A note on the numbers
This isn't a cost. It's an investment.
The figures on this page are real and we don't hide them — that's how AE operates. But we want to be honest about how to read them. Your custom pool build isn't a line-item expense; it's an investment in your home's value, your family's daily experience, and a space you'll use for the next twenty to thirty years.
When you compare bids, compare what you're investing in — the spec, the crews, the warranty, the company that will still be standing in year ten — not just the price tag. The lowest bid is almost always the most expensive build over time.
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Custom design & build
Custom pool builder in Arizona, shell drawn for your yard, not pulled from a catalog.
Custom means we design the pool for the way your yard sits, the view corridor, sun angle, prevailing wind, entertaining pattern, and how you actually use water. Every custom AE build starts with a site walk and a program brief, moves into concept and 3D renderings, and doesn't commit to a shovel until you've seen material samples on your deck. Then one team builds the shell, deck, coping, tile, structures, lighting, glass, and landscape on one written schedule.
The honest version: "Custom" gets thrown at semi-custom builds all the time. If your builder shows you a book of 40 shell shapes and asks which one you want, that's a catalog build with premium tile — not custom. Real custom means somebody drew your pool from scratch after standing in your yard. The tell: ask to see plan drawings before contract. Custom builders will. Catalog shops won't.
01
Custom design workflow
- Site walk — measure yard, note grade, view corridor, sun path, utilities, drainage.
- Program brief — how you'll use the pool (swim, entertain, kids, laps, spa, aesthetics).
- Concept design — plan view, elevation, initial shell shape.
- 3D renderings — see the actual finished pool before contract.
- Material selection — real samples on your deck, not phone screens.
- Engineered plan set — structural, plumbing, electrical, drainage.
- HOA and permit submittal — handled in-house.
- Written build schedule with milestone dates.
02
Custom shell features
- Freeform, geometric, or hybrid shell shapes.
- Integrated raised spa with tile or sheer-descent spillway.
- Sun shelf / tanning ledge with umbrella sleeve and bubbler.
- Baja step, swim-out benches, custom bench depths.
- Raised bond beam with tile face or stone veneer.
- Beach entry, zero-entry, or graduated depth transitions.
- Perimeter overflow, vanishing edge, or slot-drain on luxury builds.
03
Custom pool investment tiers
- Entry custom: $110,000–$180,000.
- Full custom: $180,000–$300,000.
- Luxury custom: $300,000–$800,000+.
- Every line item priced in writing before contract.
04
AE 15/25/25/25/10 payment schedule
- 15% at contract signing.
- 25% at excavation.
- 25% at shotcrete.
- 25% at tile and coping.
- 10% at final start-up.
05
What's included beyond the shell
- Deck (travertine, pavers, exposed aggregate, natural stone).
- Coping (bullnose travertine, cast stone, natural stone).
- Waterline tile (glass, porcelain, stone, mosaic).
- Equipment pad (VS pump, cartridge/DE filter, salt system, heater, chlorinator).
- Automation (Pentair IntelliCenter, Jandy iAqualink, or Hayward Omni).
- LED and feature lighting.
- Water features, fire features, deck jets, laminars, sheer descents.
- Structures, kitchen, landscape, glass fencing — coordinated as one build.
FAQ
Common questions.
Custom means the shell is drawn for your yard, sun angle, view corridor, and use case — not pulled from a book of pre-drawn shapes. Every dimension, depth transition, bench, tanning ledge, spa integration, water feature, and equipment placement is designed from scratch. Semi-custom shops modify a stock shape. Catalog builders drop the same 12x25 rectangle in every yard.
Entry custom (freeform shell, premium pebble, travertine deck, raised spa, tile band, upgraded VS equipment): $110,000–$180,000. Full custom (integrated water features, natural-stone deck, extensive coping/tile, automation, LED, feature lighting): $180,000–$300,000. Luxury custom (perimeter overflow, vanishing edge, full-tile waterline, structures and outdoor kitchen integrated): $300,000–$800,000+.
Design phase 3–6 weeks (site walk, concept, 3D renderings, material selection, engineering). Permit and HOA submittal 2–6 weeks. Construction 14–22 weeks for a standalone custom pool; 20–32 weeks when integrated with deck, structures, kitchen, or landscape scope. Every phase written and milestone-tracked.
Yes. AE's in-house design team produces plan-view drawings and 3D renderings during design so you're seeing the actual shell shape, deck layout, coping profile, water feature placement, and structure integration before contract. No committing to a napkin sketch.
Yes. We coordinate with your architect, landscape designer, or interior designer routinely. The base workflow keeps design and build under one team because that's what prevents finger-pointing when something needs a change, but we integrate outside design partners without friction.
Raised spa with spillway to pool (tile or sheer descent). Sun shelf / tanning ledge with umbrella sleeve. Baja step or swim-out. Bond-beam waterline in glass tile or full-tile. Travertine coping with matching deck. Fire bowls or fire tables at pool corners. Sheer descent or laminar water features. Full pool + spa + lighting automation. Integrated permanent LED trim lighting on adjacent structures.
AE's 15/25/25/25/10 milestone schedule on every custom pool: 15% at contract, 25% at excavation, 25% at shotcrete, 25% at tile and coping, 10% at start-up. Every draw tied to an inspectable milestone.
Structural shell: lifetime on properly built gunite/shotcrete (industry standard). Interior finish: 5–10 years per manufacturer (PebbleTec, Wet Edge, Krystal Krete). Equipment: manufacturer term. Workmanship: multi-year in writing.
Everything. Pool shell, deck, coping, tile, plumbing, electrical, equipment, automation, glass fencing (Sonoran Glass), permanent lighting (AE LEDs), structures (pergolas, ramadas, cabanas), outdoor kitchens, landscape, irrigation, and turf. One accountable team on one schedule.
AE handles all utility locates, existing irrigation and drainage relocation, and coordination with SRP, APS, or city inspectors as part of the build. You don't hire a separate landscape company to redo your yard after we're gone — because we're the ones doing the landscape too.
Start your custom pool design.
Free site walk, program brief, and 3D concept meeting. Line-itemed proposal in 10 business days.
Start My Project PlanYour home investment — protected
Why this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."
Related reading
Homeowner FAQ
More custom pool questions?
Full custom design workflow answers in the Pool section of the Homeowner FAQ.