Gilbert is home base for Arise. Our office sits in 85295, and Gilbert is the town we know best, from walking a lot with a homeowner to figuring out which wall the evening sun hits hardest. So when people search for a custom pool builder in Gilbert, AZ, we would rather show them a finished yard than a list of promises.
This guide walks through what a Gilbert pool project usually involves, using one of our own builds as the example. We call it The Hidden Jewel.
The Hidden Jewel in Gilbert
The Hidden Jewel in Gilbert is a modern makeover of a walled backyard behind a single-story home. The finished yard has a freeform pool with a raised spa, lit step-down benches that wrap the entry, pale stone paving from the house to the water, and a covered bar with its own TV. The front yard was refreshed to match, so the house reads as one project from the street.
Look at the photos and most of the design is about the hours after sunset. The steps glow from under each tread. The spa wall is lit so it shows across the yard. The bar sits under a slatted roof with ceiling lights and a fan. In Gilbert, where summer afternoons are for staying inside, that is when most families actually use the backyard.
What a Gilbert Pool Project Usually Involves
Every lot is different, but most Gilbert projects we see share a few traits. Many yards are walled and rectangular, sized for a family rather than an estate, so the pool has to share space with a patio, a grill, some grass for the kids and a path to the side gate. That is why freeform and modest geometric shapes are so common here. If you are weighing shapes, our guide to pool shapes for Arizona lots under a quarter acre covers the options in more depth.
Start With the Way You Live
Before we draw a single curve, we ask how the yard will be used. Will there be laps, or mostly floating? Do the kids need a shallow bench? Do you host game nights? The Hidden Jewel answers that last question with a covered bar facing the pool, so whoever is pouring drinks can watch the water and the screen at the same time.
Plan the Approvals Early
Every new pool needs a town building permit, and if your home is part of an HOA, plan on an architectural review as well. Neither is hard, but both take time, so the paperwork starts while the design is still being refined. We cover the general process in our post on pool permits and HOA approval. The details vary by town and by HOA, so we confirm the current requirements for each address.
Designing for Gilbert Evenings
The fastest way to make a Gilbert backyard feel high end is lighting that is part of the build. Lights get set into the step risers, under the coping and along the raised walls while the masonry goes up, and they are wired back to the equipment pad. Adding them later is harder and rarely looks as clean.
The same thinking applies to shade and seating. A bar or outdoor kitchen under a solid or slatted roof stays usable well into the season, and a raised spa gives you somewhere warm to sit on a January night. Water spilling from a raised wall adds sound and movement, which our water and fire features team can expand with sheer descents, bubblers or a fire bowl.
If you want to control all of it from your phone, we build around Pentair equipment. Lighting scenes, spa heat and pump schedules can all be set from an app, which is the heart of our smart automation and cleaning systems work.
Remodel or Build New?
A lot of Gilbert homes already have a pool that came with the house. The tagline for The Hidden Jewel is Modern Makeover for a reason: it is a remodel, and a remodel can change the whole feel of a yard without starting from bare dirt. New stone paving, a reworked entry with lit benches, refreshed water features and a new outdoor living area add up to a different yard.
Whether a remodel makes sense depends on the condition of the existing shell and plumbing, and on how far the new layout strays from the old one. We assess that on site before recommending anything. When the existing pool is in the wrong place or the wrong size, a new custom pool is usually the better investment.
On budget, Phoenix-metro pricing varies widely with scope. Interior and tile refreshes sit at the lower end, a full remodel with new paving and features costs more, and a new pool with a spa, lighting and an outdoor living area typically runs well into six figures. For a closer look at what drives the number, read what a $125k pool actually gets you. Your design consultation will give you a real figure for your yard.
The Rest of the Yard
The pool gets the attention, but the yard around it decides whether the space feels finished. At The Hidden Jewel, turf strips with stepping pavers soften the patio edge, palms and flowering vines line the back wall, and the front yard was refreshed with turf and planters. Landscape design and hardscape are planned alongside the pool so the materials, grades and drainage work together.
Gilbert Pool Questions, Answered
- Do I need a permit to build a pool in Gilbert?
- Yes. A new pool needs a building permit, and homes in an HOA usually need architectural approval too. We confirm the current requirements for your address and handle the submittals as part of the project.
- Can you remodel my existing pool instead of building a new one?
- Often, yes. The Hidden Jewel is a remodel. Whether it fits your yard depends on the condition of the shell and plumbing and how much the layout changes, which we check on site.
- What does a custom pool cost in Gilbert?
- It depends on scope. In the Phoenix metro, refreshes sit at the lower end and a new pool with a spa, lighting and outdoor living typically runs well into six figures. A design consultation gives you a real number for your yard.
- Can I control my pool lighting and spa from my phone?
- Yes. We build with Pentair automation, so lighting, spa heat and pump schedules can be managed from an app.
See the Full Project
The full gallery for The Hidden Jewel in Gilbert includes the spa, fire pit and front yard. You can browse our other builds in the portfolio or read more about our work in Gilbert. When you are ready to talk about your own yard, start your oasis here, call (623) 292-3073, or email inquiry@arisepal.com.