Al Curtis and his team at Legendary Escapes have been hard at work on their most recent custom swimming pool and, as usual, pushing the limits and exploring new ways to build incredible backyards. This particular project became a Legendary Escape in an unusual way. A local landscaper, XTIER, was doing massive retaining work for the homeowners and brought us in on the project. We don’t normally work with other contractors, but this was an exceptional case–the space was too intriguing and challenging to pass up, and Al was certain the landscapers, John and Kevin, would be great to work with.
This backyard is unlike anything we’ve ever worked with. Of course, Al has taken on his fair share of water table and elevation challenges; but this is on a new level. The house is built into a steep hill that backs up onto a canal. The landscapers were brought in to create an elaborate retaining solution, and they brought Al in on the project to create a truly memorable and one-of-a-kind backyard.
With new retaining walls, the backyard hill is made up of several layers, going up like large steps toward the house. A custom, hybrid swimming pool is built into one level, while a spa overflows from the level above–eight feet above the pool. When the homeowners saw the cave built into the project, they were reminded of a favorite movie: “The Goonies.” The project took on a pirate treasure theme, modeled after the movie with fun and whimsical details.
Al was excited to take on this new challenge and build a pool in a whole new way. Because of the terrain of the backyard, the construction process couldn’t go the way it normally does. With nowhere else to work from, Al and his team built the pool from the outside in, digging the center of the pool last after the rest of the project was complete–rather than digging first, as is usually the case. Al loves a challenge, and has built enough complicated projects to be confident in his ability to figure this one out. And he has certainly done just that! This is a truly incredible custom pool project, and it will be memorable for everyone involved.
