Contact Us

Crystal Pools and Spas

New Orleans Swimming Pool Contractor

Blog

Old Metairie swimming pool renovation

Old Metairie swimming pool

Here is a job we just completed with Mullin Landscape on Sena.  The old pool was exposed pea gravel deck, white plaster, leaking pipe and leaking skimmers.  We first started by saw cutting the deck and fixing the pool leak in a pipe.  Then we jack hammered out the old skimmers and anchored in two brand new skimmers.  The next step, we installed 2″ gauged Pennsylvania flagstone coping and new pool tile.  Next Mullin Landscape installed new random pattern flagstone deck on top of their existing pool deck and rear porch.  We plumbed in a new salt water system shortly after.  Next Mullin built a brick wall and a flagstone cap.  Lastly, Mullin installed new landscape and lighting.  We then plastered the pool going a very dark charcoal gray, so that the pool would pop from the deck.  We also installed 4 spitters on the wall with individual valves.  Here are some photos of the process:

 

Westbank Swimming pool and spa remodel

Pool and spa remodel

Here is a project we completed in early 2017.  It was on the west bank and the pool and spa had plenty of issues and problems.  First his pool was leaking, his plumbing was backwards at the pool equipment location.  The sand in his sand filter was old and his spa light didn’t work.  We quoted topping his existing deck with travertine and doing a travertine coping but budget wouldn’t allow.  We first demoed the concrete behind the spa due to the leak in that location.  We found and fixed the leak but learned that whatever company built his pool they put the spa jets in the dirt instead of in the gunite.  So instead of him having therapy jets he had pretty much pool returns with no therapy.  On top of that the spa brick coping was all lose and poping off.  The tile on the front of the spa pretty much all popped off too.  The plaster was white and very rough.

Renovation

So we first took off his old pool and spa tile and the remaining tile on the spa and also brick coping.  We installed a new clean ceramic tile and on the spa we installed a split faced noche travertine to give the spa some dimension.  On top of the spa we did a noche travertine coping.  I personally changed the sand is his filter, fixed his spa light, fixed his blower for the spa, and re-plumbed all the mess ups from the old companies spotty workmanship.  Lastly we re-plastered the pool and spa with a organic cobalt blue plaster color.  Here are some photos:

 

Metairie swimming pool

Metairie swimming pool

Here is a swimming pool and spa we completed in 2014 in Metairie.  It featured a black iridescent glass tile infinity square hot tub, and 2 raised stone columns with copper fire/water bowls.  The pool was a rectangle shape with a very large suntan ledge.  The tanning deck had 2 ledge loungers on either side of the spa.  The spa was completely in the swimming pool/tanning ledge. The spa had a glass bead plaster finish and the pool had a special plaster that had to be buffed the day after plastering.  This would give the plaster a very smooth finish.  The pool decking was a french pattern noche travertine set on a limestone base.  The pool also featured 2 roman deck jet water fountains that would spit into the spa.

Equipment/Accessories

The pool and spa also had colored LED lighting.  The pool had a variable speed pump, a Pentair Racer pool cleaner, cartridge filter.  The pool and spa also had a smartphone computer system and a 400,000 BTU heater.  The fountains had its own separate pump so that when the spa was in use the water features would work.  After completion, the owner had a pool house built new to the pool.  The pool house was equipped with a kitchen and grill, sink, mini fridge.  It also had a bathroom with an outdoor shower.

Home owner

The owner was the manager of the southshore SCP.  SCP is where every contractor buys their tile, equipment, decking, etc.  Anything to do with a swimming pool.  Word got out that we built his pool and there were upset companies.  He knew what every company had to offer and was about.  He knew going with us, we would be on the job and lead people vs. sending workers to the job, unsupervised.  He has gotten us quite a few referrals as they know, whomever he had build his pool would be the best.

Cocktail pool and spa

Cocktail pool and spa

Here is another project we completed in 2015.  It was uptown New Orleans and had a small yard that he wanted parking in the rear behind the pool.  He had an architect design it so that there would be a raised brick wall/fence with a water feature built in so that the car would be blocked.  Also, off the rear of the home he had an attached porch built.  We built a level spa on the front of the pool and the pool was on the other side.

Pool wall

The pool had a long bench and the brick wall had a pedestal that we were to put and plumb in an old trough they found in a cow field.  He wanted to incorporate it so that it gave the look of being there for a long time.  We would have 1 spitter that would spit water into the trough and then the trough would spill to the pool.  The pedestal would have the brick continue into the pool water all the way to the pool floor.  We had to waterproof the brick and behind the brick to make this happen.  We installed a black slate tile on the spa overflow and both vertical walls of the pool and hot tub.  The pool deck was a flagstone and we did the same for his pool tile.  Lastly, we did a dark charcoal gray plaster color.  Take a look at the process photos:

 

Infinity hot tub

Infinity hot tub

Here is a job we completed in 2014 in Madisonville.  It had a concrete porch attached to a Pave stone paver patio.  We decided to do a recatagular design with an infinity hot tub with a teal glass tile.  Also, the owner wanted a raised wall so we used the same tile but we built 4 columns out of travertine.  The two middle columns had a fire and water trough feature.  The outside two columns had a Flambeaux gas lantern on either.  The pool deck was a diamond pattern travertine.  The pool and hot tub also had colored LED lighting.  Here are photos of some of the process and finished design!

 

Raised pool deck

Raised pool deck

Here is a pool completed in 2015.  It is a beautiful thoughtful design that came from an idea and it perfectly was finished the way it originated in thought.  It is a rectangular pool with some character.  The steps on the left side are jetted out and on the other end a big deep bench is there.  On the house side the suntan ledge with 3 bubblers jet out towards the house.  On the back side sits the really elevated spa with a bench on either side of it.  Surrounding the spa is a raised tanning deck with 4 chaise lounge chairs.  The elevation difference between the pool deck the the raised deck is 3 steps upward and the spa is 12″ higher than the raised pool deck.

Pool deck

The pool deck consists of an ivory french pattern paver and the outside perimeter is capped off with the brick on the home.  We also topped his plain concrete rear porch with travertine and they had an aluminum fence built with a large double arched gate built in the middle.  This was there to prevent their young daughter from getting to the pool if the rear door was open.  The raised deck and spa front facial is the same brick from the house with a light sack finish.  The raised deck sits on a concrete footer we poured after the pool construction process was going on and we built the vertical wall with cinderblock on top of the footer.   The cinderblock was stucco coated to look ascetically pleasing.   The tile is a 6″ ceramic pool tile that blends well with the plaster.  Out of the vertical wall by the spa has 2 spitters on either side of the spa.  The owner had a mosquito system put in so that their large family can enjoy their yard without bug spray.  Also, the landscape consists of little gem magnolias, holly trees, and boxwoods.  They had 4 large planters they purchased and put sweet potato vines in it.  There is a planter on all 4 corners of the pool.  The pool is salt water, has a smartphone wifi computer system, Polaris cleaner and colored LED lighting.  This is the second pool we built for this home owner and he has a testimonial on our page.  Check out this beauty!

 

Mandeville lounge pool and pool house

Mandeville lounge pool and pool house

This pool was completed in early 2016.  It is a freeform shape with a tanning ledge and two teal ledge loungers.  The pool has a colored LED light, salt water.  The pool has a gray plaster and ceramic tile.  The decking is a silver travertine deck on a limestone bed.  We also built her a stucco fire pit with fire brick on the inside and it sits on a concrete pad with a drain.  We also poured the concrete for here new pool house/outdoor kitchen.  We built a 2’X2′ silver travertine walkway and the landscaper planted dwarf mondo grass between the joints, to break up the solid travertine deck look.  They also installed string lights that really added a nice element to the project.  Here are some photos:

 

 

Dive pool

Dive pool

Here is a pool we completed in 2016 on the lakefront in Mandeville across the street from the Candy Bank.  It is a lagoon/freeform style pool.  It is 8′ deep at the deepest point right in front of a Rico Rock kit we installed.  The children are able to dive off the top of the rock into the pool.  The pool also features a very large suntan ledge with 2 bubblers.  Being close to the Lake Ponchartrain we elevated the pool equipment on a wood platform.  The pool has a tahoe blue plaster and 2 large colored LED lights.  The pool deck is a unique travertine color and most is installed on a limestone bed but some was placed on top of existing concrete that was there.  We did custom 8″ travertine drainage too.  Also, we did a greenish rectangular glass tile.  We built the client’s sisters pool a few years prior in Madisonville.  You can look up her testimonial under Rachael Estopinal.  I believe this pool would be a very fun one to own!