Custom Pools
Custom Swimming Pools for Montgomery County
For most homeowners, investing in an in-ground pool is a major project. At Blue Tree Landscaping, we think that adding a pool to your outdoor space is a fabulous gift to your family – one that should not cause you to lose sleep, worrying about the details.
When you choose us, you are selecting a full service pool and landscape design firm. That means that you are choosing a specialist in creating beautiful, functional, outdoor environments that fit your home and your lifestyle. It’s tempting to hire a pool-only contractor, but we encourage you to call us instead. While a swimming pool contractor will sell you a pool by itself, our designers will work with you to create a beautiful and functional landscape with a pool as a focal point. We will look at the ways your family uses your home and outdoor living space and will custom-design a plan that fits your usage and budget.
Our expertise in pool design taps into our professional CAD (Computer Aided Design) experience for your project. We will produce scaled drawings of how your in-ground swimming pool design will look in your space, to help you to visualize your finished project. As a locally owned and operated company, we use only high-quality materials that produce a high-quality finish that lasts.
As a full service landscaper, we also have the know-how to complete your entire landscaping project, from masonry to pool design and construction. If you’re incorporating your new in ground pool into a true outdoor living area, we can also install a new outdoor kitchen to create the perfect outdoor entertainment venue.
Best of all, we oversee and manage every part of your swimming pool project:
- Pool Design – View our Designs!
- Pool Installation
- Pool Landscape
- Pool Fencing
Our goal is simple: to create beautiful, functional custom landscapes and pools that exceed our clients’ expectations. Our expertise. Your ideas. The result? A backyard of your dreams.
Pool Design
After deciding to install an inground pool, planning your pool design will become an obsession! Think about some of the elements you’ll need to consider…
Size – do you want to swim laps or are just looking to cool off on a hot day? Will your children be inviting the neighborhood to swim every day? Would a sport pool (shallow at both ends and deeper in the middle) fit your lifestyle? Then, there’s the practical consideration…how much space to you have to work with?
- Shape – closely related to size, this variable will depend on how you intend to use your new pool. It’s hard to swim laps when you don’t have a straight-away anywhere in sight!
- Location – do you want your pool to be the focal point of your outdoor living space, or do you want it to complement an existing entertainment area? If you have a patio and outdoor kitchen, you might want your pool deck to flow from this area. Or, you might prefer to set your pool away from the traffic on your patio or deck.
- Steps – how do you want to get in and out of your pool?
- Depth - What special features are you thinking about? Waterfalls, fountains, and lighting can all affect your pool design.
- Finishes – your choice of color and texture on the finished surfaces can dramatically impact the look and feel of your pool.
Pool Installation
In addition to the things that you need to think about, your pool experts at Blue Tree will be thinking about what needs to happen behind the scenes – the structural elements of your pool design. Construction elements, from excavation to plumbing to installing your pool deck, will be part of the detailed pool design plan that we’ll create for you.
Pool Landscaping
Deciding how to landscape the area surrounding your pool is another design element that Blue Tree can help with. We consider your pool installation in the broader context of creating an outdoor living space that suits your needs. That’s where we differ from most pool contractors.
Landscaping around your pool comes with some special considerations. For example:
- You’ll want to avoid trees and shrubs with deep, spreading root systems. You don’t want to risk damaging your pool deck as your landscape matures.
- Make sure that your trees and shrubs are planted far enough away from your pool to avoid messy clean up jobs (falling leaves!) on an on-going basis.
- Choose pest-free plants. You don’t want the wrong chemicals leaking into your pool.
- Avoid plants/shrubs with any type of berries. Berries fall and can stain your pool surfaces. This same advice applies to fruit trees.
- What will your landscaping look like in three, five or ten years? Make sure that what you’re planning today will work with your pool as your plants mature.
If you want some shaded areas around your pool, consider adding an arbor or trellis to your landscape plan.
These are just some of the things that we can help you with as your pool design plan comes together.
Interior Finish
What is Curing Plaster?
Curing plaster is a maturation process of the new plaster finish when it strengthens and seals. The pool finish will start to cure immediately after mixing. Sixty percent of the curing process occurs in the first 4 weeks will continue over the next 2 years. During this time frame, it is very important to keep the water balanced. This is done through ongoing testing of the water chemistry and making necessary chemical adjustments. The pool must also be brushed and vacuumed on a regular basis.
What can happen if the plaster doesn’t cure?
The secret to the long life of any pool surface is properly maintained water chemistry and appropriate surface care. Improper water balance will destroy any pool surface and can be especially harmful to new plaster surface as well as the equipment. If it is not maintained properly, the new plaster will be rough and staining/discoloration will occur.
Scale:
Scaling and blotchy pool finish will occur when your PH level rises. It is very important to maintain a low PH level during the first two years. Scaling is not covered under warranty.
The following is normal with pool finishes:
- Pool plaster is composed of natural materials, a certain amount of shading or color variation may occur. This may be more pronounced on a cloudy day or at night when the lights are on.
- Plaster is not guaranteed for evenness of color and may not be the anticipated shade. The shade/color may vary or fade over time.
- The plaster may become streaked, blotchy, or have a spotted appearance over which the contractor has no control and is not covered under warranty.
You may see a certain amount of small cracking and crazing. These are called checks and are normal. - Material is hand applied and it is impossible to evenly apply finish so texturing, exposure, and evenness of the color will vary.
Pool Fencing
One final note. Make sure that your design plan includes fencing. While fencing is a practical safety concern – and legally required – a pool fence can be incorporated into your landscaping plan to add beauty as well as security to your outdoor environment. We can show you how!
Pool Care Tips
To keep your pool repairs to a minimum, make sure that you develop and follow a maintenance routine on a regular basis. Here are some tips from the in-ground pool experts at Blue Tree:
- Chemicals – check your chemical levels regularly and adjust your chemical applications accordingly.
- When adding chemicals:
- Dry chemicals - pre-mix into a 5-gallon bucket of water to dissolve prior to adding to water. ALWAYS add water in bucket first then add chemicals. DO NOT put chemicals in then add water.
- Always add chemicals into the deep end of the pool - liquid or dry - Add products as close to the water as possible to prevent splashing, and as far away from walls.
- Run filter for 6-8 hours to allow for chemicals to mix into water.
- Don’t add chemicals just in one spot. Move around and disperse equally.
- Follow all instructions on the products you add to the pool.
- Maintain water level to the middle of the water tile. Add or remove water as needed.
- DO NOT allow pool toys to remain in the pool. Remove them when you close your pool for the day.
- Make sure nothing is blocking your skimmers box.
- SALT POOL - Make sure you only use products that are approved for use with salt pools.
- DO NOT allow any glass items within the pool area.
- After the first full season your pool is open, have the expansion joint removed and replaced with pool grade caulking. This must be replaced when its showing signs of breaking down.
- If you drain your pool for any reason, you will need to remove the relief plug caps.
- Check your pool pump – make sure your pump is free of debris, including hair and lint. A well-functioning pump will keep circulation at optimal levels.
- Inspect your drains and filters – in addition to the obvious problems like a leaking drain, you want to check your drains and filters regularly to make sure that they are in place and functioning properly. A missing drain cover can create a real safety hazard, so any problems noted should be corrected promptly!
- Brush your pool – brushing the walls of your pool can help prevent some serious maintenance problems down the road. You need to clean off microscopic debris from your pool walls/tiles as well as your pool floor. Failure to follow through on this maintenance step can result in algae problems as well as hard scaling on your pool’s surface, which will require help from a specialist to remove.
- Keep your pool clean – regular cleaning, removing leaves and other debris, with netting or a vacuum system, will create a welcoming environment for anyone who uses your pool. Neglecting this easy step can spiral out of control, creating a more serious maintenance issue.
- Cracks – check your pool surfaces regularly for cracks, as well as your pool decking. Sometimes, small cracks can form where your pool meets your decking. Keep in mind that water travels. Make sure you fill these cracks to avoid water damage to your pool deck.
