A swimming pool is more than an addition to your backyard. It becomes part of your home, your lifestyle, and the way your family enjoys Arizona.
That’s why choosing the right pool builder in Gilbert, AZ is one of the most important decisions you’ll make before construction begins.
There are plenty of pool contractors to choose from, but not every company approaches a project the same way. Before signing a contract, homeowners should look beyond the price and consider the experience, communication, construction process, and level of service they can expect throughout the project.
Start With Experience
Building a swimming pool involves much more than digging a hole and filling it with water.
A quality pool builder should understand excavation, structural construction, plumbing, electrical, equipment, finishes, decking, landscaping, inspections, and the many moving parts involved in bringing a backyard project together.
Experience matters because unexpected issues can happen during construction. An experienced contractor knows how to identify problems, communicate solutions, and keep the project moving forward.
Look at More Than the Price
Getting multiple estimates is smart, but the lowest price isn’t always the best value.
When comparing pool builders, make sure you are comparing the actual scope of work.
Ask questions such as:
- What is included in the pool construction?
- What equipment is included?
- What type of interior finish is included?
- How much decking or surrounding work is included?
- Who handles permits and inspections?
- What happens if conditions change during excavation?
- What warranty is provided?
- Who will be managing the project?
A detailed proposal can help prevent misunderstandings later.
Communication Matters
One of the biggest frustrations homeowners experience during a construction project is not knowing what’s happening.
A good pool builder should keep you informed about your project, answer questions, and communicate when schedules or circumstances change.
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we believe homeowners should never feel like they’re chasing their contractor for answers.
Our goal is straightforward: keep our customers informed, involved, and confident throughout the process.
Think About the Entire Backyard
Your pool doesn’t exist by itself.
The best backyard projects consider how the pool works with the rest of the property. Depending on your goals, that could include landscaping, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, patios, fire features, lighting, or other outdoor living elements.
This is one reason we expanded our name to Sharper Image Pools and Landscape. Our company has grown beyond pool construction alone, and our name now better reflects what we can provide for today’s Arizona homeowners.
Ask Who Will Actually Manage Your Project
This is an important question that homeowners sometimes overlook.
Ask who will be responsible for coordinating the different stages of construction and who you should contact when you have a question.
A pool project has many phases, and communication between those phases matters.
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we take a hands-on approach to our projects. We believe in being involved, paying attention to the details, and treating each backyard as if it were our own.
Choose a Pool Builder You Can Trust
Your backyard project represents a significant investment. You deserve a contractor who takes that investment seriously.
Before choosing your pool builder, research the company, read reviews, look at completed projects, verify licensing, understand the contract, and ask plenty of questions.
Most importantly, choose a company that you feel comfortable communicating with and trusting throughout the process.
Building Backyards That Feel Like Home
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we build and remodel swimming pools for homeowners throughout Gilbert and the surrounding East Valley.
From new pool construction and pool remodeling to equipment, repairs, maintenance, and complete backyard transformations, our goal is to deliver quality workmanship and a customer experience we’re proud to put our name behind.
Because when you build a pool, you’re not just building a pool.
You’re creating the place where life happens.
Sharper Image Pools and Landscape
The True Cost of a Pool Remodel: Where to Invest vs. Where to Save
True Cost of a Pool Remodel:
If your backyard pool is starting to show its age—whether through rough plaster scraping your feet, outdated tile, or a pump that sounds like a jet engine—you are likely considering a remodel.
A backyard renovation is a major investment, and one of the first questions most homeowners ask is simple: Where should I put my money, and where can I scale back without sacrificing quality?
As pool builders and outdoor living specialists, we believe in complete transparency. Not all upgrades offer the same long-term return. Some components protect your home’s equity and prevent thousands of dollars in future repairs, while others are purely cosmetic decisions where you can easily find smart savings.
Here is a practical guide to budgeting your pool remodel by knowing exactly where to invest and where you can safely trim costs.
1. Where to Invest (The Non-Negotiables)
When you remodel a pool, you are opening up the underlying mechanics and structure of the basin. Cutting corners on core infrastructure usually leads to expensive tear-outs down the road. Protect your investment by prioritizing these key areas:
Hidden Infrastructure & Line Replacements
If your pool is over 15 to 20 years old, your underground plumbing lines and main drains may be reaching the end of their functional lifespan. Pressure-testing these lines during a renovation is essential. Skipping a plumbing fix to install new travertine decking or a fresh pebble finish can lead to a nightmare scenario: having to jackhammer through brand-new stone to repair a leak later. Address your plumbing, skimmers, and any structural cracks first.
Energy-Efficient Equipment Upgrades
Older single-speed pumps consume massive amounts of electricity and often fall short of modern efficiency standards. Switching to a variable-speed pump, a modern cartridge or DE filter, and an updated automation system completely transforms your monthly energy footprint. High-efficiency equipment drastically reduces your electric bill, which means the system virtually pays for itself over time while giving you simple smartphone control over filtration and heating.
High-Quality Interior Finishes
Standard plaster is an inexpensive option upfront, but in intense desert climates, it is prone to staining, etching, and wearing down within five to seven years. Premium pebble finishes, such as polished pebble or quartz blends, offer far superior durability, chemical resistance, and a softer texture underfoot. A high-grade interior finish can easily last 15 to 20 years with proper water chemistry, keeping your pool shell protected and looking pristine.
2. Where You Can Save (Smart Value Choices)
Once your infrastructure, equipment, and pool shell are secure, you can turn your focus to cosmetic elements to keep your overall budget in check.
Strategic Waterline Tile Selection
Importing custom, hand-painted glass or ceramic tiles for the entire waterline and raised beam can quickly inflate your material costs. Instead, select a clean, timeless porcelain tile for the primary waterline. If you want a touch of luxury, reserve high-end accent tiles for a single focal point, such as a raised spa spillway or a Baja shelf marker, rather than wrapping the entire perimeter in specialty material.
Phased Landscaping & Decking Enhancements
Attempting to tackle the entire backyard at once—including the pool, a built-in kitchen, fire features, pergolas, and complete landscaping—can stretch any budget thin. You can protect your immediate cash flow by focusing your primary budget on the pool structure, interior finish, and coping edge. Consider placing secondary shade structures, outdoor kitchens, or peripheral planting plans into a second phase of work.
The Bottom Line
A successful pool remodel is not about spending the most money possible. It comes down to spending money in the right places. By directing your budget toward the core systems that keep your pool running efficiently and structurally sound, you ensure peace of mind for years to come. From there, strategic decisions on finishes and decorative surfaces allow you to achieve a beautiful, resort-style backyard while staying comfortably on budget.
Ready to map out the vision and budget for your backyard transformation? Contact our team at Sharper Image Pools and Landscape today at 480-522-6600 or visit us online at sharperpools.com to schedule your consultation.
Choosing the Right Pool Builder in Gilbert, AZ: What Homeowners Should Know
A swimming pool is more than an addition to your backyard. It becomes part of your home, your lifestyle, and the way your family enjoys Arizona.
That’s why choosing the right pool builder in Gilbert, AZ is one of the most important decisions you’ll make before construction begins.
There are plenty of pool contractors to choose from, but not every company approaches a project the same way. Before signing a contract, homeowners should look beyond the price and consider the experience, communication, construction process, and level of service they can expect throughout the project.
Start With Experience
Building a swimming pool involves much more than digging a hole and filling it with water.
A quality pool builder should understand excavation, structural construction, plumbing, electrical, equipment, finishes, decking, landscaping, inspections, and the many moving parts involved in bringing a backyard project together.
Experience matters because unexpected issues can happen during construction. An experienced contractor knows how to identify problems, communicate solutions, and keep the project moving forward.
Look at More Than the Price
Getting multiple estimates is smart, but the lowest price isn’t always the best value.
When comparing pool builders, make sure you are comparing the actual scope of work.
Ask questions such as:
A detailed proposal can help prevent misunderstandings later.
Communication Matters
One of the biggest frustrations homeowners experience during a construction project is not knowing what’s happening.
A good pool builder should keep you informed about your project, answer questions, and communicate when schedules or circumstances change.
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we believe homeowners should never feel like they’re chasing their contractor for answers.
Our goal is straightforward: keep our customers informed, involved, and confident throughout the process.
Think About the Entire Backyard
Your pool doesn’t exist by itself.
The best backyard projects consider how the pool works with the rest of the property. Depending on your goals, that could include landscaping, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, patios, fire features, lighting, or other outdoor living elements.
This is one reason we expanded our name to Sharper Image Pools and Landscape. Our company has grown beyond pool construction alone, and our name now better reflects what we can provide for today’s Arizona homeowners.
Ask Who Will Actually Manage Your Project
This is an important question that homeowners sometimes overlook.
Ask who will be responsible for coordinating the different stages of construction and who you should contact when you have a question.
A pool project has many phases, and communication between those phases matters.
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we take a hands-on approach to our projects. We believe in being involved, paying attention to the details, and treating each backyard as if it were our own.
Choose a Pool Builder You Can Trust
Your backyard project represents a significant investment. You deserve a contractor who takes that investment seriously.
Before choosing your pool builder, research the company, read reviews, look at completed projects, verify licensing, understand the contract, and ask plenty of questions.
Most importantly, choose a company that you feel comfortable communicating with and trusting throughout the process.
Building Backyards That Feel Like Home
At Sharper Image Pools and Landscape, we build and remodel swimming pools for homeowners throughout Gilbert and the surrounding East Valley.
From new pool construction and pool remodeling to equipment, repairs, maintenance, and complete backyard transformations, our goal is to deliver quality workmanship and a customer experience we’re proud to put our name behind.
Because when you build a pool, you’re not just building a pool.
You’re creating the place where life happens.
Sharper Image Pools and Landscape
Sharper Image Pool Services Is Now Sharper Image Pools and Landscape
Same Family. Same Commitment. A Name That Better Reflects All That We Do.
We’re excited to officially announce a new chapter for our company: Sharper Image Pool Services is becoming Sharper Image Pools and Landscape!
While our name is changing, the people, values, and commitment behind our company are not. We remain the same family-owned and operated team our customers know and trust, with the same dedication to honest communication, quality workmanship, personalized service, and putting quality over quantity.
Why the New Name?
Over the years, Sharper Image has grown to offer much more than traditional pool service. Today, our team provides a wide range of pool and outdoor living services, including new pool construction, pool remodeling and restoration, weekly pool maintenance, equipment repairs, project management, and landscaping.
As our company has grown, we wanted our name to better represent everything we can provide for our customers.
Sharper Image Pools and Landscape reflects who we are today: a team equipped to help homeowners maintain the backyard they already love, completely transform an existing outdoor space, or bring an entirely new vision to life from the ground up.
What Does This Mean for Our Existing Customers?
For our customers, the most important thing to know is that we’re still us.
You’ll continue working with the same team and receiving the same personalized service and communication you’ve come to expect from Sharper Image. Our new name simply better represents the full range of services available to you.
As our new branding rolls out, you may temporarily see both Sharper Image Pool Services and Sharper Image Pools and Landscape on different materials, communications, or online listings while everything is updated.
Looking Toward the Future
We are incredibly grateful to the customers who have trusted our family and helped our company continue to grow.
Whether you need dependable weekly pool care, an equipment repair, a complete pool remodel, professional landscaping, or are ready to start designing a brand-new custom pool and backyard, Sharper Image Pools and Landscape is here to help.
New name. Same family. Same commitment to quality. More ways to bring your backyard vision to life.
Refinski
“Sharper Image was a dream to work with. We were not on site for the project but Lynde kept us well informed…”
Hanneman
“We couldn’t be happier with our experience working with Lynde & Chad with Sharper Image Pools as our project managers for our dream pool build…”
Baker
“My wife and I were referred to Sharper Image by a trusted friend. As we were awaiting our pool design, we referred Sharper Image to another family friend who designed and built their pool with Sharper Image prior to us being ready…”