Denver Pool & Spa Landscape Design: Custom Design-Build by Phase One Landscapes
Elevate Your Denver Pool and Spa Space: Award-Winning Design-Build Expertise
A pool or spa is the most significant investment a Denver homeowner can make in their outdoor space. But the pool itself isn’t the finished product. The finished product is the entire environment around it: the deck, the planting, the shade structure, the lighting, the fire feature, and everything else that makes the space feel complete.
Phase One Landscapes specializes in designing and building the complete environment surrounding your pool or spa: coping, decking, planting, lighting, irrigation, pergolas, and outdoor living features. Trusted pool and spa installation subcontractors are brought in and managed as part of the project, keeping everything coordinated and cohesive. With over 35 years serving the Denver metro and Front Range, we bring the design expertise and project discipline your investment deserves.
Ready to get started? Schedule a Design Meeting to begin your Denver pool and spa landscaping project.
Project Gallery: A Showcase of Inspired Pool and Spa Environments
Nothing speaks louder than results. Our portfolio features a diverse collection of pool and spa landscape projects throughout Denver, each reflecting the craftsmanship, attention to detail, and design integration that define Phase One Landscapes.
Transforming Your Outdoor Space: Pool and Spa Design and Build
Initial Consultation: Bringing Your Vision to Life
Phase One Landscapes designs complete outdoor environments built around your pool or spa. Whether you’re planning a resort-style backyard with a pool, outdoor kitchen, and pergola, or a more intimate spa retreat with thoughtful planting and lighting, we guide you through the entire process so you know what to expect from beginning to end.
We work with a wide range of pool and spa projects across the Denver metro, including:
- New pool installations: Complete with fully integrated surrounding landscapes
- Hot tub and spa integrations: Designed as dedicated outdoor retreat spaces
- Existing pool renovations: When the surrounding environment needs a complete redesign
- Pool and spa environments: Combined with outdoor kitchens, fire features, and covered living spaces
Every project starts with a conversation about how you want to use the space, not just what you want it to look like.
Our Design Process: From Vision to Reality
- Initial Consultation: We meet with you to explore your goals, lifestyle, how you plan to use the space, and your budget. This conversation shapes everything that follows.
- Site Survey and Design Development: We conduct a detailed site survey assessing grading, drainage, sun exposure, and existing conditions. From there, we develop initial concepts using easy-to-read 3D landscape drawings that show how the full environment fits together. We encourage all design changes to happen on paper, not mid-project.
- Budget Analysis: A detailed budget analysis is presented early in the process so there are no surprises before construction begins. Transparency here is non-negotiable.
- Material Selection: Colorado’s climate demands careful material choices. Freeze-thaw cycles, intense UV, and temperature swings all affect what performs well around a pool long-term. We guide you through selections that hold up and look great for decades.
- Construction: Our in-house crews and managed subcontractors execute the plan. The same designer who created your design stays involved through construction, protecting the original vision at every stage.
- Final Walkthrough and Post-Build Care: We don’t disappear at the final invoice. More on that below.
Material Selection: Built for Denver's Climate
Denver’s outdoor environment is demanding. High altitude, semi-arid conditions, freeze-thaw cycles, intense UV exposure, and significant temperature swings between seasons create real challenges for pool area design that simply don’t exist in other markets.
Material choices around a pool in Colorado need to account for all of it. Here’s what guides our selections:
- Pool deck and patio surfaces: Must be non-slip, freeze-thaw resistant, and durable under intense Colorado sun. Natural stone, concrete pavers, and properly specified flagstone are reliable options when chosen and installed correctly.
- Plant material: Plantings near a pool require careful selection. Excessive leaf drop, aggressive root systems, and plants that struggle in Colorado’s low humidity and intense UV all create real long-term problems. We specify low-debris material that enhances the environment without the headaches.
- Shade structures and pergolas: Need to be built from materials that hold up through Colorado winters without deteriorating. We specify accordingly.
- Irrigation systems: Must be designed for water efficiency from the start, with smart zoning and drought-conscious plant selection that aligns with Denver’s conservation goals.
Getting these decisions right at the design stage protects the investment for the long term.
Why Choose a Design-Build Partner Over a Pool Installer?
This is one of the most important questions Denver homeowners ask when planning a pool project, and the answer matters.
A pool installer builds the pool. A design-build partner designs and builds the entire environment around it. The difference shows up in the finished product and in the experience of getting there.
Here’s what working with a true design-build partner like Phase One Landscapes means for your project:
- One accountable team: Your designer, project manager, and construction crew work together under one roof. No handoffs between separate firms.
- Subcontractor management: We coordinate and oversee all specialists involved in your project, including pool installers, electricians, and plumbers. You don’t have to manage the trades.
- Design continuity: The vision you created with your designer doesn’t get lost when construction begins. The same person stays with your project from first sketch to final walkthrough.
- Transparent process: Budget analysis, change orders, and scope adjustments are handled clearly and fairly throughout the project.
- Post-build stewardship: Warranties, irrigation follow-through, and check-ins protect your investment after the crews leave.
Designing for Denver: What Makes Pool & Spa Landscape Design Different Here
Denver’s climate isn’t just a backdrop for outdoor living. It’s an active design variable that affects every decision we make around a pool or spa environment.
A few things that make pool and spa design in Denver genuinely different from other markets:
- The season is shorter, so the environment has to work harder. The swimming season in Colorado runs roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day. The outdoor space around your pool needs to be comfortable and functional, which means fire features, covered areas, and climate-adapted planting aren’t optional extras. They’re essential.
- Water conservation is part of the design. Denver’s semi-arid climate and local water regulations make efficient irrigation a priority on every project. We design for it from the start, not as an afterthought.
- Soil conditions vary and matter. Denver’s clay-heavy soils often require amendment to support healthy plant establishment. Getting this right at installation protects the planting investment for years.
- Year-round durability is non-negotiable. Materials and plants that perform beautifully in July need to survive February. Every selection we make with your pool environment in mind has been tested against Colorado’s full range of conditions.
This is local knowledge built from over 35 years of delivering outdoor environments in this specific market. It shows up in every project we design.
Personalized Designs for Your Lifestyle
Every pool and spa environment we design in Denver is fully custom. We tailor each project to reflect how you live, how you entertain, and what you want your outdoor space to feel like.
If you want a resort-style backyard with a pool, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, and pergola for hosting, we’ll design the whole environment as a unified outdoor room. If you prefer a quieter retreat centered around a spa with lush planting, soft lighting, and privacy screening, we’ll build that instead. No two projects look the same because no two clients are the same.
Pricing and Budgeting: Transparency and Value
No two pool and spa landscape projects are the same, and our pricing reflects that. Scope, site conditions, and material selections all influence what a project costs, and we commit to fair market value pricing at every level. We’re not the cheapest option in Denver and not the most expensive. What you’re paying for is quality work, a team that stays with you from start to finish, and full accountability throughout. Most projects commonly fall in the $80,000 to $120,000 range and grow from there based on scope. We provide a detailed budget analysis early in the design process so you can plan with confidence before construction begins.
Invoicing and Billing
Payment schedules are tailored to the size and scope of your project. For larger projects, we invoice 10% at contract signing, followed by bi-weekly billings based on completed work, with the final 10% due at completion and acceptance. Invoices are sent via QuickBooks and can be paid online, by check, or by calling our office.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
A well-designed pool and the surrounding landscape design is built to perform with relatively low maintenance over the long term. But the first weeks and months after installation are critical, especially for plant material getting established in Colorado’s climate.
Phase One Landscapes doesn’t disappear after the final invoice. Our post-build care includes:
- A 30-day satisfaction check-in to address anything that surfaces after installation
- Irrigation monitoring for three to four weeks post-completion to ensure proper establishment
- A one-year warranty on all plant material and a two-year limited warranty on hardscaping
For clients who want ongoing support after the initial build, our Property Care team offers landscape maintenance services tailored to your specific environment.
Contact Us to Start Your Pool and Spa Project
A custom pool and spa landscape from Phase One Landscapes creates an outdoor environment where the investment holds up, the design holds together, and the experience of getting there is handled by one accountable team who knows what they’re doing.
We serve the Greater Denver Metro area and the Colorado Front Range, including Denver, Boulder, Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Castle Rock, and surrounding communities.
Ready to start the conversation? Request an Appointment and we’ll take it from there.
About Phase One Landscapes
Our Story
Founded on a passion for innovative design and quality construction, Phase One Landscapes has been shaping outdoor environments in Denver for over three decades. As local landscape architects and builders, we’ve built a reputation for creating high-end, fully custom spaces that stand the test of time. Our clients are more than projects. They are long-term partners, and we treat every engagement that way from the first meeting through the years that follow.
Our Team
Our award-winning team of landscape architects, designers, and construction professionals brings decades of combined experience to every project. With recognition from the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and the American Society of Landscape Architects, our expertise is grounded in real work delivered at a high standard. Many of our team members have been with Phase One Landscapes for 20 years or more. That depth of continuity shows up in the quality of every project we deliver.
Our Design Philosophy
Great design starts with understanding how a client actually lives. Our approach is built on collaboration, because every project is as unique as the homeowner it serves. Whether we’re designing a resort-style pool environment or a quiet spa retreat, our goal is to create a space that feels like a natural extension of the home and performs beautifully in Colorado’s climate for years to come.
Client Testimonials: Transforming Dreams into Reality
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect from the design and build process?
Our process is thorough and collaborative. It begins with an initial consultation where we get to know your goals, lifestyle, and budget. From there, we conduct a detailed site survey, develop concepts using 3D landscape drawings, and present a budget analysis before construction begins. Revisions happen on paper. Your designer stays with you through construction. And our post-build care means the relationship continues after the final walkthrough.
How much does pool and spa landscaping in Denver cost?
Project costs vary based on scope, site conditions, materials, and features. Most comprehensive outdoor environments built around a pool fall in the $80,000 to $120,000 range for first-time clients, though projects scale significantly depending on what's included. We provide a detailed budget analysis early in the design process so you can make informed decisions before any work begins.
How long does a pool landscape project take?
Timelines depend on project complexity, site conditions, and weather. Most medium to large-scale pool landscape projects take eight to twelve weeks from groundbreaking to final walkthrough. We provide an estimated timeline during the initial consultation and keep you informed at every stage.
Can you work with an existing pool, or does the landscape need to be designed alongside pool construction?
Both. We work with existing pools where the surrounding environment needs a redesign or upgrade, and we design new pool landscapes alongside pool construction when the full environment is being built from scratch. Either way, the process is the same: one team, one design, built and delivered together.
What plants work well around a pool in Denver's climate?
Plant selection near a pool in Colorado requires careful thought. We prioritize climate-adapted species that perform in Denver's high altitude and semi-arid conditions without creating excessive leaf drop or root system problems near hardscape and plumbing. Our designers bring specific knowledge of what works in this market and guide you through selections that look great and hold up long-term.
Do you handle permits for pool landscaping projects?
Yes. As a full-service design-build firm, we manage all required permits and coordinate with local municipalities on your behalf. It's part of the process, not an extra.
What happens after the project is finished?
We schedule a 30-day satisfaction check-in, and our irrigation team monitors plant establishment for three to four weeks post-completion. Every project is backed by a one-year warranty on plant material and a two-year limited warranty on hardscaping. If something needs attention, we're here.
Do you offer ongoing maintenance for pool landscapes?
Yes. Our Property Care team offers ongoing landscape maintenance services for clients who want continued support after the initial build. Contact us to learn more about what a maintenance agreement would look like for your specific environment.
We would love to speak to you about your project!
We offer custom landscape design and build services in Denver with the mission to create unique outdoor living spaces tailored to your lifestyle.