Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2021

20 www. ReadMPM. com | www. VOICE forRea l Es tate. com | www.MountPl easantBu i lder s . com home and garden Photo by J imi Smi th Photography. attributed to kids being home from school, and parents wanting them to burn off some energy. One thing he didn’t anticipate was how many customers would change out their pool equipment, including pumps, and switch to more energy-efficient pumps because of increased use. Numerous people converted their existing pools to saltwater as well, which generally require less maintenance than chlorine pools. “There has been a drive to modernize pools and make [pool use] a more pleasant backyard experience,” said Johnson. One recent pool renovation job that stands out to Johnson was a home in North Mount Pleasant, in which ASP installed glass bead plaster and travertine —a natural stone — coping. “The sun shimmers off the water, and the glass just pops,” he said. “[The pool] looked brand new, but it was 50 years old.” Josh Atkinson, owner of Bowman Road-based Atkinson Pools and Spas — a company that custom builds residential and commercial swimming pools — described the rise in demand for new pools since the pandemic began as “intense,” estimating that it’s been at least double what they do in a normal year. He began seeing a surge in late March 2020 and it “hasn’t let up since.” Atkinson Pools crafts mostly high-end pool design projects, and their clients are typically more involved in the process. “Our philosophy as a design and build company is to be intuitive to what the homeowner wants,” explained Atkinson. Their design approach is to combine functionality with something that is elegant and aesthetically pleasing, and marry this with a home’s existing landscape and architecture, which can require extensive homeowner input. Yet even Atkinson has been surprised at the sheer volume of upscale project requests. “Basically, all we’re doing is luxury pools,” he stated. Their pool remodel requests have increased, but not as much as he expected. Atkinson, whose company also specializes in landscape design and luxury backyards, has witnessed a similar sharp “Our philosophy as a design and build company is to be intuitive to what the homeowner wants,” explained Atkinson. A ca lmi ng backyard ret reat by At k i nson Poo l s , featur i ng a sooth i ng water f a l l and c l ean , modern aes thet i c .