A Cleveland Family's Resort Pool — The Full Build Story

Sarah and James rang us in late February. Two kids, a 1990s lowset weatherboard on a generous block in Cleveland, and a back yard that could honestly fit a tennis court. They wanted a pool that was big enough to actually use — not a token plunge — but they also wanted to keep most of the yard for the dog and the kids' trampoline.

By June, they had a 7×4m Resort Pool with an integrated spa, frameless glass fencing, travertine surrounds, and about 60m² of new entertainment deck. The build took 13 weeks from contract sign. Here's how it went.

The site visit

Mike went out on a Saturday morning. Cleveland block — flat, north-facing, no major obstacles. The conversation took about an hour.

Sarah and James had three priorities, in order:

1. Big enough for two adults to swim laps and for kids to actually play in
2. Integrated spa for evening use
3. Layout that kept most of the yard as lawn

The Resort Pool I (7×4m) fit all three. With the spa added, package price was $60,790. Add travertine coping and surround paving upgrades, lighting plan, and they were looking at $73,500 turnkey.

Design decisions

Two interesting calls during the design phase.

First: position. We had a choice between running the pool along the back fence (maximum yard preserved) or angling it slightly to catch better north sun. Sarah preferred lawn preservation, James preferred sun. We ran a sun-path study — turned out the difference was minimal because of the open block — and went with the rear-fence position. Lawn preserved.

Second: pebble-crete colour. They'd been thinking Mediterranean blue. We brought out a charcoal sample and the storm grey. They went with storm grey, which paired beautifully with the cream travertine.

The build

Excavation started early April. Standard 3-day dig, no surprises in the ground. The kids loved watching the excavator from the kitchen window.

Steel up by week 3, engineer inspection passed first time. Shotcrete sprayed week 4. Then the long curing period — about two weeks where it looks like nothing's happening but actually the concrete is properly setting up.

Plumbing, electrical, and paving rolled through weeks 6-8. Pebble-crete went in week 9. Fence and final equipment week 10. Water in, balanced, handover week 13.

The one variation

One change order during the build. About week 5, James asked whether we could add a sun ledge — a shallow shelf at one end where you can lie partially submerged. We hadn't quoted it because they hadn't asked, but it was easy to add at that stage. Variation: $2,800 for the structural change and the additional pebble-crete area. Signed off in writing, added to the schedule, no impact on timeline.

Final invoice: $76,300 including the variation.

Handover and beyond

Travis did the handover walkthrough on a Friday afternoon. By Sunday they'd had their first pool party — about 15 people over, kids in the pool, James and Sarah in the spa with a glass of wine. They messaged us a photo. We love those messages.

Six months in, Sarah told us the spa gets used 4-5 nights a week through winter. The pool itself slows down June-August (no heating) but picks back up in September.

What we'd do differently

Genuinely not much. If we were building this one fresh, we'd suggest the sun ledge as part of the original quote rather than adding it as a variation. Easier to plan in from day one.

One thing worth noting: they're already considering a pool cover for next year, mainly to keep the spa heating efficient. That's the kind of conversation we love — confident, informed owners who know their pool well enough to optimise it.

The honest version

This was a textbook build. Easy site, organised clients, clear decisions, no surprises in the ground. Not every build is this smooth. But when the conditions are right, this is exactly what we mean by 'we'll deliver on time and on budget'.

If your block sounds anything like Sarah and James's — generous, flat, suburban Brisbane — a Resort Pool with spa is one of the most enjoyable builds we do. Get in touch and we'll come out and look.

— Cathy

Names and some specifics changed for client privacy. Project details accurate.