· Planning
The dig takes a few days. Everything around it takes weeks: design, engineering, the permit, HOA review, and the cure time a gunite shell needs before tile and plaster.
Work back from the swim date
A pool and spa usually needs four to five months from the first design meeting. For a May swim date, that means starting the drawing in December or January.
What slips a schedule
Late HOA meetings, rain during the dig, and changes after the shell is shot. The first two we plan around; the third is why we settle the design on paper.