WANT A POOL NEXT SUMMER?

 

Want A Pool Next Summer?

Plan During the Fall/Winter Months!

Deciding on a pool?  Thinking about swimming on a hot summer day?  Wanting to have an outdoor pool party with family and friends?  If so, then now is the time to start making it a reality.  The next few paragraphs will lead you through the process, which can be more complicated than simply digging a hole and filling it with water.  Bringing your project to fruition will take time and the fall/winter months are ideal for getting a lot of steps accomplished in time for summer fun and relaxation.

First, once you decide on a pool, a lot of questions will arise.  What style of pool and patio is desired?  What other features such as an outdoor kitchen, fireplace or pavilion will be needed?  What will the budget be?  This is where Land and Water Design will be able to help.  Our team with years of successful experience will be able to lead you through this process.  For starters, browse through this website to see what can be done.  Then fill out the customer contact form or call the office to make an appointment.  We will be glad to meet with you, hear what you want, create a design services proposal for your review.  Once agreement is met, then a plan will be drawn for your final approval.

But, this final approval is not the end of Land and Water's role in creating a pool.  We can help you select a reputable and qualified builder whose standards of excellence will be first priority.  From there, we will shepherd your plans through the county approval processes.  Finally, you can have our team be the supervising landscape architect through the construction processes that ensure compliance to the plan you have accepted.

The county approval processes need special attention.  At one time, obtaining approvals was a short formality that emphasized conformance to construction codes for plumbing, electricity and building safety.  Now, however, in this age of sustainability, using processes that are environmentally responsible has become an important issue.  Will a building project cover a large portion of the land, increasing rainwater run-off and soil erosion impacting the surrounding terrain and stream water quality? These are some of the issues that will be addressed with proper grading and use of native plants and trees to assist with filtering the runoff. Fortunately, Land and Water Design has years of experience and knowledge of best practices in developing your project.  So, getting things done right the first time will not be an issue. 

However, these review processes simply take time from the two weeks period that were once the norm.  Now, reviews of six months are not uncommon.  This is especially true in Fairfax and Prince William counties.  Furthermore, nothing can be done to short-circuit the process.  Hence, using the fall to early winter months to design a project and getting it through the review process with the necessary grading plan and construction drawings is the surest way to ensure a spring start on the construction phase.

This construction phase can take anywhere from several months to a half year depending on the size and complexity of the project.  Materiel needs to be purchased, staged and crews scheduled. If permission is obtained from the county during the winter months, then these subsequent steps can be organized early to facilitate completion of construction in time for summers’ enjoyment of your new pool and backyard retreat.

In summary, to enjoy your pool and backyard retreat next summer, start planning now by contacting Land and Water Design.  Once this all-important step is taken, then everything else can be initiated for a summer of fun and relaxation by the pool. www.landandwaterdesign.com