Water features that move and sound good
Moving water adds sound, motion and cooling. It also keeps the surface active, which helps the pool feel alive from the patio. There are a few main types, each with a different effect.
- Sheer descents: a smooth, glass-like sheet of water pouring from a wall or ledge. Quiet and modern.
- Bubblers: low jets set in a sun shelf or shallow ledge that make the water dance. Kids love them.
- Scuppers and spouts: water pours from a wall or spout into the pool. Sound is bigger and more traditional.
- Waterfalls and rock features: a natural look with more water volume, often built over a raised spa or wall.
- Infinity or vanishing edge: the pool edge appears to disappear into the view. It needs a catch basin and careful engineering, and it works best on lots where the view is worth framing.
LED lighting and color
Modern LED lights cost little to run, last a long time and come in white or color-changing models. Placement matters more than quantity. We position lights to wash the walls and steps without glare, and to avoid hot spots when you look at the pool from inside the house.
You can also light the area around the pool. Step lights, path lights, bench lights and landscape lighting extend the feel of the space and make the deck safer after dark. If your pool already has an older light, we can often swap it for an LED. For lights that stopped working, see pool repair.
Automation and smart controls
Automation puts the pump, heater, lights, valves and features on one control system. From a phone or a wall panel, you can turn on the spa, change the light color, start a water feature or set schedules for the pump. It saves energy and takes away the need to walk out to the equipment pad.
Automation is easiest to plan with new equipment, but it can be added to many existing systems. We check what you have during the estimate. For more on pumps, filters and heaters, see pool equipment.
Fire bowls, sun shelves and loungers
A sun shelf is a shallow ledge, usually 6 to 12 inches deep, where you can put lounge chairs in the water or let small kids sit and play. In Florida's heat, it becomes the most used part of many pools. It pairs well with bubblers and built-in loungers.
Loungers can also be built right into the shelf as molded or tiled seats. Because they sit in the water, they stay cool in summer sun, and they free up deck space for a dining table or a fire bowl.
Fire bowls and fire features add warmth and light on cool evenings. They sit on the edge of the pool or on a raised wall, and are usually controlled from the same automation panel. We plan the gas line and safe clearances in advance so the feature fits the design.
Planning features for a Florida pool
Start with two or three features you really want, then decide where the rest fit. A pool with a sheer descent, good lighting and a sun shelf usually feels finished. Piling on every option can crowd the water and make the equipment work harder than it needs to.
Features that look great online need to hold up in Florida. Sun, salt air near the coast and hard water all age materials. We choose finishes, tile and fittings that handle UV and calcium, and we make sure the equipment is sized to run the features you want without straining the system.
Some features need a permit or an approval, especially anything with gas, structural changes or a raised wall. In Miami-Dade and Broward, enclosures and attached structures also need to meet High-Velocity Hurricane Zone product approval rules. We tell you what applies at the estimate. You can add features during a new pool build or as part of a pool renovation.
Step by step: pool features & upgrades with Prime
Free on-site estimate
We look at your pool and equipment, talk through what you would like to add and tell you what is practical.
Itemized proposal
Each feature is priced as its own line so you can pick what you want now and what can wait. Any permit needed is listed.
Planning and ordering
We confirm placement, plumbing, power and equipment capacity, and order materials.
Installation
We build and connect the feature, run any gas, power or control wiring and test every part.
Walk-through
We show you how everything works, set up schedules if you have automation and make sure you know the controls.
Where we do this work
From our Orlando office we take on pool features & upgrades across Central Florida and down the coast to Miami, including Orlando, Winter Park, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, Lake Nona, Kissimmee, Winter Garden, Lake Mary, Clermont, Oviedo, Melbourne, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
