A shell engineered for Hill Country ground.
Gunite is the only pool structure we build. Steel is tied on site, shotcrete is shot against the excavation, and the shell cures into one continuous piece of reinforced concrete shaped to your yard rather than to a mold. In New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne and across San Antonio that matters more than most homeowners expect: we are building into limestone shelf, expansive clay, and steep grade, often in the same neighborhood.
A gunite pool builder earns their money below the waterline. Engineered steel schedules, correct shotcrete thickness, proper drainage behind raised walls, and bond beams that carry coping and decking without cracking are what separate a shell that lasts forty years from one that needs structural repair in eight. We build every shell as if we will still be the ones answering the phone when it is twenty years old, because we will be.
Fiberglass and vinyl arrive as a shape you have to accept. Gunite starts as a drawing of your yard. If you are still weighing the three, our gunite versus fiberglass versus vinyl comparison lays out the trade-offs honestly.
Any shape, any grade
Freeform, geometric, vanishing edge, or a pool that steps down a slope. The shell is formed to the site instead of trucked in as a mold.
Engineered steel & shotcrete
Rebar schedules and shell thickness sized to soil, water table, and wall height, inspected before a single yard of gunite is shot.
Raised walls & spas
Raised bond beams, spillover spas, and elevated features are structural from day one, not bolted on afterward.
Tanning ledges & benches
Sun shelves, swim-outs, and bench seating are shaped in the shell, so they never feel like an afterthought.
Grottos, slides & waterfalls
Rock features and slide structures tie directly into the gunite, which is the only way they stay put in Hill Country ground.
PebbleTec interiors
As a PebbleTec Elite builder we finish shells in aggregate that holds color and texture for decades, not seasons.
The parts of the job that decide the next thirty years.
Most of what makes a gunite pool good is invisible by the time the water goes in. These are the stages worth asking any builder about before you sign.
Excavation in limestone
Hill Country rock frequently needs hammering, not digging. We price rock honestly up front instead of writing it as a change order after the machine hits shelf.
Steel and plumbing inspection
Rebar spacing, wall thickness, and plumbing pressure tests are checked and photographed before gunite day. You get those photos.
Shotcrete and cure
Shell thickness is verified as it is shot, and the gunite is watered through its cure so it reaches strength instead of drying out fast in August.
Scope and site drive the number.
Gunite costs more than a fiberglass drop-in and lasts several times as long. These ranges reflect our market in New Braunfels, San Antonio, and the surrounding Hill Country. Every project is quoted line by line, and financing is available.
A well-built gunite shell with PebbleTec interior, waterline tile, coping, decking, LED lighting, and variable-speed equipment.
Adds an attached or raised spillover spa, water features, automation, and a larger deck footprint.
Pool, spa, outdoor kitchen or pavilion, fire features, and full hardscape and landscape design as one build.
Rock, access, grade, and material selections move these numbers most. Our pool cost guide breaks the line items down in detail.
Steel to swim in clear stages.
Design & Engineer
3D design, structural details, permits, and HOA review before anything moves.
Excavate & Steel
Dig, form, tie steel, and rough plumbing, then inspection.
Gunite & Finishes
Shoot and cure the shell, then tile, coping, decking, and equipment.
Interior & Startup
PebbleTec interior, fill, balance the water, and walk you through the system.
Questions we get asked.
What is a gunite pool?+
A gunite pool is built on site from steel reinforcement and shotcrete — a dry concrete mix sprayed under pressure against the excavation. It cures into a single monolithic shell, then receives tile, coping, and an interior finish such as PebbleTec. Unlike fiberglass or vinyl, the shape is unlimited because nothing is pre-molded.
How long does a gunite pool take to build in the Hill Country?+
Most of our New Braunfels and San Antonio area builds run 10 to 16 weeks from excavation to startup. Rock excavation, HOA review, weather, and the size of the hardscape package are the usual variables. We publish a stage-by-stage schedule at contract.
Is gunite better than fiberglass in Texas soil?+
For our soils, generally yes. A gunite shell is engineered for the specific site, so it can be reinforced for expansive clay, limestone shelf, or sloped lots, and it can be repaired and resurfaced rather than replaced. Fiberglass installs faster and costs less up front but locks you into a manufactured shape and a gel-coat surface.
How much does a gunite pool cost in New Braunfels or San Antonio?+
Most gunite pools we build land between $85K and $110K, with pool-and-spa projects running $110K to $160K and full backyard builds above that. Excavation conditions, features, and material selections drive the range. Every proposal is line-item, with no hidden allowances.
Do you build gunite pools in San Antonio as well as New Braunfels?+
Yes. New Braunfels is our home market, and we build throughout Bexar and Comal counties — San Antonio, Stone Oak, The Dominion, Boerne, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Fair Oaks Ranch, Schertz, Cibolo, Seguin, and San Marcos.
How long does a gunite shell last?+
A properly engineered gunite shell commonly lasts 40 years or more. The interior finish is the wear item and is typically resurfaced every 10 to 20 years, which is a fraction of the cost of the pool.
Guides before you sign anything.
Gunite vs. fiberglass vs. vinyl in Texas
Read →What a custom pool really costs here
Read →What happens in each build stage
Read →How to choose a pool builder
Read →Serving New Braunfels, San Antonio, Boerne, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Seguin and the surrounding Hill Country. See every neighborhood we build in.
Build it once.
Send us your lot, your ideas, and your budget. We will tell you what is realistic before you spend anything.