Pool season is officially upon us. Call any of metro Atlanta’s pool and pond companies and you are likely to be greeted by either a harried receptionist or a recording as companies deal with overwhelming demand. Technicians are out in the field digging pools and designers are up to their elbows in pool, spa, pond and waterfall requests.
“This is the busiest I’ve been in three years,” said Nick Pappas, owner of Sugar Hill’s Neptune Pools.
Richard Carter, owner of Woodstock’s Pondscapes Atlanta, agreed. “The economy has not been an issue for me,” he said.
And we aren’t talking about a simple “Beverly Hillbillies” cement pond here. Atlanta pool contractors say the staycation effect is on full display as homeowners request “a full-blown backyard resort,” said Gray Timms, Unique Outdoor Concepts managing partner and designer.
The current blinged-out pool mania operates from the principle that if you enjoyed your recent trip to Cabo or St. Barts, you’ll really enjoy having a natural-looking waterfall spilling across boulders into your pool or a swim-up bar in your backyard.
“Back in the ’80s, a pond basically meant a hole in the ground filled with water surrounded by concrete. Today it’s a different world,” said Brad Renken, designer at Sunbelt Pools, whose pools generally range from $30,000 to $80,000, although six-figure pools are not uncommon.
Alpharetta’s Unique Outdoor Concepts did one job that ran about $900,000 for an outdoor living space with pool, waterfall, slide, fireplace, outdoor kitchen and arbor.
Carved concrete that mimics natural stone is another big trend, said Matt Miller of Jonesboro’s Hilltop Pools and Spas. Using that material, contractors can create caves, grottoes and custom tile-lined pool slides.
“I’ve done more slides this year than I’ve done in the last four years combined,” said Pappas of Neptune Pools. He also has seen a rise in customers seeking extras with their swimming pools, including waterfalls, tanning ledges, jets that spray water above the pool’s surface and a perimeter overflow feature that creates a glass-like look.
This year’s pool trends are not all about bigger and better. Companies also have seen a trend toward energy efficiency in the form of variable speed pumps, less wasteful water filtration systems, automatic pool covers and colored LED lights.
Meanwhile, the same interest in a natural, rustic environment with evergreen trees and natural stone is apparent in the pond and waterfall industry, too, said Pondscapes Atlanta’s Richard Carter. He said the big trend he has seen recently are more naturalistic backdrops for both his ponds and waterfalls with lichen and moss-covered boulders in place of the typical stacked stone. The new woodsy look suggests Highlands, N.C., or even Washington state transplanted to Alpharetta or Roswell.
For Carter, the hottest advance in backyard water features is the pond-less waterfall, which averages $5,000-$6,000. Instead of flowing into a pond, the waterfall spills into a gravel basin, reducing maintenance and safety issues. “You just turn it off when you go out of town,” Carter said.
“A lot of customers don’t really realize that having a pond is a lot more maintenance than they would think,” said Brian Malone of Cartwright Landscapes.
What’s on the horizon for backyard water features? The next cutting-edge trend is natural swimming pools, a phenomenon from Europe that is slowly making headway in the U.S.
Georgia has not yet caught on to the natural pool package, meaning a completely chemical-free pool — really a pond for swimming — in which plants are used to filter and purify water in place of chemicals. But a variation on that theme, a hybrid natural pool that uses UV and ozone or CO2 to maintain the water’s purity without the use of chlorine or bromine, has made appearances in Georgia, including one created by Hilltop Pools for a client whose child had a strong sensitivity to chemicals.
“I am incredibly excited about this trend,” said Sunbelt’s Renken, who already has designed several hybrid pools and is waiting for a customer to step up and build one.
Although a new swimming pool or pond may not enhance the resale value of your home — except in $1 million-plus homes where water features are expected — it can enhance its aesthetic value, said Melanie Boyd, an agent with Coldwell Banker. “In this market, anything I believe that a seller can do to make their home more appealing, it would be welcome.”
“And do I adore showing properties with them?” said Boyd. “Absolutely.”
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