Custom Pool Construction in Sun City, AZ How Shasta Pools Built a Year-Round Backyard Retreat in 12 Weeks

Waterline Tile

Equipment Pad

The Challenge

Alison came to Shasta with two clear priorities. First, she wanted year-round swimming. Phoenix winters still require a properly-sized heating system. Higher BTU heaters are needed for colder December and January days than swimming in shoulder season.

She also wanted a pool that cleaned itself. Manual vacuuming, weekly chemical adjustments, and regular maintenance weren't part of her vision. She wanted to use the pool, not manage it.

The backyard was covered in decomposed granite. This required removal before excavation could begin. Additionally, access was limited to a single RV gate. So, each piece of construction equipment had to fit through a 80-inch clearance opening. Plus, the existing hardscape needed to be rebuilt. We wanted it to integrate cleanly with the new pool deck.

The design challenge was to solve Alison's actual problems. Not to build the biggest pool, or the most feature-loaded — but to build the right pool for how she planned to live in it.

The Solution

Shasta designer Bryan Williams worked with Alison to build a pool around her priorities — not around a standard package.

For year-round use: The pool was specified with two independent heating systems. A Raypak 400K BTU natural gas heater handles rapid warm-up — it can raise pool temperature several degrees per hour when the pool hasn't been used. A Raypak 120K BTU heat pump handles sustained, cost-efficient temperature maintenance overnight and across cooler days. Either system can run independently, or both can work in sequence.

For maintenance-free operation: The pool was built around a 16-head in-floor Turbo cleaning system. The rotating heads cycle debris that a main drain collects. This allows normal filtration to clean the pool itself. Also, uses less energy and degradation on your pool pump. Ten high-pressure Venturi heads handle the primary floor sweep; six low-flow heads address secondary zones and step areas. The pool keeps itself clean. There is no vacuum to run.

The layout: The 26×14 footprint works well in a Sun City lot — large enough to swim real laps, proportioned to leave a full deck surround. A 78 SF Baja shelf at entry provides a shallow area for lounging in a few inches of water. A 14 LF bench runs along one pool wall for seated in-water use. The depth moves from 3 feet at the shelf to 5 feet at the far end.

The finishes: The interior is Pebble Sheen Standard in Slate Blue (674) — an aggregate finish chosen for its color depth and durability in Arizona's high-UV environment. In full sun, the shallow Baja shelf reads bright turquoise; the deep end shifts toward indigo. Waterline tile is NEMA 641 with Birch (light tan) grout, bridging the interior and the tan Monsoon lace-pattern concrete deck. A 4" cantilever edge hides the pool beam and creates a clean shadow line between water surface and deck.

The automation: The Attendant-Mini panel with T-4000 sub-panel centralizes control of filtration, both heating systems, and LED pool lighting. The pool runs on its own schedule. Adjustments to temperature or timing can be made at the panel without calling for service.

Construction was managed by superintendent Paul Souza. The project followed Shasta’s complete pool-building process. The process began with demolition and granite removal before moving into layout and excavation. Next, crews installed the 12-inch-on-center steel structure and in-floor plumbing. The 18 yards of shotcrete followed SureCure curing, tile, decking, and installation of the Pebble Sheen interior finish. The build concluded with equipment installation and pool startup. This included a hands-free chemical startup and three months of Shasta Pool Care.

The Results

Alison received a pool that she can swim in every month of the year. Additionally, her cleaning system operates without human involvement.

The dual heating system delivers on the year-round promise. The heat pump maintains temperature overnight efficiently; the gas heater recovers temperature quickly after a period of non-use.

The in-floor cleaning system has removed pool maintenance from Alison's routine entirely. The 16 rotating heads cycle through the pool floor as part of normal filtration. Debris moves to the drain. The pool arrives at the weekend already clean — without a pole, without a hose, without a schedule.

The Pebble Sheen Slate Blue interior holds its color well in Arizona's direct sunlight. Aggregate finishes resist the fading, staining, and surface roughness that plain plaster develops in high-UV environments. The finish was chosen knowing Sun City's afternoon sun is intense; it still reads deep and rich after years of full Arizona exposure.

The project was delivered on a Sun City lot with 80" gate access, through 360 SF of granite demolition, and alongside the careful coordination of dual heating, in-floor plumbing, and automation systems that don't typically all appear in a pool this size. The result is a pool that fits its owner built for how she actually lives, not how pools are usually sold.

Project Summary:
26×14 shotcrete pool · 364 SF surface · 10,579 gallons · 3–5 ft depth · 78 SF Baja shelf · 14 LF in-pool bench · Pebble Sheen Slate Blue · NEMA 641 tile · Monsoon lace deck · 16-head in-floor cleaning · Raypak 400K BTU gas heater · Raypak 120K BTU heat pump · Attendant-Mini automation · LED lighting · Hands-free startup included · 3-month pool care included.