August 2012 AQUA Choice Winner

Photos courtesy Renaissance Pools and Spas

Building a backyard paradise does not always take months, or even years. In a limited time frame, this builder created a multi-level, fiberglass dream pool with a landscape that anyone would be thrilled to have.

Renaissance Pools & Spas, the AQUA Choice winner in the Manufactured Pool category, created a backyard getaway using fiberglass, beautiful glass tile and a spillover water feature in the natural surroundings of Jacksonville, Fla. The pool itself is 16 by 40 feet — large, just like the client wanted it — with a step-up wall and tanning shelf housing a smaller pool with three spillways that boast hand-cut marble. These spillways are accented by beautiful, blue glass tile from Portobello, installed on the waterline and giving the fiberglass pool an even more elegant appearance.

"The pool had to be flipped in mid-air without scratching the color or creating any stress cracks in the shell. we did the initial flipping in a cul-de-sac and then carried the pool with a crane down the street to the client's backyard."

Behind the pool lies a wooded slope, featuring large palm trees and plenty of greenery. This setting, along with the shade umbrella and tanning chairs on the upper deck, complete the look of the pool.

The deck is 1,800 square feet and lined with Artistic pavers, cooler to step on but still elegant and beautiful. The pool has a Hayward Eco-Star variable-speed pump with four settings for higher energy efficiency.

"I believe what was extraordinary about this project is that this 16-by-40-foot pool came in upside down on a flatbed truck," Says Jeff Young, owner of Renaissance Pools & Spas. "The pool had to be flipped in mid-air without scratching the color or creating any stress cracks in the shell. The client did not have the room in front of his house to do this kind of maneuvering, so we did the initial flipping in a cul-de-sac and then carried the pool with a crane down the street to the client's backyard. All this was done without cracking the pool, or doing any damage to the property of others. Just getting this pool into their backyard was a feat in itself.

"The finished project is beautiful to look at, very functional, energy efficient and our client is very happy."

The design is simple, yet elegant (although not as simply put together). An installation like this goes to show what can be done with an active imagination, a careful approach, and a bit of fiberglass.

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