Why you should do a pool design meeting

For decades, the pool industry relied on backyard consultations as the standard sales process. Contractors would paint the outline of the pool in the grass, place flags to represent corners and concrete areas, and discuss ideas while standing in the yard. In the early 2010s, 3D design software began to change the industry, yet many builders continued meeting clients primarily at their homes. Why?

Traditionally, many pool contractors operated out of trucks, garages, or small shops and simply did not have a dedicated office or design center. The backyard meeting became the only practical option. To many homeowners, having a contractor come directly to the house felt like excellent service. In reality, it was often designed to secure a commitment on the spot.

Typically, the homeowner would receive a quick handwritten estimate that looked appealing at first glance, but the price was often only a starting point. As construction progressed, additional costs would surface through “change orders” for items homeowners naturally assumed were included — dirt hauling, water, grading, electrical upgrades, and more. A project that initially appeared less expensive could quickly become much more costly. Transparency was often missing from the process.

If the sale was not closed during the initial visit, the contractor would usually leave, sketch a rough concept later, and return days or weeks afterward with a typed proposal. This process frequently caused homeowners to stop exploring other ideas or options because they felt emotionally invested in the contractor who had already spent time preparing a plan. Unfortunately, the process itself was slow, inefficient, and often based on rough sketches and incomplete estimating.

In 2010, Luxury Pools & Living introduced a different approach: the design studio model.

Our process was created to improve efficiency, increase transparency, and most importantly, respect our clients’ time. Instead of beginning with a rushed backyard estimate, we complete the design homework before ever meeting with a family. By gathering a site plan, aerial imagery, zoning information, and photographs of the property, our design team can prepare a true preliminary design that is both practical and realistic.

When clients arrive at our design studio, the design work is already complete and ready for presentation. Rather than spending multiple meetings trying to imagine possibilities, we spend our time refining and customizing the space together. This allows us to finalize a detailed scope of work and provide an accurate project price in a single meeting. What once took several appointments and many hours can now often be accomplished in approximately 90 minutes.

A design studio meeting also creates a far more meaningful design experience. Clients can view pool displays, decorative concrete samples, fire features, awnings, material options, and large-scale design presentations all in one location. We can compare finishes, demonstrate features, and make live adjustments to designs together. True design and estimating simply cannot be fully experienced while standing in a backyard without access to these resources.

At first, convincing clients to come into a design studio instead of requesting an immediate backyard appointment was challenging. At the time, nearly every pool company still followed the traditional approach. Over the following years, however, much of the industry — nationwide — began adopting similar design center models because the process simply made more sense for both contractors and homeowners.

In the early 2020s, some of the industry shifted back toward quick backyard sales and loose estimating. During the COVID-era pool boom, many companies entered the pool market from adjacent industries such as landscaping, flooring, and general construction. Many returned to the older practice of immediate onsite selling, often because they lacked the facilities or systems necessary for a complete design process.

To be clear, site visits remain an important part of designing and planning a pool project. At Luxury Pools & Living, we absolutely perform site inspections. Depending on the complexity of the property and the need to physically experience the space, these inspections may happen before or after the design presentation. However, they often do not require the homeowner’s time and are frequently performed by our production team to evaluate grading, access, utilities, drainage, and other construction-related considerations.

When choosing a contractor, homeowners should consider a few important questions. If a company has immediate availability to rush out for a sales appointment, why? If they do not maintain a permanent office or design center where you can meet, review materials, and conduct business professionally, what does that say about the company and its systems?

Luxury Pools & Living has invested heavily in both our website and our design studio because we believe informed clients make better decisions. Yes, it adds overhead to our business. But we believe the value it provides to our clients is worth it every single time.

Our goal is not simply to sell a pool. Our goal is to create a thoughtful, efficient, transparent process that allows families to confidently design a project that fits their property, lifestyle, and budget. We approach every design and every dollar spent the same way we would for our own family, and we have built our meeting and design process around that philosophy.