Code Blue Pools

[Good Stuff]

Well I commented on a poolbuild question a while ago and decided to document our journey here. I got the run around from a few companies (including one where one of the owner referred me) and only ever got a quote from one company that was willing to talk to me and start this year. Code Blue Pools were recommended by @RichieRich and about 2 weeks after our initial phone consultation I got 3D renderings and pricing of $70k. 15’x30’ pool with a 6’x8’ hot tub, single spillway from the hot tub that was elevated to 18” above the pool, Baja shelf, table, 3 stools, silver travertine pool decking 6’ around the entire perimeter.

 

[Good Stuff]

2 weeks later on Memorial Day weekend we met to sign the contract and gave our $1k deposit. Permits cleared on June 24th and dig was scheduled for Mini Excavators because of existing walls and elevation differences between us and the surrounding lots. Week of July 19th job was delayed because mini excavator crew backed out. Size of pool and 6’ depth along with it being too hot to dig for 5 days with minis was used as the excavators excuse. He literally told me it was too hot before he spoke to my contractor. Who knew it was hot in Havasu in July?

 

[Good Stuff]

Yesterday Unisource came out and dropped the power service to our house so a crane could lift equipment into our yard from an adjacent flag-lot driveway. it was suggested that we flip the Baja Shelf to the north side of the pool so that we get better sun exposure while lounging. May also adjust from a 6’ surround to something that centers the pool decking up on the existing patio a little bit. Pool has to be off center for utilities and the retaining wall on the north side. 90days from groundbreaking clock started yesterday.

 

[Good Stuff]

First time the pool or excavator (not the same ones who cried about heat) had to crane equipment in.

 

[RichieRich]

congrats bro! you will be happy with them!

 

[Xring01]

On average, from what I have see from my buddys who have had pools built…
NOPE NOPE NOPE. I would never consider it.

I have no idea of how most in this industry survive with their customer service skills.
Getting them to follow up or even answer a phone call gets pretty difficult once they get the fist deposit check.
Getting anything done in the timeline they proposed… good luck with that.
I can keep going.

Anyway, I hope your experience is better. I know there are good ones out there, but they are few and far between.

My buddy is building a pool right now. Its going to be amazing. He is doing alot of the work his self, subbing out the things he has to. Its 35 x 45….

Again, we are not done yet. I say we, cause I get to play on the escavators and tractors… Thats fun.

Damn I tried to upload a pic, of the one we are building but the file is to big, its panarama shot. I will get a smaller one the next time I am out there

 

[scottchbrite]

On average, from what I have see from my buddys who have had pools built…
NOPE NOPE NOPE. I would never consider it.

I have no idea of how most in this industry survive with their customer service skills.
Getting them to follow up or even answer a phone call gets pretty difficult once they get the fist deposit check.
Getting anything done in the timeline they proposed… good luck with that.
I can keep going.

Anyway, I hope your experience is better. I know there are good ones out there, but they are few and far between.

My buddy is building a pool right now. Its going to be amazing. He is doing alot of the work his self, subbing out the things he has to. Its 35 x 45….

Again, we are not done yet. I say we, cause I get to play on the escavators and tractors… Thats fun.

Damn I tried to upload a pic, of the one we are building but the file is to big, its panarama shot. I will get a smaller one the next time I am out there

Where is he building his pool? I am also considering doing it myself due to the “lack of customer service”. I built my own house so, hell, what’s one more project.

 

[Racer56]

if you had to crane the equipment into the yard, how are they going to get the dirt out?

 

[Havasu blue label]

cut the wall and the headache is done cheap fix

 

[Good Stuff]

if you had to crane the equipment into the yard, how are they going to get the dirt out?

In the crane pic you can see my wall to the right. They will drop dirt into the dump truck over the wall. It’s about 12-15’ in elevation difference between myself and the adjacent lot. The wall is about 3.5’ tall from my backyard so easy to dump over.

 

[Good Stuff]

cut the wall and the headache is done cheap fix

Yeah it’s the elevation difference. Wall they lifted over is a tall retaining wall which is why you can barely see the cab of the crane truck which is about 3’ off the ground. The opposite wall is the neighbors with very limited access and a 4’ elevation difference held up by a 6’ wall with about 6” of lean in it and I wasn’t about to touch that and end up with any responsibility for it later.

 

[Good Stuff]

On average, from what I have see from my buddys who have had pools built…
NOPE NOPE NOPE. I would never consider it.

I have no idea of how most in this industry survive with their customer service skills.
Getting them to follow up or even answer a phone call gets pretty difficult once they get the fist deposit check.
Getting anything done in the timeline they proposed… good luck with that.
I can keep going.

Anyway, I hope your experience is better. I know there are good ones out there, but they are few and far between.

My buddy is building a pool right now. Its going to be amazing. He is doing alot of the work his self, subbing out the things he has to. Its 35 x 45….

Again, we are not done yet. I say we, cause I get to play on the escavators and tractors… Thats fun.

Damn I tried to upload a pic, of the one we are building but the file is to big, its panarama shot. I will get a smaller one the next time I am out there

Yeah that’s why I figured I would just document the heck out of this. If they end up being close to projected timelines I will be very happy. Sometimes I read these posts and it feels like the guy is a “paid poster” so I thought a full disclosure post might be refreshing either way. I was told I would get dig pictures and haven’t gotten a single update yet but I will reach out tomorrow or this evening and see what I hear back.

 

[Good Stuff]

After laying out the pool and the Baja shelf at home we made the call to change from the game pool style to just a standard deep end. No cost difference and if we stayed with game style we would have had a very steep transition in the center or a shallow pool. I don’t want to have it be any hotter than it needs to be in the summer. Here are the end of day 3 progress pictures.

 

[Good Stuff]

Day 23

Just had the pool sprayed yesterday. Things are coming along pretty good. Supposed to start tile next week. Might get this thing done in the 90 days they quoted after all.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Looking good! Are the loungers going to be built in?

Never knew pools were so expensive. Did the access have anything to do with the price? Not looking forward to ponying up on a pool in 2022.

 

[Good Stuff]

Looking good! Are the loungers going to be built in?

Never knew pools were so expensive. Did the access have anything to do with the price? Not looking forward to ponying up on a pool in 2022.

No access wasn’t the price. About $2100 extra is going to the crane. Had planned on $3k for a rear garage door or using the small mini excavators for a longer dig. Got quoted $4500 for a 8’x7’ garage door with no opener so I scratched that idea right away. Inflation is just taking over everything. @ONE-A-DAY was told by his pool guy after he finished that if he redid his same pool with current pricing it would be tens of thousands more.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

No access wasn’t the price. About $2100 extra is going to the crane. Had planned on $3k for a rear garage door or using the small mini excavators for a longer dig. Got quoted $4500 for a 8’x7’ garage door with no opener so I scratched that idea right away. Inflation is just taking over everything. @ONE-A-DAY was told by his pool guy after he finished that if he redid his same pool with current pricing it would be tens of thousands more.

Wow... the cost of staying cool. Maybe I'll just use the community pool haha

 

[Good Stuff]

Wow... the cost of staying cool. Maybe I'll just use the community pool haha

Forgot to answer. Loungers will just go on the shelf but be removable. 3 stools will be at the side in the middle and there will be a table next to the shelf with seating around it.

 

[FishSniper]

After laying out the pool and the Baja shelf at home we made the call to change from the game pool style to just a standard deep end. No cost difference and if we stayed with game style we would have had a very steep transition in the center or a shallow pool. I don’t want to have it be any hotter than it needs to be in the summer. Here are the end of day 3 progress pictures.

Looks good. What bottom is included for that price ? Quarts or mini pebble ?

 

[Good Stuff]

Looks good. What bottom is included for that price ? Quarts or mini pebble ?

That includes mini pebble and 800sq ft of silver travertine for decking. Probably would have been about $50k without the spa and added decking.

 

[Good Stuff]

Well the pool was filled the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. 101 days from the day they craned the equipment in to finish. Got snagged on travertine delays and last minute wall height issue. Overall we will end up right under $80k with Propane setup, adding full automation system, fence addition on wall top, and about 1000sq ft total of travertine. Robert and Gary over at Code Blue seemed to be able to get everything they promised done for us even though it took 11 days longer than what was quoted. I consider that finishing early for Havasu

I have yet to see it finished in person but I’ll get out there in the next few weeks and post up some more pictures.

 

[Good Stuff]

Gravel in and some flat spots built up on each side at the rear of the travertine.

Probably end up with some artificial turf there for Cornhole boards. Also want to put in horseshoes between the wall and pool on the left side and a little sand pit area for the Spikeball game that people play with the handball and mini trampoline.

When containers become more reasonably priced I would like to get one lifted into the backyard for a bar.

 

[Boat211]

Badass. Love the decking. A container bar sounds like fun too.

 

[crzy2bealive]

Very nice!!

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Gravel in and some flat spots built up on each side at the rear of the travertine.

Probably end up with some artificial turf there for Cornhole boards. Also want to put in horseshoes between the wall and pool on the left side and a little sand pit area for the Spikeball game that people play with the handball and mini trampoline.

When containers become more reasonably priced I would like to get one lifted into the backyard for a bar.


View attachment 1083371 View attachment 1083372 View attachment 1083373

This came out awesome, done in the colors I love. I would agree with artificial turf or compacted sand pits for cornhole lanes. People underestimate the damage that can happen to natural grass or how loud playing on concrete can be. Turf or sand doesn't wear out and greatly cuts down on the sound.

 

[wet hull]

Looks great. Would you be willing to sell your plan set? That is exactly what we want.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

That decking is pretty. Does it get hot?

 

[Good Stuff]

Looks great. Would you be willing to sell your plan set? That is exactly what we want.

Never got full plans. I can send you over what I have if you want to shoot me a PM so I can text or email it. It was just all in one with the builder and we just sent him pictures and he tuned the rendering.


Just realized that all I have is what’s in the first post. I did push it to 6’ from the house instead of 5’ and run travertine 3’ on the left with the right side extended towards the wall.

 

[Good Stuff]

That decking is pretty. Does it get hot?

Not sure yet since I haven’t had it in the summer

Bunch of our friends have the tan travertine at their place and it doesn’t seem to get hot.

They recommended this over cool deck for longevity. And he said it is similar for heat. They don’t do concrete unless someone really wants it and it’s a deal breaker. Builder said it just doesn’t last as long in his opinion because of the water.

 

[82daytona]

That decking is pretty. Does it get hot?

Very hot. We have the same travertine in our yard.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Very hot. We have the same travertine in our yard.

Damn. It looks really good too.

 

[DLC]

Not sure yet since I haven’t had it in the summer

Bunch of our friends have the tan travertine at their place and it doesn’t seem to get hot.

They recommended this over cool deck for longevity. And he said it is similar for heat. They don’t do concrete unless someone really wants it and it’s a deal breaker. Builder said it just doesn’t last as long in his opinion because of the water.

Looks great! How do you like it now that we are in summer?


Did you do anything in the open area back behind the pool?

 

[Good Stuff]

Looks great! How do you like it now that we are in summer?


Did you do anything in the open area back behind the pool?

It’s warm but splash a bit of pool water and the surface is easy enough to walk on. Similar to our friends with cool deck but not as bad as the concrete I have in SoCal. No additional landscaping behind the pool yet. I plan on putting in some turf for Cornhole behind the pool. Some Horseshoes down the left side would be perfect and a bar in the very back but those additions will be in order and financially the bar is really low on the “must have” list.