Concrete swimming pools, built to your shape in Dubai
A concrete pool is built on site as a reinforced shell, so it can take any shape, depth or edge your garden asks for. We build pools in concrete and in fibreglass, and renovate existing concrete shells.
Free site visit · Approvals handled by us · Designed in 3D
What a concrete pool is
A concrete pool is a reinforced concrete shell built in the ground, in your garden, to the shape on the drawing. Steel is fixed inside the excavation and the concrete is either cast into formwork or sprayed over the steel as shotcrete. The shell is then waterproofed, rendered and finished with tile, mosaic or a plaster-type surface. Because nothing comes from a factory mould, the pool can be as long, deep, curved or narrow as the plot allows, which is why concrete is the usual choice when the shape matters: freeform and raised pools, overflow and infinity edges, built-in steps, benches and tanning ledges.
What concrete lets you build
Most features people ask for on a villa pool are easier, or only practical, in concrete.
Freeform and bespoke shapes
Curves, L-shapes, pools that wrap a terrace or follow a boundary. The shell is formed to the drawing, not chosen from a catalogue.
Raised pools and glass panels
A wall that rises above the deck, or a clear panel set into it, needs a structural wall designed for the water load.
Overflow and infinity edges
An overflow channel around the rim, or a weir edge towards a view, is built into the top of the walls with a balance tank below.
Steps, benches and tanning ledges
Entry steps, a bench along one side, a shallow ledge for loungers or a cascade from a raised wall are cast as part of the same shell.
How a concrete shell is built, in plain words
The sequence below is what a concrete pool build generally involves, whoever builds it.
- ExcavationDug to the shape and depth of the pool, with sand shored where it will not stand on its own.
- Base and steelA compacted base, then reinforcing steel fixed for the floor and walls as one continuous cage.
- The shellConcrete cast into formwork or sprayed as shotcrete, floor and walls together, and kept damp while it cures.
- Pipework in the shellSkimmer boxes or overflow channels, drains, inlets, light niches and the pipe runs to the plant room are set into the structure.
- Waterproofing and testThe inside of the shell is waterproofed and, as a rule, filled with water to test it before anything covers it.
- Render and finishA render coat trues the surface, then the tile, mosaic or plaster-type finish, the coping and the deck go on.
Building in Dubai conditions
Heat, sand, groundwater and the villa next to it
Concrete does not like curing in Dubai's summer heat. A shell that dries too fast cracks, so builders generally pour at the cooler end of the day where possible and keep the concrete damp while it gains strength. Sand needs shoring during excavation, and near the coast or a lake the groundwater can sit high, which changes how the base is drained and how the waterproofing is specified. Salts in the ground and the air attack unprotected steel, so cover to the reinforcement matters more here.
A pool close to the villa puts a new load beside the house foundations, and a raised or infinity pool holds a lot of water above the garden. These are structural questions answered on the drawings before digging starts. The before photo from Project Majestic shows a garden under construction: a pit with block walls and reinforcement mesh, and sand heaped around it.
Concrete or fibreglass?
We build both, and say which suits your plot on the site visit. Our fibreglass pool page covers the shell route in detail.
Choose concrete when
You want a particular shape, length or depth, an overflow or infinity edge, a glass panel or a raised wall, or no stock shell fits the plot.
Choose fibreglass when
A stock shell already matches what you want, a crane can reach the garden and less work on site matters more than a custom shape.
Surface and access
A fibreglass gel coat is smooth and non-porous; a concrete finish gives more choice and can be renewed later. Concrete needs excavator access, fibreglass a route for a truck and crane.
Old concrete shells can be renovated
A sound concrete shell outlives its finish. A pool that loses water, sheds tiles or looks dated is usually renovated rather than rebuilt: the old finish comes off, cracks are repaired, the shell is re-waterproofed and a new finish and coping go on. It is also the moment to add steps, a bench or lighting. See our swimming pool renovation page.
Villa pools from our projects
Project Miracle
The Villa, Dubai · 1500 sqm · December 2022 - May 2023A skimmer pool with a glass corner overlooking the seating area, with a gazebo, pergola and date palms around it.
View project →
Project Casa Colonia
The Villa, Dubai · Approx. 600 sqm · Q3 FY26 to Q4 FY26A poolside with underwater and perimeter LED lighting, rain showers and water features, delivered by our in-house team.
View project →
Project Majestic
Al Twar, Dubai · Q4 of FY2024A pool with a cascading water feature and a sunken structure beside it, with a gazebo in the same garden.
View project →More of our work: YouTube · Instagram · our Google reviews
How we deliver a concrete pool
Project Study
A free site visit to measure the garden, check excavator access, the ground and the distance to the house, and hear the shape you have in mind.
Plan
Shape, depth, edge type, finish, equipment and plant room position are fixed, the structure is designed and you receive a programme.
Visualization
The pool and garden are produced in 3D, so you see the shape, edge and finish from the house before any concrete is poured.
Execution
Our in-house team excavates, builds the shell, sets the pipework, waterproofs, finishes and fills the pool, then builds the deck, with a dedicated project manager as your single point of contact.
We apply for the approvals the pool needs; which ones apply depends on your community and the scope of work.
What changes the cost
- Size, depth and shape; curves and raised walls take more formwork and steel
- Edge type: skimmer, overflow or infinity, and the balance tank
- Ground conditions: shoring in sand, groundwater and soil removal
- Glass panels, cascades and jets built into the structure
- Finish: tile, mosaic or plaster-type, and the coping
- Equipment, lighting, deck and landscaping around the pool
Questions and answers
What is the difference between a cast and a sprayed concrete pool?
Is a concrete pool better than fibreglass?
Can a concrete pool have an overflow or infinity edge?
Does the summer heat affect building a pool?
My old concrete pool leaks. Does it need rebuilding?
Do you handle the approvals?
How long does a concrete pool take to build?
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