Swimming pools are a beautiful addition to many Brentwood backyards. Successful designs go a step further to create a backyard space that is aesthetically and functionally connected to the home, provides strategic privacy, and incorporates a variety of spaces for swimming, relaxing, and entertaining.
At Hillside Pool Builders, we provide custom pool design and build services in Brentwood, Los Angeles. We have experience constructing a variety of inground pools from modern swimming pools to larger projects incorporating pools and spas, outdoor kitchens, and fireplaces.
Prior to beginning construction, careful consideration must be given to the existing conditions on the property including the soil and utility conditions, nearby trees, plantings, topography and views. The design and placement of a pool must account for these differences.
Ready to plan your Brentwood swimming pool?
Brentwood offers many options for home building, from flat sites with established homes and properties, to sites where the views, elevation and access can influence the outdoor improvement of the site.
A property in Brentwood Village has different building requirements than a property in Brentwood Glen or on the outskirts of Mandeville Canyon. This illustrates the types of conditions found within Brentwood. Individual building requirements for each property must always be examined to determine how best to develop that property.
How do we want to relate the house to the pool?
A pool on the main living area’s sightline creates a direct visual connection to the outdoors and captures the sight line of the yard. Other backyard conditions may dictate the pool be located further from the living area to preserve a terrace or garden.
Many variations in pool designs can reflect the requirements of individual yards.
As a Brentwood pool builder, our main focus is to understand how your house can best relate to a swimming pool.
Swimming pool placement impacts decisions as large as excavation and drainage and as small as how much privacy you have, where equipment can be accessed, and how much usable outdoor space is left. Think about the view from inside your home.
Swimming pools are often visible from windows and patio doors. Other materials beyond the deck should also be pleasing from the various vantage points. A structure or material that repeats an architectural line may work well for contemporary architecture. Other pool designs may align with garden edges or other outside elements.
The goal is to incorporate the water in a way that feels thoughtful.
Not all large pools are better.
A pool can quickly take up all the backyard leaving no space for walkways, seating or dining areas.
A pool design can reflect the activities that are most important to your family.
A lounge area can be larger and a swimming area smaller or vice versa.
Our custom pool construction services help translate those priorities into a property-specific design.
The positioning of the house and existing trees and surrounding properties all influence where the sun strikes during the day.
This strongly affects where people want to swim and relax.
When designing with a swimming pool, it is important to strategically plan pool placement with adjacent shading, so the backyard offers comfortable and usable space at all times, while still considering building access and circulation.
One important aspect of outdoor living in the backyard of a residence is privacy. This is important in the presence of neighboring homes and elevated homes that may overlook your backyard.
There are creative ways to give the pool area the feeling of a private oasis without constructing huge barriers all around it.
Planting helps to soften views from adjacent properties and makes the pool environment feel more established.
When planting near the pool, consider the root behavior, leaf debris, and irrigation needs.
Also, keep in mind the proximity to pool equipment.
Existing trees also may impact the location of the pool.
Privacy landscaping works best when planned for during the preliminary design of the pool.
Privacy goes beyond the pool.
Location of a spa, loungers, outdoor dining, and a shower can also affect pool area privacy.
Sometimes rearranging seating or adjusting the shape of the pool creates a more practical solution than adding extra screening.
It’s a balancing act to find a good arrangement of the seating area to provide the best privacy, while still allowing for sufficient natural light and views.
Brentwood homeowners may have a clear vision of what they want, or they may know they want their backyard to be more appealing.
We work through the design options available to the client and what works best for their property and use.
Designs of inground swimming pools can vary based on use. A swimming pool can be designed for recreational use, for exercise, for family use, or for relaxing.
Geometric designs work well with contemporary styles of homes, and alternative shapes can work well with irregular designs of a garden.
While designing a swimming pool, all areas of the swimming pool need to be designed, including entry/exit steps, lounging areas, and pool deck.
Explore our inground pool construction services for more information.
Less is more when it comes to high-end swimming pool designs.
Adequate proportions and strategic integration of materials and lighting with well-thought-out design edges can provide an elegant solution.
Water features, seating and unique pool finishes can be considered for higher end designs.
Our luxury pool construction services focus on integrating these elements with the home’s architecture and outdoor environment.
An attached or separate spa can give guests another area to relax.
Depending on the available space, proximity to the pool and patio, and anticipated use will help determine if a separate spa is a good idea.
A raised spa may become a more prominent design element, while a spa flush with the surrounding surface may provide a more minimalist design.
Heating, circulation, and maintenance access need to be considered when designing a spa.
Swimming pools sometimes look disconnected from the main house when the surrounding property is designed independently from the pool area.
When a unified design strategy is used, features of a property look more coordinated and circulation is easier.
A clear example is shown when a patio connects the main living area to the pool. An additional planting border can provide a visual barrier from a neighboring property.
Choices in materials can also tie the entire design together. Coping, paving and garden walls, in addition to stairs and other hardscape, can be designed to relate to the external materials of the house without adding too much variety.
Our pool landscape design services can be considered when the project includes coordinated planting and outdoor improvements.
For homeowners planning additional entertaining areas, outdoor kitchens and hardscaping may also form part of the discussion.
The purpose is to create a backyard that remains useful whether you’re swimming, hosting guests, or spending a quiet afternoon outside.
Certain features of some properties in Brentwood can impact how construction materials and excavation equipment access the backyards.
These include:
Prior to choosing a construction method, potential access routes need to be evaluated.
The width of passages and the type of obstructions across them (including vertical clearances, adjacent structures, and obstructions along proposed routes for the removal of soil) need to be evaluated.
Where standard construction equipment cannot be taken to the work area, alternative access and construction methods will have to be considered.
Understanding the scope of work to be done and the potential constraints will help the Homeowner appreciate the challenges in constructing their desired amenities.
A challenging, sloping site can often offer an opportunity to create a more attractive and enjoyable pool environment, particularly if it contains a slope advantage with improved views.
Depending on the site conditions, constraints and the work to be done, the swimming pool construction may require additional works, such as grading the site and making drainage improvements; and providing temporary or permanent support to the slope and/or excavation.
Not every swimming pool construction in a sloping site requires a retaining wall and caissons.
Our hillside pool construction services provide additional information for properties with elevation and access challenges.
Brentwood is within the city limits of Los Angeles, CA, USA, and is subject to the Los Angeles building authorities for swimming pool construction.
New pool construction usually requires permitting, plan check, structural approvals, and inspection. The scope and site conditions of the project usually dictate the extent of permitting, approval, and inspections requirements.
If the site has significant grades or other unique conditions, additional plans may be required.
Homeowners are encouraged to check what, if any, restrictions or architectural review requirements they are subject to on their private property.
The plans and requirements for permitting should be checked and obtained for each unique site, not assumed based on adjoining properties.
More than just length and width determines cost to build a swimming pool.
Various factors impact the scope of work, including but not limited to:
When selecting a swimming pool builder in Brentwood, review the project specifications and work scope as opposed to relying on the final price.
We take the time to understand what a homeowner wants and what a property can offer, to design the pool that meets their needs.
We listen to your preferences, the location of your property, and what you can or cannot do with your backyard.
Shape, size, and placement of the pool are determined along with the materials to be used. Other aspects such as the relationship of the pool to other outdoor areas are addressed. At this phase, designs may be further developed using visualizations or other graphic means.
Address the engineering and construction of the project along with required permits.
Site work and excavation. Structural work and installation of utilities. Finish the project per the schedule.
The pool is tested, and required inspections are done prior to filling with water and use.
Homeowners should have a clear understanding of the work to be done, their responsibilities, the timeframe, and when changes may be made prior to signing the Construction Agreement.
Hillside Pool Builders serves the Los Angeles area out of Sherman Oaks, and includes Brentwood. Our published services include custom pools and spas, and hillside development and construction, as well as related outdoor improvements.
We focus on the decisions that affect the final value of the property, namely, where to locate the pool on the property to best capture the views, create the most usable space, provide best access, and integrate the pool with the home.
This approach provides homeowners with the opportunity to talk about the whole backyard before deciding on specific pool features.
Our website discusses design visualization and provides project planning tools. Final agreements and construction contracts are negotiated between us and the client based on the terms and conditions of the proposal.
Relevant construction experience, contractor licenses, clear proposals, and completed projects are a good starting point. Ask how the contractor handles issues such as access to the work site, design revisions, approval processes, and communication with the owner and other contractors.
It depends on the constraints of the site. Not all challenges to access make pool construction impossible. These issues must be thoroughly analyzed to ascertain what equipment and methods can address the challenges.
It depends on the home, the available space, the pool’s anticipated use and the surrounding area. The best use of a small space may call for an L-shape pool, while a large area may require a pool that is a different shape from a rectangular design.
Yes. Positioning the pool, planting landscape screens, and laying out seating areas can help provide privacy. The design must take into account the sun, views, and maintenance.
Depending on the complexity of the construction, number of permits and inspections required, the process can take anywhere from 4-6 months.
These add-ons can be included during the same design process as the pool if the property allows for it. Coordinating them early can help avoid conflicts between different outdoor areas.
You can contact Hillside Pool Builders to set up a consultation to discuss your project and review your property.
Your backyard may already have the views and privacy that you want to keep. The right swimming pool should augment those attributes rather than obliterate them.
If you are looking to add a modern inground swimming pool, integrate a spa, or create an elegant outdoor living space, the team at Hillside Pool Builders can help you brainstorm design and build solutions for your home.
Start with a few simple details:
Tell us your Brentwood property location, whether the yard is level or sloped, and what you would like to include. Backyard photographs and inspiration images are helpful, but you do not need completed plans to make the first inquiry.
Call (877) 918-0860 or contact Hillside Pool Builders to discuss your custom pool project in Brentwood, Los Angeles.