ORANGEVALE, CALIFORNIA – Century Pools, a family-owned residential pool construction company with 60 years of California expertise, today issued a formal statement addressing what leadership describes as an industry-wide trend compromising structural integrity in favor of accelerated timelines. The company’s three second-generation owners—Patrick, Michael, and Casey O’Neal—are taking a public stance against construction shortcuts they say have become standard practice among competitors prioritizing speed over longevity.
The announcement comes as the residential pool construction industry faces mounting pressure to deliver faster project completion, often at the expense of critical structural processes that determine a pool’s lifespan. Patrick O’Neal, CEO of Century Pools for the past 15 years, points to a pattern that has intensified over the last decade: pools built with minimal steel reinforcement, rushed shotcrete application, and circulation systems designed for installation convenience rather than operational efficiency.
“Time and again, homeowners call us after cracks appear, steps shift, or water circulation fails—problems that could have been prevented with proper construction,” O’Neal states. “One particularly vivid moment was inspecting a pool that was only five years old but already showing hairline cracks along walls and benches, and uneven steps that had settled. Seeing families frustrated with issues that were entirely avoidable drove home that this wasn’t just a small problem—it was an industry-wide trend.”
The Invisible Difference: Steel Reinforcement Standards
At the heart of Century Pools’ stance is what O’Neal calls “the invisible backbone” of pool construction—steel reinforcement that homeowners never see but that determines whether a pool remains structurally sound for decades or begins failing within years. According to the company’s technical analysis, proper steel reinforcement in a gunite pool shell must be carefully engineered to follow every curve, bench, step, and transition, with bars correctly spaced, overlapped, and tied to handle both water weight and California’s dynamic soil conditions.
“Rushed competitors often use fewer bars, spaced too far apart, or tied loosely—sometimes just enough to pass a quick inspection,” O’Neal explains. “That might save a day or two upfront, but five years down the road, it shows up as cracks, settling steps, or warped benches.” Industry research confirms this concern: shrinkage cracks occur when pools have insufficient steel or inappropriate concrete coverage, particularly on steps and benches, with improper concrete mix design and low reinforcement ratios contributing to structural issues that manifest as reflective cracks of significant size.
The company recently documented a case where hands-on oversight caught steel at a step-to-bench transition that met building code requirements but lacked structural continuity. “It would’ve passed inspection, but experience told us it would crack there in 5 to 10 years,” O’Neal notes. “We stopped the job and re-tied the steel so the steps, bench, and wall acted as one structure, not separate pieces.”
California Soil Movement: The Hidden Enemy
Century Pools’ emphasis on over-engineering beyond minimum code requirements stems from what the company describes as a fundamental misunderstanding among builders about California’s soil behavior. Beneath residential pools in the state, soil expands and contracts with moisture changes and can shift over time, particularly in clay-heavy regions and areas with seismic activity. Many builders follow minimum code standards that assume ground stability, an approach that works short-term but fails to account for decades of soil movement.
“At Century Pools, we over-engineer the steel placement, tie-ins, and overlaps to anticipate that shifting,” O’Neal states. “We consider how weight distribution, shell thickness, and rebar alignment interact with the ground beneath. That’s why pools we build stay solid and crack-free for 20-plus years—while others, built to code but without that local insight, can start showing damage in just a few years.”
Scientific data supports this approach. Expansive clay soils can undergo volume changes up to 30% when exposed to moisture, creating devastating effects on pool foundations. In California’s clay-heavy regions, the active zone where soil seasonally changes moisture content and volume averages 2 to 3 feet in depth. During extended drought conditions, trees pull moisture from deeper clay soil layers, causing excessive desiccation and shrinkage that leads to pool shell movement and cracking.
Construction-defect expert Scott Cohen has described building on expansive clay soil as “like building on top of a sponge,” with clay soils shrinking and expanding substantially depending on moisture introduction. A 1990s class-action lawsuit in Laguna Niguel, California involved 94 luxury hillside pools that experienced as much as four inches of settlement, resulting in structural failures—what industry analysts called “a completely avoidable mess caused by skipping soils reports.”
The Chemistry of Shortcuts: Shotcrete Curing
Beyond steel reinforcement, Century Pools identifies shotcrete curing as the second critical stage where competitors compromise long-term structural integrity for immediate schedule gains. The company’s technical explanation reveals a chemical process that cannot be rushed without consequences: when gunite is applied, cement begins a hydration reaction with water that gradually hardens and strengthens the shell over an extended period.
“If that process is rushed, like in quick-set methods, the surface may appear hard within a day, but internally it hasn’t fully bonded,” O’Neal explains. “That creates weak spots, micro-cracks, and uneven stress distribution. Over time, those tiny flaws can expand under the weight of water and soil movement, leading to visible cracks, shifting steps, or failing benches.”
Century Pools’ approach involves carefully controlling moisture, temperature, and time for several days to ensure shotcrete cures uniformly. Industry standards support this methodology: shotcrete requires a minimum of 7 days of continuous wet curing to achieve at least 70% of its 28-day strength, yet extending wet curing from 3 days to 7 days can result in a 10 to 20% reduction in shrinkage cracking at the outer surface. For swimming pools receiving cementitious finishes, the American Concrete Institute Committee 524 and National Plasterers Council recommend moist curing be continued for 28 days.
The chemical hydration process that binds concrete can take up to 28 days to fully complete, with the first 7 days being critical for keeping the concrete moist to achieve full 28-day strength. Concrete reaches approximately 95% of its maximum strength at 28 days. Critically, shotcrete doesn’t harden by drying—in fact, drying will completely stop the hydration process and result in under-strength shotcrete.
The True Cost of Speed: Financial Implications
When homeowners compare bids between Century Pools and competitors offering cheaper, faster alternatives, the company frames the conversation around longevity and peace of mind rather than initial price points. O’Neal typically explains that while a competitor’s bid might be lower and promise quicker completion, they’re likely using minimal steel, quick-set shotcrete, and standard circulation designed for speed rather than durability.
“I often use analogies—like comparing a skeleton to a body: you can’t see the bones, but if they’re weak, the whole structure suffers,” O’Neal states. “Homeowners may not see it on day one, but these invisible details are exactly what prevents cracks, settling, and costly repairs down the road. It shifts the conversation from price to long-term value.”
The financial consequences of construction shortcuts become apparent years after installation. Foundation repair for a settling pool takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks, costing anywhere between $30,000 to $100,000. Continued foundation settlement causes more structural damage to pools, shortening their lifespan, with damages causing repair costs to escalate significantly. Proper crack repair for swimming pools involves removing gunite or shotcrete on either side of the crack for a total distance between 18 to 24 inches wide, replacing it with higher strength material placed at least 1.5 times the thickness of material removed—a costly repair that could have been prevented with proper initial construction.
Multi-Generational Philosophy: Leadership in the Trenches
Century Pools traces its quality-over-speed philosophy directly to founder Brian O’Neal, who established the company in 1964 and was known for being hands-on with “a shovel in hand.” That founding approach continues under the leadership of his three sons, who maintain an active physical presence on job sites that differentiates the company’s construction oversight from industry norms.
“On a Century Pools site, you’ll see leadership in the trenches—not just reviewing plans from afar,” O’Neal describes. “Myself, Michael, and Casey are often right there in the shell, inspecting steel, checking shotcrete thickness, confirming circulation lines, and making adjustments on the spot. We tie rebar, monitor curing, and ensure every detail aligns with decades of proven practice.”
This hands-on approach reflects what O’Neal calls an instinct that “you can’t outsource”—developed through physical presence, feeling materials, and understanding how each construction decision affects pool performance decades into the future. At competitor sites, crews typically move quickly, following schedules and checking boxes, but rarely with the same level of hands-on oversight or real-time correction that comes from ownership involvement.
“Our father taught us that you develop instinct by being physically present,” O’Neal states. “That philosophy is baked into every project we build today.”
Industry Context and Regulatory Landscape
Century Pools’ public stance comes at a time when California’s residential pool construction industry faces increasing complexity. California Title 24 regulations effective January 1, 2026 introduce requirements shifting the industry toward renewable energy solutions, with projects permitted after that date facing higher equipment costs, increased complexity requiring more sophisticated system designs, longer installation times, and stricter approval processes with more detailed documentation.
Common contractor shortcuts documented across the industry include skipping expansion joints along pool perimeters, adding too much water to gunite when spraying it on rebar, failing to adequately tie rebar in place, and not keeping pools sufficiently moist after concrete is sprayed—particularly problematic in hot climates. These simple construction errors may cause cracks that compromise pool shells and rebar, leading to significant issues including water loss and structural failure.
The most common soil-related cracks are differential settlement cracks, visually vertically oriented and often wider at the top of the pool wall and narrower as they move toward the floor. Structural cracks can compromise the pool shell and rebar, leading to significant issues. Pool structures on hillsides experience serious structural distress most frequently due to slope creep—the natural occurrence that causes the majority of hillside pool failures and can affect structures 10 to 16 feet or more from the top of a descending slope.
Century Pools’ Position: Non-Negotiable Standards
The company’s formal statement clarifies that Century Pools will not adjust its construction methodology to match competitor timelines or pricing when doing so would compromise structural integrity. The O’Neal family’s vision for sustainable business practices prioritizes client trust and relationship-building over volume metrics, with short-term goals focused on building more pools than the previous year while maintaining quality standards, and long-term goals centered on creating a sustainable business that carries the family legacy forward.
“We know backyard pools are more than a luxury,” the company’s statement reads. “These are the treasured meeting places where memories are made, family events are held, and new beginnings are celebrated. That is why we carefully inject personalized experience into all our customer pools.”
The company’s unique value proposition centers on meticulous construction that accounts for California-specific challenges including soil composition, seismic activity, and climate conditions. Century Pools serves exclusively residential homeowners, having built custom gunite pools for properties ranging from celebrity mansions to neighborhood homes since 1964.
“Being a multi-generational pool contractor isn’t just about longevity; it’s about building lasting relationships based on trust and shared dreams,” O’Neal concludes. “Each project is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to excellence and to earning trust. We’re honored to continue our family legacy by creating spaces that families cherish for generations.”
About Century Pools
Century Pools is a family-owned residential pool construction company headquartered in Orangevale, California. Founded in 1964 by Brian O’Neal, the company specializes in custom gunite swimming pools and is currently led by second-generation owners Patrick O’Neal (CEO), Michael O’Neal, and Casey O’Neal. Operating under the mission “Building Your Dreams Since 1964,” Century Pools focuses exclusively on residential projects throughout California, offering what the company describes as quality and affordable solutions for homeowners seeking to escape California heat through custom aquatic retreats.
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Century Pools
Orangevale, California
Contact: Patrick O’Neal, CEO
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