Start Now to Swim by Memorial Day: Your Boise Pool Remodeling Timeline Explained
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Memorial Day weekend. Kids are home from school, the grill is fired up, and your neighbors are already doing cannonballs. But your pool? Still a construction zone. Or worse, still on the "someday" list.
If you're reading this in mid-February, you're in the perfect spot. You still have time to make Memorial Day happen. But here's the catch: you need to start now. Not next week. Not "when the weather warms up." Today.
Let me walk you through exactly what a Boise pool remodel timeline looks like, and why the Treasure Valley's spring rush means the clock is already ticking.
The Reality Check: Why Pool Remodels Take Longer Than You Think
You might be thinking, "It's just resurfacing, right? How long can it take?"
Here's the thing: a quality pool remodel isn't a weekend project. It's a choreographed sequence of design, permitting, demolition, construction, and finishing. And in Idaho, you've got some unique challenges:
- Permit processing (yes, even for remodels)
- Weather windows (you can't pour plaster in a snowstorm or during a cold snap)
- Material lead times (especially for custom tile or specialty finishes)
- The spring booking frenzy (everyone wants to swim by summer)
A typical residential pool remodel in the Boise area takes 10–14 weeks from contract signing to cannonball-ready. That puts us right at the edge of Memorial Day if we start the conversation today.
Your Month-by-Month Timeline: February to Memorial Day
Let's break down what actually happens during those 10–14 weeks. This isn't guesswork, this is what we see on nearly every remodel project in Meridian, Eagle, and Boise proper.
February: Planning, Design, and Contract (Weeks 1–2)
This is where the magic starts. You're probably looking at your pool right now thinking, "What do I even want?" Here's what happens in February:
Week 1:
- Schedule your consultation (shameless plug: reach out to us here)
- Walk the pool deck with your contractor
- Discuss your vision: New plaster? Tile upgrade? LED lighting? Equipment overhaul?
Week 2:
- Finalize material selections (this is where you fall in love with EcoFinish or another finish option)
- Review the proposal and sign the contract
- Schedule your project start date
Pro tip: The families who nail down their contracts in February get first priority on our spring schedule. The ones who wait until March? They're competing with 50 other homeowners who just realized summer is 10 weeks away.
March: Permits, Demo, and the Messy Stuff (Weeks 3–6)
March in Boise can be unpredictable. One day it's 60 degrees, the next you're scraping frost off your windshield. But this is prime time for the "destructive" phase of your remodel.
Week 3–4:
- Pull permits (if required by your city or HOA)
- Drain the pool
- Demo old plaster, tile, and coping
- Inspect the shell for structural issues (better to find them now than after the new finish goes in)
Week 5–6:
- Repair any underlying shell damage
- Upgrade plumbing or electrical (this is the time to add that variable-speed pump or swap out old gas lines)
- Prep the surface for the new finish
What you'll see: Your backyard will look like a war zone. There will be debris, dust, and a giant empty hole where your pool used to be. It's not pretty, but it's progress.
April: Masonry, Plumbing, and the Foundation (Weeks 7–10)
April is construction season in the Treasure Valley. The ground has thawed, temperatures are steady, and it's go-time for the technical work.
Week 7–8:
- Install new tile and coping
- Complete any decking repairs or upgrades (if you're doing decking work, this is when it happens)
- Finalize plumbing connections and equipment installation
Week 9–10:
- Apply the new interior finish (plaster, pebble, or EcoFinish)
- This step is weather-dependent. If we get a late-season cold snap, we might need to push the finish by a few days to protect the cure.
Why April matters: The longer we wait to pour the finish, the less time it has to cure properly before you start swimming. Rushing this step is how you get plaster problems a year later.
May: Finishing Touches and Fill-Up (Weeks 11–14)
May is when your pool starts looking like a pool again. This is the home stretch.
Week 11–12:
- Let the new finish cure (typically 7–10 days for plaster, less for some other finishes)
- Fill the pool with water
- Start up and balance the equipment
Week 13–14:
- Final water chemistry adjustments
- Final walkthrough and owner training (how to use your new equipment, maintenance tips, the works)
- You're ready to swim!
If everything goes according to plan, you're hosting that Memorial Day pool party with a brand-new surface, sparkling tile, and water so clear you can see the bottom.
Why the Treasure Valley 'Spring Rush' Is Real
Here's what most homeowners don't realize: everyone has the same idea at the same time.
March and April are the busiest months for pool contractors in Idaho. Why? Because:
- The weather finally cooperates. Nobody wants to start a remodel in January when it's 20 degrees outside.
- Summer panic sets in. Families realize they have 8 weeks until school's out, and they want the pool ready.
- Material suppliers get slammed. Lead times for tile, plaster, and equipment stretch from 2 weeks to 6 weeks.
If you call us in mid-March and say, "Can we start next week?", the honest answer is probably no. Our schedule is booked, and so is every other reputable contractor in the valley.
But if you call us now (mid-February), we can lock in your project, order your materials, and keep you on track for that Memorial Day goal.
What Happens If You Wait?
Let's say you push this off until mid-March or early April. Here's the likely outcome:
- You miss the Memorial Day window. Your pool is ready by mid-June instead.
- You compete for contractor availability. You might get stuck with a crew that's overbooked and rushing your job.
- Material delays snowball. That custom tile you wanted? Now it's a 10-week lead time.
Or worse: you end up with a contractor who promises they can hit Memorial Day, cuts corners to make it happen, and you're dealing with plaster problems by July.
Don't do that to yourself.
The Bottom Line: Start the Conversation Today
If you want to swim by Memorial Day, you need to start planning your pool remodel in February. Not March. Not April. Now.
Here's your action plan:
- Call or email us this week to schedule a consultation. (Contact us here or give us a ring.)
- Get your design and materials finalized by the end of February.
- Sign the contract so we can lock in your spot on our spring schedule.
- Relax knowing your backyard is going to be the neighborhood highlight by Memorial Day.
We've done this hundreds of times in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, and the surrounding areas. We know the weather. We know the permitting process. And we know how to deliver a pool remodel that's done right: not just done fast.
Your kids, your neighbors, and your summer BBQ guests will thank you.
Let's make Memorial Day happen. Reach out today, and let's get your timeline locked in.
