—Keep project costs down with simultaneous house-pool construction

Are you buying a home in a planned development or hiring a builder to construct a custom residence?

Well, if you also plan a swimming pool in your new backyard, consider building the pool right along with your new home.

— Customize your patio with stylish techniques for color and texture

High durability and versatility for customizing color, pattern, and style make decorative concrete decking one of the most popular choices for the patio material around swimming pools.

—How raised gunite pools beautifully triumph over building challenges

One reason to build a raised, out-of-ground concrete swimming pool (gunite or shotcrete) is for style: The configuration achieves a distinctive, multidimensional aesthetic and delivers an original backyard design.

—Raise the “bar” on outdoor entertaining by bringing the resort experience home

The first time people discover the upscale delight of enjoying a cool beverage in a swimming pool swim-up bar is often when they’re vacationing at an exotic hotel. Relaxing on a barstool built under the water with a handy countertop to place your drink or a snack is the ultimate resort experience—and it’s a feature that more homeowners are now including in their own backyard retreats.

—Yes, you can include this relaxing, functional feature during a major renovation

A Baja shelf on a swimming pool delivers a big win for both relaxation and convenience. And for existing pool owners, the good news is that you can add this handy, attractive feature during a major pool renovation.

—How high temperatures, dry conditions, and moist air can disrupt building progress

When the weather outside is unbearably hot—and in some regions, made worse by high humidity—it’s the perfect time to cool off in a new swimming pool. But in some cases, scorching conditions pose a seriously bad time for pool builders working to finish certain construction phases for your new pool.