Pool Builders in Arroyo Grande, CA: Backyard Design and Coordination

Planning a pool in Arroyo Grande? We design the whole backyard, connect you with three pool builders we've completed whole-yard projects with (you contract with the pool builder directly), coordinate the schedule, and build everything around the pool. Arroyo Grande's mild coastal-valley weather makes a pool usable for more of the year than you might think, especially with a heated spa, a fire feature and some wind protection. We lay out the pool, spa, deck and landscape together in one master design and coordinate the City permit and barrier requirements with the pool builder. Call 805-712-4440 or request a free estimate.

Arroyo Grande Pool Permits

The City's pool and spa requirements spell out when you need a permit and what it covers:

• When a permit is needed. Any pool or spa with water deeper than 24 inches, including prefabricated pools over 5,000 gallons.
• One permit. A single permit covers the pool or spa and all of its equipment.
• Street work. If the job uses the public right-of-way, for example to stage equipment or cut a curb, you also need an encroachment permit from Public Works.
• Who to call. The City's Building Division is at 805-473-5450.

Pool Barrier Options in Arroyo Grande

The City's handout lists the barrier layouts it accepts for a new residential pool. Common options are:

• A 5-foot non-climbable fence all the way around the pool.
• A fence between the house and the pool, with walls or fences along the property lines.
• Rear fencing combined with alarms on the doors that open to the pool area.

Gates have to open away from the pool and be self-closing and self-latching. The enclosure must be at least 60 inches high, with no more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom and no openings a 4-inch sphere can pass through. Fences along property lines also have to meet the City's fence and wall height rules. We design the barrier as part of the landscape, with fencing, gates and planting that look intentional, not added on.

Designing for Coastal Wind and Cooler Evenings

Afternoon breezes come up the valley from the ocean, and evenings cool off quickly. We place the spa and the seating where a wall, pergola or planting blocks the wind, add a fire pit or fireplace close to the water, and use lighting so the yard works after dark. Lots in the hills above town and toward Oak Park and Printz Road are often sloped, which means retaining walls, terraces and careful drainage. Near the Village, smaller yards call for compact pools and spas. We also build outdoor kitchens and covered patios next to the pool.

Pool Builders We Trust, One Plan for the Whole Backyard

Paso Robles Landscaping does not build the pool itself. We connect you with three pool builders we've completed whole-yard projects with, and the pool is built under a separate contract between you and the pool builder you choose. We do the master design for the whole space, coordinate the schedule between the pool builder and our crew, and build everything around the pool: decking, hardscape, patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, landscape, irrigation and lighting. The pieces are planned together from the first sketch.

• Pool and spa (built by the pool builder, under your contract with them): layout, shape, depth, steps and benches, spillover or raised spas, and equipment placement, planned into our master design around the rules below
• Pool deck: concrete, pavers or stone, sloped to drains and away from the house
• Shade and outdoor living: pergolas, patio covers, outdoor kitchens and fire features
• Landscape: low-water planting that keeps leaves out of the water, artificial turf lounge areas, drip irrigation and lighting
• Grading and walls: retaining walls, steps and drainage on sloped lots
• Safety barrier: fencing and self-closing gates, coordinated with the pool builder on the other drowning-prevention features California requires on new pools

How a Pool Project Works With Us

1. Site visit. We walk the yard, check access for equipment, slopes, soil, trees, utilities and where water will drain.
2. Design. We do the master design for the whole yard, laying out the pool, spa, deck and planting together and showing where the equipment and barrier go. We introduce you to the three pool builders we work with, and the one you choose details the pool with us.
3. Written estimates. You get our written estimate for the design and everything around the pool, and a separate written bid and contract from the pool builder for the pool itself. No ballparks over the phone.
4. Permits. The pool builder pulls the pool permit. We prepare the plans for our part of the yard and coordinate both with the City of Arroyo Grande permit review.
5. Build. The pool builder handles excavation, steel, plumbing, shell and equipment. We coordinate the schedule around their work, then build the deck, hardscape and landscape, with inspections along the way.
6. Startup. The pool builder walks you through the pool equipment, and we walk you through the irrigation, lighting and barrier before the yard is yours.

We also design and coordinate pool projects in Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero and San Luis Obispo. For how pool projects work across the county, see our San Luis Obispo County pool design and coordination page.

More about our work in town is on our Arroyo Grande landscaping page.

Nearby Areas We Serve

From Arroyo Grande we also work in Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Nipomo, Oceano and Shell Beach. See every community on our San Luis Obispo County service area page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a pool in Arroyo Grande?

Yes, for any pool or spa with water deeper than 24 inches, including prefabricated pools over 5,000 gallons. One permit covers the pool or spa and its equipment.

What pool fence does Arroyo Grande require?

The City accepts several barrier layouts, such as a 5-foot non-climbable fence around the pool. Gates must open away from the pool and self-close and self-latch, with an enclosure at least 60 inches high.

Do I need an encroachment permit to build a pool?

Only if the work uses the public right-of-way, such as staging equipment in the street. Then you need an encroachment permit from Public Works.

Do you build the pool, or just the landscaping?

We don't build the pool itself. We connect you with three pool builders we've completed whole-yard projects with, and the pool is built under a separate contract between you and the pool builder you choose. We do the master design, coordinate the schedule, and build the decking, hardscape, patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, landscape, irrigation and lighting around it.

How much does a pool cost in Arroyo Grande?

It depends on size, slope, spa, barrier, decking and landscape. The pool builder you choose prices the pool under their own contract, and we give a free written estimate for the design and everything around it after a site visit.

Related: Pool decks and pool surrounds in Arroyo Grande