A pool plan is the set of decisions made before anyone digs: where the pool goes, how large and deep it is, how rainwater leaves the yard, where the equipment sits, and how people walk from the house to the water. Nolascapes Pool & Outdoors LLC works through these decisions with you on paper first, because a change on a drawing costs nothing, and the same change after the shell is built costs a great deal.

Every plan starts with how the space will be used. Whether you want a backyard for entertaining or a private retreat, the answer shapes the layout, the hardscape, the walking paths, the lighting and the features, so we ask about it first. If you are still deciding, read What to Consider Before Building a Pool first.

What We Check on Your Property

We walk the yard and measure it before drawing anything. The list covers yard size and shape, existing structures and trees, changes in elevation, drainage patterns, sun exposure, and the way rain moves across the lot. In New Orleans, heavy rain and a high water table make drainage a design question, so grading and water management are settled in the plan. If the yard needs more than grading, our subsurface drainage work can be part of the project.

We also check how equipment will reach the back yard, because a narrow side yard can change where the pool can go and how it is built.

Modern or Freeform

Most designs fall into two families. Modern pools have clean lines, symmetrical layouts and minimal materials. A rectangle suits newer homes and is easy to join to a formal patio, an outdoor kitchen and geometric hardscape. It also gives straight lanes for swimming and makes the most of the usable water.

Freeform pools have curved edges and are usually paired with natural stone, waterfalls, tropical planting and lagoon-style details. They blend into mature landscaping, rock features, curved patios and yards that are not square, and they suit a relaxed, informal backyard.

Neither style is better. The deciding factors are the architecture of the house, the shape of the yard and what the pool will mainly be used for. We draw the strongest options on your own lot so you can compare them before choosing, and our swimming pool gallery shows both styles built in the New Orleans area.

Planning the Whole Yard

Today a pool is often part of a larger outdoor living project, so we plan the surrounding features at the same time. We regularly work these into the layout:

• Attached spas
• Tanning ledges
• Waterfalls and fountains
• LED pool and landscape lighting
• Fire features
• Outdoor kitchens
• Covered patios and pergolas
• Seating walls and lounge areas

Planning them together gives an organized, balanced yard instead of additions made over several years. Gas, electric and water lines for a kitchen or fire feature are also easier to run while the yard is already open, and the deck material can be chosen once to match the coping and the house.

Finishes and Deck Materials

Interior finish, coping, decking and tile are chosen during planning, because they set the look and the upkeep for years. We choose them against your site and your household: how much sun the deck gets, whether children and pets will be on it barefoot, and how much maintenance you are willing to take on. What each material offers is compared on Pool Features and Upgrades, and examples of paver and stone decks are in our pavers gallery.

Pool Systems and Equipment

A pool also has to work behind the scenes, so the plan shows where the equipment goes and how it is reached. Pumps, filters and heaters make noise and need regular service, so we place the equipment pad where a technician can reach it without crossing the patio, and as far as practical from bedroom windows and neighbors. Lighting placement is settled at the same time, and every detail, from grading to equipment access, is fixed before construction begins.

Planning a Renovation Instead

If you already own a pool, planning starts with what can stay, and then with what to repair, replace or reshape. Pools Renovation covers that work in detail.

Ask for a Pool Plan

Contact us today on 504-330-8479 or via our online form to talk through your yard and what you want from it. Tell us how your family would use the pool, which style appeals to you and whether you are planning a new pool or changes to an existing one. We will explain how the design process works, what we need to measure on your property and what you can expect to see on paper before construction begins.