Custom Pools · Rockwall County & Dallas–Fort Worth
Custom Gunite Pools, Designed and Built for Your Backyard
Every pool we build starts as a blank page and a walk around your yard. As a custom pool builder, Blue Wave Outdoor Living designs and builds custom pools and spas in gunite across Rockwall County and the Dallas–Fort Worth area — shaped to your lot, engineered for North Texas clay, and built by the same owner-run team from the first sketch to the first swim.
A pool designed around your yard, not picked from a catalog
A custom pool is one where the shape, depth, steps, spa and finishes are decided by your yard and by the way your family will actually use it — not by a mold or a kit. That is the only kind of pool we build.
We start by walking the property: where the afternoon sun lands, how the ground falls, where the easements and setbacks sit, and what the pool will look like from the kitchen window. From there we draw a design, put the price in writing, and handle the permits, HOA review and inspections ourselves.
Blue Wave is owner-run. You deal directly with the person responsible for the build, from the first sketch to the final walk-through.
“One of the best experiences I had was able to deal directly with the owner Gio to address any concerns and final design. He really takes pride in his work.”
Cesar Beza · Google review · reviewing us under our former name, Famous TX Pools
What goes into a Blue Wave pool
Every feature below is formed into the same gunite shell, so it is designed together and built together. Mix them however your yard and budget allow.
Geometric and modern
Long rectangles, crisp coping and clean lines that make a contemporary home look finished.
Raised spas and spillovers
A spa set above the pool, spilling into it, with a stone or tile wall that doubles as a feature.
Sheer descents and water walls
Sheets of water off a raised wall, including backlit features that glow after dark.
Tanning ledges and wide steps
A shallow shelf for loungers and kids, and steps wide enough to sit on and talk.
Backlit feature walls
Onyx, stone and tile behind the water, lit so the backyard works at night as well as it does by day.
The yard around it
Decking, turf, kitchens and fire features, designed with the pool instead of bolted on later.
Why we build every pool in gunite
Gunite is concrete sprayed over a hand-tied steel frame and shaped on site. It is the one method that lets a pool be any shape, any depth and any size — with the spa, tanning ledge and feature walls built into the same shell.
It also lets us engineer the steel and the shell for the ground under your yard, which matters on North Texas clay. Fiberglass and vinyl both have their place; for a custom pool built to last on this soil, gunite is what we trust.
| Gunite | Fiberglass | Vinyl liner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape and size | Anything you can draw | Set by the factory mold | Set by the kit and liner |
| Spa, ledges, steps | Formed into the shell | Only if the mold has them | Limited options |
| Interior finish | Plaster, quartz, pebble or tile | Factory gel coat | Printed vinyl liner |
| Built for your soil | Steel and shell engineered for the lot | Depends on the base and backfill | Depends on the walls and base |
A general comparison of construction methods. Your design, soil and site set the details.
From first walk to first swim
Five stages, one team. We schedule every inspection, meet every inspector, and tell you what is happening on your project, when it is happening, and why.
Walk the yard
Sun, slope, access, easements and setbacks — and how you want to use the space.
Design and price
A drawn design and a written price, with finishes chosen together.
Permits and HOA
Plans, city permit, HOA submittal and any utility requirements, handled by us.
Construction
Excavation, hand-tied steel, plumbing and electrical, then the gunite shell, waterline tile, coping and decking — each stage inspected.
Finish and startup
Interior finish, fill, startup and a walk-through of your equipment.
Custom pool pricing
Where a custom pool starts
Starting at
$75,000
12×26 pool, no spa
- Travertine or porcelain stone option
- Porcelain tile
Starting at
$100,000
16×28 pool with a flush spa
- Travertine or porcelain stone option
- Porcelain tile
Warranty
1-year installation warranty
Our workmanship is covered for a year from installation. Manufacturer warranties on equipment and materials are typically passed along to you.
Want more than the pool? Most of our projects go beyond the pool. We also build outdoor kitchens, paver decking, Cool Deck systems and turf, up to a full backyard transformation — see Outdoor Living.
Starting prices cover the pool as described. Your lot, finishes and add-ons set the final figure, which we put in writing after we walk your yard.
Built for North Texas ground and weather
A pool here has to cope with three things most of the country never thinks about. We design for all of them before we dig.
Clay that moves
Most of the area sits on Blackland Prairie clays that shrink in drought and swell after rain. We engineer the steel, the shell and the deck for ground that moves, and we plan drainage around the pool rather than hoping for a dry year.
Long, hot summers
A long swim season is hard on equipment and on bare feet. We size pumps and filtration for real use, and we steer decking toward surfaces that stay cooler underfoot, such as Cool Deck and light travertine.
The occasional hard freeze
North Texas does not freeze often, but when it does, exposed plumbing and equipment pay for it. We plan the equipment pad and plumbing runs so a cold snap does not catch your pool out.
Custom pool questions, answered
What homeowners ask us most before they build. For city-specific permit rules, see our Rockwall, Heath, Royse City and Dallas pages.
What is a custom pool?
A custom pool is designed for one specific yard. The shape, depth, steps, spa and features are decided by your lot and by how you plan to use the pool, then built on site in gunite rather than set in the ground from a factory mold or kit.
How much does a custom pool cost?
Our custom pools start at $75,000 for a 12×26 pool without a spa, and at $100,000 for a 16×28 pool with a flush spa — both with a travertine or porcelain stone option and porcelain tile. Size, features, finishes, decking and your lot’s access, slope and soil set the final figure, which we put in writing after we walk your yard.
How long does it take to build a custom pool?
It depends on permits, HOA review, weather and the features you choose. We give you a schedule with your design, and we keep you updated at every stage, from permit to startup.
Is gunite better than fiberglass?
For a custom pool, gunite is the more flexible choice: it can be any shape, depth or size, and the spa, ledges and feature walls are formed into the same shell. Fiberglass pools come in set shapes from a factory mold. We build in gunite because it lets us design to your yard and engineer the shell for North Texas clay.
Do you handle permits and HOA approval?
Yes. We prepare the plans, submit the city permit, prepare your HOA submittal, schedule every inspection and meet the inspector on site. Each city has its own rules, and we keep track of them for you.
Can you add a spa to a custom pool?
Yes. A spa can be raised above the pool and spill into it, or set flush with the pool deck. Because it is formed into the same gunite shell, it is designed with the pool from the start.
What warranty comes with a custom pool?
Every pool we build carries a 1-year warranty on installation. Manufacturer warranties on equipment and materials are typically passed along to you.
Does North Texas clay soil affect a pool?
Yes. Much of the area sits on Blackland Prairie clays that shrink and swell as moisture changes, and the USDA lists that movement as a limitation on building. We engineer the shell, deck and drainage for ground that moves, which is why we walk every yard before we price it.
Can you design the rest of the backyard too?
Yes. We build outdoor kitchens, paver and Cool Deck decking, retaining walls, stonework, turf and grading, and we design them together with the pool so the whole yard is planned, permitted and built as one project.
Do you offer pool financing?
We work with Lyon Financial, which specializes in pool and outdoor living financing and coordinates with us so funds are available until your project is complete. Lyon Financial acts as a facilitator and is not a lender or a broker.
What areas do you build custom pools in?
We are based in Rockwall County and build across the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including Rockwall, Heath, Royse City, Fate, Rowlett, McLendon-Chisholm and Dallas.
Verified Reviews From Real Customers
Owner-run, and it shows
“One of the best experiences I had was able to deal directly with the owner Gio to address any concerns and final design. He really takes pride in his work.”
Cesar Beza · Google review, September 2025 · reviewing us under our former name, Famous TX Pools
Ready to see what your yard can hold?
Tell us a little about your backyard and we will come walk it with you. You will leave with a clear idea of what fits, what it takes, and what it costs.