The Lagniappe Design-Build Process
Six deliberate steps — from your first design conversation to the day you take your first swim. Here's exactly what working with Lagniappe looks like.
Every Project Follows a Deliberate Process
Most pool companies show up with a template and a price sheet. We show up with questions.
Before we design anything, we need to understand your property— how it sits on the lot, how the home’s architecture flows outside, where the sun is at 5pm, where drainage runs. We need to understand how you live, How you entertain. What this outdoor environment needs to do for you ten years from now.
Only after that conversation do we put a line on paper. This is the Lagniappe process— and it’s why our finished projects look and feel the way they do.
1
Private Design Consultation
Every project begins with a conversation — not a sales pitch. We visit your propert, walk the lot, study the home’s architecture, and listen. We want to understand your vision, how you use outdoor space, and what this environment needs to be. No pressure, no obligation. Just an honest conversation about what’s possible.
2
Site Evaluation & Planning
Before a single design line is drawn, we study the property in detail. Sun orientation, lot grade and drainage, utility locations, HOA setbacks, soil conditions, and access points—every variable that affects how your pool is engineered and where features can be placed. This step is what separates a pool that works beautifully from one that creates problems in year three.
3
3D Design & Visualization
This is where your outdoor environment takes shape. Our designers create a fully rendered 3D visualization of your pool and outdoor living space — specific to your property, your home’s architecture, and your design direction. You’ll see exactly what you’re getting before a single shovel hits the ground. We refine the design together until it is exactly right.
4
Engineering & Permitting
Once the design is finalized, our team handles structural engineering, permit applications, and HOA or POA submissions. We coordinate directly with city and county permitting offices across our North Houston service area — The Woodlands, Montgomery, Magnolia, Fulshear, and surrounding communities. This phase typically runs concurrently with material selections so your timeline stays on track.
5
Construction & Personal Oversight
This is where most pool companies hand off to a project manager. We don’t. Every Lagniappe build is personally overseen at every phase — excavation, steel and rebar, gunite, plumbing and electrical, tile and coping, equipment installation, and decking. We’re on the job because we know what the right outcome looks like, and we know what has to happen to get there.
6
Final Walkthrough & Startup
Before we hand over a single key, we walk every inch of the project together. We review equipment operation, chemical startup, maintenance protocols, and warranty coverage. We answer every question. When you take your first swim, you’ll know exactly what you have, how to care for it, and who to call if you ever need us.
EXPLORE
SIGNATURE FEATURES
Water Features
Fire Features
Deck Jets
Swim up Bar
Grottos
Sun Shelf/Tanning Ledge
Tile & Coping
Pool Slides
Ready to See What's Possible For Your Property?
Every Lagniappe project starts the same way — with a conversation. Tell us about your property and your vision and we’ll take it from there.
Financing Your Project
A custom pool and estate outdoor living environment is a significant investment. For homeowners who choose to finance, we work with a select group of lending institutions that specialize in luxury home improvement and pool construction—including Lyon Financial, Pioneer Bank & Trust, Frost Bank, and HFS Financial.
We’re happy to discuss financing options during your private design consultation.
Outdoor Showers & Cabanas
An outdoor shower or poolside cabana is a finishing detail that elevates the entire outdoor living environment. Practical for daily pool use and essential for estate-level entertaining — keeping the interior of the home dry while keeping guests comfortable outdoors.
ESTATE OUTDOOR KITCHENS & LIVING
A complete estate outdoor living environment extends well beyond the water’s edge. Covered pavilions, alfresco kitchens, outdoor dining, and lounge spaces — designed as a seamless continuation of the home’s interior. Every element positioned around how you entertain, how the space flows, and how it looks from inside the home.
Our Service Areas
Lagniappe Custom Pools is based in Spring, TX and serves luxury custom home communities throughout North Houston —including The Woodlands, Montgomery, Magnolia, Bentwater, Fulshear, Katy, Tomball, Cypress, and surrounding areas across Montgomery, Harris, Waller, and Liberty County.
A little something extra —in every square inch we build.
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PRIVATE DESIGN CONSULTATION
WATER FEATURES
Sheer descents, scuppers, water cannons, and spillways — each creates a distinct visual and acoustic experience. Beyond aesthetics, moving water naturally reduces pool temperature and adds an ambient quality that transforms the outdoor environment. We select and position water features based on the architecture of the home and the overall design intent.
FIRE FEATURES
Fire bowls, fire pits, linear burners, and integrated fire-and-water combinations extend the outdoor living season and anchor an entertainment space after dark. A well-placed fire feature changes how a space is used — and how long your guests want to stay. We design fire elements as part of the overall environment, not as add-ons.
DECK JETS
Laminar deck jets arc precise streams of water from the deck surface into the pool — clean, architectural, and visually striking. They work particularly well on modern and contemporary designs where precise geometry defines the aesthetic. When lit at night, the effect is exceptional.
SWIM-UP BAR
An in-water swim-up bar is one of the most requested features in estate outdoor environments — and one of the most impactful for entertaining. Submerged bar stools, a custom countertop, and integrated refrigeration create a resort-caliber experience that keeps guests in the water and in conversation. Designed and built as a seamless part of the pool structure.
GROTTOS
A grotto creates a genuinely immersive experience — a cave-like alcove built from natural or architectural stone with a waterfall cascading over the entrance. One of the most dramatic statements in custom pool design. Best suited for large-format or resort-style environments where the design calls for something extraordinary.
SUN SHELF/
TANNING LEDGE
A sun shelf — sometimes called a tanning ledge or Baja shelf — is a shallow entry platform that allows lounging partially submerged at water level. One of the most consistently requested features in luxury pool design. We size and position the sun shelf based on the overall pool layout, and can integrate umbrella sleeves, bubblers, and integrated seating for a fully appointed result.
TILE & COPING
Tile and coping are the most visible material decisions in any pool — and the ones that most directly connect the pool to the home’s architecture and finish level. We work with premium material lines across glass mosaic, porcelain, natural stone, and travertine. Our design team guides material selections based on your home’s exterior, the pool’s design direction, and long-term durability in the North Houston climate.
POOL SLIDES
A custom pool slide integrates naturally into rock grotto designs or can be built as a standalone architectural feature. We work with premium slide manufacturers to select options that complement the overall design — not detract from it. Best suited for family estate environments where the outdoor space is designed around active use.
