law requires anyone engaged in Arizona pool construction to give pool and spa buyers “a notice explaining safety education and responsibilities of pool ownership,” but too often pool safety education – and common sense – are ignored.

As anyone who watches local Valley news broadcasts knows, the main threat posed by swimming pools is drowning. Despite continuing public education campaigns designed to put an end to them, many pool drownings occur every year in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Also common are near-drownings, which can cause serious brain damage to survivors due to prolonged oxygen deprivation.

Small children who can’t swim obviously should not be have free access to a swimming pool, and even older children who know how to swim should use a pool only under adult supervision. In fact, adult awareness and supervision should be considered the first line of defense against pool accidents. No safety equipment can completely take the place of a responsible person keeping tabs on children’s whereabouts. That said, safety features are still important, and many are required by law.

For almost 20 years, Arizona statutes have required newly constructed pools at private residences with children under 6 years old to be surrounded by a fence at least 5 feet high. The state law does not apply retroactively to pools constructed prior to June 1990, but local governments are free to pass more stringent requirements, and many have. A Scottsdale or Mesa swimming pool, for instance, must be surrounded by a 5-foot (or higher) fence regardless of whether children live in the home. In Peoria, a fence is required if the residence has children under age 7. Despite any legal exceptions, however, the most prudent thing homeowners can do is to enclose their pools.

Pool fences should not have openings exceeding 4 inches, nor should they have horizontal bars on the outside of the fence that are spaced closely enough to aid in climbing. Mesh (chain-link) fences should have a mesh size no greater than 1.75 inches, also to deter climbing. The inside of any pool fence should be at least 20 inches from the edge of the water, and the outside should not be placed close to any structure in the yard, such as a playhouse, that could serve as a “stepping stone” to climbing over it. In addition to fence specifications, state and local laws also have other requirements aimed at restricting access to swimming pools:

• Any gates in the pool fence must open outward from the pool area and be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 54 inches from the ground
• If the back wall of the house makes up part of the pool enclosure, there must be either:

a)      a 4-foot fence between the house and the pool that meets all the other pool fence requirements as to bar/mesh spacing, etc., or

b)      all self-closing, self-latching doors leading to the pool area (with no doggie doors), or

c)      a motorized, key-switched pool safety cover

Hop Cassidy Pools has been building and remodeling pools in the Phoenix area for more than 25 years. We specialize in custom pool design and the construction of luxury pools for individual homeowners as well as for some of the Valley’s best contractors. Call us today at 480-905-8780 for a free initial consultation and price quote on your own very own swimming pool – one that’s designed and built using the highest standards of quality and safety by the professionals at Hop Cassidy Pools.

Water features are becoming more popular in Phoenix swimming pool construction as homeowners seek to build backyard swimming pools that are unique reflections of their tastes. Adding a water feature as part of a pool remodeling project is a sure way to transform an ordinary swimming experience into something more like a dip in a resort luxury pool.

When it comes to water features, the options are many:

• Fountains – Fountains can originate from outside the pool, from the edge of the pool or even within the pool itself. A fountain can be an accent piece that’s completely separate – perhaps issuing from an artistic sculpture – or it can be a part of the overall water circulation. The water can splash straight up just a few feet, or it can shoot in a stream that arcs high into the air before falling back into the pool. Or a fountain can spray in a cone or fan that rains down cooling water over a wide area of the pool surface.
• Waterfalls and cascades – The choices for waterfalls are almost endless. Like a fountain, a waterfall can be a decorative center of visual interest on the perimeter of the poolscape, or it can be integrated with the pool. Waterfalls can flow over natural or man-made rock at the edge of the pool, flow through metal scuppers built into its side or stream out of the spout of an artistically designed stone or ceramic bowl with a spout that projects over the pool’s coping. A waterfall can flow at a musical trickle or cascade with force, perhaps into a secluded stone grotto built into the corner of the pool. Or it can pour from scuppers in a smooth sheet or curtain of sparkling clear water. Waterfalls are also a beautiful way to visually connect a spa/pool system, with water pouring from the edge or side of a raised spa into the attached pool.
• Spouts – Spouts pour water into a pool through a hole that’s surrounded by a metal or ceramic accent piece.  A spout can be a geometric or abstract design, or it can be sculpted into the shape of a flower, seashell, mythological creature or animal.
• Jets & bubblers – In a pool or spa, jets and bubblers have a massaging effect as well as a visual effect by creating rippling, churning and bubbling at or just below the surface of the water.

Hop Cassidy Pools is an experienced Scottsdale swimming pool builder specializing in custom pool design and quality pool construction and remodeling for homeowners and contractors. Turn to Hop Cassidy if you’d like to create a pool with water features in your own backyard, or to redesign your pool to incorporate beautiful falls or fountains. Call us today at 480-905-8780 to get started on a unique pool that suits your sense of style.

Infinity-edge pools, also referred to as negative-edge, zero-edge, vanishing-edge or disappearing-edge, give the appearance of having no boundary on one side. The surface of the water seems to extend forever or float in space with nothing visible to limit it. The pool shell can’t be seen above the waterline – there’s a sense that no waterline even exists.

Infinity-edge pools are often strategically placed to take advantage of their location or the natural surroundings. Perched near a lake, or overlooking an ocean, the pool seems to extend into the adjacent body of water, blending with it at the pool’s “missing” edge. On a hillside or mountainside property, the negative-edge pool appears to drop off into space, its water merging with the blue of the sky.

Of course, these pools’ “edgelessness” is just an illusion, albeit a beautiful one. Infinity-edge pools create their stunning floating effect because the structures that retain and recirculate the water are out of the swimmers’ sight. The missing side of the pool is really there, but it does not extend up past the waterline like the other sides. If the pool has been constructed properly, water flows in a smooth, thin sheet over the submerged edge, called a weir, and lands in a catch basin or trough below. The basin or trough receiving the spillover connects to the pool’s circulation system, so the “lost” water is eventually pumped through the filter and back into the pool.

The negative-edge concept was pioneered centuries ago for reflecting pools built on the palace grounds of European royalty. Today, infinity-edge design is incorporated into luxury swimming pools at resorts and hotels around the world. As a backyard swimming pool, a zero-edge pool will instantly lend an exotic or upscale feel to a home’s outdoor entertaining space.

Naturally, this design adds to the expense of a building a pool, and not every Phoenix swimming pool contractor has experience building infinity-edge pools. Construction must be very precise, with the weir built extremely level and at just a small fraction of an inch below the waterline. Infinity-edge pools built on sloping ground are also likely to need extra structural reinforcement. But many satisfied owners of infinity-edge pools think the dramatic effect they create is well worth their extra cost.

Hop Cassidy Pools is a top Scottsdale swimming pool contractor with 25 years of experience designing and constructing all kinds of pools and spas for residential and commercial clients all over the Valley. We’re an award-winning builder of Arizona custom pools of the highest quality. Call the pool professionals at Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 so that we can help you add the pool of your dreams to your property this season.

Planning and Design – As with any construction project, thorough planning is a crucial first step when creating a quality pool. Planning and pool design can also be one of the most enjoyable parts of the process, as you develop a vision and begin to make it a reality. You can exercise your creativity as you choose your pool’s shape and decide on the addition of extra touches such as water features, ornamental tile or maybe even a spa.

Contracting and Permitting – Be sure that you’ve chosen a reputable licensed pool builder before signing a contract. Find out which subcontractors will be employed and what materials will be used. The contractor will obtain the necessary construction permits for your city and, if applicable, get HOA approval.

Excavation – After your property has been staked out to mark the locations of the pool and pool equipment, the hole must be dug to the proper shape and depth based on your plans and designs.

Rebar Installation – A framework of steel reinforcing rods, or rebar, will be assembled on the bottom and sides of the pit that has been dug for the pool. This network of steel rods will act as the skeleton that supports and strengthens the concrete “shell” of the pool.

Rough Plumbing & Application of Concrete – Some of the plumbing for the pool’s water circulation system must be installed before the concrete is laid down. The concrete isn’t poured – something that would be difficult to do on a vertical surface like a pool wall! – but sprayed on by a skilled professional with special equipment.

Equipment Installation – The equipment for the pool’s pump and filtration system are installed, and the system’s electrical and final plumbing work are performed.

Coping, Tiling and Decking – Coping, the decorative rim that caps off the perimeter of the pool at the top edge, is installed. Coping can be concrete, tile or stone. Any decorative tile specified in the pool design is set, and the decking you chose during the planning phase to surround your pool is laid down.

Filling and Startup – Your pool is finally filled with water for the first time! A certified technician supervises the crucial startup process to make sure that your pool is properly brought into service. Your contractor’s representative should provide you with all the information and documentation you’ll need to properly maintain your pool.

SWIM TIME – Finally, you and your family get to enjoy the fun and convenience of splashing and swimming in your very own backyard pool!

With 25 years of experience in custom pool design and luxury pool construction, Hop Cassidy Pools will insure that all phases of your pool construction project will go smoothly. We’ll help you understand every step of the process and always be ready to answer your questions and concerns. We also handle pool remodeling projects! Call Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 for a free initial consultation and quote.

You have several choices when it’s time for pool resurfacing. You may want to consider a radically different alternative to your current surface material if you’re planning to resurface as part of an overall pool remodeling project. You’ll want the surface to match the color, design and richness of your newly upgraded swimming pool and any new coping, decking or landscaping you choose.

The most common and least expensive swimming pool surfacing option is plaster. Plaster, also called marcite or whitecoat, has been used to surface pools for more than half a century. Although a well-applied coat of plaster can last for years, it won’t be as durable as some of the newer surfacing materials. Plaster has a nice, smooth feel when it has been properly troweled after application by skilled craftsman, but it’s considered very plain-looking by some people. Today, however, colored plaster options are available for a more customized, artistic look.

Fiberglass for pool resurfacing is a somewhat newer product on the market. Applying a layer of fiberglass yields a smooth surface like plaster, but one that should last longer and is less prone to discoloration because it’s non-porous. Brushing dirt and algae off of fiberglass takes less effort, too. Because fiberglass is flexible, it’s less likely than plaster to crack, chip or “pop” if the ground shifts or settles.

Pebble or exposed aggregate pool surfaces originated in Australia in the 1960s and have become hugely popular in the United States in the last two decades or so. These pool surfaces consist of thousands of small pebbles embedded in a cement base. Some people don’t like the roughness of pebble compared to plaster, but it does offer a very safe non-slip surface. Pebble mixtures come in a variety of colors and some have particles with light-refracting properties that add sparkle under the sun or certain artificial lighting.

Other aggregate materials such as quartz, marble or glass each have their own unique appearance and come in a range of color choices. As with pebble, each consists of particles in a cement base, which often is itself colored to complement the aggregate. Like pebble, they’re all more expensive than standard plaster surfaces, but also more durable. Quartz is one of the hardest minerals known, second only to diamond. Quartz for pools takes the form of small beads of sand-like silica coated in a specialized ceramic. Marble for pool surfaces is crushed to a small, uniform size and polished for a smooth feel. Some marble mixtures have crushed abalone shell added for color and light reflection. In surfacing products like Beadcrete, glass spheres embedded in the base give color and refract light to create spectacular visual effects.

Tile surfaces can create some of the most artistic pool designs, but it’s also the most expensive. While almost all pools are built with a decorative band of tiles at the waterline, fully tiling a pool is another proposition altogether. But for those who want the most premium surface available or want to incorporate a one-of-a-kind design into their pool, tiles are the way to go.

The dedicated professionals at Hop Cassidy Pools can help you remodel your old pool into one that’s fresh and new, including an attractive new surface applied with care and precision using the materials of your choice. The time to upgrade is now, so that your remodeled pool is ready to go for the swimming season. Hop Cassidy is a premium Scottsdale swimming pool builder that’s been serving homeowners and contractors in the Valley of the Sun for more than 25 years with quality Phoenix pool construction and remodeling services. Call today for a consultation with a Hop Cassidy representative at 480-905-8780.

But an even bigger misconception is that saltwater pools are chlorine-free. They are not. Even in a saltwater pool system, chlorine is the element that keeps the water clean and safe by killing algae, bacteria and viruses. The difference is the chlorine’s source. Instead of requiring the addition of chlorine in granules, tablets or liquid, saltwater pools continually manufacture their own chlorine.

To understand how this is possible, remember one of the first bits of chemistry that you probably ever learned. The salt on your table, like the salt in the ocean as well as the salt used in pools, is a compound called sodium chloride, represented by the symbol NaCl. That Cl and the chlor in chloride mean that salt contains chlorine atoms. Saltwater pools simply employ a piece of equipment that sets the chlorine atoms free from the salt molecules. In fact, this device is actually called a “chlorine generator.”

In a saltwater pool, the pump drives water through the filtering system and through the pool’s chlorine generator. Using electric current passed through plates made of titanium and the rare metal ruthenium, the generator constantly breaks apart the salt molecules that pass through it.  The freed chlorine goes on to form other compounds such as hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite, which are what actually disinfects the water. These compounds are no different than the ones that form in a “regular” pool system from the direct addition of chlorine.

So if the end result is basically the same, what’s the point in installing a chlorine generation system in the first place? Actually, the end results are not quite the same. Standard chlorination also produces chemicals called chloramines, which are what can make pool water smell “chloriney” as well as drying the skin and burning the eyes. Chlorine generators do not produce chloramines as a byproduct.  And there are several other advantages to this method of pool sanitization as well:

• The water feels “softer” to the skin because the same process that produces chlorine from salt also removes dissolved minerals, reducing the pool’s alkalinity.
• By the same token, calcium buildup on the pool is reduced.
• There’s no need to buy, store and handle chlorine products. And even the necessary salt is added to the pool water once, because it’s recycled by the system.

With a saltwater system, you can have a true luxury pool that not only looks good but feels good to the skin and eyes of swimmers. With our expertise in custom pool design and construction, Hop Cassidy Pools can help you achieve the swimming environment of your dreams. We’ve been a trusted and respected Scottsdale swimming pool builder for more than 25 years, performing some of the most unique Phoenix swimming pool construction and remodeling projects. Call Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 for a free initial consultation and quote.

A home spa can stand alone or be integrated into a new or existing backyard swimming pool.  Installing a spa as part of a pool remodeling project is a popular choice with homeowners who want an added touch that will increase the appeal of their outdoor space year-round.

While there are mass-produced, pre-cast spa “shells” available from many manufacturers, spas can be custom-built to just about any shape and size that fits the available yard area. Circular spas are quite popular, but they can also be constructed in semi-circular, square, rectangular or oval shapes.

A stand-alone spa can be built flush with the ground, or it can be installed semi-in-ground, meaning part of the spa’s depth goes below ground level and the exposed exterior portion above ground is covered with a decorative rock veneer or tile that matches or complements the rest of the yard’s hardscape and landscape. Coping – that’s the name for the stone or concrete “edging” or trim around the perimeter of a pool or spa – is also chosen to blend with the overall outdoor design.

Things get even more interesting when a spa and pool are designed as an integrated unit. The spa and its heating and circulation system are walled off from the pool by a barrier that can sit almost flush with the level of the pool or be raised slightly above it, giving spa users the feeling of being “in” the larger pool while still being shielded from its cooler water. The spa’s coping usually runs seamlessly with that of the rest of the pool.

Even more visually interesting are spillover spas that are designed to channel some of their water over the edge of the spa into the main pool, either directly, creating a mini-waterfall effect, or indirectly, by cascading the spa’s overflow over a surface of decorative rock before it mingles with the pool water. As with a pool, separate water features such as falls, cascades and fountains can be built as a backdrop to the spa, creating even more visual interest and adding the soothing sound of flowing water to the relaxing spa experience.

Spas can be constructed with bench seating – usually running around the perimeter of the spa – or individual seats. The number and arrangement of jets can be suited to your needs and tastes. Choose an experienced spa builder, one with expert knowledge of the mechanics and functioning of spa circulation systems, to insure that your system is designed and built properly.

If you’re contemplating adding a spa to your home, either separately or as part of a new pool construction or pool remodeling project, the experts at Hop Cassidy Pools are the ones to call. Hop Cassidy specializes in luxury pools and spas, custom pool design and upscale pool remodeling projects. We’ve been a trusted residential and commercial Valley swimming pool contractor for more than 25 years. Call Hop Cassidy today at 480-905-8780 for a free initial consultation and quote, and get started on the pool of your dreams now!