Water features · Lighting · Automation · Spas · Fire
Pool Water Features in Phoenix, AZ
Waterfalls, baja shelves, LED lighting, smart automation, spas, and fire features turn an ordinary pool into a backyard resort. We design and build pool features for new custom pools and add them to existing pools during a remodel — all from one Phoenix team that has been at it since 2001.
The right features are what make a pool feel like yours. Whether you are planning a custom pool from scratch or upgrading one you already own, the key is to plan ahead: think about who will use the pool most — kids, a mix of ages, or adults who want a calm retreat — and choose features that fit. This page is your overview of the pool features we design and build across the Phoenix metro, with links to the details on each.
Popular pool features we design and build
Most of these can be designed into a new pool or added to an existing one during a remodel. We Fix Ugly Pools® has been a family-owned Phoenix contractor since 2001, with 20,000+ pools built and renovated and 700+ projects a year, and we are a licensed, bonded, and insured Arizona contractor (ROC KA5-275609 residential, KB2-304269 commercial, and KA5-353555). The features homeowners ask for most include:
- Fountains & waterfalls — the single most popular upgrade for sight and sound.
- Caves & grottos — rock features with hidden, shaded retreats.
- Beach & zero-entry — a gradual, walk-in slope that is easy on every age. Read about zero edge pool design.
- Spas & hot tubs — attached spillover spas or standalone hot tubs.
- Baja / tanning shelf — a shallow sun shelf for loungers and small children.
- LED lighting & automation — color lighting and app control for the whole pool.
- Fire features — fire bowls and fire pits that pair with water for drama.
- Slides, jump rocks & swim-up bars — play and entertaining built into the pool.
Pool feature guides
Explore the details, options, and photos for each of our most-requested features:
Fountains & Waterfalls
Bubblers, sheer descents, and rock waterfalls for visual appeal and soothing sound. View guide »
Caves & Grottos
Rock formations with shaded hideaways, often paired with a waterfall. View guide »
Beach & Zero Entry
A gradual, walk-in slope like a beach — easy for kids, seniors, and loungers. View guide »
Spas & Hot Tubs
Attached spillover spas and standalone hot tubs for year-round use. View guide »
Baja / Tanning Shelf
A shallow sun shelf for loungers, small children, and cooling off in the shade.
Fire Features
Fire bowls and fire pits that combine with water for dramatic poolside evenings.
Features designed to work together
Fire and water, lighting and automation, a spa that spills into the pool — the magic is in how the features combine. We design them as one composition so your backyard looks intentional, not like a catalog of add-ons. See our before & after transformations »
Water features for inground pools
Nothing transforms a pool like moving water. Fountains and waterfalls come in every scale — bubblers on a baja shelf, sheer-descent sheets off a raised wall, or a full rock waterfall tumbling into the pool. Beyond the look, the sound buffers street noise and makes the whole backyard feel calmer. For designs, plumbing and options, see our pool fountains and waterfalls guide.
Lighting, automation & heating
Modern pool equipment makes a pool easier to enjoy and cheaper to run. Color-changing LED lighting sets the mood and makes evening swims safer. Smart automation lets you control the pump, heater, lights, spa, and water features from your phone. And a heater — essential for winter use in the Valley — plus a spillover spa extends your season to all twelve months.
These upgrades are among the most popular additions to a luxury custom pool and are easy to roll into a remodel of an existing pool.
Features for play, features for relaxing
The best feature list starts with the people who will use the pool. For families with kids, slides, jump rocks, a beach entry, and a shallow baja shelf turn the pool into an all-day destination and keep younger swimmers safe near the steps. For adults who want a calm retreat, a spillover spa, soft LED lighting, and the sound of a pool fountains and waterfalls create a backyard that feels like a spa.
Most homeowners want a bit of both, and that is where thoughtful design matters. We lay out play features and quiet features so they coexist — a swim-up bar and jump rock on one end, a grotto and tanning shelf on the other — so the pool works for the whole household and for however you like to entertain.
How we add pool features
Plan who uses the pool
We start with how the pool will be used — kids, entertaining, or a calm retreat — and match features to that.
Design & written quote
A feature layout and itemized quote, whether for a new build or an addition to your existing pool.
Build or retrofit
Features are built into the new pool, or plumbing, electrical, and rockwork are added to the existing one.
Finish & walkthrough
Lighting and automation are set up and we walk the finished features with you before you dive in.
How much do pool features cost in Phoenix?
It depends entirely on which features you choose and whether they go into a new build or an existing pool. A single bubbler or an LED light upgrade is a modest add; a full rock waterfall with a grotto, a spillover spa, fire bowls, and automation is a major one. As a frame of reference, on our remodel projects the features, equipment, and decking tier commonly runs $15,000–$30,000, and extensive feature packages run $30,000+. A new custom pool with features typically starts around $38,000–$60,000+ depending on size and scope. Financing is available.
Adding features during a remodel is usually the best value, because the equipment, plumbing, and decking are already open and being worked on. Our designers will give you one plan and an honest quote for the features that fit your pool and budget.
Features also do more than look good — the right ones make a pool easier and cheaper to live with. A variable-speed pump and smart automation cut energy use and let you run the pool from your phone. A heater and a spa stretch your swim season across the Valley’s mild winters. And thoughtful features are one of the upgrades buyers notice most, so they help protect the value of the home as well as the enjoyment of it. We will walk you through which features pay you back the most for how you actually use the backyard.
As seen in the news
Recognized across Arizona & national media
We Fix Ugly Pools and owner Brian Morris, “the Ugly Pool Guy,” hold a world record for the fastest pool build and have been featured by national and Arizona outlets, including as expert pool columnists for The Arizona Republic.
“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 trust us with their pool features
- Features designed together. Water, fire, lighting, and automation planned as one composition.
- Licensed & insured. Arizona ROC KA5-275609, KB2-304269, and KA5-353555, bonded and insured.
- New builds & retrofits. We add features to existing pools, not just new ones.
- One backyard team. Pool, kitchen, shade, and deck from one contractor.
- 700+ projects a year. Deep experience with every kind of pool feature in the Valley.
- 4.9 stars from 305+ homeowners. Serving the Valley since 2001.
Ready to upgrade your pool?
Get a free design consultation and a clear, written quote for the features that fit your pool and budget.