Design - Build

Why the diving board has been on the decline — and why it may be poised for a comeback.

Skip Phillips builds a gorgeous pool in a bucolic setting.

A new option for creating all-tile perimeter overflow details.

In our ​SOI survey, we asked builders about their revenue, marketing practices, popular choices among customers and more.

When you're a pool builder in a competitive market, you're going to run into them: other builders who low-ball you with super low bids. Here's how you can handle it and lose fewer customers.

You could focus on any number of things in this Colorado poolscape, but of particular interest is the remote-controlled sliding enclosure.

From shape, pattern options and new features like steps and shelves, package pools are becoming increasingly custom.

An MLB player's pool outside Phoenix stands as a masterpiece in design and construction.

Pro builder Al Curtis explains why developing a unique brand will help your business succeed.

It was a case of the wrong pool at the wrong time. Check out this story and see how builder Randy Beard transformed this pool into a complete hydrotherapy center.

To keep projects as error-free as possible, rely on common sense measures.

​Why do pools with black or blue plaster sometimes lose their color?

This vanishing edge was not only built incorrectly, it was altered with a shoddy fix. Here, Steve Swanson explains how he repaired this project once and for all.

Traditionally, ponds and swimming pools were considered different bodies of water. Now, however, the lines are getting blurred. Here, Bill Renter explains how he walks that line with amazing results.

In his latest column, Al Curtis of Ask the Pool Guy explains how specializing in a unique style of pool helped set himself apart from other builders.

Accomplished Landscape Designer Kate Wiseman puts her clients at ease with sincere and straightforward answers about the process of creating outdoor living spaces.

How do pool builder create the perfect outdoor living space? Ryan Hughes and Scott Cohen share their thoughts.

Take your custom spas to the next level with small, thoughtful details.

A mistake in your wiring can be costly — prevent hazards by following this advice.

This pool builder combines creative pebble techniques and stone mosaics to create one-of-a-kind pools that double as works of art.

Glass tile can transform a pool into a work of art — yet working with it requires precise technical skills and a lot of precautionary measures. Here, a tile pro shares her best practices for tile installation.

Thanks to the Cold War, America saw a bomb-shelter construction craze. And who built them? Pool builders.

A fixture in commercial projects, splash pads are now found in more residential settings than ever.

What is quality, and how do you measure it? Pool builder Al Curtis shares his philosophy.

Flowers, leaves, wood grain and more — automatic pool covers are turning into canvases to showcase whatever a homeowner wants.

Incorporating reclaimed materials breathes new life into your projects. Here, Al Curtis shares a few favorite examples from his portfolio.

The dreaded "pool pop." How does it happen — and what can you do to prevent it? We discuss the fundamentals.

The power of having, and being, a mentor.

Design trends are reaching the hot tub industry in two very different ways.

Mark Holden explains how using fiberglass reinforced polymer instead of steel solves some pool construction problems, such as corrosion and conductivity.