World-record build · 150-person crew · One day in Phoenix, AZ
World Record Pool Build in Phoenix, AZ
A full, feature-loaded backyard pool — excavated, plumbed, shot, tiled, decked, and filled in 5 hours, 56 minutes, and 7 seconds. It stands as proof of what the We Fix Ugly Pools® team can build when planning, craftsmanship, and coordination come together.
Ask most people how long it takes to build an in-ground pool and they will say weeks — more likely months. We Fix Ugly Pools® and owner Brian Morris set out to prove how fast an expert crew can work without cutting corners, and built a complete residential swimming pool in under six hours. The result is a world-record build that still underscores every custom pool we take on across the Phoenix metro.
How did We Fix Ugly Pools set a world record?
Construction started at 6 a.m. With the help of 150 workers, the team completed the pool in 5 hours, 56 minutes, and 7 seconds — a documented world record for a full in-ground pool build, officially certified by World Record Academy. The previous pool-building record stood between 13 and 16 hours, more than twice the time it took our crew to finish.
Speed like that is not luck. It is the product of meticulous planning, a crew that knows exactly where to be at each moment, and more than two decades of pool-building experience. We Fix Ugly Pools® has been a family-owned Phoenix contractor since 2001, with 20,000+ pools built and renovated and 700+ renovations every year. We are a licensed, bonded, and insured Arizona contractor (ROC KA5-275609 residential, KB2-304269 commercial, and KA5-353555).
What was built in under six hours?
This was not a shell or a rough-in — it was a finished, swimmable, feature-rich backyard pool. Homeowners Julie and Michael Fish of Phoenix received a pool with laminar jets, color-changing fiber-optic lighting, a salt chlorination system, an energy-efficient pump and filter, a solar heating cover, and a desert-friendly landscape. The crew even built a playground on the same day.
What went into the 22 phases of construction?
A pool build is really a sequence of trades that normally run over many days. To set the record, our team compressed 22 distinct phases into a single morning without skipping a single one. Among them:
85 tons excavated
Eighty-five tons of dirt dug out in just 48 minutes to open the pool cavity.
Rebar & steel
The reinforcing steel cage tied and set to give the shell its structural strength.
Plumbing
Full circulation, return, and skimmer plumbing run before concrete.
Shotcrete
Pneumatically applied concrete sprayed to form the pool shell.
Tile & decking
Waterline tile set and the surrounding deck poured and finished.
Filling & startup
The finished pool filled with water and its systems brought online the same day.
Why does a record build matter for your pool?
A homeowner is not hiring us to build their pool in six hours — a normal custom build takes the time it takes to be done right. What the record proves is depth of capability: that We Fix Ugly Pools® can coordinate every trade, source every material, and execute every phase of a pool build at a level most contractors never attempt.
That same precision shows up on ordinary projects — cleaner scheduling, fewer surprises, and a crew that has performed every step hundreds of times. When you are trusting someone with a major backyard investment, that experience is what protects it. Whether you are planning a resort-style custom pool, a grotto with waterfalls, or a full backyard remodel, you are hiring the same discipline that made the record possible.
How was the record build planned?
Engineer the sequence
Every one of the 22 phases was mapped minute by minute so no trade waited on another.
Stage crew & materials
150 workers and all materials were positioned in advance so each step started on cue.
Execute in parallel
Excavation, steel, plumbing, and shotcrete flowed together instead of day by day.
Finish & fill
Tile, decking, water features, and fill completed a swimmable pool before noon.
What does a one-day build reveal about pool construction?
A standard in-ground pool is built as a relay: a crew excavates, then days later another sets steel, then plumbers arrive, then the shotcrete rig, then tile setters, then deck crews, then finish and startup. Each hand-off adds waiting time, and a delay in any one trade pushes everything behind it. Compressing all 22 phases into a single morning only works if the people, equipment, concrete, tile, and water are staged perfectly and every crew performs its step flawlessly on the first attempt.
That is why the record is a meaningful credential rather than a stunt. It demonstrates mastery of the full construction stack — structural, mechanical, and finish work — under extreme coordination pressure. On a normal timeline, that same command of the process is what keeps a custom build on schedule, keeps quality consistent from the bond beam to the waterline tile, and keeps a backyard project from stalling between trades. It is the difference between a contractor who subcontracts a pool out and one who truly controls how it is built.
Who led the world-record pool build?
The build was led by owner Brian Morris, “the Ugly Pool Guy,” who founded We Fix Ugly Pools® in 2001 and has overseen tens of thousands of pool builds and renovations across Arizona. His crews bring that same hands-on standard to every custom pool, grotto, and luxury project we take on.
Get to know the team behind the record on our Meet Brian Morris page, and see how the achievement fits into our wider coverage on the In the News page.
See the record build in action
Watch the full time-lapse of the world-record pool build from the first shovel of dirt to the finished, filled pool: watch the world-record pool build on YouTube »
Proof of capability
A record that backs up our custom work
The world-record build is one of the achievements that has helped make We Fix Ugly Pools® one of the most recognized pool companies in Arizona. It is the clearest demonstration of the craftsmanship we bring to custom pools, luxury custom pools, and caves and grottos.
“They completely transformed our backyard. The crew was professional, the finish is gorgeous, and it’s held up beautifully in the Arizona heat. Worth every penny.”
Why homeowners choose the record-setting team
- Proven at the highest level. A documented world-record pool build on our résumé.
- Licensed & insured. Arizona ROC KA5-275609, KB2-304269, and KA5-353555.
- Since 2001. 20,000+ pools built and renovated across the Valley.
- 700+ projects a year. A crew that has performed every phase countless times.
- Custom & luxury specialists. Grottos, water features, and full custom builds.
- 4.9 stars from 305+ homeowners. Phoenix-based and family-owned.
Ready to build something remarkable?
The same team behind the world-record build designs and constructs custom pools across the Phoenix metro. Let’s talk about yours.