Where to start? Architect, Landscape Designer, Pool Builder?

[jberger]

We've been waiting for years to put in a pool and are now in our "forever" home with the backyard space to make it a reality.
It's taken almost 2 years just to get the backyard cleaned up enough to understand what we have to work with, lots of tree work, grading etc.

While we think we have most of the pool details worked out in our heads, we are struggling with the design for the overall project. (Terraces, Decks, Outdoor Kitchen, etc.)

The house is on a sloping lot, and will need a lot of dirt work, with terracing, to level out the spot for the pool. We have large existing decks that need to be replaced and we want to incorporate all of the new elements into a cohesive plan.
So far I've talked to a couple of pool builders, deck builders and landscapers, each only wants to concentrate on their portions but are willing to sub out the other portions. No one has even offered an integrated plan, and that's a problem.

I'd like to put together a comprehensive plan, that we can use as a project package to make sure we are comparing apples to apples with the contractors.
Any ideas where we should start looking? Architect, Landscape Designer, Pool Builder?

Ideally, we could find someone who really understood construction costing when building the planset so we get the best bang for the buck.
Any help or advice is appreciated.

 

[bmoreswim]

Kudos for taking the big picture approach. Ideally you want a landscape architect. They will have a degree and be fully versed in everything needed to design the entire project. That's not to say you won't come across folks who can do the same thing that aren't LA's, but that title does a good deal of the vetting for you. I often encourage folks to at least make a plan for their whole property before building a pool. Many smaller backyards can have this happen right with the PB, but for larger projects or properties, you are following the right approach. For my project below, 14 years passed from the house build until the final element, the pool, was complete. I did all of the general site planning and hired help as needed. And admittedly, the pool was not in the original plan, though in my mind I always allowed two spaces for it to go, then after building the basketball court, only one option was left. We too have a pretty good slope to the whole property, but everything except the pool was already done. So I chose a landscape architect who also builds pools to do the pool project.

House1 - resized.jpg

• bmoreswim
• Oct 16, 2019

 

[Rich D]

Ideally you want a landscape architect.

I would recommend the exact same. Try to get a well-seasoned one. Be sure to view some of their work that includes terracing lots and pools.

 

[bmoreswim]

I would recommend the exact same. Try to get a well-seasoned one. Be sure to view some of their work that includes terrorising lots and pools.

Hmm, that is an interesting selection criteria! Oh, terracing!

 

[Rich D]

Hmm, that is an interesting selection criteria! Oh, terracing!

Ohh. That was a bad one....