Home — Construction
Nine stages. Nothing hidden.
Every Wet Pools shell is gunite. Here is exactly what happens in your yard, in what order, and what it is made of — plus what to ask any builder before you sign.
The construction process
From layout to first fill.
A standard pool runs about six to eight weeks — eight to ten with outdoor living attached. Every stage has a project manager attached to it.
01
Layout & Excavation
We assemble every document your HOA and city require, then your project manager walks the layout with you. Once it’s approved, dig day takes about half a day.
02
Steel
3/8″ steel at 8″ on center through the walls and floor, with a continuous 1/2″ #4 box beam around pool and spa. Stress points double up to 4″ on center.
03
Rough Plumbing
Return lines, main drains, suction lines, jets and skimmers are extended through the walls before a single yard of gunite is shot.
04
Gunite
The shell itself — walls, steps, benches and shelves. Beams run 12″ thick, walls and floors 6–9″, at a 6-to-1 cement-to-sand ratio.
05
Plumbing & Equipment
1½″–2″ schedule 40 PVC from shell to equipment pad, with your choice of pump and filtration — and a certified Pentair warranty station behind it.
06
Electrical
Run to the main meter by our licensed electrician. Pool lights land on GFCI protection and the bond wire is secured to the shell.
07
Tile & Coping
Your tile sets on the interior wall at the beam, with optional trim tile on steps and benches. Brick or stone coping caps the beam.
08
Decking
Formed, poured and given a full five days to cure. Then the topping you chose — spray deck, stamped overlay, pavers or flagstone.
09
Plaster & Fill
Quartz plaster, pebble or polished finish goes on the interior. Then the hose goes in, and pool school begins.
Choosing a builder
Six questions to ask before you sign anything.
We earn business by helping people evaluate builders properly — including us. Ask every company on your list the same six questions and compare the answers.
How long has the company been in business?
Many pool firms in Houston close within a few years. If yours is one of them, your warranty closes with it. Ask, then verify — a D&B report will also tell you how a company pays its bills, which is a good proxy for whether its subs will show up.
How does this company rate with the Better Business Bureau?
Look them up at bbb.org. You are looking for a satisfactory record and, more importantly, no unresolved complaints. A complaint is not disqualifying. An unresolved one is.
Can I have a reference list?
Then actually call it. Ask whether the salesman was reachable after the contract was signed, whether construction was supervised, and how problems got handled — because there will be one or two. Ask for the contractor and supplier lists too, and call those.
Do you carry general liability insurance?
Ask for proof of coverage, and ask whether the same is required of every subcontractor on your property. Get it in writing before anyone digs.
How long will it take, and how do the payments work?
A standard pool runs about 6–8 weeks; 8–10 weeks with outdoor living attached. Typical payment structure is an initial deposit plus three 30% draws and a final 10% payment. If a contractor asks for more than this, proceed with extreme caution.
Am I comparing bids fairly?
Two quotes are only comparable if the specifications match. Check the decking material (travertine is not flagstone), the equipment sizes, the number of skimmers and returns, and the lighting. ALL of these should be spelled out on the contract.
Pool equipment
Pentair, top to bottom.
We are a certified Pentair warranty station, which means warranty work happens here rather than getting handed to a third party and a two-week wait.
| Pumps | IntelliFlo® Variable Speed® high-performance pool and spa pump — energy efficient and quiet. WhisperFlo® high-performance pump for high flow at low draw. 3/4 HP booster pump for pressure-side cleaners. |
|---|---|
| Filtration | Clean & Clear® Plus cartridge filter, using nonwoven polyester cartridges. |
| Sanitation | IntelliChlor® salt chlorine generator, converting ordinary salt to chlorine. Rainbow automatic chlorine and bromine feeders. |
| Heating | MasterTemp® high-performance, eco-friendly pool and spa heaters with plain-language status indicators. |
| Automation | EasyTouch® control systems, with ScreenLogic2® for phone and tablet control. |
| Lighting | IntelliBrite® 5G underwater color-changing LED pool and spa lights. |
| Cleaning | Polaris Vac-Sweep 280 pressure-side cleaner (requires the booster pump). |
Financing
Choosing the right lender.
There are a lot of lending options available. Many of our customers have had great experiences with these lenders — we do not take a referral fee from any of them, and the choice is entirely yours.
LightStream
lightstream.com
Central Bank
Pool loans
Lyon Financial
Pool financing
Pioneer Bank
Personal loans
Payment structure
Deposit, three draws, ten percent.
An initial deposit, three 30% draws tied to stages of construction, and a final 10% payment on completion. That is the standard across reputable builders in this market.
If a contractor asks for materially more than this — particularly a large sum up front — treat it as a warning rather than a negotiating position.
3D design
See it before we dig it.
Every consultation is free, in house, and comes with a 3D design of your backyard and a no-obligation estimate. You will see the shape, the decking, the coping, the water features and the lighting before a shovel touches the ground.
What’s on the contract
- Pool and spa dimensions, depths, steps, benches and shelves
- Interior finish — quartz plaster, pebble or polished
- Coping material and decking material, named specifically
- Tile selection, including trim tile on steps and benches
- Equipment makes and sizes — pump, filter, heater, automation
- Number of skimmers and return lines
- Lighting count and type
- Water and fire features, plumbed and gas-run at rough-in
Free in-house consultation
Nine stages, one company.
Bring the yard, the budget and the questions. We’ll bring the 3D design and a number you can hold us to.