BACKYARD ESCAPES

“We’ve just been dream building for a long time. It all started when we laid out the house, and the patio there, and this space in the middle. I was like, this would be perfect for a pool,” describes the homeowner of this featured home’s backyard. From there, the idea grew to reality with the help of Backyard

Escapes by Kerner Pools and

The timing for the homeowners was perfect for a pool when they were building their new home. With kids still at home, the pool has been used frequently since it was installed last summer. The pool is a pool-spa combo with added water features like waterfalls and fire bowls. It is also a “Smart Pool” and comes with automation features.

The homeowner and Jason Kerner, owner of Backyard Escapes, worked together closely to come up with the design and layout of the pool area for the backyard. Jason explains, “Not only is the homeowner excited about getting a pool, but I am just as excited. I do a site visit with all the homeowners and ask them what they have in mind and offer my expert guidance as well… In just about every pool installation the design is a collaboration of the homeowner, landscape contractor, and us. Multiple heads and ideas lead to a great end result with a happy customer.”

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After discussing layouts, locations, potential obstacles, and any other features the homeowner wants, the actual installation can begin. This pool install only took two weeks. The first week was spent on site layout, underground utilities, excavation, pool setting, and pool backfill. The second part involved plumbing, pool equipment installation, concrete decking, pool cover preparation and cleaning the pool. Some additional features like water bowls were added in the following spring once the larger landscaping was complete.

The pool itself is fiberglass, a kind of pool Jason says has many benefits. “Fiberglass swimming pools give you the lowest lifetime cost of any other pool on the market,” he explains. “They are easier to maintain, require less chemicals, less energy to heat, and do not require resurfacing or liner replacements every 7-12 years. A quality pool shell will last for 30-40 years or more, even with our rough North Dakota winters, without any structural damage.” Beyond just the practicality, “They are fun to swim in and have a variety of colors and models to choose from. Our manufacturers have a lifetime warranty on the structural integrity of the pool shell, 30 years. That’s pretty awesome,” says Jason.

As with every project, there are challenges along the way, even for experienced pool installers like Jason. “A large obstacle for this install was having enough access to install the pool. The only access was on the side of the home, and it was too narrow for the pool, and the yard has a ton of very large/tall trees. We hired a large crane to hoist the pool up and over the home and trees. This was pretty cool and eerie at the same time. We started at first light on a foggy morning, and the top of boom of the crane disappeared into the low fog,” describes Jason.

The Hot Spring hot tub was added after the pool was done, along with the outdoor couches and chairs. Further down the road, the homeowner hopes to add a complete outdoor kitchen and a woodburning fireplace with seating, as well as an automated screen to make indoor/ outdoor living in the warmer months more possible. In the meantime however, the homeowner and his family are loving their fun outdoor space and looking forward to relaxing in it for many summers to come.