Raised spas, spillways and attached soaking pools designed with the pool from the start, sharing equipment and automation for year-round use.
In Arizona the spa often gets more use than the pool from November through March. Designing the two together puts the spa in the right place, at the right height and on the same equipment.
Placement comes first. A spa close to the back door is easy to reach on a cold January night, and one turned toward a view or a fire feature becomes the evening gathering spot. We also watch the sunset line, since a west-facing spa can be glorious in winter and brutal in August.
Height is the next decision. A raised spa faced in stone or tile adds the sound of a spillover and gives the yard a focal point. A flush spa keeps sight lines open and suits minimal, modern layouts. Either way, the spillover keeps spa water circulating with the pool so the chemistry stays shared.
Underneath, pool and spa share filtration, heating and Pentair automation, with valves that switch between pool and spa modes. That is what lets you start the spa from your phone on the drive home and step into hot water when you arrive. Read more about smart automation.
A sheet of water from spa to pool adds sound and motion. Tile, stone or a sheer lip each give it a different character.
Benches at different depths and a lounge seat let tall and short guests soak comfortably, with jets where backs actually rest.
Stacked stone feels warm and natural, glass mosaic shimmers at night and smooth tile reads modern. The facing sets the spa's personality.
Wide, lit steps and a coping you can grip make getting in and out easy, especially after dark.
A heater sized for the spa brings it up to temperature quickly, so a spontaneous soak does not need hours of planning.
Spa lighting and a nearby fire bowl or fire pit turn a winter soak into the best part of the evening.
Picturing a spa that spills into the pool? Tell us where you want it, and we will show you in 3D.
Book a Design Call or price it yourself in the Dream CenterAn Arizona spa has to earn its place in July and in January.
Desert winter nights get cold enough that a hot spa becomes the main event. A fast heater, a cover where practical and a short, lit path from the house make winter soaking easy.
In summer many owners turn the heat off and use the spa as a shaded, cool soaking pool. Placing it under or near shade stretches its season.
Monsoon wind blows dust and leaves into a raised spa first. Good skimming, a spillway that is easy to clean and a post-storm routine keep both bodies of water clear.
Water sheeting over a spillway leaves calcium as it evaporates. Smooth tile on the spill edge and balanced chemistry keep it from building into a white crust.
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Legacy Living in San Tan Valley sets a raised spa faced in stacked stone at the edge of the pool, spilling into the water beside the travertine deck. Glass tile at the spa edge catches the light, and at blue hour the lit spa becomes the brightest point on the terrace.
At the site visit we study the path from the house, the winter sun, the views and where a fire feature could go.
Raised and flush versions are rendered side by side in 3D, so you can choose before the proposal is final.
Heater, pumps and Pentair automation are specified so pool and spa modes run from one panel and one app.
Pool and spa are formed, plumbed and finished together, so spillover, tile and coping all match.
A raised spa adds a focal point and the sound of a spillover, and it keeps pool splash out of the spa. A flush spa keeps sight lines open and suits modern layouts. Your view, the house style and how the yard is used usually decide it.
It depends on spa size, the heater and the starting water temperature, but an attached spa with a properly sized heater warms far faster than a whole pool. Pentair automation lets you start it from your phone before you get home.
Often, yes. A spa can sometimes be built into an existing pool or added beside it with a spillover, provided the structure, plumbing and equipment pad can support it. Our remodel team evaluates that on site.
Yes. The spillover returns spa water to the pool, and both run through the same filtration and sanitizing system. In spa mode, valves isolate the spa so it heats quickly.
A portable hot tub can go anywhere, but it rarely matches the pool and deck. An integrated spa is built from the same materials, shares equipment and reads as part of the design.
We design spa-pool combinations for family yards in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and Queen Creek, and for view lots in Fountain Hills and Scottsdale.
Tell us what you want to build, your budget and timing, then pick a time for a free 30-minute call with our design manager.
