The Teaster's Journal
Thirty years of building and looking after outdoor property in the Smoky Mountains, written down. Practical guidance on pools, stone, planting and grounds care — what we would tell you standing on the site.
Building a pool on a sloped lot
How mountain terrain changes a pool build: retaining structure, drainage, access and the design moves that turn a slope into the best part of the property.
Read →Gunite, vinyl liner or fiberglass: how to choose
An honest comparison of the three pool construction types — shape freedom, durability, maintenance and which suits a mountain site.
Read →What actually happens, week by week, when a pool is built
The real sequence of a gunite pool build, from layout and excavation through gunite, tile, decking, plaster and start-up — and where the waiting happens.
Read →Pool water chemistry without the guesswork
What to test, what the numbers should be, and why balance matters more than chlorine — a practical guide for gunite pool owners.
Read →Opening and closing a pool in East Tennessee
When to open and close a pool in the Smoky Mountain region, what each process involves, and the freeze-protection details that matter here.
Read →Choosing pool decking: travertine, pavers or concrete
How pool decking materials actually behave underfoot, in the sun and through a Tennessee winter — and how to choose between them.
Read →Why retaining walls fail here, and how to build one that does not
Drainage, base preparation and freeze-thaw: what actually makes a retaining wall last on East Tennessee terrain.
Read →What does a pool actually cost here?
Almost nobody in this trade will answer that in public. We built a tool that does — pick your size, shape, depth and finishes and it returns a planning range for your build, with no phone call first.
Build yours and see the range