"After"
"Before"
The Excavation
5 - 6 boulders this size were taken out
Fortunately, this boulder was so secure with roots that we were pretty safe. But there is still something to say about a 10 foot boulder teetering above your head.
Gunite
Imported glass tile
The finished product just 2 days before a wedding on the property
This is their nephew taking the first dive off the rock. He is the the one who got this whole project going by telling our homeowners they needed to build a pool pool right under this rock.
Nestled into Mission Canyon of Santa Barbara, this pool sits in the middle of an oaktree orchard. We had to do many reviews with county officials to even dig in this spot without disturbing the trees. The reason why these homeowners wanted the pool in this spot was because they saw a huge opportunity to jump from a specific rock into the water. The rock they wanted to jump off was about 8' in diameter. Typically this is something we would use a crane to bring in or we'd build it from faux rock. But when we arrived on site for the first time, part of the pool was already dug right next to the diving rock. So moving/replacing it after the pool was built was not an option. With a lot of caution, we went for it.
Digging the rest of the pool required precision work because there were still many boulders under ground, and we didn't want their movement to cause the diving boulder to topple into the pool hole. Especially while people were working in it. Some of those boulders we moved were so big they had to be first cut to take them out. Fortunately, the precision excavation went as well as it could have thanks to Pat Mills and his guys. We were able to steel, plumb, and place electric in the pool within a few days. Then it was time for the Gunite. Even though the pool was only 33' long x 14' wide, there were huge cavities from pulling out boulders, a cover vault, a 10' depth, and thick walls, causing over 100 tons of gunite to be used. And again, because of the design and element of this pool such as multiple lights, underwater speakers, a fastlane swim system, and a non-pertruding cover vault, things had to be precise. After an all day affair, the gunite was complete which put everyones mind to ease to then focus on the aesthetics. Fortunately, the homeowners had an incredible eye for taste and were not afraid to choose materials that were perfect for their property. About a month later, all of the finish work was complete.
Materials
Coping: Black Slate
Tile: Imported Black and Mixed Glass
Pebble Tec: Black Satin with Abalone Shell
Cover Vault Cap: Ipe Wood