PSM: How large is your shop?
JG: In season, we have a staff of 50 at two locations. Our Markham shop is where construction and service are dispatched. The Leaside/Toronto location is a 297 m2 (3200 sf) retail showroom with hot tubs, swim spas, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and pergolas on display with toys and premium water care.
PSM: What type of pools and hot tubs do you primarily install?
JG: We only build custom concrete pools, hot tubs, and water features. In addition to offering Canadian-made acrylic hot tubs and swim spas, we also perform renovation work including custom tile, stone, and marbelite repairs, reshaping concrete pool dimensions, as well as painting pools.
PSM: What type of projects have you worked on?
JG: In addition to luxurious residential backyard projects, we’ve built spa facilities such as the Vetta Nordic Spa near Ontario’s Horseshoe Valley, Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature in Winnipeg, Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ont., and the Scandinave Spa in Collingwood, Ont.
PSM: How much of the pool installation process is handled in-house?
JG: All work involved with shooting the shotcrete pool shell, plumbing, and mechanical equipment is completed in-house.
PSM: What equipment do you currently have in your fleet to complete projects?
JG: Our fleet of 38 pickup trucks, service vans, dump trucks, and minivans get our crew where they need to go. We also rely heavily on our Bobcat mini-excavator and skid steers, as well as our tow-behind Grainger air compressor and Putzmeister Thom-Katt shotcrete pump to create our custom concrete pool shells.
PSM: What does your planning and design process involve?
JG: After meeting with the client on-site, landscape concepts are defined to quote the project in conjunction with a landscape design team. We work with many talented landscape architects, designers, and contractors to focus on the pool, hot tub, and water features.
PSM: How is technology changing the business?
JG: When it comes to backyard technology, remote automation is requested with advanced oxidation systems to help keep the pool’s water quality high and maintenance low. Variable-speed pumps are also popular solutions for helping clients reduce hydro consumption.
PSM: What is the key to staying successful in this industry?
JG: Working hard, being client-centric, and offering best-in-class products and services. Our staff is the ultimate key to our success and, therefore, we invest in training them and providing a safe and professional workplace with lots of opportunity for growth. We’ve recently hired a human relations company to help us define our core values and key competencies, to better understand what staff needs from management to feel engaged and rewarded for their hard work.
PSM: What are your plans for the business?
