In the swim of things: Cool pools

Jim Alexander has found his niche in Southern Nevada's swimming pool market. The founder of Renaissance Pools & Spas said he logged 319 sales last year, which made him the fourth largest pool and spa contractor in the area, and has already exceeded 300 sales this year.

"Many of our customers are buying their third or fourth pool from us, and former buyers continue to recommend us to family, friends and neighbors," he said.

Renaissance is the exclusive local dealer for Viking Pools Inc., which manufactures in-ground, ceramic-epoxy pools.

"We are the only company in the valley that offers these unique pools and spas, and we have in-house resources beyond any other pool company in the market," Alexander said. "For example, we own one of the largest excavating companies in the valley with more than 20 excavators, seven dump trucks and four installation crews that operate at least six, if not seven, days a week."

He explained that the pools and spas are constructed with advanced composite materials that offer strength beyond any other pool building material, including fiberglass and concrete. They also use fewer chemicals and have a surface finish that is resistant to all of the potential problems associated with concrete pools.

"People love these pools because they are stronger than concrete or gunite, they are totally resistant to staining and other finish problems, they are incredibly easy to maintain, and they can be installed in a fraction of the time it takes for a concrete or gunite pool," he said, adding that the ceramic-epoxy products initially took time "to catch on" with pool shoppers.

"But as the valley grew and people became more conscious of quality and convenience, our sales rose accordingly. This year we're projecting a record 500 pool sales, and we have no exclusive deals with home builders. Additionally, the majority of our sales people bought a pool from Renaissance prior to joining our company, which means they were already familiar with their quality and ease of maintenance."

Units are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and finishes, including fire-and-diamond and glow-in-the-dark finishes. The pools range from 10-foot by 16-foot designs to 45-foot hotel-style diving models. Spas as large as 11 feet by 9 feet are also available, as is an exclusive in-floor pool cleaning system.

The cost for an installed pool ranges from the $19,000s to the high $30,000s. Financing is available.

The company offers consultation services to buyers who prefer to handle their own installation, which results in a 40 percent discount off the price of a company-installed pool.

A lifetime manufacturer's warranty is included with each purchase.

Showrooms are located at 1245 Boulder Highway in Henderson, 2180 E. Craig Road in North Las Vegas, and 6540 Blue Diamond Road in the southwestern valley. Another showroom is planned in the northwest area.

"The growth of the valley is phenomenal in all directions, and we want to be close to the new neighborhoods," Alexander said. "We are also keeping a huge inventory of pools and spas in stock at all times, including more than 300 at the present time. This enables us to give our customers the most choices and most timely installation possible."

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