Custom Pools Designed Around Your Home, Property & Lifestyle
CJR designs and builds custom pools and complete outdoor spaces for Newcastle homeowners.
THE CJR EXPERIENCE
A pool may become the centerpiece of your backyard, but it doesn't exist independently from everything around it.
Concrete. Drainage. Landscaping. Irrigation. Lighting. Outdoor kitchens. Pavilions. Fire features. Utilities. Access. Existing trees and structures.
Each can influence how the pool and surrounding outdoor space should be planned.
On a Newcastle countryside property, there may be opportunities to create a complete outdoor environment with distinct spaces for swimming, entertaining, cooking, and enjoying the surrounding landscape.
On an established property, the conversation may be different. Existing concrete, landscaping, structures, utilities, drainage, and improvements accumulated over the years can all influence what makes sense for the new design.
Before excavation begins, we want to understand where the entire outdoor space is headed.
Even if certain features aren't being built immediately, discussing the long-term vision early can allow us to consider future utilities, drainage, elevations, access, and infrastructure before finished improvements are installed.
The goal isn't simply to put a pool in your backyard. It's to create a pool that belongs there.
Additional Custom Pool Features & Outdoor Living Options Available Upon Request
DESIGNED FOR NEWCASTLE PROPERTIES
Newcastle offers a beautiful mix of established homes, custom residences, and countryside properties where the land itself can play an important role in pool design.
Properties along the Highway 193 corridor and throughout Newcastle's surrounding countryside may offer expansive outdoor spaces, natural elevations, and opportunities to position a pool around the home's setting and views.
But larger properties don't always mean simpler construction.
Sloping terrain, excavation conditions, grading, drainage, equipment access, and the distance between the home and proposed pool can all influence what makes sense to build.
On established properties, existing concrete, landscape, irrigation, structures, and other improvements may also need to be considered.
A custom pool should be designed with those conditions in mind, rather than treating the backyard like an empty space.
We want to understand the property, what makes it unique, and how the pool will connect with everything around it before developing the plan.
Designed Around How You Live
Custom pool design is about much more than choosing a shape. We spend time understanding how you want to use your backyard before deciding what belongs in it.
For some Newcastle homeowners, that means a backyard centered around family, swimming, and summer days at home. Others may want an integrated spa for evenings outside, a Cabo shelf where the kids or grandkids can play, more room for entertaining, or quieter areas to relax and enjoy the countryside.
The property itself helps shape those decisions.
A custom home with changing elevations may present opportunities to position the pool and spa around the home's architecture and surrounding views. An established property may already have patios, landscaping, or structures worth incorporating into the plan.
We consider how the pool relates to the home, where people naturally enter the backyard, how the sun moves across the property, what existing features should remain, and how the pool will connect with patios, landscaping, outdoor kitchens, shade structures, fire features, and other parts of the outdoor plan.
Features such as a Cabo shelf, integrated spa, bubblers, waterfalls, raised walls, lighting, steps, benches, and custom finishes can then be incorporated intentionally based on the property and the way your family wants to use it.
A well-designed pool should feel natural to your Newcastle property, your home, and the way your family lives—not like a pool that could have been placed in any backyard.
PLANNING FOR THE PROPERTY
Newcastle properties can introduce varying elevations, sloped building areas, and excavation conditions that influence how a pool should be designed and constructed. We consider grading, drainage, equipment access, and whether the proposed design may require additional engineering or retaining improvements.
Established homes and custom properties may already have patios, concrete, landscape, irrigation, utilities, fencing, or outdoor structures that need to be considered. Understanding these conditions early helps us plan for access, demolition where necessary, utility coordination, and how new construction will connect with existing improvements.
A new pool changes more than the area inside the pool shell. Surrounding concrete, finished elevations, drainage, landscape, and future outdoor features all need to work together. On properties with changing elevations, understanding how water moves through the site is particularly important before permanent improvements are installed.
Concept to Completion
A complete backyard can involve far more than pool construction.
Concrete, drainage, landscaping, irrigation, lighting, structures, utilities, outdoor kitchens, retaining conditions, and finish work all need to come together in the correct sequence.
CJR provides one team to help plan and coordinate those moving pieces from the beginning.
That means fewer gaps between trades, clearer communication, and one company looking at the project as a whole instead of treating every element as an unrelated scope of work.
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Craftsmanship You Can See
A pool changes more than the appearance of a backyard. It creates a place for summer afternoons, family gatherings, quiet mornings, evenings outside, and the everyday moments that make home feel like home. Take a look at some of the custom pools and outdoor environments our team has had the opportunity to build.
Outdoor projects become much easier to manage when the company planning them understands more than one trade. Here's what sets the CJR experience apart.
We design and build pools, concrete, hardscape, outdoor living, landscape, drainage, and more—so every element works together from the beginning.
CJR is a family-owned and owner-operated company. You work directly with owner Colton Ray from the initial consultation through construction—there isn't a salesperson between you and the person responsible for the work.
Our background in concrete, excavation, pools, and complete outdoor construction helps us anticipate challenges, plan properly, and consider how each part of the project affects the next.
We want our clients to understand what they are building, what is included, how the project will be approached, and who is accountable for bringing it together.
From established homes to countryside properties with changing elevations and extensive outdoor improvements, we take the time to understand the conditions of the property before construction begins. Our experience across pools, concrete, grading, drainage, and complete outdoor construction helps us consider how the different parts of the project will work together.
Our focus is thoughtful planning, proper preparation, quality craftsmanship, and doing the work correctly—not taking shortcuts to move a project along.
Colton and his team were EXCEPTIONAL in their work at our home. We had a big backyard of flat dirt and he helped turn it into a beautiful resort like feel.
— Heather A. · CJR client, via Google
Our Pool Construction Process
We believe every homeowner deserves a clear understanding of the pool construction process. That’s why we’ve outlined our proven process, guiding you through each phase of your project, from your first design consultation to the day you get your toes wet.
View Our Step-by-Step ProcessThe Details That Matter
Yes. For projects requiring additional design development before construction pricing can be finalized, CJR offers Design + Pre-Construction Services.
This gives us an opportunity to work through the pool layout and its relationship to surrounding concrete, drainage, landscaping, structures, utilities, elevations, access, and other outdoor improvements before construction begins.
Many of the decisions that have the greatest impact on a pool project happen long before excavation.
We start by evaluating the property itself.
Changing elevations can influence pool placement, excavation, drainage, retaining requirements, construction access, and how the pool will connect with the home and surrounding outdoor areas.
A design that looks beautiful on paper still needs to make sense for the actual construction conditions.
We consider those details early so the pool can be planned around the property rather than forcing a predetermined design into a location that may require significant additional work.
Start with the scope—not simply the number at the bottom.
Look closely at what each proposal actually includes: pool specifications, equipment, finishes, electrical and plumbing work, excavation assumptions, concrete, drainage, access, demolition, site preparation, and other work surrounding the pool.
Also pay attention to what is excluded or left undefined.
A lower number isn't necessarily the same project for less money if the scopes aren't actually equivalent.
CJR believes homeowners should understand what they're comparing before making a decision based on price alone.
There isn't one meaningful number that applies to every custom pool because the pool itself is only part of what determines the investment.
Size, spa integration, finishes, water features, equipment, access, excavation conditions, surrounding concrete, drainage, retaining requirements, and other outdoor improvements can all affect the overall project.
For Newcastle properties with sloping terrain or more involved site conditions, the preparation and construction requirements may have a significant impact on the overall cost.
That's why one of the conversations we have early is about your targeted comfort zone of investment. Understanding that range helps us determine whether the ideas being discussed align with the level of project you're comfortable pursuing.
Yes. CJR is an all-in-one outdoor construction company.
Depending on the project, our team can coordinate the pool with custom concrete, hardscape, drainage, outdoor kitchens, pavilions and shade structures, fire features, artificial turf, lighting, retaining walls, landscape installations, irrigation, and other outdoor improvements.
This is particularly valuable when several parts of the backyard affect one another. Instead of asking separate contractors to make their work fit together later, the different elements can be planned as part of one overall project.
That can absolutely be discussed during planning.
The important part is thinking about the later phases before the first phase is built.
If you eventually want an outdoor kitchen, pavilion, additional concrete, lighting, landscaping, fire feature, or another improvement, knowing that early may influence utilities, drainage, elevations, access, conduit, or other infrastructure installed during the pool project.
Good phasing begins with planning the later phases before the first one starts.
Yes, depending on the property's conditions and the proposed project.
Larger properties can offer opportunities to incorporate a pool and spa alongside extensive concrete, outdoor kitchens, pavilions, landscape, and additional gathering areas.
However, acreage doesn't necessarily make construction straightforward.
The location of the pool relative to the home, existing elevations, excavation conditions, drainage, utilities, and equipment access can all influence the project.
We consider those factors when evaluating the property and developing the scope of work.
You'll meet directly with CJR owner Colton Ray, rather than being handed off after an initial sales appointment.
Colton remains personally involved in planning and construction, while our team coordinates the different parts of the project from design through completion.
For us, owner-operated isn't simply a description of the company. It means there is direct accountability and construction experience involved in the decisions being made for your project.
Planning an outdoor project comes with a lot of questions. We’re here to help you understand your options, what may make sense for your property, and the right next step.
More than just your average pool builder. We specialize in complete outdoor construction, including decorative concrete, structural concrete foundations, landscape installations, artificial turf, outdoor living, and more. One point of contact. One seamless experience thoughtfully designed and built by one experienced team.
Explore All ServicesBuilding your dream backyard may be more attainable than you think. Through our trusted financing partners, Lyon Financial and HFS Financial, we offer flexible financing options for custom pools and outdoor living projects. Get pre-approved today with a soft credit inquiry and explore financing that fits your budget and goals.
Explore FinancingTrusted Partners & Suppliers
Take a look at a few of the trusted suppliers and local businesses we rely on for quality products and professional services.
Local Suppliers & Partners →CJR's Local Picks
Hillenbrand Farmhaus Brewery is one of those places that makes you appreciate Newcastle's countryside charm. With beautiful outdoor seating, craft beer, food, and live music, it's a great place to spend an afternoon with family and friends. We especially love the events and holiday celebrations they host throughout the year. Their Mother's Day festivities have become a tradition for our CJR family. It's places like this that make supporting local businesses even more special! We love the relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to enjoy a little time outside. It's a wonderful example of a local business that makes the most of its beautiful surroundings.
Visit
While working on a project just down the street, our crew discovered Newcastle Cheese Shop and ended up stopping in for sandwiches every single day for an entire week! It's always fun finding a great local lunch spot while working in the communities we serve, and this one quickly became a crew favorite. Great sandwiches, a welcoming atmosphere, and a local business we're happy to recommend! Don’t forget to try the famous “Rat Trap” sandwich!
Visit
There's something special about finding a great Italian restaurant tucked into a small town, and La Fornaretta is one of Newcastle's longtime local favorites. Known for its Italian dishes and welcoming atmosphere, it's a wonderful spot for a dinner out with family or friends. We love seeing locally owned restaurants continue to be part of the character and charm of Newcastle.
Visit
Whether you're planning a pool for an established home, a custom residence, or a larger countryside property, we'll take the time to understand your home, your priorities, and how you want to use the space before determining what comes next.
