Founded in 2015 by Rourke Hartwig and Rob Rooney, Equilibrium Pools specialises in custom-designed concrete swimming pools with high-end finishes, and offers a personal and bespoke pool building experience. The company services a broad area of metropolitan Sydney, including the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, North Shore, Lower North Shore, Northern Beaches and the Hills District. The codirectors offer a combined 32 years of industry experience, and are both extremely passionate about their projects and the relationships they form with their clients. Equilibrium Pools’ ethos centres around creating ‘a balanced lifestyle’, and its focus is journeying with the client from concept to completion.
The expert team at Equilibrium Pools is comprised of employees from a variety of backgrounds, including builders who are licensed in swimming pool and structural landscape construction, and landscape designers, as well as managers and tradespeople who work very closely with the engineer. The company also has employees qualified in horticulture and horticultural science. “Our broad skillset in design, construction and management [allows us] to manage the complete project in-house,” says Hartwig.
What sets Equilibrium Pools apart from the rest is its strong focus on establishing relationships with clients and its supreme attention to detail. “One of our big differences is that the directors are actively involved in the construction of the pool, right from the initial design meeting, to the design and council
approval phase, right through to construction and project completion,” says Hartwig. “I love being a part of people’s journeys. I love being a part of their story, their passions and hopes and dreams and aspirations for their and their family’s lifestyles,” he adds.
The company has grown rapidly during its short time in operation, and the team has consequently grown to accommodate a larger service area and a higher quantity of projects. There’s also been a change in the magnitude and complexity of projects the team are undertaking, and yet the emphasis on personalised service and quality has not wavered. In the coming years, Hartwig hopes “to continue our current level of growth while maintaining our exemplary project management and personal client-relation focus, [in addition to] putting forward some of our amazing projects for awards”.
When prompted to conceptualise the possibilities of an unlimited budget and resources, Hartwig expresses a desire to pioneer progressive design within the pool building industry. He proposes creative and ambitious designs that focus on a seamless integration of bodies of water with spaces that are traditionally separate, such as integrating pools into the interior of homes, creating saltwater environments for marine life that swimmers can share, and developing passageways that create the illusion of pedestrians walking underwater.
For now, system autonomy has been an integral part of the cutting-edge principles Equilibrium Pools incorporates. For example, computer integration,
automated systems, robotic cleaners, and chemical probes that continually measure and adjust water balances are just some of the additions you can choose to incorporate. “We have a strong design focus that incorporates the use of CAD software in the development of our designs, which is guided by our highly qualified and experienced principal designer” Hartwig says.
When asked what the future holds for the industry, Hartwig predicts that we will see “advancements in the professionalism of the industry as further bureaucracy and legislation are implemented”. Further, he believes that “the industry in Sydney will remain strong on the back of effective development incentives and positive property growth”.
To keep up with Equilibrium Pools’ current projects, visit the company on Instagram or head to www.equilibriumpools.com.au.
With more than 26 years of industry experience under their belt, the highly professional team at Pacific Pools are confident in their ability to deliver on quality from the initial contact through to completion. Specialising in the design, construction and renovation of concrete swimming pools, Pacific Pools is based in Western Sydney, however the company also services metropolitan Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands. Managing director Bruce Read is a licensed builder, and personally oversees all projects. His team consists of all other licensed tradespeople, including qualified pool engineers and long-term business manager Kim Woods, who has extensive industry and office administration experience.
Read firmly believes that “the owner [should be] the builder”, and prides himself on working on every
project Pacific Pools undertakes, eliminating the need for supervisors and therefore maintaining a high level of quality control. Read is extremely attentive and works closely with clients to bring their dream pool to life. Since Pacific Pools was established, Read has built more than 2000 new pools and renovated at least 1000 more. Due to his vast experience, he provides realistic timeframes and cost estimates, and works tirelessly to deliver on promises. Read’s core philosophy is “do it once, do it properly and take no shortcuts”.
Over the years, Pacific Pools has won many Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPASA) state and national awards, and was awarded a High Commendation for the 2016 Pool Builder of the Year category. Pacific Pools has been a SPASA member since its inception and Read sat on the association’s board for four years.
While a string of significant industry awards offers a strong indication of the company’s success, they are not the driving force behind Pacific Pools. Ultimately, Read and his team are motivated by the “ability to create something that puts a smile on the customer’s face”.
Read’s fundamental goal for the future of Pacific Pools is to sustain quality. This belief extends to his expectations of the industry as a whole, and he is passionate about ensuring that industry standards remain high. When it comes to procuring licenses, Read believes that extensive site experience is essential to ensure the industry maintains an impeccable standard of quality.
You can learn more about the outstanding work of Pacific Pools and read its client testimonials at www.pacificpools.com.au.
