Design Studio
THE DESIGN STUDIO
The Design Studio transforms your inspiration into a precise plan, refined through our mastery of design and fluid engineering.
A Design Deposit reserves your place in our build schedule and secures dedicated time with our design team to engineer every detail upfront. It protects your investment, prevents costly mistakes, and is fully credited toward your pool when you proceed.
Your Design Studio Experience Includes:
Custom Design
Created for your home and lifestyle
3D Renderings
Refined until the vision is perfect
Curated Finishes
Selected with expert guidance
CAD-Certified Designer
Direct access for precision planning
Investment Tiers
Foundation Design
For straightforward projects with minimal complexity.
- ✔️ Standard pool and spa shapes and sizes
- ✔️ Basic decking and coping
- ✔️ No elevation changes or advanced features
- ✔️ Typically flat lots without site constraints
Example: 15’x30’ rectangle pool with paver deck and standard equipment
Inquire NowSignature Design
For projects with moderate complexity and additional design considerations.
- ✔️ Custom pool shapes or freeform layouts
- ✔️ Integrated spa or sun shelf
- ✔️ Multiple water or fire features
- ✔️ Raised walls, planters, or elevation changes
- ✔️ Premium decking, coping, or finish options
Example: Freeform pool with raised spa, waterfall feature, and custom finish package
Inquire NowMonument Design
For highly complex, specialty projects requiring advanced engineering.
- ✔️ Infinity or vanishing edge pools
- ✔️ Grottos, caves, or elaborate water features
- ✔️ Multi-level pools with retaining walls
- ✔️ Resort-style outdoor living environments
- ✔️ Large-scale luxury builds requiring advanced permitting
Example: Lakeside infinity pool with spa, grotto, and custom decking across elevations
Inquire NowYour Design Studio experience concludes with the delivery of the SAV file — the complete vision for your pool. The file is yours to keep, but its greatest value comes to life when built by the same experts who created it, ensuring seamless execution and uncompromised quality.
Every Pool Starts With a Plan Ours Aren’t Sketches
Imagination becomes architecture in our Design Studio
MEET OUR LEAD DESIGNER, RYAN COLTON
Ryan Colton leads our Design Studio, guiding a specialist team that turns ambitious ideas into engineered plans built to last. With more than $50M in luxury outdoor projects designed and built, he’s the trusted partner for Central Florida’s top custom homebuilders.
Working with Ryan means more than hiring a designer—it’s gaining the collective creativity and precision of our entire studio. Every project he leads is engineered to look stunning, build clean, and stand the test of time.
FAQ: design studio
Free isn’t free. It’s the most expensive mistake you can make.
Here’s why working with Southern Pool Designs actually saves you money and maximizes your budget:
- Creativity that pays for itself: Our experts give you a “wow” design that boosts long-term home value, at a fraction of project cost.
- Guidance that saves you from regret: We help you avoid wasting money on features that don’t matter, while focusing on what really does.
- Innovation that stretches your budget: We source smarter materials and alternatives that bring your yard to life for less.
Bottom line: Others “design for free” because they make it back with cookie-cutter pools and inflated change orders. We charge a small design fee up front because it saves you six figures on the back end.
Pay a little now, or pay a lot later. The smart money invests in design.
Design Deposit → 3D Design (< 1 Week)
In less than a week of your design deposit, you get a fully planned 3D design that’s ready to build, and your spot in our build schedule is locked in.
You tell us any tweaks, we make the changes, and you get a detailed proposal that’s ready for your approval when you’re satisfied.
Project Deposit → Fully Engineered Plans (1–6 Weeks)
Project deposit triggers engineering: we turn your design into detailed plans, get them third-party stamped, and ensure it exceeds code so the project lasts for decades.
Timeline: Straightforward pools: 1–2 weeks. Complex features (grottos, infinity edges, knife edges): 4–6 weeks.
Permit Submitted → Permit Approval (2–6 Weeks)
Once plans are stamped, our permitting manager files immediately within 24 hours. Timelines vary by municipality and reviewer, but we track and push until it’s green-lit.
Typical approval: 2–6 weeks.
Construction Begins → Project Completion (> 10 Weeks)
Construction starts the moment your permit is approved and we run a tight ship with no wasted days. Your project manager sets the build timeline and gives you weekly updates so everyone stays on the same page.
Duration: As little as 10 weeks, or several months depending on project size and complexity. Because we cap each manager’s projects, you get top-level attention without backlog delays.