Austin Pool Designs

We used Austin Pool Design to install a pool in our backyard a few years ago. We contact them Feb 2024 to address some problems we thought were associate with Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) aka concrete cancer. We have cracking all around the pool both exterior/interior, purser stones and the concrete wall that surrounds the pool equipment. They explained to use that lots can settle after construction, nothing about ASR was mentioned. They completed fixing the impacted areas around 08/2024. We contacted them a few weeks ago as new lueder stones crack and some pool cracks on the interior were getting bigger. We get an email back from the owner saying he “suspects” our pool has ASR. He blamed it on concrete provided by a sub contractor they hired. He sent me Austin Pool Designs insurance information, the sub contractors insurance information and said sorry. He then told me it was my responsibility to hire a structural engineer to assess the damage, and then work with them to figure out if my pool can be repaired, or has to be demolished and rebuilt. Just like they saved money using sub par concrete to build my pool, they are saving money by not accepting responsibility to fix a problem they caused. It is their responsibility to figure out if my pool has ASR or not. They do not stand behind their product. Do your due diligence when getting bids from this company and deciding whether or you want to use them for your project!

Austin Water Designs completed our pool project right before Christmas 2019. We were almost sad to see them go. We had a great designer, Jack Hopkins, and a great onsite project manager, and the crews and subs were amazing to watch. Real craftsmen. It wasn't the easiest job. We have a small back yard that slopes away from the house, plus we live in Austin with strict codes about permeable coverage. The entire team worked with us to offer great choices and guide us through the process. Communication was excellent.

Earlier this year, we purchased a beautiful hillside home in Horseshoe Bay. The backyard was unfinished and we knew we needed help! We researched Austin area pool contractors and found Austin Water Designs. The design team came up with a gorgeous pool and landscaping plan that complemented the hilly landscape and contemporary architecture of our home. Within a matter of weeks, the digging began and we now have a beautiful pool and finished backyard. The whole team has been very responsive and stayed within our budget. We highly recommend AWD.

We just had our pool built by AWD and it has been a fantastic experience. Just looking at the portfolio of projects, it is clear that they do great work with a classical and contemporary design. We wanted something more contemporary. The design process was outstanding, we were able to get the best design for our budget. During construction they have been responsive (even when we threw them a curveball design change). The are always polite and most importantly, they have been honest with us from the very beginning. The final product is perfect! We are using our pool, hot tub and outdoor space (with kitchen) all the time. I strongly recommend them!!

This was not an easy or quick project. Austin Water Designs had to deal with some crazy challenges, ranging from bad soils to an array of city permitting issues. I know they must have been frustrated at times, and for sure we were too. But they kept pushing through the difficulties, and the result is spectacular. We got the pool we wanted, we got the outdoor living space we wanted, and more. Very impressive.

The final product of our backyard pool is stunning. From the design process to the completed pool, Austin Water Designs was professional and detail oriented. We are enjoying our pool, highly satisfied, she and would recommend Austin Water Designs.

Very professional. Great design! Kept us informed of the process. A 1st class company. All of the crews were very experienced & knowledgeable.

We started our pool and spa this summer and it was finished in early October, just in time for a few weeks of swimming. We chose Austin Water Designs because their price was competitive with other providers and the pool designer was professional, accommodating, and followed up with us. He didn’t pressure us to make a decision, but stayed in touch on a regular basis. And when the pool was complete, he stopped by with a goody basket full of pool toys. Our permitting process took a while due to some issues with the original permitting of our house and we were delayed about 6 weeks. Once we got started, Austin Water Designs moved swiftly and things progressed at a steady pace and we saw improvement each week. We didn’t have a regular project manager on the project for the first six week or so. Because of this, we weren’t clear on exactly where we were in the process and if we were on track to finish on schedule or not. About half way through, we had a project manager assigned to the job and he kept us informed every step of the way. The project manager was professional in his communication and seemed genuinely interested in making our project a success. He was new to the field, coming over from home construction, and he was learning the industry on the job. He told us this up front and it didn’t cause a problem with our project, he just couldn’t answer a lot of our questions right away. About 9 weeks into the project it was clear that we were not going to finish the project on the original schedule. The weather was partly to blame as we had about 2 weeks of solid rain around the time we should have been wrapping up. We continued to see progress though, and the project manager kept us informed. However, it’s probably true that the original designer over promised on the timeline by a few weeks. Our pool is beautiful and we’re thrilled with the results. The “pool school” was very helpful and we were thoroughly instructed on how to control every aspect of the pool and how to keep it in top shape. We realized during training that we couldn’t control our bubbler with the remote and Austin Water Designs quickly remedied that situation by installing a missing part. We also had a warranty issue after the fact and Austin Water Designs installed an extra blower for the spa at no additional charge. We are very happy with the results of the project and with Austin Water Designs ability to deliver nearly everything they promised. We would have appreciated a more realistic estimate on the timeline in the beginning, and maybe one or two check-ins from the owner of the company. These were minor issues though and I would highly recommend Austin Water Designs.