Family-Owned Since 1998
A+ BBB Rating
No Subcontractors
ICPI Certified
Landscape Ontario Member
WSIB Accredited
How We Build Your Ottawa Pool:
Clarity at Every Stage
Installing an inground pool is one of the most significant investments an Ottawa homeowner makes. At Ottawa Home & Garden, our process is built around one principle: no surprises. From the day we visit your property to the day you swim, you know exactly what is happening, who is doing it, and what comes next. Andrew and Jaime Peterson have been designing and building Ottawa backyards since 1998, and they oversee every phase of every project personally.
Every inground pool installation we complete follows the same six-phase process. We use an internal project checklist throughout the build so every member of our team knows the status, the scope, and the standard for your specific project. There are no handoffs to subcontractors, no dropped details between trades, and no phase that begins before the previous one is signed off.
How It Works: The Ottawa Home & Garden Process
Free On-Site Consultation and Cost Estimate
Every project starts with an on-site visit to your Ottawa property. Andrew or Jaime walks your yard, takes measurements, and assesses the lot conditions that affect both the design and the cost: slope, drainage, soil type, access width, setback distances, and proximity to structures. This is not a sales call. It is a real assessment.
At the end of the visit, we produce a visual rendition of the proposed pool and outdoor space, and we give you an accurate, itemized cost estimate based on what we actually found on your lot. If your site has a challenge that will affect the price, we tell you at this stage. You can read more about what drives pool installation cost in Ottawa on our cost breakdown page. There is no obligation and no pressure. Some clients book immediately. Some take months. We are here when you are ready.
Triple Check
Before anything is signed, we go back through every variable that could affect your project: access for excavation equipment, drainage and grading requirements, permit requirements with the City of Ottawa, HOA restrictions if applicable, zoning setbacks, electrical and equipment considerations, and any site-specific challenges we want to resolve on paper before they become field problems. We call this the Triple Check because we review each item twice over before the contract is finalized.
This step exists because the most expensive problems in pool construction are the ones discovered after excavation has started. Our Triple Check is the reason our projects do not have change orders. We find what needs solving before the first shovel hits the ground.
Contract & Scheduling
Once the design is finalized and the Triple Check is complete, we sign the contract and schedule your installation. The contract is itemized: you see the pool shell, fencing, heating, electrical, and any poolscaping or landscaping included in the scope, each as a separate line item. Nothing is bundled into a lump sum.
We submit your permit application to the City of Ottawa at this stage. Permit approval typically takes 2 to 6 weeks. We do not begin installation until all required permits are approved. Your installation date is confirmed in writing and held. We take on the number of projects our own team can complete properly, which means your booking is real, not a placeholder in an overloaded schedule.
Pre-Installation Review
As your installation date approaches, we schedule a final walkthrough of the site with you. We physically mark where the pool will sit on your property so you can confirm the layout before any equipment arrives. We verify that all materials (steel panels, vinyl liner, and plumbing components) are in stock and staged for delivery. We review site access, equipment staging areas, and any final adjustments to the plan.
This review is the last checkpoint before ground breaks. If you have questions about pool shapes, liner selections, deck finishes, or the types of pool systems included in your build, this is the time to raise them. We do not begin until you have seen exactly what will be built and confirmed it matches the approved design.
Installation and Quality Control
Our team completes every phase of the build. There are no subcontractors on your property. The same crew that excavates your yard installs the steel wall panels, sets the concrete footing, fits the vinyl liner, runs the plumbing, and completes the coping and grading. Andrew and Jaime provide direct, on-site oversight throughout.
The installation sequence runs across 3 to 4 weeks for a standard Ottawa pool. Weeks one and two cover excavation, steel wall assembly, concrete footing, plumbing rough-in, and backfill. Weeks two and three cover vinyl liner installation, filling, equipment connection, electrical, and final grading. Weeks three and four cover any interlock patio, poolscaping, fencing, outdoor structures, and site cleanup. We provide daily site cleanup throughout and keep you informed of progress at every stage.
Before we call the project complete, we run through our internal quality checklist against the approved design: structural alignment, wall integrity, liner fit, equipment operation, drainage, and finish details. Every item is signed off by Andrew or Jaime before the final walkthrough is scheduled.
Final Walkthrough and Aftercare
When the build is finished, we walk through every element of the completed project with you. We cover equipment operation, water chemistry, the weekly maintenance routine, and what seasonal care looks like for an Ottawa pool. You receive a full equipment manual package, a chemistry reference guide, a maintenance checklist, and our opening and closing instructions.
Ongoing support is available after completion. If a question comes up during your first season, you can reach us directly. Our project portfolio shows the finished standard our process produces. Our client testimonials reflect what it is like to work with us. Our about us page covers who Andrew and Jaime are and how this business has been run since 1998.
Why Our Process Produces a Better Result
One team, start to finish
Most pool contractors manage a chain of subcontractors: one crew for excavation, another for installation, another for electrical, another for landscaping. Each handoff is a potential gap in quality, communication, and accountability. At Ottawa Home & Garden, the same team handles every phase. Andrew and Jaime are personally responsible for what gets built because they are present while it is being built.
The Triple Check eliminates change orders
The most expensive surprises in pool construction come from variables that were not assessed properly before work began. Drainage conditions. Access constraints. Permit requirements. HOA restrictions. Our Triple Check phase exists specifically to find and resolve these before excavation starts. Projects that skip this step generate change orders. Ours do not.
An internal checklist keeps every project on track
We run every project against an internal checklist that covers each phase from consultation through aftercare. Every member of our team knows the status of your project, the approved design specifications, and the standard they are working to. Nothing is left to verbal instructions passed between crews.
No subcontractors means no coordination gaps
When you hire a pool contractor who subcontracts excavation, electrical, and landscaping to separate companies, you become the coordinator. Scheduling conflicts, design disconnects, and accountability gaps become your problem. When you hire Ottawa Home & Garden, you have one contract, one team, and one point of contact for the entire project.
Serving Ottawa and Surrounding Communities
We complete pool installations and outdoor living projects across Ottawa and the greater region, including Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, Barrhaven, Stittsville, Manotick, Greely, Riverside South, Beacon Hill, Cumberland, Mississippi Mills, North and South Dundas, and Prescott Russell. Every project, regardless of location, follows the same six-phase process with the same team and the same standard of oversight.
Whether you are coming from Orleans, Stittsville, or Manotick, we are ready to visit your property and walk you through what your project will look like from consultation to opening day.
Ready to See How the Process Works for Your Property?
The best way to understand our process is to experience the first phase. Book a free, no-obligation on-site consultation and we will walk your property, show you what is possible, and give you an honest, itemized estimate based on your actual lot. Visit us at 632 Pleasant Park Road, Ottawa ON K1H 5N5 or reach out today.