Business North November 2021

| 99 Alfresco Pools LANDSCAPING 20 years of knowledge being put to good use The pool was integrated into a complete renovation of the home with an extensive use of black, softened by a deck and plantings. F ourteen years ago Tim and Karla Hall es- tablished Alfresco Pools, based in Muriwai Valley, on North Auckland’s west coast, though Tim has been constructing pools for over 20 years. The company builds concrete pools of all shapes and sizes to fit any situation. Tim and Karla have complementary skill-sets with Karla coming from a marketing and administrative background with large corporates and Tim, to this day, very much in the ground and hands- on. Karla says one of the key reasons Alfresco Pools has grown from strength to strength is the very fact that Tim is actively on site, clients are dealing directly with the owner of the busi- ness and he has very high standards. “We know this makes a huge difference and ensures that communication lines are wide open throughout a project. I would say Tim is quite OCD to a degree about the finish of his projects, and has incredibly high standards, so it works really well to have him actively involved in every project we take on. He wouldn’t have it any other way.” Alfresco Pools Ltd are members of the NZ Master Pool Builders Association and have successfully competed in industry awards, including at this year’s SPASA (Swimming Pool and Spa Assn) event announced in July, where they received two Gold Awards, both Tim and Karla are very proud of. “We took out NZ’s Best Concrete Pool Build- er and also NZ’s Concrete Spa and Pool Com- bination. This follows on from the previous year where we received six Gold Awards.” Five pools were entered in this year’s awards. The pool was integrated into a complete renovation of the home with an extensive use of black, softened by a deck and plantings. “This was the first pool we have built using such a dark colour plater and tiles. It helps to attract the sun and is really a very dramatic colour.” Beyond this achievement, Alfresco Pools was also recognised this year with Highly Commended for a Concrete Lap Pool and in the section for Concrete Pool’s up to $120,000. Working with Tim on the ground is a team of three full-time staff. “It’s a good way to learn all there is about building concrete pools because the courses are very strong on theory and this is balanced with the practical learning on projects, guided by Tim.” Karla believes that the very conscious deci- sion to base the entire company around deliv- ering pools of the highest possible quality, has put it in good stead. “We only take on the number of projects we know we can do well.” She says COVID has really had a significant impact on consumer spending and a massive rise in demand by home owners to build a pool or spa. “They see the real value that comes in this investment, not only in terms of their asset but especially their life-style.” To give an idea of just how demand has jumped, two years ago, Karla says, the aver- age number of pools Alfresco built would be around 15. Today, they have about 40 pools signed up ready to go over the next year. And while the boom in demand for pools is welcome, it comes with certain challenges, particularly around supply of materials and cost. While the bulk of Alfresco Pool’s work is in the Auckland region, on occasion they will take on projects further afield. When Business North spoke with Karla, they were involved in building a pool in Whale Bay, near Raglan, one in Christchurch and four up north near Warkworth. “We’ve been involved in many beautiful pro- jects where the addition of a pool or spa has transformed the environment and brought years of pleasure to owners. “This is an industry that we love to be involved in.” T Sue Russell Distributors of AwardWinning Naked-R Freshwater Pool Systems and proud of our association with Alfresco Pools. Highest Quality Swimming Pool & Spa Pool Equipment, Knowledge And Service. SWIMMING POOL AUTOMATION UV SANITISERS INVERTER POOL HEAT PUMPS +64 9 273 4103 WWW.AQUACLEAR.CO.NZ When you need equipment for a spa, you're upgrading a pool or creat- ing a water feature masterpiece, Aqua Clear are the trusted suppliers for swimming pool pumps, heaters, lights, filters and lots more. - Ti��� & ��ping� - ���� ��a�t�� - U�t�a D�ain - Aut�ma � ������������� www.���d.��.nz Proud suppliers to Alfresco Pools 0800 466 378