Building a backyard paradise: Today, homeowners want a retreat that co-ordinates with their lifestyle

by habiba_abudu | January 22, 2020 9:21 am

By Jason Mitchell

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When this homeowner in Richmond Hill, Ont., contacted Pool Craft in the spring of 2018 to discuss the details of their backyard landscape design, which included a custom cabana, barbecue server, 5.5- x 11-m (18- x 36-ft) rectangular pool with a steel spa and a water feature, the company invited the client to its presentation centre to discuss how the builder could make the homeowner’s dream a reality.

The design

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Full-concept designs contain a lot of detail, which makes it quite difficult to stay on point during the initial meeting. Homeowners tend to be excited and bounce around from one area of the design to another. That said, this meeting was no different. The landscape drawings (plans) contain a tremendous amount of detail and, in many cases, homeowners do not understand the impact of this information—from elevations to municipal setbacks and various limitations on certain landscape products. Therefore, it is important to focus on the details of the design prior to focusing on material selections.

With this in mind, a separate meeting was scheduled where the primary focus was to review product choices and options. There are millions of images online featuring all sorts of different landscape products and wood structures. Therefore, it was important the client understood that although some of the images online look incredible, those particular products may not be well-suited for their particular application.

With outdoor living spaces being at the top of so many clients’ wish lists, contractors need as much detail as possible when providing estimates for custom cabanas or structures. This particular client wanted an ultramodern cabana or to quote the homeowner,
“I want to feel like I am in Miami.” That said, this was definitely the first ‘Miami’-style cabana Pool Craft has built, as the majority of the company’s customers were more after the look of a Muskoka cabana.

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After a few additional meetings and some research, a material list was put together for the homeowner as it was time to prepare the cabana budget. The one item the homeowner insisted on was having the largest sliding doors possible at the cabana entrance, which in this case comprised two 3.5- x 2.05-m (11.5- x 6.75-ft) Ostaco doors.

One item on the drawing that required a change was the specifications for the cabana’s concrete pad. The drawing called for concrete footings; however, the construction team suggested these specifications be changed to an engineered concrete pad to reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of the project. An engineered pad can be poured in a shorter time frame and ultimately costs less.

With the material list completed for the cabana, the next step was to match the pool liner, coping, and patio. In many cases, homeowners will rely on the pool builder for guidance and direction; however, in this case, the client had created their own ‘storyboard’ and had come up with their ideal vision.

Banas Jet Black 305-mm (12-in.) coping stone with a rock-face edge was the homeowner’s first choice, and for the patio the Blu Grande smooth stone was selected. For the pool, the client chose a Blue Terrazzo liner. Lastly, the water feature was to be constructed out of a 152.5-mm (6-in.) block with natural stone ledgerock on the front along with the Banas Jet Black coping to match the pool and spa.

Time for Permits

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Unfortunately, no two municipalities adhere to the same guidelines. In the case of Richmond Hill, the backyard needs to be surveyed by an engineer to identify the height of the pool, cabana, and hardscape. The swales and drainage patterns have to be identified, too. Neglecting to follow these guidelines will result in failed inspections and potential costs to the homeowner or contractor. Further, some municipalities can take between two and four weeks after the application is submitted before they issue a permit. In other cases, some municipalities will issue a permit within seven days (this does not include any revisions to the drawing as requested by the town).

The stakeout (does it fit?)

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A builder needs to know well in advance if the design—as it appears on paper—will actually fit within the backyard. Each item on the design is carefully located on the [6]property using either paint or string. This was an important part of the process as it allowed the homeowner to envision the space and make any final adjustments to the layout. Further, it allowed the contractor to prepare for the different phases of the project, as well as plan on how they were going to be executed.

The stakeout is also a great opportunity to identify any potential issues which can be reviewed and discussed with the homeowner.

Site prep: Excavation and grading

The ‘dig day’ is always a highly anticipated part of any project. So much energy has been devoted to planning and material selection that this day is often a sign of relief. However, in reality, it is the start of a long process. While the pool is being excavated according to the dig specification sheet, the construction team is also doing the fine grading and excavation work for any future structures (e.g. a cabana or pavilion).

As was the case on this project, the heavy equipment could take up to 500 trips in and out of the client’s backyard. Often, the access route runs between two homes and, therefore, the operators have to be highly skilled and exercise extreme caution around any obstructions, such as air conditioners, plant material, and existing patios or decks.

Pool time

After completing the pool excavation, the next stage was assembling the steel panels and making sure the pool was level and square prior to cementing them in place and pouring the footings. For this project, it was a one-day process.

The next stage of this installation was to plumb the pool and install the lights, along with the other specialty items that were required for operation. In this case, a set of side suctions were added to ensure adequate water supply to the filtration system. This particular project has three bodies of water: pool, spa, and water feature. To ensure everything performed properly and operated efficiently, two pumps were installed.

The final three components to completing this installation included backfilling the pool with aggregate stone, pouring the second stage grout bottom, then pouring the concrete apron to accept the stone coping. With the pool shell complete, the team transitioned into the landscape and construction phases of the project.

Down to the details

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The pool installation phase requires a tremendous amount of detail and planning. This pool shell was built in less than five-to-six working days. The landscape phase and construction of structures—especially what was required for this project—can take several weeks with multiple building inspections at different stages.

For this project, it started with the pad for the cabana as it required an engineered concrete slab (as specified in the landscape drawings). In this case, the installation team had to prep for the pad using clear aggregate, rebar and extruded polystyrene foam insulation board, and arrange for an inspection prior to pouring the concrete.

Once the pad was poured, Pool Craft’s team of carpenters started to frame the cabana while its landscape crew started prepping for the patio, retaining walls, garden beds, landscape lighting, irrigation, and planting. As many in the industry would know, it is very difficult to provide clients with accurate time lines when dealing with custom orders from various suppliers. In fact, it is quite possible for some of the materials specified for a project to take up to six weeks to arrive; therefore, to manage expectations, the client needed to select the desired materials promptly so they could be ordered well in advance.

The ‘wow’ factor

After this project was finished it gave the clients the ‘wow’ factor they desired. As one enters the backyard, the first features that catch the eye are the clean lines of the pool and water feature, with the latter creating a serene, relaxing environment thanks to the sounds of moving water. Up next is the custom cabana, which serves as another interesting focal point thanks to its black-trim details and expansive glass doors that not only connect the interior and exterior spaces, but also complete the ‘Miami’ look the homeowner wanted. The cabana is also equipped with a full kitchen, washroom (with shower), and a large lounge area complemented by a fireplace. Finishing off the feature areas is the sleek-looking spill-over spa and the custom tanning ledge on the opposite side of the water feature. These areas provide the homeowner the perfect place to relax by the pool or have a calming evening dip in the spa with family and friends.

[8]With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, Jason Mitchell is the president of Pool Craft, a full-service pool company that specializes in all aspects of pool planning, installation, and backyard design in Richmond Hill, Ont. He is also the co-owner of Stone Craft Inc., a landscape company. Mitchell can be reached via e-mail at jason@poolcraft.ca.

 

 

 

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/building-a-backyard-paradise-today-homeowners-want-a-retreat-that-co-ordinates-with-their-lifestyle/

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