A Plunge Pool Paradise in Richmond, VA

Materials: Coping; Fountain Equipment; Fencing; Gravel; Landscape Lighting; Mulch; Pavers; Plunge Pool; Plumbing Equipment; Plants; Seeds; and Stone.

Backyard Renovation in Richmond, VA

This couple was just like you and I – living their lives, trying to save money, and enjoying their marriage when an unexpected cancer diagnosis took them by complete surprise. They started to re-evaluate how they were spending their time and money, and realized that their outside space was creating stress instead of enjoyment. It’s exactly the kind of transformation we love to take on.

What started as an afterthought or a luxury – a backyard they could love – became a high priority, and that’s where we stepped in…

What can we fit in the backyard?!

These homeowners wanted a way to make their backyard an interactive and usable extension of their home. Originally, they were just planning to add a deck to their space, until they got a quote back for over six figures… for just a deck? No thank you!

Soake Pools wins again!

Break out the tissues, because this is by far our most emotional video yet…

We were able to give this family a total backyard makeover. After talking through their options, they decided to transform their space by adding a Soake Pools swim spa, also known as a plunge pool, which is basically a small pool that can give you both the hot tub AND pool experience all year round. It really is the best of both worlds!

What's a deadline?

We created a dilemma: a self-imposed timeline. Normally a project with this many facets (fence, plumbing, electrical, pool, pavers, water feature, landscaping, grading, cleanup) would last three to four weeks.

Knowing their circumstance, I asked the team a big question. “Could pull this project off in time for Christmas.” We only had 10 days and the weather doesn’t usually cooperate in the winter. Then we found bit of information that confirmed our decision: they were headed out of town until the 23rd.

Game on!

The Plunge Pool

Before installing the pool, we laid our gravel bed and drain line, which connects to the pipes underneath. The drain line is placed just in case any ground water gets in there – the hydrostatic pressure will push the water up through that drain, and it will pop up on the far side of the patio, keeping any excess moisture out.

Our biggest challenge by far was moving the 22,000-lb plunge pool from the street into the backyard. With limited driveway space, neighboring houses close by, and lots of power lines in the mix, we were all a little nervous. It took two trucks and a giant crane to safely get the pool in place.

The plunge pool itself is a one piece shell with a skimmer that we had built into the hardscape. There are jets located on each end of the pool, as well as a multistep bench for seating on each side.

Around the edge of the pool we installed Techo Bloc Raffinato Coping for a sleek and smooth finish. For the rest of the patio we opted for the Techo Bloc Blu60 smooth stone, which has a modern feel and is ideal for high traffic areas.

The Patio and Water Feature

We decided to give the patio some character by breaking up the pavers with some landscaping and a gorgeous water feature. We planted some Winter Gem Boxwoods in between the two sections of patio and added two Techo Bloc Borealis Steppers to keep the spaces connected.

The Borealis pavers are really unique because you get the quality of a durable concrete paver with the rustic look of wood, which helps the space to feel a little cozier. Of course we needed to add a water feature, so we installed a ~Stacked Slate Sphere~from Aquascape and tied it all together with a Borealis wall.

Now their patio had two clearly defined spaces: one side with a fire pit and seating area, and another featuring the plunge pool. While these spaces are “separated” visually, which really helps with the flow of the yard, they are still close enough to be enjoyed together!

Another fun aspect of this patio is the small seating area we created in the corner, just as you come down the back steps. Once again we used Techo Bloc Borealis, but we chose a herringbone pattern for the inlay. We then installed a ~Borealis Seating Wall~ along the edge of this space. Both the wall and the herringbone design really help to bring balance to the whole space, and this small design element ended up being one of their favorite parts of the transformation!

The Landscaping

To finish off this space we added more Winter Gem Boxwoods around the perimeter of the patio, and Green Mountain Boxwoods down the walkway. We planted Green Emerald Arborvitae trees in each corner of the yard, and filled it in with Little Lime Hydrangeas on one side and Drift Roses on the other. Some other plants we included in the landscaping were Bloodgood Japanese Maple, Yoshino Cherry, Henry’s Garnet, Russian Sage, and Dwarf Cassian Grass.

Finally, we installed some horizontal treated fencing around three sides of the perimeter to really give the space a nice cozy feeling, while still leaving it open to the rest of the yard.

When all was said and done, we were able to complete this whole project for just around $135,000, and we did it in under 10 days! Now this family has an outdoor space that they can enjoy together every day of the year.