Choosing an in-ground pool builder in Davidson and Williamson counties means weighing construction method (gunite shotcrete vs vinyl liner), Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors credentials, and adherence to safety codes such as the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act drain-cover standard and ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7 entrapment-avoidance guidance. Metro Nashville also requires a building permit plus an isolation barrier fence consistent with IRC R326 for residential pools. The three builders profiled below each hold active Tennessee BC classification credentials (mandatory once a project exceeds the $25,000 threshold) and publish a documented design-build process for Middle Tennessee homeowners.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Clear Pool Co | Founded 1998 under president Steve Hood with roughly 28 years of continuous Middle Tennessee operation; BBB accredited; combined team experience listed at over 45 years. | Fully custom in-ground pool design and installation drawn for each lot, plus water features, spas, and outdoor-living installations across Davidson, Williamson, and surrounding counties. |
| Tennessee Custom Pools, LLC | Boutique design-build outfit in Franklin holding Tennessee contractor license 74434; accepts a limited number of projects each year to focus crew attention on every build. | Gunite shotcrete and vinyl-liner construction tracks including remodels, sloped-lot designs, and compact-yard projects, plus patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and pergolas. |
| Music City Pools | Locally owned in-ground gunite specialist with in-house construction crews; Google Guaranteed verified; vendor partnerships with Pebble Tec, NPT, SHS, and Hayward. | Gunite shells with 12-inch concrete walls, raised spas, sun shelves, integrated water features, custom finishes, and a published six-step build sequence running six to ten weeks from excavation to walkthrough. |
1. Crystal Clear Pool Co #
Founded in 1998 and led by president Steve Hood, Crystal Clear Pool Co designs and installs custom in-ground pools across the greater Nashville area from its Franklin, TN base. The firm states it has not advertised in 20 years and relies on word-of-mouth from past customers, a stance backed by Better Business Bureau accreditation and award recognition cited on its website for 2011 and 2015 projects.
Design and outdoor-living scope #
Project work spans pool design, water features, spas, and outdoor-living installations. The company describes a fully custom approach in which each backyard plan is drawn for the specific lot rather than pulled from a stock catalog. Combined team experience is listed at over 45 years.
Middle Tennessee coverage and contact #
Crystal Clear Pool Co serves Davidson, Williamson, and surrounding Middle Tennessee counties. Reach the office at (615) 533-0561, or visit Crystal Clear Pool Co to request a consultation. The mailing locale is Franklin, TN 37067.
2. Tennessee Custom Pools, LLC #
Tennessee Custom Pools, LLC operates as a boutique design-build outfit headquartered at 2550 Meridian Boulevard, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37067. The company holds Tennessee contractor license #74434 and offers both gunite shotcrete and vinyl-liner construction, an option set that lets homeowners match budget and longevity preferences to the structural method.
Gunite and vinyl-liner construction tracks #
Gunite (a pneumatically applied concrete) supports free-form geometry, raised walls, and tanning ledges, while vinyl-liner builds typically carry a lower up-front cost and faster installation window. The builder also handles remodels, sloped-lot designs, and compact-yard projects where excavation access is tight.
Outdoor-living additions #
Beyond the pool shell, the team installs patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and pergolas as part of integrated backyard plans. The company is explicit that it accepts a limited number of projects each year to keep crew attention on each build.
Counties served and contact #
Coverage includes Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford counties plus parts of southern Kentucky. Reach the office at (615) 949-6261, or visit Tennessee Custom Pools for a project intake form.
https://tennesseecustompools.com/
3. Music City Pools #
Music City Pools is a locally owned in-ground gunite specialist based at 100 Front Street, Franklin, TN 37064. The builder operates with in-house construction crews rather than subcontracted labor and partners with Pebble Tec, NPT, SHS, and Hayward for finishes and equipment, a vendor stack widely used across the residential gunite category.
Six-step build process #
The published workflow runs from consultation and vision, through 3D design and planning, permits and site preparation, on-site construction, custom finishes and water features, to a final walkthrough. Typical project duration is listed at six to ten weeks from excavation to completion, with the timeline shaped by design complexity, weather, and permit issuance.
Structural specifications #
Music City Pools constructs gunite shells with 12-inch concrete walls and emphasizes the design flexibility of gunite over fiberglass or vinyl alternatives, which lets the team accommodate raised spas, sun shelves, and integrated water features without retrofitting a pre-formed mold. The provider also notes Google Guaranteed verification on its public-facing service profile.
Contact #
Phone (615) 739-4962 or visit Music City Pools to schedule an on-site design meeting.
Custom Gunite Pools Nashville | Luxury Outdoor Living | Music City Pools
Selecting among the three #
For homeowners weighing construction method, Tennessee Custom Pools is the only one of the three to publish vinyl-liner work alongside gunite, useful when a project budget falls short of a full concrete build. Crystal Clear Pool Co brings the longest continuous Middle Tennessee track record at roughly 28 years under current ownership. Music City Pools publishes the most granular construction sequence and a defined six- to ten-week build window, which suits homeowners coordinating landscape, fencing, and electrical trades on a fixed schedule.
Across all three, verify that the bid itemizes Metro Nashville permit fees, the IRC R326 barrier-fence scope, ANSI/APSP-15 compliant pumps for energy efficiency, and VGB-compliant main drains before signing. Each builder is reachable by direct phone for an initial design consultation.
Selection Methodology #
The three firms above were selected from the broader Nashville pool building field using the following filters: minimum documented years in continuous Nashville-area business, verifiable trade-association membership or state license on file, brand-name anchor and address visible on the firm’s own website, and a published service scope that maps to homeowner or business needs without bundled upsells. National rollups, franchise-only operators without local lineage, and firms that publish only a contact form without a verifiable street address were excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Q: What shell warranty covers the gunite or vinyl-liner structure and what voids it?
A: Gunite pool shells typically carry a structural warranty of 10 to 25 years on the shotcrete shell itself, with separate shorter terms on the plaster or Pebble Tec interior finish (commonly 10 to 15 years) and the vinyl liner (15 to 20 years prorated). Read the exclusions carefully, because most shell warranties void if the pool is drained without builder approval (hydrostatic uplift cracks the shell), if the water chemistry runs outside published ranges, or if a third party performs structural repairs.
Q: How is the equipment pad laid out and what code clearances apply?
A: The equipment pad (pump, filter, heater, salt cell or chlorinator, automation controller) sits on a concrete slab sized for service access on all four sides of each component, with the pad located at or above pool water level to keep the pump primed. Local code typically requires the GFCI-protected disconnect within sight of the equipment and at least five feet from the pool edge per NEC 680, and gas-fired heaters need combustion air clearance and a code-approved vent path. Ask for a plan-view equipment pad drawing in the contract.
Q: Are any of the three firms paid placements?
A: No. The three profiles above are editorial selections drawn from publicly verifiable sources. No firm sponsored placement.
Q: Salt chlorine generator or traditional chlorine: which fits the build?
A: A salt chlorine generator converts dissolved salt (around 3,000 ppm) into chlorine on demand through electrolysis, delivering steadier residual chlorine and softer-feeling water with lower weekly chemical handling, but the cell hardware costs roughly $1,000 to $2,000 up front and the cell itself wears out every three to seven years. Traditional chlorine tabs or liquid feed cost less in hardware but require more attentive weekly dosing and storage of pool chemicals on site. Ask the builder to spec the system in the contract and confirm whether the heater bypass and metal pool fittings are rated for salt environments.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.