Movement, sound, and evening ambiance.
What makes a pool feel finished.
A pool without water features and lighting is a swimming pool. A pool with them is a backyard centerpiece you actually use after the sun goes down. The difference is rarely the pool itself. It’s what’s added around and into it.
Water features and lighting can be designed into a new build, retrofitted to an existing pool, or layered in during a remodel. Each option has trade-offs in cost and scope that we walk through up front, so you pick the right approach for your situation.
All work is engineered to last. Bubblers and scuppers are plumbed through proper lines, not tied into existing returns where they’ll fail under pressure. LED lighting runs through proper conduit. Nothing is bolted on as a surface upgrade that fails in three years.
At a glance
The Desertscape difference
Properly plumbed water features
Engineered spillways
LED that lasts
Color & program automation
Retrofit-friendly designs
Coordinated installation
a transparent process
Site Assessment
We assess your existing pool, equipment, plumbing capacity, and electrical for retrofit feasibility.
Day 1-2Design & Mockup
Visual mockup showing where features and lighting will sit. Material and color samples confirmed.
Day 3-5Install Prep
Pool drained if required. Plumbing, conduit, and equipment connections prepped.
Day 6-10Installation
Features and lighting installed. Spillways set. LED commissioned and programmed.
Day 11-15Test & Calibrate
Flow rates dialed in. Lighting scenes programmed. Automation calibrated. Final walkthrough.
Day 16-21two ways to build
Desert Living Essentials
Engineered steel & proper plumbing
Smart automation & efficient equipment
Auto-fill & dedicated vacuum lines
Standard interior finish & tile
3D design & line-item pricing
Desert Living Premium
Everything in Essentials, upgraded
Water features & LED lighting
Travertine decking & coping
Outdoor living & landscape add-ons
what homeowners ask
Can water features be added to an existing pool?
Most can. Scuppers, sheer descents, deck jets, bubblers, and LED lighting are all retrofittable. We assess your existing plumbing and electrical capacity during the site visit to confirm what's feasible.
Do features and lighting work with my existing automation?
In most cases yes. We integrate new lighting and features into existing Pentair, Jandy, or Hayward systems. If your automation is older or limited, we'll quote an upgrade alongside.
Do I need to drain my pool to add features?
Sometimes. Most retrofits require a partial or full drain. We schedule the work to minimize no-swim time, typically 1 to 2 weeks for most retrofit projects.
How much does each feature cost?
Individual features range from $2K (basic bubblers, LED) to $15K+ (large spillways, multiple sheer descents). We line-item each one so you can mix and match to scope.
Will features increase my equipment workload?
Properly engineered features have their own plumbing and pump sizing, so they don't tax your existing pool circulation. We size everything during design so the system runs efficiently with the additions.