Raised spa & spillway
Poured monolithically with the pool. Tune the spillway to a smooth sheet or a broken cascade. Adds roughly $12,000–$22,000.
Custom construction
Gunite pools,
Gunite pools,
built for Katy clay.
A gunite pool is a reinforced concrete structure that happens to hold water. Get the steel and the shell right and it will still be sound when the house needs a new roof. Get them wrong and no amount of pretty tile hides it.
The shell
What you're actually paying for.
The parts of a gunite pool that determine how long it lasts are the parts you'll never see again after week four. That's exactly why they're the parts worth asking every bidder about.
Ask what mix design they shoot. Ask the rebar size and spacing. Ask whether the bond beam is continuous with the shell or poured separately. Ask whether plumbing stays under pressure through the gunite shoot. If a bid is $12,000 cheaper, one of those answers is why.
| Excavation | Over-dug to allow full shell thickness; spoil hauled off, not spread |
|---|---|
| Steel | #3 rebar, 12″ O.C. each way, chaired off the subgrade so it sits inside the shell |
| Plumbing | Sch. 40 PVC, dual main drains, pressure-tested and held under pressure through gunite |
| Shell | 8″ minimum, 4000 PSI, shot in one continuous operation |
| Bond beam | Monolithic with the shell |
| Cure | Daily water for 7–10 days; tile and deck start after |
| Interior | Quartz or pebble aggregate; 10–20 yr finish life vs. 7–10 for plaster |
Options
What we can build into the shell.
Tanning ledge
A 6–12″ shelf for loungers and small kids, usually with bubblers and an umbrella sleeve. The single most-requested feature in Katy right now.
Sheer descents
Wall-mounted waterfalls in 12″ to 48″ widths. Plumbed on their own valve so you can run them without the spa.
Beach entry
A zero-depth walk-in slope. Needs the room to do properly — best on Fulshear and Cross Creek acreage lots.
Grotto & rock work
Natural or artificial rock, with or without a slide. Structural steel ties back into the shell.
Swim-up bar & benches
Formed into the shell with the seating height set to your countertop, not a standard detail.
FAQ
Gunite questions
How thick should a gunite shell be?
We shoot 8 inches minimum on walls and floor, with a 4000 PSI mix. Some builders in the Houston market go 6 inches to save on material. On Katy clay that's a false economy — the shell has to resist soil movement, not just hold water.
What is the difference between gunite and shotcrete?
Both are pneumatically applied concrete. Gunite is a dry mix that meets water at the nozzle; shotcrete arrives premixed in a truck. Gunite gives the nozzleman more control on curves and steps, which is why we use it on custom shapes.
How long does gunite take to cure?
It's structurally sound within about 28 days, but we start tile and deck around day 7 to 10. During that window the shell needs to be kept wet — we'll ask you to hose it down daily, and it genuinely matters for the finished strength.
Can you build a pool with a raised spa and spillway?
Yes, and we pour the spa as part of the same shell rather than setting a prefabricated tub. That means no separate seam to leak, and the spillway can be tuned to the exact sheet of water you want.
Ready to see it drawn up?
We'll walk your yard, take measurements and put a real design in front of you.