Arcadia Pool Relocation, Spa, Outdoor Kitchen, California Room, and Backyard Resort Construction

Swimming Pool Construction
Arcadia

This Arcadia project was our second project with this client. Garden View Landscape, Nursery & Pools had previously landscaped his former residence, and when he purchased this new home, he came back to us because he trusted our design/build process and construction experience.

The existing pool at the new residence had rust coming from the bottom and was not located in the best relationship to the house. The pool was set too far away from the porch, so it did not feel naturally connected to the home or the main outdoor living area. Rather than simply repair an aging pool in the wrong location, Mark suggested a more complete solution: build a new, better pool, connect it to the house, rebuild the storage shed area into a California-style outdoor living room, and create a complete backyard resort.

The final project includes a new swimming pool, spa, beach entry, Baja shelf, swim lanes, pebble pool finish, salt system, Pentair IntelliCenter remote pool controls, barbecue patio, full outdoor kitchen, fireplace, bar, California room, custom steel railings, storage area, stonework, granite, and a complete landscape that ties the spaces together.

Solving the Existing Pool Problem

The client first came to us because rust was coming from the bottom of the existing pool. That raised concerns about the condition of the pool and whether it made sense to invest in repairs. The pool also had a layout problem. It was not placed close enough to the porch and did not connect well with the house.

Instead of patching the old pool and leaving the same poor layout, Garden View redesigned the backyard around a new pool location. This allowed us to solve the pool issue and improve the entire outdoor living experience at the same time.

The new spa was placed on the upper porch side, helping connect the house, porch, pool, and outdoor living areas. This made the spa an important transition point between the home and the water.

Building Around a Spring Under the Pool

One of the most important hidden construction challenges was a spring coming up underneath the pool area. Subsurface water can create serious problems if it is not handled correctly. Water pressure below a pool can affect long-term performance, so the condition had to be addressed before the pool could be built properly.

Garden View built a collection basin underneath the pool to collect and manage the spring water. This helped prevent the spring from creating pressure or future issues with the pool structure.

This type of problem-solving is one of the reasons a full-service pool and landscape construction company matters. The finished pool looks beautiful, but the unseen construction details below the surface are what help make the project successful over time.

A Pool Designed for Beauty, Fitness, and Everyday Use

The new pool was designed to be both attractive and functional. It includes a beach entry and Baja shelf, creating a shallow lounging area and a more resort-like pool experience. It also includes swim lanes, giving the pool a practical fitness and recreation function.

The pool was finished with a pebble finish and salt system. The equipment includes a Pentair IntelliCenter system, allowing the homeowner to control pool functions remotely from a cell phone app.

By combining a spa, beach entry, Baja shelf, swim lanes, pebble finish, salt system, and remote pool automation, the project became much more than a replacement swimming pool. It became a complete backyard water environment.

Outdoor Kitchen, Fireplace, Bar, and California Room

Garden View built a barbecue and outdoor space in the patio area next to the house. Across from the porch, we created a full California-style outdoor living room with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, bar, and seating area.

The California room was built with a solid roof designed to match the roof and structure of the existing house. This made the new outdoor room feel like a permanent architectural extension of the residence, not an afterthought.

The California room was also cantilevered over the pool, creating a strong connection between the outdoor living area and the water. A bar was built so people could face the pool while enjoying the kitchen, fireplace, and outdoor room.

On the backside of the California room, Garden View built a storage area for pool toys, outdoor equipment, and miscellaneous materials. This practical detail helps keep the outdoor living areas clean and organized.

Formal and Informal Materials

The project uses a mix of formal and informal design ideas. The patio and California room have a semi-formal layout and structure, while the materials bring in a more natural, informal feeling.

Rough flagstone materials were interspersed with smooth granite, creating a contrast between texture and refinement. The stonework gives the project warmth and character, while the granite adds a cleaner, more finished look.

This combination helped the backyard feel elegant without becoming too stiff. The space has structure, but it still feels comfortable, natural, and livable.

Custom Artistic Steel Railings

The custom steel railings were designed with ornate vine-like leaves, making them both functional and artistic. Instead of using standard railings, Garden View created a detail that fit the garden setting and added craftsmanship to the project.

The railings provide safety where needed while also becoming part of the overall design. Their vine-like pattern helps connect the architecture, pool, stonework, and landscape.

Landscape That Connects the Patio, Pool, and California Room

The landscape was designed so the pool and planting feel like they drop between the patio next to the house and the California room. This helped create depth and movement through the yard.

Rather than treating the pool, patio, California room, kitchen, fireplace, and landscape as separate features, the design ties them together into one complete backyard resort. The planting, stone, grade changes, spa placement, and outdoor rooms all work together.

A Complete Arcadia Backyard Transformation

This Arcadia project began with a rust problem in an existing pool, but the better solution was to rethink the entire backyard. Garden View relocated and rebuilt the pool, added a spa that connects the porch to the water, built a beach entry, Baja shelf, and swim lanes, solved the spring water issue below the pool with a collection basin, and created a complete outdoor living environment.

The finished backyard includes a barbecue patio near the house, a full outdoor kitchen, fireplace, bar, California room, storage area, custom steel railings, rough flagstone, smooth granite, pebble pool finish, salt system, Pentair IntelliCenter pool automation, and a landscape that connects everything together.

For homeowners in Arcadia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, and nearby San Gabriel Valley communities, this project shows the value of hiring a full-service landscape and pool construction company. Difficult properties often require more than a pool contractor or a landscape designer. They require a team that can solve existing pool problems, manage hidden site conditions, coordinate outdoor structures, design functional outdoor living spaces, and build a cohesive finished environment.

This Arcadia backyard is now a complete resort-style outdoor living space with pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, fireplace, bar, California room, storage, custom railings, stonework, granite, and landscape all working together.

Before & After: