For an estimate or if you have a question please contact us at (602) 569-6336
ROC Licenses: #094365, #352932, #352933, #361088
New Pool Construction
Custom Pool Construction in Phoenix & the Valley
Dolphin Pools has designed and built custom gunite pools across metro Phoenix since 1984. One team, three Valley offices, a fully in-house process from first sketch to final swim.
Building a Custom Pool in the Phoenix Valley
A new pool is one of the largest home investments most Arizona homeowners make, and the process looks different depending on where you live. A lot in South Gilbert has different soil, setback and HOA considerations than a golf-frontage lot in Scottsdale or a newer master-planned community in Buckeye. Dolphin Pools has built across nearly every one of these conditions since 1984, and every project starts with a real site evaluation, not a generic template.
All Dolphin Pools construction uses gunite (shotcrete) — a steel-reinforced concrete shell sprayed into a hand-formed excavation. Unlike pre-fabricated fiberglass or vinyl-liner pools, gunite is built entirely on-site, so shape, depth and feature placement stay open until you decide them, and the finished shell holds up to Arizona's temperature swings and UV exposure far better than manufactured alternatives.
Dolphin Pools brings 42+ years of Valley experience, a 4.9-star Google rating from 636+ reviews, Google Verified status, and BBB A+ accreditation to every new build. We manage design, permitting, HOA submittals, engineering and construction under one contract, from one team.
Quick Answers About Building a New Pool
The essentials before you start planning a custom pool in the Phoenix area.
What does a new pool cost in Phoenix?
Cost depends on size, features, materials and site conditions. Dolphin Pools offers five Paradise Pool Packages designed to fit a wide range of budgets, plus fully custom, high-end builds and complete backyard living projects. Every project starts with a free, no-obligation estimate.
How long does construction take?
Most Valley pool builds run 8 to 12 weeks from excavation to final fill, depending on design complexity, permitting and HOA review. Pre-construction approvals typically add another 2 to 8 weeks before ground is broken.
What is gunite, and why does it matter?
Gunite is steel-reinforced concrete, sprayed into a hand-formed excavation rather than dropped into a pre-fab mold. It is the standard for custom pool construction in Arizona because it holds up to extreme heat and UV exposure and allows any shape, depth or feature combination.
Do you handle permits and HOA approval?
Yes, on every project. Requirements differ by city and by community, so we manage each jurisdiction's permitting and any required HOA architectural review directly. See your city's page for local specifics.
Which Dolphin Pools office is closest to me?
Dolphin Pools operates three Valley offices — Phoenix, Surprise and Gilbert/Mesa — so most homeowners have a local point of contact for design, permitting and construction rather than a single central office serving the whole Valley.
Can you design the pool and backyard together?
Yes. Dolphin Pools designs and builds pools, spas, outdoor living and landscaping as one coordinated project under a single contract, rather than requiring separate contractors for each piece.
Free Consultation
Get Started Now
Start Your New Pool Project
Tell us about your property and vision. We'll schedule a site evaluation with the office nearest you and walk you through options that fit your lot and budget.
Phone(602) 569-6336
Phoenix Office20635 N Cave Creek Rd #A-3
Phoenix, AZ 85024
Phoenix, AZ 85024
HoursMon – Sat: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Rating4.9 ★ from 636+ reviews across the Valley
Service AreaPhoenix & the entire Valley
Popular Pool Shapes for Phoenix Backyards
Because every Dolphin Pools build starts with gunite construction rather than a pre-fabricated mold, shape isn't limited to a handful of presets. These three shape families cover most of what we build across the Valley, and each one is adjusted to fit your specific lot.
Geometric
Rectangles, squares and other straight-edged forms with defined corners. Geometric pools pair naturally with modern and contemporary homes, make efficient use of long or narrow yards, and their straight parallel walls make them a practical choice if lap swimming is part of the plan.
Freeform
Curved, organic shapes without straight lines, designed to feel more like a natural body of water than a built structure. Freeform pools work well on irregular lots and pair naturally with boulders, waterfalls and desert-style landscaping.
Explore Pool Shapes, Sizes & Water Features
Go deeper on the design decisions that shape a custom pool build.
Pool Shapes
Geometric, freeform, Grecian, Roman, kidney and L-shape — compare six pool shapes and find which fits your lot and home style.
See the shapes guide →
Pool Sizes
From compact cocktail pools to full resort-style layouts, compare six size categories and find the right fit for your yard.
See the sizes guide →
Water Features
Deck jets, Baja shelves, swim-up bars, waterfalls and more — see what's involved in each, from cost to upkeep.
See the water features guide →Why Homeowners Build With Dolphin Pools
42+ Years, One Company
Designing and building custom pools across the Phoenix Valley since 1984 — not a franchise, not a subcontracted crew.
4.9 Stars • 636+ Reviews
Google Verified status means Google has independently confirmed our licensing, insurance and background checks.
Three Valley Offices
Phoenix, Surprise and Gilbert/Mesa offices mean a local team, not a call center, wherever you're building.
Fully In-House
Design, permitting, construction, outdoor living and landscaping under one contract — no subcontractor hand-offs.
How Your Pool Actually Gets Built
Gunite construction follows a fixed sequence of engineering-driven stages. Here's what each one involves.
From Dirt to Dive-In: Watch Our Process
A real look at what happens on-site, from the first shovel of dirt to the day you jump in.
We assess access, grading, drainage, soil conditions and HOA requirements, then build a custom design around your property and goals, using 3D visualization so you can see it before anything is built.
Structural engineering plans are prepared and submitted to your city's building department, along with any required HOA architectural review.
The design is staked on-site and excavation begins, shaped precisely to the engineered plan and adjusted for local soil conditions.
Reinforcing steel is set to engineered spec, followed by plumbing and electrical rough-in for pumps, drains, lighting and features.
Structural gunite is sprayed to form the pool shell under high pressure, then given time to properly cure before the next phase begins.
Waterline tile, coping and decking materials are installed, along with any spa, water feature or raised-wall elements.
Plaster, pebble aggregate or quartz finish is applied to the shell interior, followed by the initial fill.
Pumps, filtration, heating and automation systems are installed, tested and balanced before handover.
We walk through every system with you, cover water care and warranty terms, and hand over a pool that's ready to use.
Not every project follows an identical schedule. Design complexity, city permitting, HOA review and material selections all affect timing — your consultation includes a timeline specific to your property.
Climate & Site
What Arizona's Climate Demands From a New Pool
The Valley sees 300+ days of sunshine a year, with summer highs regularly exceeding 110°F and low desert humidity driving high evaporation. Winter overnight lows dip into the 40s from December through February.
Design Consequences
- ✓Season length. Unheated pools are comfortable roughly March through November. A heater or heat pump extends use to effectively year-round.
- ✓Evaporation. A cover or windbreak meaningfully reduces water loss during the hottest, driest months.
- ✓Deck temperature. Standard concrete becomes unusable barefoot in July. Heat-reflective coatings and lighter travertine are functional necessities here, not upgrades.
- ✓Soil and excavation. Caliche hardpan is common across much of the Valley and can require specialized excavation equipment and extra time. We plan and budget for it during design, not as a mid-project change order.
- ✓Monsoon drainage. Arizona's monsoon season brings short, intense rainfall. Grading and drainage are addressed as part of every design, not treated as an afterthought once the shell is in the ground.
Permitting and HOA Approval Across the Valley
Every new pool in Arizona requires a city or town building permit, structural engineering plans and staged inspections. Most master-planned communities also require a separate HOA architectural review, which runs on its own track with its own requirements — neither approval substitutes for the other.
Requirements, review timelines and inspection sequences differ by jurisdiction. Dolphin Pools manages permitting and HOA submittals directly in every city we serve, so you are not tracking two separate approval processes on your own. For the specific permitting authority, typical review timeline and pool barrier requirements in your city, see your local page below.
HOA approval and city permitting are always separate processes with separate requirements. Both need to be resolved before construction begins, in every community we build in.
Where We Build
Dolphin Pools serves homeowners throughout the Phoenix Valley from three local offices. Click any pin for local permitting details, neighborhoods and design guidance.
Pins link to each city's local page. Areas shown are approximate.
Dolphin Pools builds custom pools throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Queen Creek, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye and Cave Creek, plus the rest of Arizona.
Paradise Pool Packages
Five starting configurations built to fit different budgets and backyards, with full customization at every level, plus fully custom builds for homeowners who want to start from a blank page.
Entry
Paradise Plunge
A compact, quality-built pool suited to smaller backyards, courtyard lots and patio-focused properties.
View Package →
Essential
Paradise Essentials
A full-size custom gunite pool with energy-saving equipment, built to last for growing families.
View Package →
Popular
Paradise Plus
Upgraded lighting, custom decking and optional spa integration for a pool that stands out.
View Package →
Luxury
Ultimate Paradise
High-end finishes, smart automation and premium water features for a complete luxury experience.
View Package →
All-Inclusive
Complete Paradise
Luxury pool construction plus complete outdoor living and landscaping — one team, one contract.
View Package →Package inclusions and final pricing are confirmed during your design consultation and depend on your property, selections and site conditions.
Typical New Pool Construction Timeline
Realistic total: 8 to 12 weeks of construction, plus 2 to 8 weeks of pre-construction approvals.
| Phase | Typical Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Design consultation and revisions | 1 – 2 weeks | Site evaluation, 3D design, material selection |
| HOA architectural review | 1 – 4 weeks | Where applicable; varies by community |
| City permit submittal and review | 2 – 3 weeks | Timeline varies by jurisdiction — see your city page |
| Layout and excavation | 3 – 7 days | Extends with caliche or restricted site access |
| Steel, plumbing, electrical rough | 1 – 2 weeks | Pre-gunite and underground inspections |
| Gunite shell and cure | 1 – 2 weeks | Shell must cure before finish work |
| Tile, coping, decking | 2 – 3 weeks | Material lead times can affect this phase |
| Equipment set and startup | 1 week | Equipment and electrical final inspection |
| Interior finish, fill and balancing | 1 – 2 weeks | Pre-plaster inspection precedes fill |
How to Choose a Pool Builder in Arizona
Arizona has hundreds of licensed pool contractors, and quality varies widely. A few checks catch most of the risk before you sign anything.
- ✓Verify current Arizona ROC licensing directly with the Registrar of Contractors, not just a number printed on a website.
- ✓Check review volume, not just star rating. A 5.0 rating from 12 reviews tells you less than a 4.9 rating from 600+.
- ✓Ask who handles permitting. If the builder doesn't manage this directly, you may end up coordinating with the city yourself.
- ✓Get warranty terms in writing before signing — specifically what's covered on the shell versus equipment, and for how long.
- ✓Confirm who's actually building it. Some companies subcontract construction; ask whether crews are in-house.
Dolphin Pools is Arizona ROC-licensed (#094365, #352932, #352933, #361088), Google Verified, and BBB A+ accredited through Dolphin Pool Construction Co Inc, with construction crews in-house rather than subcontracted.
Common Mistakes New Pool Owners Make
We see these repeatedly. Every one is avoidable, and most are handled before you ever see a permit application.
- Skipping the HOA timeline. Submitting late in a review cycle can cost weeks. Get your community's requirements early.
- Assuming soil conditions won't matter. Caliche is common across much of the Valley; plan and budget for it upfront.
- Treating the pool barrier as an afterthought. Height and hardware requirements vary by city and need to be designed in from the start, not retrofitted.
- Skipping shade planning. The most common regret in this climate. Plan patio covers or pergolas with the pool, not after.
- Choosing finishes indoors. Desert light changes how color reads outdoors — view samples on-site.
- Deferring the heater. Retrofitting almost always costs more than including it in the original build.
- Not verifying contractor licensing directly. Confirm current Arizona ROC standing before signing anything.
Recent Work Across the Phoenix Valley
A look at recent Dolphin Pools projects.
42+Years of Experience
636+Google Reviews, Valley-Wide
4.9★Google Rating
3Valley Office Locations
What Our Clients Say
Dolphin Pools has earned a 4.9-star Google rating from more than 600 customers across its Valley locations.
New Pool Construction FAQ
Common questions from Valley homeowners planning a new custom pool.
Look for proven local experience, a strong review history, and verifiable credentials, current Arizona ROC licensing, transparent warranty terms, and a builder who manages permitting directly rather than leaving it to you. Dolphin Pools has built custom pools across the Phoenix Valley since 1984, holds Arizona ROC licenses #094365, #352932, #352933 and #361088, and is Google Verified with a 4.9-star rating from 636+ reviews. Call (602) 569-6336.
Cost depends on size, features, materials and site conditions. Dolphin Pools offers five Paradise Pool Packages designed to fit a wide range of budgets, plus fully custom, high-end pools and complete backyard living projects. Final pricing is confirmed during your free design consultation.
Dolphin Pools specializes exclusively in custom gunite (concrete) swimming pools. Gunite is the preferred construction method for Arizona's climate, it allows fully custom shapes, delivers long-term structural integrity, and performs reliably against extreme UV and temperature variation. We do not build fiberglass or vinyl-liner pools.
Most Valley custom pool builds take 8 to 12 weeks of construction, plus 2 to 8 weeks of pre-construction approvals. City permitting timelines, HOA review, design complexity and site conditions all affect the schedule. We manage all pre-construction coordination to keep your project on track.
Yes, in every city we serve. Permitting authorities, review timelines and HOA requirements differ by jurisdiction, so we manage each one directly rather than leaving coordination to you. See your city's page for local specifics.
Dolphin Pools builds year-round. October through March is the most popular window, when temperatures support comfortable concrete curing, but starting in summer often means your pool is ready before the following summer season, and off-peak windows can mean faster consultations and shorter permit queues.
Yes. Dolphin Pools designs and builds pools, spas, outdoor kitchens, patios, pergolas and landscaping as one coordinated project under a single contract, rather than requiring separate contractors for each piece.
Yes. Financing is available through independent third-party lenders, who set their own rates and eligibility requirements. Learn more about financing →
Yes. Dolphin Pool Construction Co Inc holds a Better Business Bureau A+ accreditation, reflecting our commitment to transparent pricing, quality workmanship, and customer satisfaction, maintained throughout 42+ years of pool building across the Phoenix Valley.
Dolphin Pools backs every new build with a lifetime structural warranty on the pool shell to the original buyer, a separate two-year limited warranty on labor and materials, and an assigned three-year Hayward manufacturer warranty on pumps, filters, heaters and electronic controls. Full terms are reviewed during your design and contract phase. See full warranty details →
Ready to Build Your Pool?
Whether you're planning a compact courtyard pool or a full backyard transformation, our team is ready to help. Schedule a free design consultation and take the first step toward the backyard you've been imagining.
Dolphin Pools, 20635 N Cave Creek Rd #A-3, Phoenix, AZ 85024, (602) 569-6336, Google Verified • Established 1984 • Arizona ROC #094365, #352932, #352933, #361088