Hansen Waterscapes · A homeowner’s guide
From the first idea
to your first swim.
A simple look at how your pool comes together, from planning to the first swim. We’ll guide you through each stage.
A clear plan
Know what comes next.
Your project coordinator helps you with estimates, scheduling, and questions throughout the build. Our office helps with paperwork and billing.
Every yard is different. Your plans, materials, inspections, and site conditions shape the schedule. Some work overlaps, while other steps need time before we continue. We’ll explain the next steps as your project moves forward.
The building stages
Step by step.
Start with these seven main stages. Open a stage for more detail whenever you need it.
Have a question about your project?
Call (805) 217-2246
- Plan
Talk about your backyard
We talk about your ideas, priorities, and budget. A site visit helps us understand your yard and where the pool could go.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Share any inspiration, property plans, and known access or HOA restrictions. You do not need to have every detail decided.
- Good to know
- The next steps depend on site-visit availability and what we learn about your property.
- Plan
Design your pool
Together, we refine the pool layout, features, and finishes. Your written proposal explains what is included and what it will cost.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Review the design and included work, and approve your choices in writing. Ask about anything you expect to be included, such as demolition, yard restoration, or landscaping.
- Good to know
- Design changes, material availability, and any extra site checks can affect timing. Your proposal confirms exclusions, any allowances, and payment terms.
- Prepare
Plans, permits & preparation
The project moves through the required plans and approvals. Before construction, we agree on access, work areas, and how to prepare your yard.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Provide requested property documents and confirm who handles HOA approval. Clear the agreed access areas, arrange any required utility access, and plan to keep children and pets away from the work zone.
- Good to know
- Your written scope identifies responsibilities and costs for plans, engineering, permits, and site preparation. Permit review, corrections, deliveries, and crew availability affect the start date; an application is not an approval.
- Build
Dig & build the structure
We mark out and excavate the pool, then install the planned pipes, utility connections, and reinforcing steel. After the required checks, the concrete shell is placed.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Be available for any requested layout review and keep access clear for equipment and deliveries. Stay out of the excavation and active work area. Bring questions or changes to your project coordinator before the next stage, rather than directing the crew.
- Good to know
- Some plumbing, electrical, gas, and steel work overlaps. Rock, soil, groundwater, buried obstacles, utility capacity, weather, and inspections may change the sequence. Required corrections are completed before affected work continues.
- Build
Let the Shell Cure
Once your pool shell is in place, we give it 28 days to cure before applying the interior finish.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- You’ll help with this important step by watering the shell at least twice a day for the first two weeks. Your project coordinator will walk you through the watering process so you know exactly what to do. Follow the project’s access and safety instructions; do not enter the shell without authorization.
- Good to know
- Curing depends on the project requirements, weather, and shell condition. A quiet site can be part of this necessary stage; your project coordinator can explain what comes next.
- Finish
Add the Finishing Touches
This is when your backyard starts to come together as we install your selected tile and coping, set up the pool equipment, and complete the decking and other features planned for your space.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Approve remaining choices before ordering or installation. Ask your project coordinator about changes, coordinate any separate contractors, and complete safety or barrier items assigned to you.
- Good to know
- Materials, weather, installation requirements, and trade schedules affect this stage. Your agreement defines the yard work and restoration included. Required safety checks and final inspections take place in the order your project requires, which can affect finishing, filling, or use.
- Enjoy
Fill, check & enjoy
The interior finish is installed, then filling and startup are coordinated for your pool. We explain how to use and care for it, and confirm when it is ready for swimming.
More about this stage
- How you can help
- Follow the written filling instructions and confirm who will monitor the fill. Keep people and pets out during filling. Attend the walkthrough, keep your manuals, and confirm the ongoing maintenance plan. Wait for clearance to swim or use optional equipment.
- Good to know
- The finish, water supply, water conditions, equipment checks, and remaining approvals affect handover. We review any unfinished items with you. A full pool is not automatically ready for use.
Homeowner questions
A few common questions.
Open the questions that matter to you. Your project coordinator can help with anything specific to your pool.
How long will my pool take to build?
We establish a project-specific planning schedule after reviewing the design, site, approvals, and material selections. Permitting and construction are separate parts of that schedule. Weather, inspections, hidden conditions, and approved changes can affect the sequence. Please speak with us before planning an event around a completion date.
Will there be days when no crew is on site?
Yes. Curing, inspection availability, material deliveries, and the handoff between trades can create gaps between visible work. If you are unsure what comes next, contact your project coordinator for the current status rather than assuming a quiet day means the project has stopped.
Can I change something after approval?
Contact your project coordinator before the affected work proceeds. A change may affect materials, engineering, permits, price, or scheduling. We will review the requested change and document the agreed scope, cost, and schedule effect through the change-order process before proceeding with the changed work.
Who should I contact with questions?
Your project coordinator is your contact for estimates, scheduling, and questions about the work. Our office handles paperwork and billing. Call (805) 217-2246 or email contact@hansenwaterscapes.com so questions and changes can be routed to the right person.
When can we fill the pool and start swimming?
Follow the fill and startup instructions issued for your project. Filling, initial water care, required approvals, and clearance for use are separate steps. A full pool is not automatically ready for swimming; wait for confirmation that the required approvals and startup conditions have been met.
More homeowner questions
What happens after I send an inquiry?
We review your project location, goals, and the details you share, then follow up to discuss fit and next steps. A consultation or site visit can be arranged as appropriate. The form requests a conversation; it does not reserve an appointment or confirm a project price or construction date.
Who handles plans, permits, and HOA approval?
Your written scope identifies who handles plans, engineering, permit coordination, fees, and any other approvals. We coordinate our agreed responsibilities. HOA approval and city or county approval are separate matters; confirm who handles each before scheduling construction.
Is the standard package an installed-price quote?
The package is a starting specification. Your written proposal confirms the installed scope and price for your property, including agreed selections, access assumptions, site work, and extras. Do not assume an item is included because it appears in a project photograph.
What should I choose before work starts?
Aim to settle the layout, size, depth, steps or Baja shelf, spa and other extras, equipment location, coping, tile, and interior finish early. We will confirm the selections needed for your project and their deadlines. Exact products, colors, availability, and any additional cost are confirmed in the written selections.
Will my finished pool look exactly like a photo or sample?
Photos and samples help you choose a direction, but they cannot guarantee the appearance of a finished pool. Review physical samples and the manufacturer’s information with us, including expected variation. Confirm your actual product and color in writing rather than choosing from a screen alone.
How do progress payments work?
Payment amounts, milestones, and due dates are governed by your signed agreement and any approved changes. Refer to those documents and your invoices. If a milestone or invoice is unclear, ask our office before the due date; this guide does not set a separate payment schedule.
What if excavation reveals rock or another hidden condition?
Conditions that could not be confirmed before digging may require investigation, engineering, additional work, or a revised schedule. We will discuss what was found and the proposed next step. Any resulting scope or cost change is handled under your agreement and the change-order process.
Can I stay home during construction?
Discuss your household’s access needs with us before work begins. Expect construction noise, dust, deliveries, and temporary disruption in the agreed work areas. Keep children, pets, and visitors away from the construction zone and follow the project’s access instructions.
Who restores the yard, fence, or access route?
Restoration depends on the written scope. Before work begins, confirm which demolition, fence work, irrigation repairs, landscaping, and access-route restoration are included and which are your responsibility or another contractor’s work.
What happens after handover?
Keep the equipment manuals, finish-care instructions, and project records. Confirm the ongoing maintenance plan, who provides it, and what is included in your agreement. Continue the prescribed water care and equipment maintenance, and contact us promptly with questions about the completed work.
Before we meet
A few things
to bring to the conversation.
- What you want to do in the space, and which features matter most.
- Your preferred pool size and shape, plus any spa or Baja shelf ideas.
- Photos, inspiration, and any property plans you already have.
- Your budget range and any dates you are hoping to work around.
- Known access, HOA, utility, drainage, or site concerns.
You do not need every finish selected to get started. We can help you narrow the choices after reviewing the backyard.