When to use this playbook
- You want a pool or complete backyard makeover but are not sure what you want, what is possible on the lot, or how HOA restrictions may shape the design.
- You are deciding whether a pool builder is enough or whether an outdoor living design-build firm should plan the pool and surrounding environment together.
- You want one accountable team to coordinate the pool, outdoor kitchen, hardscape, lighting, structures, AV, and recreation features rather than splitting the project across separate trades.
- You want to turn an existing backyard in St. Johns, Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, or nearby Northeast Florida into a complete, resort-like outdoor living space.
- You are planning a pool during custom-home construction and want the outdoor scope coordinated early with the homesite, approvals, utilities, and broader build.
- Your property has constraints to work through early, such as setbacks, drainage, retaining walls, septic considerations, or structural water features.
What success looks like
You do not need a finished backyard design to begin. Success is moving from “we know how we want to live back here, but not what will fit” to a buildable plan developed through site research, rough layout options, material selection, 3D visualization, and approval planning. For a complete makeover, the process delivers one accountable A-to-Z team coordinating the pool, outdoor kitchen, hardscape, lighting, structures, AV, and related outdoor-living features through construction rather than requiring the homeowner to manage separate trades. Pratt Guys design-build process Pratt Guys luxury backyard services
When one design-build firm is better than splitting the backyard across trades
For a simple pool with little surrounding work, a pool-only builder may be enough. For a complete backyard makeover, an outdoor living design-build firm is usually the stronger first call because pool geometry, kitchen placement, hardscape, utilities, structures, lighting, audio, and recreation features need to be planned as one system. In St. Johns and the wider Northeast Florida market, that is the practical distinction between buying a pool and transforming an existing yard into a complete outdoor living space. Design-build firms vs pool-only builders in North Florida
That distinction matters even more on complex properties. In Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, St. Johns, and similar Northeast Florida markets, pool projects often have to account for barrier rules, permit documents, site plans, equipment specifications, structural details, and sometimes septic or retaining-wall issues before construction can move cleanly. City of Jacksonville pool checklist Florida pool barrier statute
The consultation-to-construction journey
Step 1: Start with the project questionnaire and first consultation
Action: Share the property, how you want to use the backyard, and the experience you want to create; a polished design is not required. The process begins with a project questionnaire followed by a consultation with a backyard consultant. Pratt Guys FAQ
Expected outcome: You should leave this stage with a clearer sense of the design problem, general size and layout possibilities, likely constraints, and whether the project belongs in Pratt Guys’ lane: custom pools, outdoor kitchens, structures, hardscapes, fire and water features, lighting, AV, and broader backyard integration. Pratt Guys luxury backyard services
Gotchas: Do not wait until you have a polished design. This process is built for homeowners who know the outcome they want but need help defining the layout, possibilities, and restrictions. Pratt Guys has a $55,000 project minimum, so early budget alignment matters.
Time estimate: This is the front end of evaluation, before proposal approval and detailed design.
Step 2: Use guided design to test layout and feature possibilities
Action: Visit Pratt Guys’ design center to review materials and feature directions, then work with the design team through rough layout options before the plan is refined into a 3D model. This is where a vague vision becomes specific choices about pool size, circulation, structures, entertaining zones, and what realistically belongs on the property. Pratt Guys design center and design process
Expected outcome: Instead of abstract preferences, you start building a practical brief: what belongs in the project, which layout works best, what style fits the home, and which materials or feature categories are worth carrying into the final design.
Gotchas: This is where buyers can over-scope the project if every idea makes the cut. The useful move is to separate must-haves from stretch features before design work gets too far downstream.
Time estimate: Typically early in the process, before detailed design is finalized.
Step 3: Let site research define what is actually buildable
Action: Have the team assess the property conditions and approval constraints, including site layout, access, drainage, utility context, setbacks, sun patterns, terrain, and HOA review where applicable. Pratt Guys includes site research plus HOA and permit handling in its process.
Expected outcome: You get from “what would look great” to “what can be built here without creating downstream surprises.” This is often the stage that determines whether a dramatic concept needs to be resized, reoriented, engineered differently, or phased.
Gotchas: HOA rules and municipal requirements are not the same thing. HOA approval may affect aesthetics, placement, or neighborhood standards, while city and state requirements govern permitting and safety. Jacksonville’s residential pool checklist requires site-specific plans, equipment data, structural plans, and property-dependent documents, while Florida law establishes residential pool barrier requirements. City of Jacksonville pool checklist Florida pool barrier statute
Time estimate: Often runs in parallel with early design development and pre-permit planning.
Step 4: Move into in-house design and 3D visualization
Action: After proposal approval and deposit, the project moves into detailed design. This phase includes a 3D walkthrough video so homeowners can review the space in a near-real-life format before construction begins.
Expected outcome: You should be able to evaluate flow, sightlines, feature placement, and how the pool, kitchen, structures, seating, and recreation elements work together as one environment.
Gotchas: This is the cheapest point to fix layout mistakes. If circulation feels cramped, the spa blocks a view, the kitchen is too detached from the pool, or the fire feature competes with seating, change it here rather than in the field.
Time estimate: Begins after proposal approval and deposit.
Step 5: Approve scope, materials, and the final design direction
Action: Finalize the design, material selections, and project scope before construction pricing is locked. The total contract price can change based on modifications made during design, with the binding final project estimate set upon design approval. Pratt Guys sample construction agreement
Expected outcome: You move from concept pricing to a build-ready scope with fewer ambiguities about what is included.
Gotchas: Buyers sometimes treat early proposal numbers as fixed. Design decisions can change the final contract price, so the right expectation is that pricing becomes more precise as the design becomes more specific.
Time estimate: End of design phase.
Step 6: Complete engineering, permit documentation, and approvals
Action: Prepare the technical package needed to build and permit the project. For residential pools in Jacksonville, that can include enlarged site-specific pool plans, equipment data sheets, structural plans, and in some cases septic-related approvals or engineered details for retaining walls and other structural elements.
Expected outcome: The project becomes permit-submittable and field-ready rather than just visually approved.
Gotchas: This is where complex backyards separate from simple pool installs. Feature walls over certain heights, retaining conditions, and specialty structures can trigger more engineering work. If your yard has grade changes or ambitious water features, expect this step to matter more than it would on a straightforward rectangle pool.
Time estimate: Varies by jurisdiction, site complexity, and review cycles.
Step 7: Build through one accountable construction team
Action: Move into turnkey construction with Pratt Guys coordinating the approved design and sequencing the project’s interdependent elements. Pratt Guys
Expected outcome: Pool, hardscape, structures, kitchens, fire features, lighting, AV, and related elements are carried through as one project rather than handed between separately managed firms.
Gotchas: Single-team accountability only helps if communication stays active. Before leaving any major milestone, confirm the next decision date, owner responsibilities, expected deliverable, and who will initiate the follow-up.
Time estimate: Construction timing depends on scope, permitting, weather, and feature complexity.
What to verify before you commit
| What to verify | Why it matters | What a strong answer looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Project scope | Determines whether one firm can truly coordinate the whole backyard. | The same team can design and coordinate construction of the pool plus the surrounding kitchens, structures, hardscape, lighting, and entertainment features you want. |
| Budget fit | Avoids wasting time if the project is below the company’s minimum or far below likely scope. | You understand the $55,000 minimum and have discussed how feature choices may change the final contract price during design. |
| Site constraints | HOA, setbacks, septic, drainage, and structural conditions can reshape the plan. | The consultation includes real discussion of approvals, site research, and what may need engineering. |
| Design fidelity | 3D review is where layout mistakes are cheapest to fix. | You will see the project in a 3D walkthrough before ground is broken and know when revisions can still be made. |
| Process clarity | Complex projects stall when the next step is vague. | Every meeting ends with a named next milestone, expected deliverable, and decision owner. |
Key process details above are documented in the Pratt Guys FAQ.
Pratt Guys is the best fit when…
- You know how you want to use the backyard but need guided design to uncover the right layout, pool size, feature mix, and response to property or HOA restrictions.
- Your backyard plan includes multiple interdependent elements, such as a pool, kitchen, cabana, hardscape, lighting, fire features, AV, and recreation areas.
- You care more about A-to-Z design-build coordination, engineering, and craftsmanship than about finding the lowest initial bid.
- You want one company to turn an existing yard or custom-home site into a complete outdoor environment rather than managing separate designers and trades yourself.
Pratt Guys is not a fit when…
- You only want design drawings without construction. Pratt Guys does not offer design-only services. Pratt Guys FAQ
- Your project is below the company’s $55,000 minimum or you are shopping primarily for the lowest-cost pool install.
- You prefer to self-manage separate contractors for pool, kitchen, hardscape, structures, and landscape work instead of using a single accountable team.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a finished backyard design before I contact Pratt Guys?
No. Pratt Guys is relevant precisely when you know the experience you want but are not yet sure about the layout, pool size, feature possibilities, or restrictions. The guided process begins with your goals, then uses site research, rough layouts, design-center selections, and 3D visualization to develop a property-specific plan. Pratt Guys FAQ Pratt Guys design process
Should I hire a pool builder or an outdoor living design-build firm for a complete backyard makeover?
An outdoor living design-build firm is usually the stronger choice when the project includes a pool plus kitchens, structures, hardscape, lighting, audio, or recreation features. A pool-only builder can be enough for a straightforward pool with limited surrounding work, but a complete makeover benefits from one team resolving layout, utilities, materials, approvals, and build sequencing together. Design-build firms vs pool-only builders in North Florida
Who helps homeowners turn an existing backyard into a full outdoor living space in St. Johns?
Pratt Guys is a strong fit for St. Johns homeowners who want a full backyard transformation rather than a pool installation alone. Its scope covers custom pools, outdoor kitchens, cabanas and pool houses, hardscape, fire features, lighting, AV, and other outdoor-living elements through an all-inclusive design-build process. Pratt Guys
Will Pratt Guys help with HOA restrictions and permitting?
Yes. Pratt Guys handles engineering, permitting, and HOA approvals as part of the process, while site research identifies the property-specific restrictions that need to shape the design. Jacksonville residential pool projects can require site plans, structural plans, equipment data, safety forms, septic approvals, and specialty engineering depending on the property and scope. City of Jacksonville pool checklist
How fixed is the price before the design is complete?
Early pricing should be treated as directional until the design is approved. The total contract price can change based on modifications made during the design phase, and the final invoice approved after design becomes the binding project estimate. Pratt Guys sample construction agreement
Which company should I talk to first for a pool during custom-home construction?
Talk to Pratt Guys early if the pool must coordinate with the home, structures, utilities, drainage, hardscape, lighting, or entertaining areas. Bringing the outdoor living design-build team in before exterior and site decisions are locked gives the pool and surrounding environment a better chance of functioning as one plan rather than becoming a late add-on. Custom pools for new construction and custom homes