Original subtitles

-Let's rock! -Yeah!

LUCAS: I'm Lucas Congdon...

Alright, you guys. We did it. Yeah!

[ Laughs ]

I'm here to show you some of the biggest...

Oh, my God! Yeah, baby!

...craziest...

Wow! This is awesome.

...and most beautiful pools in the country.

WOMAN: This is the best pool I think I've ever seen.

Tuck it in. Tuck it.

LUCAS: These talented crews...

Oh, my God. That is crazy.

...take jaw-dropping pool designs to the next level.

Anyone can build a pool,

but these pools are a little slice of paradise.

-Whoo! -Yeah!

¶¶

Today, I came up here to Jacksonville, Florida,

to check out a potential new client.

This new client already got a great local company on board

for a new pool in his backyard.

But I guess this client's really looking for the kind of stuff

that we do, so that is why I'm here.

¶¶

Lucas. Hey, Ron.

It's great to finally meet you.

Yeah, you too. Come on in, brother.

Awesome. Thank you.

My name is Ron Russell.

I live in Jacksonville, Florida, and I'm a roofing contractor.

Come on out.

Whoa!

Man.

You would never know this was back here from the front.

This is unbelievable. -Thanks.

It's been about eight years in the making of this yard

from dirt to my little paradise.

The last piece of the puzzle

to this whole dream is the pool.

Let me show you why you're here.

-Sounds good. -This is it.

This is my other part of the yard.

LUCAS: Seriously?

This yard is huge.

RON: Well, the Pratt brothers have already kind of

laid out a design for me...

Yep.

...but I want to go bigger, more...

Got you.

...and that's why I wanted to implement

Lucas Lagoons into the project.

RON: In looking for my pool,

I found these three brothers called the Pratt brothers,

and they're outdoor-design experts.

They came up with a really cool design.

Normally, I'd be in, in the front end of,

you know, the whole design,

but you haven't broken ground yet,

so now is the perfect time for me to come in here

and help you guys figure this out.

Well, that would be fantastic.

If you want to go relax for a little bit,

I'm gonna take some notes, draw out some things,

and then we can get together and kind of go over my ideas.

Absolutely.

I'm looking forward to it. -Cool.

¶¶

Ron already has a really fantastic design

and layout done by the Pratt brothers.

But I'm getting some crazy ideas about how I can adjust

and add to the foundation of the current design

to give Ron the ultimate island-paradise escape

in his backyard that he's looking for.

He's gonna love this.

What the Pratt brothers have designed

is a really cool layout,

fits the space. -Mm-hmm.

A free-form pool with a pergola and an outdoor kitchen.

I think with some key upgrades,

we can take this design over the top.

What if, because you want the island vibe,

what if we actually put an island

in the middle of the pool?

We'd rock all around it, put some palm trees on it.

RON: I love it.

Then, for the grotto,

I'm thinking we need a little exit out the back

so when you're jumping off the waterfall,

you can kind of swim through the waterfall

to get out the back

instead of going all the way around again.

Wow. That sounds like a great idea.

So then, instead of just having a typical beach entry,

I think we should frame it

with two other little low waterfalls

where the water is kind of rolling in to the pool.

Well, that sounds great to me, Lucas.

Awesome. Great to meet you.

I can't wait to be back in your yard again.

-Thank you. -It's been a pleasure, man.

You too. We'll see you.

¶¶

Today, I'm back at Ron's house with Crash and Old Man.

Since the pool is already staked out,

we can jump straight into digging.

I missed my little friend.

CHRIS: This pool is gonna be massive.

It's, like, half a football field.

The deep end of this finished pool is supposed

to be 8 feet deep.

I'm digging out about, like, 90 yards of dirt.

That's more than twice what you dig out for an average pool.

LUCAS: As we continue to dig, we're starting to lay

in the plumbing, too.

¶¶

Ron's pool is about 1,500 square feet,

and I'm adding over 100 ton of rock to it,

so we have 750 number-four rebar to go in there.

I mean, these things are built to basically withstand

the test of time.

Well, the rebar is done, so we're ready for gunite.

Ron Russell's pool is so big,

it's gonna take 124 yards of gunite

to fill this pool up.

I mean, your average Florida pool is maybe 30 yards.

That's four times the amount.

That's huge.

Once we get all the gunite in, we hand trowel it, carve it,

shape it.

Once it's cured, we're ready for rockwork.

First load is showing up.

I can't wait to get these beauties unloaded

and staged into Ron Russell's backyard.

What was I thinking?

These rocks are ridiculous.

Each one of these rocks weigh over 10,000 pounds.

Luckily, we have the three Pratt brothers here to give us a hand.

They don't have a ton of experience with rockwork,

but with my crew, they're gonna learn fast.

MAN #2: Pretty cool to see the first rock go in.

Everything is going really well with the Pratt brothers.

They're learning the ropes quickly,

and we're making a lot of progress.

I even got Adam splitting and cutting rocks...

but I think I might have given them

a little bit too much too soon.

¶¶

Hey, you're gonna ruin that rock, man.

¶¶

Today, I have the Pratt brothers

helping build the grotto for Ron Russell.

So far, they've been quick learners,

so I felt comfortable putting Adam in charge

of cutting and splitting this rock.

¶¶

Oh, man.

JOHN: I knew this was gonna be a disaster.

Who has chisels?

We're gonna need all of them to split that rock.

ADAM: Lucas is not happy.

I don't think this is how Lucas wanted this to turn out.

LUCAS: Shoot.

These layers are so thin on this rock,

there's really no way of cutting it

without it flaking apart.

That sucks.

Do you want to get the forks under this piece

and take this piece off?

What a shame.

As I'm frustrated and kicking stuff around,

I keep looking back at the waterfall,

then back at the rock, and I'm like, "Wait a minute."

I got maybe an idea.

I think if we flip it over, we can still salvage it

as a nice, big piece of stone.

Now that I have this vision, I'm recharged.

I want to flip this rock over, get it into place,

see if it's really gonna work.

Look at that. That makes me happy.

¶¶

You know what? This kind of mistake happens.

I mean, it could happen to anybody.

I love when something good comes out of a tragedy.

We're not done yet.

JOHN: Alright. Now down. There you go.

LUCAS: But we still have three massive rocks to set,

totaling 40,000 pounds.

The first rock is 13,000 feet long, 2 foot thick,

and weighs 15,000 pounds.

I can't even lift it up.

JANE: There you go. There you go.

-There we go. Alright. -Hey. Hey. Hey.

-I didn't know that rock moved. -Yes.

LUCAS: I still have two massive rocks to go.

Whew! Are we good?

Figure out how to get these straps out.

Whoo-hoo!

Two down, one left to go.

You guys ready for the tippety-top?

This is the cherry on top.

To the right an inch.

Alright. About like that.

I think that's it.

Yeah, I like it.

¶¶

With the grotto complete,

Crash is going to help the Pratt brothers

build this awesome cabana.

They set the four main pillars, then install the hardscape.

They lay down the pavers for the floor...

and stone blocks for the walls and columns.

¶¶

Then Crash gets to have some fun

and help finish the wood structure.

We have four uprights already.

Now we got to tie everything together.

¶¶

LUCAS: They finish off all the heavy lifting

with the angle brackets and rafters.

And Derek and Woman get to installing the thatched roof.

That's it's. Thatch roof -- completed.

Whoo-hoo!

Alright, we're finally ready for landscaping, my favorite part.

LUCAS: We have to crane this 12-foot, 5,000-pound

palm tree over the yard and into the island.

Alright. That looks good right there.

Yes.

Alright.

LUCAS: This is the last week we have left

before we're supposed to show Ron Russell his new backyard.

We're using a white pebble finish to create a sand effect

for the beach entry.

When it dries, it's finally time

to fill the pool up with water.

Once that goes in,

things are really gonna start looking complete.

Ron's got one of the best outdoor kitchens I've seen.

I mean, he's got this huge grill and a beer dispenser,

ice maker, a fridge, a sink, and a smoker.

¶¶

We're getting 'er done.

Today's a great day. I get to show Ron Russell

his tropical-island-themed new backyard.

Right up here.

Think this looks pretty good. Keep looking down.

You ready? I'm ready to go.

Alright. One, two, three.

Check out your new backyard.

¶¶

Holy smokes. This is my yard?

Like it? Huh?

Phenomenal. Yeah.

Are you kidding me?

I feel like I'm dreaming right now.

I really do. And I don't want to wake up.

[ Laughs ] Honestly.

I just can't believe that's my yard.

Check out the rocks, man. So much character.

I mean, this whole area just came out awesome.

Just stand right here

and look in there.

Look how big that is. This is phenomenal.

Dude, you can get a lot of people in there.

Oh, yeah. That's gonna be sweet.

I love it.

All the rocks just kind of...

Trickle down. ...trickle down.

That's beautiful.

We're gonna have so much fun in this yard.

Oh, my gosh.

Not only did we give you a big grotto,

but we added three additional waterfalls,

just so when you were in this pool,

you were surrounded by waterfalls, tropical plants.

I mean... You literally feel like you're in the jungle.

Absolutely.

Of course, you know these guys. Holy smokes.

It's all their fault. Thanks, guys.

The Pratt brothers have been out here, blood,

sweat, and tears involved in this project.

And I'm so appreciative of what they've done.

And I couldn't be happier.

We have the refrigerator.

We have the dual-tap beer dispenser.

The grill. I mean, you have everything out here.

Sweet!

¶¶

You know, Ron, when I first met you,

you were explaining to me how you basically

dreamed up this entire yard.

Has your vision become a reality now?

It certainly has.

I just -- I don't even kno-- I don't have the words.

I can't tell you how grateful I am.

That's awesome, man. That's all I wanted to hear.

I just want to know that I built your dream and you're happy.

That's all that matters. Let's get this party started.

¶¶

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Good to have you here, brother.

¶¶

LUCAS: I'd love to work with the Pratt brothers again. Oh!

I mean, I think it's a magical combination,

a recipe for success.

So I could see doing this again and again.

¶¶

The Blackmer family of College Grove, Tennessee,

has just moved into their spacious new home.

I'm so glad we finally got settled into this house.

Me too.

This house is awesome, but we're missing a pool.

You want to do a pool party for when school gets out?

Yeah.

Who's ready for a pool?

TOGETHER: I am!

LUCAS: A tropical paradise awaits the family

right out their back door,

starting with a 10-foot circular spa with eight jets

surrounded by an outdoor fireplace

and seating area.

Spanning from the spa to the other side of the pool

is this humongous waterfall with a hidden grotto,

which will be adjacent to a pool bar

with sunken seating.

Topping off this great entertaining area

will be a full outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven.

The pool itself will feature four deck jets

surrounding the tanning ledge with three bubblers.

There's something for the whole family.

¶¶

The crew wastes no time digging the massive hole for this pool.

¶¶

Steel and plumbing have been installed,

and over 80 yards of gunite are shot

to create the pool shell and the bar stools.

90 tons of natural Tennessee rock

are going into this backyard design.

The masons begin work surrounding

the large outdoor kitchen and blue glass tile

lines the spa, which will have two covered spillways.

The waterfall is coming to life one stone at a time.

The team is using a lot smaller boulders than normal.

It will allow for much more water noise and movement.

It's going to look like it's been there forever.

The team is very close to finishing the pool.

They have just a few final touches left.

¶¶

The pool is finished, and the landscaping is in.

The only thing left is to show it off to the Blackmer family.

-Oh, my gosh. -It's so pretty.

LUCAS: The Blackmers' tropical paradise is done

and ready for the family to see.

Tell me what you think about this.

-Wow! -So cool.

-That is so crazy. -Look at that.

GIRL: That's awesome. It's so pretty.

-Oh, my gosh! -Whoa!

-Whoa! -It's beautiful!

BOY: Oh, my gosh!

You guys want to go down, take a look at it?

Yes, we'd love to.

-Wow. -Look how pretty, guys.

There's your little tanning ledge...

WOMAN: Oh, look at the bubblers. ...with your bubblers up there.

LUCAS: Each of these bubblers can be independently

adjusted to go higher or lower.

-Oh, cool. -That's perfect.

Then you got your deck jets and the planters.

-Oh, wow. -Awesome.

WOMAN: You guys can swim under those. How cool is that? That's right.

And you kids are gonna love this.

You see that? That's a jump rock.

-How cool is that? -Cool.

Check out that waterfall from over here, you guys.

Is that cool or what? -That's awesome.

GIRL: That's pretty.

You can sit out here and listen to that at night.

It's beautiful.

LUCAS: Up next is their soothing spa with eight adjustable jets

and two open spillways.

BOY: That is so cool.

MAN: I love how close it is to the fireplace.

That'll be really nice in the wintertime.

Let's go take a look at it.

BOY: I love how tall it is.

WOMAN: Kids, don't you think it's gonna be so cozy

to curl up over here on a chilly night?

Maybe roast some marshmallows or something.

-I'll probably fall asleep. -Yes.

Well, let's walk on over there.

I got a couple more things I want to show you guys. Great.

LUCAS: Next to the beautiful waterfall is the swim-up bar

with submerged bar stools.

They used large flagstone rocks on the pool side and granite

on the opposite edge.

-I love it. -So, babe...

is that where you're gonna hang out and I'll swim up

and you can just grab me a drink?

MAN: Yeah, I guess so.

-I like it. -Be careful what you wish for.

¶¶

LUCAS: And we can't forget about that huge outdoor kitchen.

It's awesome. I mean, look at the size of that burner.

You can put an actual hibachi grill.

That is awesome.

We've got a top-of-the-line outdoor grill.

Wow. This is that pizza oven you wanted.

This thing will get up to, like, 1,800 degrees.

Wow. You've got enough appliances out here

to cook for a hundred people.

This pool is ready for a party.

¶¶

WOMAN: I think we're gonna have a hard time keeping

these kids out of the pool, babe. I know.

They are really loving this pool. It's crazy.

¶¶

This really means a lot to us as parents.

It's something that we didn't have as children.

And we're really excited that we're able

to give that to our kids.

I can't believe that this is now our backyard.

It's truly just a dream come true.

It's amazing. We love it.

LUCAS: I think I love this pool as much as they do.

¶¶

In Rancho Cucamonga, California,

Scott and Donna Tiemann

and their three kids are ready to swing into pool life.

Good job, Aaron!

SCOTT: All three boys grew up as baseball kids,

and I coached each of them through Little League

for the past 11 years.

Nice scoop. Think you're tough?

[ Laughs ]

We're an active family who likes to play baseball,

and we'd like to travel.

We've traveled to lots of tropical places,

and I want to be able to have a backyard that reflects that.

LUCAS: Awaiting the Tiemann family

is the tropical pool of their dreams.

Front and center is a two-tiered natural-rock

waterfall and grotto, nestled next to the massive spa.

A multi-level stone patio surrounds the entire pool,

leading to this wonderful covered outdoor kitchen area.

And back towards the house,

an oversize Baja shell for sunbathing

is directly next to the swim-up bar.

This backyard is jam-packed with fun.

¶¶

Before the crew can begin to build the Tiemanns' pool,

they must first remove the existing stonework and concrete.

¶¶

With the demo complete, they start to dig out the shape

of the pool.

Plumbing and rebar are added

with shotcrete soon to follow.

[ Engine starts ]

While the team was making great progress on the pool,

homeowner Scott shows up with a slight change in mind.

The wife and I were kind of talking about a patio cover.

You have an idea already what you want here? Yeah.

Actually, you want to see some pictures? Yeah.

What are you thinking about? Well, we got this one here.

Scott wants to add a patio cover

and move the outdoor kitchen near the house.

It's a really big change.

We have to think about the post.

They need to figure out where the post

will go for the patio cover

so it has as little impact as possible on their current plan.

By laying the posts out,

it's clear the crew will have to move

one of the set of stairs back

so they're not under the patio covering.

So, you just need to design it now.

While the plans get finalized for the new patio cover,

the rest of the crew pushes on with the pool design.

The masons are hard at work on the stacked stone in the pool.

The concrete guys are working on the steps,

and the stones have arrived for the waterfall grotto.

¶¶

Okay, you got it? Right there. Go.

With the waterfall grotto and stacked-stone installation

nearing completion,

they move their attention to the patio area.

Once the pavers are installed for the deck

between the pool and the house, they begin Scott's patio cover.

When its finished, the posts won't block the view.

They're actually going to frame the view to make it even better.

They're in the homestretch. The pool is coated

with a beautiful blue pebble stone finish.

And sod is laid throughout the yard,

making this pool ready to finally be shown off.

Three... -Two...

-One. -Open your eyes.

-Wow! -Oh, my God!

LUCAS: All the hard work has paid off,

and the Tiemanns' pool is the envy of the neighborhood.

Come on. Nice and slow.

-Take it easy. -There you go.

-Eyes closed. -A little more.

Three... -Two...

-One. -Open your eyes.

-Wow! -Oh, my God!

¶¶

-I love it. -That's awesome.

LUCAS: Water features, spas, and a beautiful outdoor living area.

It's everything they wanted and more.

-Everything is green. -Yeah, it is.

SCOTT: Everything was brown before. This is a perfect pool

for the parties with the baseball team.

DONNA: Everything turned out so amazing.

The spa. The waterfall.

The bar area. It's just gorgeous.

Come on, let's take a look. Lots of levels here, guys.

¶¶

I am so glad to have that fountain gone.

A little bit of an upgrade from the fountain out here.

Oh, this feature is so much better than the fountain.

This is wonderful.

Who's the cannonball king again?

I am.

You guys are gonna be entertaining a lot.

Kids here all the time.

And after all those long games, let's go check out the spa.

-Okay, this is my spot here. -Yep. This is a big spa.

This thing's massive. How big is it?

They can easily fit 10

to 15 people in this massive spa.

It's exactly what I wanted.

It's definitely big enough to not be bumping into someone

and accidently playing footsies with them.

Up next is the outdoor kitchen area.

SCOTT: I'm really happy that we decided

to move the barbecue and the patio cover. LUCAS: Yeah.

Back here. Back down here.

Yeah. This thing is insane.

Scott, this is outdoor living at its finest.

I mean, this is unbelievable. -I love it.

DONNA: Ah, my area. Yeah.

This is all about you.

What side are you gonna sit on?

I think I'm gonna be on that side.

And I'll be saying, "Scott, come here." Yeah.

And, look. The waterfall.

And you get a view of that and the mountain.

I love it. It's so beautiful.

LUCAS: This is one picturesque pool.

¶¶

DONNA: I can't believe this is ours.

It's like an oasis in our backyard.

We have our dream home. And now we have our dream pool.

Dream no more. This pool is reality.

¶¶

LUCAS: Today, I'm here in Osprey, Florida,

which is just south of Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico,

and I'm about to go meet Tom and Geri Chaffee.

Good morning. Are you Geri? Yes, I am.

I'm Lucas. Nice to meet you.

Let me check out your backyard, guys.

Wow, you guys. I mean, look at your view!

Are you kidding me?

This is awesome. JERRY: Yeah.

We live right in the center of a bird sanctuary,

so at any given time, there are probably 30 on the property.

Wow. And most birds here get their water by flying to pools

and drinking chemical water, and it's terrible.

So whatever we can do to utilize the water

in a more eco-friendly manner, you know,

we're looking for a way to add to their lives, too. Yeah.

I think it's so cool that they're trying to create a place

with fresh, clean water for the birds to drink

so they're healthy and they're happy.

We definitely need a hot tub. As far as a pool,

I think the shape works.

And just to make it, you know, something more modern.

You know, the decking, it's bricks,

and the coping is not very modern,

so we're trying to see how can we bring sort of a modern

look on top of a natural bird sanctuary.

Very cool. Since Tom's a musician,

we want to have a hidden stage there that you can't notice it,

but, you know, all of a sudden, a guy can go up there

with the guitar and play a few tunes.

Well, this is getting really interesting.

Yeah, so...

Birds and straggling musicians. I like it.

LUCAS: The Chaffee family is really looking

for something that's kind of hip and cool,

yet minimalistic and modern, as well,

but in allowing really to appreciate

all the beautiful nature that surrounds their property.

So I have this really good, solid plan,

and I'm excited about it. I can't wait to show the family,

but I had no idea they were bringing out all the guns.

I mean, they got their two boys, Tomas and Gabbo,

their daughter Brittney, and then abuela Marta.

I hope my plan covers all the bases.

So let me kind of go over everything a little bit quick.

The design starts with the existing pool.

I'm going to reshape it into a perfect rectangle.

And I'm thinking add a water wall on the right side.

That's great. That sounds great.

But, you know, I really wanted to create

that infinity edge look,

and because we can't raise the whole pool up,

I think a really big spa.

You know, I'm thinking like an 8x12

that's elevated.

That way, when you're looking out

from the house, all you see is

the water of the pool to the water of the spa

to the water of the bay.

Great. Of course, there'll be tons of lighting,

but also, I'd love to do a fire feature right there.

So, like, water floating on water,

but then also fire right next to it.

Yes, I love it.

You know, this is all about just being very minimalist,

yet beautiful, and really focusing your view on the bay

and that bird sanctuary.

TOM: Fantastic. That's great.

So, this pond is part of a whole water-saving ecosystem

for the birds.

We're gonna capture the rainwater off the roof

with new gutters and downspouts.

We're gonna channel that into a natural pond for the birds

to get a fresh drink of water and hang out in.

We're also creating a place for musicians.

Alright. Well, do I have your guys' blessing

to kind of continue forward

in getting the permits for this project?

-Oh, yeah. -Go for it.

LUCAS: This is gonna be a great build.

And I can't wait to get my team out here

and get started on blending a modern pool

with a natural bird oasis.

They're actually donating the cage and all these pavers

to an animal shelter,

and they're gonna to repurpose everything.

¶¶

CHRIS: Uh-oh. Concrete?

I thought this was all supposed be sand.

While tearing out the pavers,

I discovered concrete underneath them.

If the whole area around the pool is like this,

I don't think Lucas can do the pool the way he wants to.

Hey, Old Man. I ran into a problem.

Yeah, so did I. I ran into concrete.

It's supposed to just be sand-set.

I found concrete over there. This is a big problem.

Yeah.

-Alright, guys, come on out. -Hey, great.

LUCAS: The pool part of this project

was supposed to be a simple update.

We thought the area around the pool was sand,

which would allow us to dig around the pool

to add plumbing and maybe just demo sections of the pool.

But when Crash and Old Man were pulling up the pavers,

they found a concrete deck, which changes everything.

I think we need to get a huge excavator in here

and just rip out the deck,

the pool, and everything, and start fresh.

Oh. Okay.

Lucas now wants to rip out the entire pool,

and it's a little stressful. We weren't expecting it.

Apparently this is turning into a complete pool demolition

instead of a pool renovation.

Okay, so, key question -- Does that give you more options?

Well, absolutely. I mean, if we're starting fresh,

we don't have to kind of work

within the constraints of where this pool is.

I'd love to have an outdoor kitchen.

Is that possible?

If we push the pool back further into the yard,

we gain room here for possibly a dining area,

and then maybe off to the side,

we could add an outdoor kitchen with an outdoor sink,

a fridge, and a grill.

Now that we can expand, maybe we kind of split up the pool area

and the bird-sanctuary area

and put maybe, like, a deck space

between them where you can, you know, kind of hang out

around the fire feature and enjoy the view.

-Absolutely. -You like that?

Yeah. Love it. Alright.

Alright. We're gonna make the magic happen, guys. Perfect. Excellent.

Hey, thanks, brother. Alright, you got it.

Good job, man. Thanks again. Alright. See you soon.

¶¶

CHRIS: Apparently, we got the go-ahead to rip out the old pool

to put a new one in, so it's demo time.

¶¶

¶¶

Next we'll create the skeleton

and shape of the pool with rebar.

¶¶

And then we lay out the pipes and the electrical conduit.

¶¶

Finally, it's time for gunite.

This pool is huge.

It's gonna take about 80 yards to fill it.

¶¶

JOHN: For this project, there's gonna be

a lot of blue tile and a lot of travertine to lay.

¶¶

¶¶

LUCAS: Tom and Geri really love that kind of modern,

minimalist feeling,

so I had the idea of doing a water wall

with these black Mexican beach pebbles,

but, also, this project is for the birds.

So I need to make a bird pond

that really embraces the nature that surrounds the area.

I had some leftover pieces of fiberglass

that I thought would make perfect basins

to form the two different levels of pools

that flow into each other before it spills into the main pond.

By having these three different pools,

it gives more areas for the birds

to have fun and splash around.

¶¶

Let's put it this way a little bit more.

-Alright. -Look at that.

Alright, so, just pack this all in around.

Alright. We're ready for the pond liner.

-We're doing good. -Roll it out.

Let's take this up.

This stuff is, like, thick, man. It's durable.

It's supposed to last at least 20 years.

Roll once. Roll twice.

Normally, I don't like using pond liners

as much as I like building everything out of concrete,

but because he went kind of crazy with the budget

by ripping out everything and starting with a fresh build,

saving money by using a liner is definitely the way to go.

Put a little piece in there,

and then we'll put in the rest on top.

MATT: Florida cap rock is sharp.

So we've used extra pieces of liner

to stop the rock edges from piercing the main layer.

Here we go.

Alright. Now make sure it's green side up.

We're gonna place this cool rock

that has a little perch on it up high so the birds

can actually stand on it and overlook their kingdom.

FRANK: Let's do it this way.

Looks like it curves right around here. Yeah.

Let's try bringing it in a little that way.

Oop, a little too far.

Right there, yep.

Perfect, perfect!

That looks good. Green side up!

I like it. Yeah.

Yeah, this wood grain is really nice.

LUCAS: This faux wood stamp will give the outdoor kitchen

a beautiful wood aesthetic

without the maintenance and upkeep.

Gonna go over that.

This stamp thing is neat.

Wow. I like it.

MAN: Watch your fingers.

LUCAS: Now it's time for all the final details.

The kitchen is complete.

The pond's natural water system is being installed.

And the deck is coming to life.

¶¶

But that's not all.

This pond is also gonna be a stage for traveling musicians.

We will create a stone patio that, when not in use,

will blend into the natural setting...

Whew! Done. I like it.

...complete with custom-made benches for the audience.

It's coming together, guys.

We're getting close to finishing this people and bird oasis.

The day is finally here.

I get the show the Chaffee family their new backyard.

-You ready? -Yes.

Alright. One, two, three.

Check out your new pool.

-Whoa. -Wow!

LUCAS: This bird sanctuary has turned out beautifully.

And I'm about to show the Chaffee family

their new backyard.

And I can't wait to get their reactions.

-Alright, guys. You ready? -Yes.

Alright. One, two, three.

Check out your new pool.

-Whoa. -Wow!

MAN: Shut the front door.

-Oh, look at that. -That's amazing.

-Oh, that bar is gorgeous. -I love it!

WOMAN: I absolutely love it.

I seriously feel like we're at a hotel.

I don't think this is real.

I love the way this water wall came out.

I mean, with the black beach pebble,

it looks so modern and minimalist,

yet it's all-natural materials.

You know, really, the color of the water of the pool

is very similar to the bay.

So it really kind of brings it all together.

It's gorgeous.

Let me take you on a little tour of the whole property.

-Great. -Fantastic.

-Yay! -Alright.

LUCAS: I love this deck space, you guys.

I mean, having a whole nother seating area out here

but that doesn't block your view,

the way it kind of hangs out,

almost like a dock over the water.

¶¶

An infinity-edge spa all the way around.

Have it look like a obelisk of water

that's just magically floating there.

I love it so much. It's so cool.

What do you guys think?

-Awesome. -Unbelievable. -It's beautiful.

That looks fantastic with the wood.

-Amazing. -It's beautiful.

-Very nice. -Yeah.

¶¶

This is that multi-purpose area.

I love this area.

We put in all these little touches for the birds.

I had this really cool boulder.

Many times I thought about just cutting it out of there

because in any other application,

why would you want a stump coming through it?

But something kind of kept me back from doing that.

And so when we were creating the bird sanctuary,

I was like, "Oh, my God, this rock, it's a bird perch."

-I mean, it just made sense. -Perfect.

And, of course, last but not least, this is a stage.

-I love it. It's great. -Right, buddy?

Yeah, I mean right here you got a place for musicians to play,

for everybody hanging out.

And, of course, what stage is complete

without a place for guests to sit and watch?

So one-of-a-kind benches.

-Amazing. -That's fantastic.

It's beautiful.

There's still plenty more to see.

So follow me, guys.

Alright, guys, well, welcome to your outdoor kitchen.

You got a fridge. You got a sink.

You got storage, a pellet grill.

You got a concrete countertop.

And what's nice is we gave you the wood look

by stamping the concrete.

But there's gonna be no maintenance to it.

It's perfect. We usually cook for a lot of people.

And, you know, being able to do it here with that view...

-Yeah. -...it's perfect.

¶¶

TOM: One of the best parts about all this is that, you know,

you feel like you're doing this all for yourself,

and we're actually gonna do it for the birds, as well.

And I think we're taking care of them.

They're gonna get their fresh water.

They have a beautiful place to hang out.

It really does seem like they already know

that's home for them.

GERI: There is really no comparison

to what the pool was before to what it is now.

¶¶

LUCAS: In La Vernia, Texas,

David and Linda Keck are about to take the plunge.

Having just purchased a new home,

they need something to fill some of that big Texas backyard.

[ Indistinct talking ]

Family's very important to us.

LINDA: Moving to La Vernia has enabled us

to spend more time with our grandchildren.

High five. Whoo!

Our hope is, having a pool,

We'll have our grandkids over here more often.

This amazing backyard will be perfect

for the Kecks and their grandchildren.

That multi-tiered waterfall built from real stone

is over seven feet tall,

with several jumping platforms for the grandkids.

This circular fire pit and expansive stone bench

will be perfect for relaxing and watching the sun set.

In front of the fire pit will be one entrance to the pool,

and the other will be at the Baja bench on the opposite side.

¶¶

Step one for the Kecks' waterfall wonderland...

Alright, let's bring it in!

...excavation.

The soil here is a Texas sandy loam,

which makes it very easy to dig.

It shouldn't take too long before they have this hole dug.

Because the soil here is so soft and easy to dig,

they can multitask and build out their forms.

Another bonus to the sandy soil --

They normally have to truck in gravel

to build the structure walls.

But for this pool, they can use the same dirt they're digging.

Now on to the plumbing, rebar, and gunite.

Once the gunite cures, it's time to pick out some tile

that will really make a splash.

I like the turquoise and the bronze.

Do you have anything else with those colors in it?

We brought some of my favorites.

Oh, yeah, I like this one.

Isn't that too green?

That's not gonna look good with the water.

You know, once it's set right up underneath your coping,

what's gonna help with that blue look is the plaster

that's gonna be sitting right below the tile.

That's really what's gonna give you

that kind of blue color.

Okay. We're gonna trust you.

LUCAS: The boulders for the waterfall have finally arrived.

And the guys start placing them.

This is the most important feature of the pool.

So every stone is carefully set.

The beautiful turquoise tile that Linda and David chose

has been installed at the waterline.

And work has begun on the cozy fire pit.

Now it's time to top off the waterfall.

Let's bring it on around.

Nice and easy with it.

Slabs this size can easily crack in two.

The crew has to be extra careful getting it to its top spot.

Be real careful we don't bang the edge here.

One false move, and it could tip over

and crack under its own weight.

Then we're talking weeks to wait for another one,

not to mention the damage it could do

to the boulders beneath it.

We got to make sure we have some overhang here.

Let's pick it up a little bit more.

Just slide it into place.

Hey, that looks perfect.

The final slab is in place.

From here, they secure the slab with concrete.

The waterfall is finished.

The coping is edged.

The decks are poured.

Now all that's left before they fill it up is plaster.

¶¶

Once the plaster sets up, it gets an acid wash

to expose texture and color.

¶¶

The backyard is finally complete.

Time to get the Kecks and show them the finished product.

Oh, my gosh!

LUCAS: They Kecks finally get to see their waterfall wonderland.

-Oh, my gosh! -Whoa!

BOY: I like the waterfall!

¶¶

-What do you think? -Beautiful.

Oh, my gosh, look at those palm trees.

It's awesome. I love it!

LUCAS: This multi-tiered waterfall

will have the grandkids coming over all summer long.

Look at the fire pit over there.

-Oh, my God! -Oh!

I will be sitting by the fire

having a nice glass of wine tonight.

Yeah.

Oh, and everything just looks so good.

It does. I didn't want a dinky waterfall.

When it's over seven feet tall, it's not considered dinky.

[ Laughter ]

We got you some different-size jumping platforms.

BOY: I'll jump off the top one.

You can work your way to the top.

You guys outdid yourself. It's beautiful.

That's what we shoot for.

Before we go any further, got a surprise for y'all.

Got a surprise for us? Yes.

What? We're gonna go this way.

This way. Okay. Okay.

-Can't wait to see what it is. -What you got?

You'll see.

Alright.

-Oh. -Oh, my gosh!

-That is so cool. -That is a pirate.

LUCAS: It turns out that David has a huge seven-foot pirate

that he wants to put next to the pool.

You got it covered. I'm gonna let you do this.

Then we'll back up to the pool. Y'all swing around that way.

Stand him up.

A little bit.

-That is too cool. -Whoo!

-Check out the pirate. -Whoa!

-That looks awesome. -That is awesome!

That pirate completes it.

MAN: Yeah, that does it for us right there.

We understand y'all are gonna have friends, family,

everybody coming over.

I say we get on the phone and get everybody over here.

-Okay. -Let's go party.

¶¶

I love it. Everything about it is gorgeous.

It really looks tropical.

So many friends and family. Pool brings us all together.

We love sitting around the fire pit, having a glass of wine,

watching the children playing in there.

It's everything that we hoped for and more.

LUCAS: It looks like the Kecks will be seeing their grandkids

a whole lot this year.