HOW LONG DID YOUR POOL MAKEOVER REALLY TAKE?
I hear you on the indecision thing—been there more times than I care to admit. With our 1920s house, every project seems to come with a hundred “what ifs,” and the pool was no exception. I used to think waiting until demo would give me some kind of epiphany about tile colors or coping styles, but honestly, it just made things drag out. The crew would be standing around, waiting for me to pick a grout color or decide on the waterline tile. Not great for anyone’s nerves.
For our pool reno last summer, I forced myself to do a full spec sheet before anyone touched a shovel. Here’s how it played out:
1. I spent about two weeks researching materials—tile samples, plaster finishes, even the type of skimmer basket (I know, overkill).
2. Met with the contractor and walked through every detail. We literally taped off the new steps and benches in the empty pool shell before demo started.
3. Ordered all materials up front. That meant storing a mountain of boxes in my garage for a month, but at least we weren’t waiting on backorders mid-project.
4. Once demo started, the crew worked straight through—no pauses for “design decisions.” The whole thing took just under five weeks, start to finish.
I’ll admit, picking everything ahead of time felt weirdly final—especially since I’m used to tweaking as I go—but it really did keep things moving. The only hiccup was when I second-guessed my tile choice after seeing it in daylight...but by then, it was already half-installed. Lesson learned: trust your prep work.
If I had waited until demo to make those calls, I’m pretty sure we’d still be staring at a concrete hole in the backyard right now. It’s not always easy to commit early, but for me, having a clear plan made all the difference in both timeline and sanity.
Totally agree—locking in decisions early is the only way to keep things from spiraling. I did the same with our pool, but I’ll add that if you’re trying to source eco-friendly materials, you really have to plan even further ahead. Some of the recycled glass tiles I wanted had 8-week lead times, and the low-VOC plaster options weren’t always in stock. It’s a pain, but honestly, having everything on-site before demo is just smart. The upfront stress beats endless delays and last-minute compromises every time.
LOCKING IT ALL IN EARLY SAVED MY SANITY
Couldn’t agree more about having everything on-site before demo. I learned that the hard way—our tile guy showed up and half the stuff was still “in transit.” Ended up with a two-week gap just waiting for a shipment that kept getting delayed. Never again.
The eco-friendly options are a whole different beast, though. I tried to get some reclaimed wood for our pool deck and it took forever to track down enough of the same batch. The supplier kept saying, “We’ll have more next month,” but it was always a gamble. In the end, I had to mix two types, which actually looked pretty cool, but it wasn’t what I’d planned.
I do think there’s a balance between locking in decisions and leaving a little wiggle room. Sometimes you find something better mid-project, but yeah, if you’re set on specific materials—especially the green stuff—ordering way ahead is just safer. The stress upfront is real, but at least you’re not scrambling later.
Our whole reno took about 10 weeks, mostly because of material delays. If I’d waited until demo to order, I’d probably still be staring at a dirt hole in the backyard.
Ten weeks isn’t too bad, all things considered, but those shipping delays really do a number on your patience. Did you find it hard to stick with the eco-friendly route once the supply issues hit? I’ve been tempted to switch gears mid-project just to keep things moving.
Ten weeks actually sounds pretty reasonable, but I totally get how frustrating those delays can be. When you’re trying to stick with eco-friendly options and stuff gets held up, did you ever worry it might end up costing more or not turning out how you wanted? I keep wondering if it’s worth waiting for the “good” materials or if it’s just better to compromise and get things done. Did you feel like the wait was worth it in the end, or did you have any regrets about not switching to something faster?