Brett Ryan, C-53 License #1089432, has built over 500 luxury pools for Orange County's most exclusive estates since 1999. Serving Emerald Bay's private gated oceanfront community in Laguna Beach with resort-caliber designs that honor the Pacific. Call (949) 555-0190 for a complimentary design consultation.
About Brett Ryan Pools
Emerald Bay is one of the most exclusive addresses on the California coast. Tucked along Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, this private gated enclave of approximately 200 homes carries a median home value of $8.25 million, with trophy properties listing at up to $65 million. Residents enjoy private beach access and Pacific Ocean views that demand equally extraordinary outdoor living environments.
Brett Ryan has designed and built custom pools for Emerald Bay homeowners since the early 2000s. Every project starts with a deep understanding of the site: tidal elevation, cliff setback requirements, coastal commission guidelines, and the stringent architectural standards set by the Emerald Bay Community Association. Permits are filed with the City of Laguna Beach Building Division at lagunabeachcity.net, and HOA architectural approval is obtained before any work begins.
From negative-edge infinity pools that visually merge with the Pacific horizon to enclosed spa gardens and resort-style water feature systems, Brett's team executes at the level this community expects. Every material, every detail, every equipment selection is chosen to perform in the salt air environment of coastal Laguna Beach.
With C-53 License #1089432, full $5M liability coverage, and a 25-year track record across Orange County's most demanding oceanfront projects, Brett Ryan Pools is the trusted choice when the stakes match the setting. Call (949) 555-0190 to begin.
Services
Every service is tailored to Emerald Bay's coastal conditions, HOA standards, and the expectations of estate-level clients.
Emerald Bay's Pacific-facing lots are made for infinity-edge designs. Brett Ryan has completed over 80 negative-edge and vanishing-edge pools on Orange County coastline sites. The construction technique requires precise structural engineering, overflow collection troughs, and high-capacity circulation systems that maintain the visual line regardless of water evaporation or splash. Material choices include Pebble Tec, polished quartz, and hand-laid glass tile. Projects average $350,000 to $680,000 depending on size and finish tier. Every infinity pool in Emerald Bay is designed to pass HOA architectural review on the first submission. Brett personally oversees the waterline tile setting to ensure the horizon effect is visually perfect from the primary living areas of each home.
All Brett Ryan pools are built with reinforced gunite or shotcrete shells, the gold standard for custom in-ground construction. On Emerald Bay's coastal bluff and hillside lots, structural integrity is non-negotiable. The gunite process allows for truly freeform shapes impossible with precast alternatives, and the resulting shell is designed to last 40-plus years without structural cracking. Brett's crew uses #4 rebar on 12-inch centers throughout, exceeding standard OC requirements. The typical gunite shell on an Emerald Bay estate pool is complete within 60 days of permit issuance. All shell work is supervised by a licensed structural engineer, and third-party compaction testing is included at no additional cost. Final interior finish options include Pebble Sheen, quartzite plaster, and glass bead finishes.
Ninety-four percent of Brett Ryan's Emerald Bay clients add an integrated spa to their custom pool project. A freestanding or attached spa adds a self-contained hydrotherapy zone that can operate independently or in combination with the main pool. On oceanfront lots, Brett designs spa placements that leverage ocean views while providing wind shelter from the prevailing Laguna Beach onshore breeze. Standard integrated spa features include 8 to 12 hydrotherapy jets, dedicated 400,000 BTU heater, spillway waterfall into the main pool, and full automation tie-in. Standalone spa installations start at $55,000. Full integrated spa-and-pool systems run $220,000 to $500,000 depending on configuration. The combination of a heated spa and an unheated infinity pool against an Emerald Bay ocean backdrop is the signature outdoor experience this community is known for.
One hundred percent of new Brett Ryan builds include full automation integration. Every pool and spa system can be monitored and controlled from any smartphone or tablet via Pentair IntelliCenter, Jandy iAqualink, or comparable platforms. Automation covers variable-speed pump scheduling, LED lighting scenes, heater set-points, water chemistry dosing, spillway and waterfall activation, and security camera tie-in. For Emerald Bay clients with multiple residences, remote monitoring means the pool is always ready when they arrive. Brett's automation systems are installed by a dedicated electronics technician who provides a full training session at handover. Post-installation remote support is available for 12 months. Smart automation reduces average annual energy costs by 30 to 40 percent compared to single-speed pump systems, a meaningful return on a coastal estate investment.
Brett Ryan has installed over 22 fire-and-water combination features in Laguna Beach and neighboring coastal communities. Water features transform a pool from a functional amenity into a sensory centerpiece. Offerings include sheer descent waterfalls, scupper walls, deck jets, raised spillway bowls, rain curtains, and fire bowls or fire line burners running on natural gas or propane. On Emerald Bay estates, fire elements are particularly popular as they extend outdoor use into cooler coastal evenings and add dramatic visual contrast to the Pacific horizon at night. Each fire feature installation includes a dedicated gas line, spark igniter, flame sensor safety shutoff, and automation tie-in. Material options for feature walls include travertine, limestone, and large-format porcelain. Fire and water feature additions to existing pools start at $18,000.
Not every Emerald Bay lot offers unlimited square footage for an Olympic-scale installation. Brett Ryan specializes in high-impact compact pool designs that maximize visual presence within smaller footprints. A plunge pool of 12 by 20 feet with infinity edge, spa, and premium Pebble Tec finish transforms a constrained terrace into a resort-caliber outdoor room. Entry-level Emerald Bay plunge pool installations start at $180,000 and typically complete within 10 weeks of permit issuance. Even at compact scale, Brett does not compromise on structural engineering, shell thickness, equipment quality, or finish materials. These smaller projects often attract the highest compliments because the design intelligence required to make a modest footprint feel luxurious is more demanding than scaling up. HOA approval timelines for compact pools in Emerald Bay typically run 3 to 5 weeks.
Many Emerald Bay homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s and feature pools that no longer match the estate's current market value. Brett Ryan's renovation team can transform an outdated plaster pool into a contemporary infinity-edge showpiece. The most popular renovation package includes full interior replastering with Pebble Tec or quartz finish, LED lighting conversion, equipment upgrade to variable-speed pumps, new pool deck in travertine or Belgard pavers, waterline tile replacement, and automation installation. A comprehensive Emerald Bay pool renovation takes 3 to 5 weeks and typically costs $85,000 to $220,000. Remodels also require City of Laguna Beach permits and Emerald Bay Community Association approval for changes that affect the pool's external appearance or footprint. Brett handles both permit filings as part of the renovation contract.
The finest Emerald Bay pool environments extend beyond the water's edge to encompass full outdoor living rooms with professional kitchens, fire features, shade structures, and entertainment zones. Brett Ryan's hardscape division builds integrated outdoor environments around each pool project. Services include custom outdoor kitchen construction with built-in grills, refrigeration, and stone countertops; large-format porcelain or travertine pool decking; pergola and shade sail installation; ambient and task lighting; and landscape coordination with licensed Laguna Beach nurseries. Every hardscape element is selected to withstand the salt air and UV exposure of a Pacific-facing Emerald Bay lot. Material durability in a coastal environment is a specialty, not an afterthought. Full outdoor living environments integrated with new pool construction start at $95,000 for the hardscape component alone.
By the Numbers
Client Reviews
"Brett designed a $420,000 infinity pool that perfectly frames the Pacific from our living room. The Pebble Tec finish, the automated LED system, and the integrated spa are exactly what we had envisioned. He handled the HOA approval and City of Laguna Beach permit without a single issue. Every neighbor on our block has asked for his number."
"We spent $285,000 on a renovation and new infinity edge with Brett's team. Our old 1989 plaster pool looked completely out of place on a property like this. Brett completely re-engineered it, updated the equipment, added travertine decking and fire bowls, and the result looks like it belongs at a Four Seasons. The project finished two weeks early."
"We had three bids for our $510,000 pool and outdoor kitchen project. Brett was not the cheapest, but his knowledge of Emerald Bay's Community Association approval process, the coastal setback rules, and the Laguna Beach permitting timeline made it clear he was the only one who actually knew this community. The final product is breathtaking. Worth every dollar."
FAQ
Service Area
Brett Ryan Custom Pools serves exclusive coastal enclaves and master-planned estates throughout Orange County.
Call Brett Ryan directly at (949) 555-0190 or request a consultation online. We visit your Emerald Bay site, assess the design possibilities, and provide a written estimate at no charge.