Custom pool construction in Waterloo Region
Aquascapes Recreational Contractors is a custom swimming pool contractor serving Waterloo Region and surrounding areas. Shaun Tully personally designs and installs every pool we build, limited to four to six new builds each season. Each one is built to the lot, the household, and the decades of service that follow.
Build characteristics at a glance
A quick-reference overview of how a custom Aquascapes build differs from a production-line install.
| Phase | What we do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Owner-led consultation at our Waterloo office; full plumbing layout including future-proofing for waterfalls, deck jets, automation, and spillover spas | Plumbing decisions made during the original build are a fraction of the cost of retrofitting them through finished concrete years later |
| Site assessment | Soil, water table, access, drainage, hidden infrastructure | Most build problems originate in conditions that should have been identified before excavation; we plan for them on day one |
| Excavation | Compact or full-size equipment, conveyor systems for narrow access, over-dig protocols where groundwater requires it | Tight side yards, sloped lots, and high water tables each need different protocols; the build sequence is matched to the site |
| Vinyl pool installation | Latham vinyl pool kits, which we've been installing since 1994 | A 30-year proven service life on installs we still maintain across the region |
| Plumbing | Two-step primer-and-cement process on every joint, every time | This is the single most common shortcut other builders take; it's also the cause of slow leaks under concrete five to ten years after the build |
| Equipment | Hayward equipment installed by a Totally Hayward Dealer; Hayward OmniLogic automation available | Extended manufacturer warranties available only through Totally Hayward Dealer status |
| Finishing | Coping, decking, retaining walls, surround design coordinated with pool placement | The pool should be part of your backyard environment, not a feature dropped into it |
| Handover | Records on file, equipment training, opening and closing plan | The relationship that begins on day one continues every season after |
Why we limit our builds to four to six per season
The number is deliberate. Four to six new pools a year is what one builder can personally install while still being present on every site, every day, from the start of excavation through the final completion and handover.
Our owner is the head installer. He runs the design conversation, walks the site, manages the excavation crew, makes the field calls when soil or drainage doesn't match the engineering drawings, and signs off on every joint of plumbing before the concrete goes down. This is not a model that scales. It's not designed to.
The person who promised the work is the same person who delivered it.
What we build
Custom vinyl-lined inground pools, designed and installed for the specific lot, the specific homeowner, and the specific way the family intends to use the backyard.
Our pool kits are from Latham, the largest residential pool manufacturer in North America. Vinyl liners are supplied by either Latham or Poolwerx, both of which back their inground liners with manufacturer warranties. Latham offers a 25-year limited transferable warranty, with the first five years at no charge and the balance prorated through year twenty-five. Poolwerx covers inground liners with a lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship.
All equipment is Hayward, installed by a Totally Hayward Dealer. This designation is the highest tier of dealer authorization Hayward offers, and carries extended manufacturer warranties that standard installations cannot access. Pumps, filters, electric and heat pump heaters, and Hayward OmniLogic automation are all installed under this warranty umbrella.
Shapes, sizes, water features, integrated spillover spas, deck-jet plumbing, tanning ledges, and pool-house integrations are all custom-specified during the design phase. The pool is built to the site and the use, not chosen from a catalogue of pre-built configurations.
How a custom build actually unfolds
Every Aquascapes build follows the same sequence, but each phase is adapted to what the site and the homeowner require.
Design consultation
Most projects start with a conversation at our Waterloo office. We talk through what you're imagining, the lot, the family, and the way the yard needs to work. The owner leads that conversation personally. From there we plan the site visit and the design phase. Plumbing decisions for future features get made now: waterfalls, deck jets, spillover spas, and automation all need to be plumbed in during the original build rather than retrofitted later through finished concrete.
Site assessment
Soil composition, water table behaviour, lot access, slope, hidden infrastructure (infiltration galleries, old drainage tie-ins, unmarked utilities). The conditions vary block by block across the region. We plan the build sequence around what we find, before we dig.
Permitting and pre-construction
Coordination with the municipality, fence and safety planning, scheduling the trades for finishing work that comes after the pool itself is in.
Excavation
Compact excavators for tight access. Conveyor belt systems where soil has to bypass narrow side yards. Over-dig protocols on wet-ground sites where groundwater needs continuous pumping through the build. The excavation sequence is matched to the site, not to a default playbook.
Pool installation
Wall panels, structural reinforcement, floor preparation. Every joint of plumbing is primed before the solvent cement goes on. Every joint, every time.
Equipment and final plumbing
Hayward pumps, filters, heaters, automation. All installed under Totally Hayward Dealer warranty.
Finishing
Coping, decking, retaining walls, surround design, integrated landscape elements. The pool environment is engineered to make the pool functional inside a usable yard, not to leave the homeowner with a level pool surrounded by an awkward grade.
Commissioning and handover
Water balance, equipment training, the opening and closing plan for the years ahead. Build records go into our file system on the property, where they stay for as long as the pool is in the ground.
The small decisions that determine the longevity of your pool
The materials and the methods are not the variables. Every credible pool builder in this market has access to the same kits and the same equipment. The variables are the small, invisible decisions that compound over time.
The plumbing primer step
Every solvent-welded joint requires a primer applied before the cement. The primer step is what guarantees a chemical bond strong enough to handle all future seasons of thermal expansion, freeze cycles, and water pressure. Skipping it is faster. We see the result of that shortcut every year in pools we're asked to assess for slow leaks under finished concrete decks. We don't skip it.
The over-dig protocol on wet-ground sites
Most of Waterloo Region builds on dry, workable soil. Sections of Laurelwood, parts of the Elmira clay zones, and a handful of pockets in other neighbourhoods sit on wet clay with high water tables. A pool built on saturated ground without proper preparation is a structural compromise that won't show itself for years. On those sites, we dig deeper than the pool requires and lay a gravel drainage bed beneath the floor. That foundation is what keeps the pool structurally sound for decades.
The drain line beneath the liner
On every build, we run a filtered drain line beneath the liner, routed to a standpipe at the surface. When the liner needs replacing, we connect a pump to that standpipe before we drain a drop of water. Pre-lowering the water table keeps the shell dry, the floor intact, and the replacement on schedule. Most builders do not include this as a standard step. Without it, groundwater in an empty shell can mean breaking through the pool floor to bury a temporary pump. We put the pipe in during the build. Every liner replacement after that runs faster and costs less because of it.
The future-proofing of plumbing
If a homeowner is considering a waterfall, deck jets, an automation upgrade, or a spillover spa even five years down the road, we run the plumbing now, during excavation. The marginal cost of an extra line at this stage is a fraction of what it costs to retrofit through finished decking later.
The materials choices
Faced with a choice between a cheaper component and a stronger one, we choose the stronger one. We've lost bids over that policy. We've also never had one of our installs fail because of it.
What comes after the build
Your custom build is the first step in a long relationship.
The same team that installs the pool maintains it. The same store that supplies the original equipment stocks the parts when their service life ends. When ownership changes hands, we carry the build history forward to the next owner.
The neighbourhood pages tell this story in concrete terms: 20-year-old Deer Ridge pools, Upper Beechwood relationships that span four decades, Laurelwood pools still water-tight three decades in. The custom build is where it all begins.
One builder. One service team. One parts supply. One set of records, from first design through every season that follows.
How a custom build gets quoted
Every Aquascapes build is quoted to the specific project. The variables (pool size and shape, equipment package, surround treatment, and integrated features) all shift the total. A standard rectangular pool with a basic equipment package and a poured concrete deck will be one amount. The same pool with an infinity edge, a custom hardscape surround, a pool house, and OmniLogic automation is another.
What every quote includes by default: the pool kit, the equipment package with Totally Hayward warranty, all plumbing and electrical, excavation, pool installation, water start-up, and the first opening of the season.
What drives cost variation:
- Size and shape of the pool
- Equipment package (heat pump, automation, water features)
- Surround treatment (poured concrete, stamped concrete, natural stone, integrated landscape)
- Integrated features (spillover spa, deck jets, tanning ledges, waterfalls)
- Pool house or cabana integration
- Site conditions (high water table, difficult access, retaining walls, hidden infrastructure)
The starting point is a conversation at our Waterloo office, followed by a site assessment. From there we provide a written quote based on what the build actually requires.
Frequently
asked
questions
Common questions about custom pool construction in Waterloo Region, from who builds the pool to what happens after the build is done.
Don't see yours? Give us a call at (519) 886-8751. We're always happy to talk it through.
How far in advance should I book?
Earlier than most people expect. With four to six builds per season, spots are limited. Most homeowners who are swimming by July started the conversation the previous fall or winter. Spring inquiries for the same season are sometimes possible but not guaranteed. The right time to reach out is as soon as you're seriously considering a build.
What equipment comes with the build?
All equipment is Hayward, installed by a Totally Hayward Dealer with extended manufacturer warranties not available through standard installations. Pumps, filters, heaters (electric and heat pump only), and Hayward OmniLogic automation are all available.
Can you build on a difficult lot?
Yes. Tight side yards, sloped lots, high water tables, and unmarked drainage infrastructure are all conditions we've engineered around for thirty years. The site assessment is where we figure out what the specific lot requires.
How long does a custom build take?
A typical Aquascapes build runs four to eight weeks from start to swimming, weather permitting. Sites with groundwater management, large hardscape components, or integrated pool houses run longer.
Is the build itself under warranty?
The plumbing, installation, and structural work is backed by our workmanship. We maintain full build records on every pool we install, and the owner is on-site for every build. Equipment warranties are through Hayward under our Totally Hayward Dealer status. Liner warranties are through Latham and Poolwerx directly.
What happens to my pool records when I sell the house?
They stay on file with us and carry forward to the new owner. We've been managing ownership transitions for thirty years. The new owner gets the same build history, equipment specifications, and service records as the original owner. No starting from scratch.
Ready to start your custom build?
Book a consultation