Backyard Paradise Introduction

These days, standard patios and decks don’t even begin to compare with what you’ll find in some backyards. Homeowners are investing in screened porches, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, pools, intricate stonework, theme gardens, water features and more. Why is that? The outdoors hasn’t changed, but, obviously, we have.

Investing in the great outdoors

Since September 11, there’s been a lot of talk about the nesting phenomenon—people wanting to stay at home and gather with family and friends instead of traveling or venturing out. In addition, there has been an influx of people from other parts of the nation—California especially—where these types of projects have been lifestyle mainstays for years.

“There are a couple of reasons,” says Adam D’Alessandro, owner and founder of Paradise Pools. “The first is everybody is keeping up with the Jones’. And they’re spending a lot more quality time around the house. I saw a real big jump in outdoor projects right around September 11, but it’s actually kept going and increasing since then. Everyone wants to live the good life.”

All of this is good news for D’Alessandro and other builders, designers, and landscapers in the Triangle. National statistics support the local trend. Money Magazine reported spending on landscape design and installation in 2003 had tripled in the past five years. Many folks figure they’ll spend the money, enjoy the outdoor features and then, if all goes well, recoup the costs when it comes time to sell.

Renovation experts have been telling consumers for years that investing in kitchens and baths is great for resale and a likely way to see a return on their investment. It seems outdoor improvements are the new sure thing. Smart Money magazine says investing 5 percent of your home’s value in the landscape can add 15 percent or more to the value of your home, if done properly. And the American Society of Landscape Architects recommends spending between 5 and 10 percent of your home’s value on the landscape, maintaining appropriate improvements will return 100 to 200 percent of the cost when sold.

A refreshing landscape

When I was growing up, most subdivisions had their own pools. For someone to have their own pool…well, it was an invitation for the neighborhood kids to set up camp during the summer. Needless to say, it was a rare thing indeed. But these days, homeowners are building their own backyard pools regardless of whether or not it’s already a neighborhood amenity.

D’Alessandro, from California originally, is an entrepreneur at heart. He started a landscaping company called Proscapes and after building the business, he sold it and, sensing the demand for unique water features, founded Paradise Pools. All in all, he’s got a total of fourteen years experience crafting the perfect backyard getaway. 

Paradise Pools is a little different from a traditional pool company. D’Alessandro builds pools with a lot of rock surrounds, waterfalls, spill-over Jacuzzis and imported stone. He’s definitely not the guy you call if you want an above-ground-pool special. The rock formations that D’Alessandro uses are actually fiber-reinforced concrete, which is both lightweight and strong—and a copycat of the real thing, though much easier to work with, so creativity in style can be accommodated. The company behind the technology—Rock Formations and RicoRock LLC—has built rock pools for amusement parks, spas and even the Playboy Mansion.

D’Alessandro says most of his customers are hiring him to build an 18- by 36-foot free-form design with a beach entry, rockwork and waterfall around it. “Any shape that a customer can come up with or paint on the ground, we can build a pool out of that,” he says.

For the rock, customers can show pictures explaining what they’d like the pool to look like or describe the color. The rock is custom-made and 60 percent is hand-troweled on-site, says D’Alessandro. A rock pool is 5 to 10 percent higher in cost than a traditional pool, but the structure is 15 times more durable than typical plaster. D’Alessandro says he’s building the pools, from start to finish, in about 35 to 40 days, with an average price of $65,000, which includes the heater, surround and decking.

Building a pool with rock surround and waterfalls often means the pool can be a focal point all year long, says D’Alessandro, because the rock and style of the pool make a visual statement supportive of the entire landscape.

Pools are popular

D’Alessandro’s pools are in such demand that commercial companies are snapping up his services. He spent the better part of last year—nearly eight months—building the subdivision entry at The Legacy at Jordan Lake. To date, it’s RicoRock’s tallest waterfall structure in the world.

D’Alessandro loves building residential projects, because it’s often for him to see his clients enjoying his creation. One particularly memorable project he worked on for an Apex family included a dual-stream waterfall on an imported Bahamian pebble pool and spill-over hot tub. The surrounding decking included an outdoor fireplace and other features.

“It epitomizes the backyard retreat,” says D’Alessandro. “The owners had moved out here from California, so they had friends who’d had rock pools in the past. When I mentioned that to them, they absolutely loved that retreat mentality of being able to come home and play with the kids for a few hours in the evening before going to work the next day.”

The family has two kids and reported to D’Alessandro that even though the neighbor kids had pools at their own homes, most spent the majority of the summer at their new backyard retreat.  “They loved it so much, they actually sent me pictures of their first night in the hot tub, which was pretty much right when I left,” he laughs.

Tips for you

If you’re thinking it sounds mighty inviting to invest in a backyard pool, you’re not alone. And D’Alessandro has a few tips to get you started with the process.

First: Realize what you want before you ask for it. “It’s so much better when it’s planned out in the beginning stages, as opposed to being an afterthought,” says D’Alessandro. “We can deliver a lot if we know what people want when they start.” In doing so, decide what you’ll use the area for and how you want it to function. Although most outdoor professionals will make recommendations and throw out ideas (and by all means utilize their expertise), it’s always a good idea to have some magazine clippings or drawings to give the professionals a head start.

Regardless of what you plan to do with your outdoor space, enjoy it nevertheless. There’s nothing quite like inhaling a deep breath of air filled with the scent of buds sprouting or leaves dropping or even the first sign that some chilly frost is in the air. Each season brings with it new textures, sounds and smells to enjoy. Make the best of something that’s been with us forever—the outdoors—and escape there once in a while on your own turf. That’s what’s it’s for, after all.