The Stages of a Gunite Pool Build, Explained

Published July 1, 2026

People often ask why a custom pool takes longer than dropping in a shell, and the honest answer is that a gunite build is a sequence of separate trades that each need to happen in order. After years of building in the Gilbert heat, we have learned that setting expectations up front makes the whole project smoother. Here is how a gunite pool comes together, stage by stage.

Layout and Excavation

It starts with paint on the dirt. We stake the shape, confirm setbacks and the bonding perimeter, then bring in the excavator to dig to plan depth. Desert caliche can be stubborn, so access and soil conditions off Higley Road often set the pace of this first stage.

Steel and Plumbing

Next comes the rebar cage, tied to the engineered spacing that gives the shell its strength. The rough plumbing goes in at the same time: skimmer, main drain, and return lines that form the circulation loop. Getting the pitch right here is what keeps the water clear later.

The Gunite Shell

Now the shell gets sprayed. A pneumatic crew applies gunite over the steel, and finishers shape the floor, walls, steps, and bond beam. The shell then cures for several days, kept damp so the concrete gains full strength before anything else touches it.

Tile, Coping, and Deck

With the shell cured, we set waterline tile and coping, then form and pour the surrounding deck with slope for drainage. This is also when the shell perimeter is tied into the bonding grid and the gunite pool construction detailing really shows, from clean tile lines to tight coping joints.

Interior Finish and Startup

Finally we trowel the quartz or pebble interior, acid-wash, and fill. Startup balances the chemistry over the first days so the new finish cures evenly. From here the pool is yours. If your older pool needs the same care, our pool remodeling and resurfacing crew handles that too.

Thinking about a custom build or want to walk your yard with a seasoned crew? Contact us or call Hivcorrections at (480) 700-1440 for a free consultation.