Brett Ryan, C-53 License #1089432, has designed and built over 500 resort-caliber pools across Orange County since 1999. Specializing in the guard-gated golf course estates of Big Canyon in Newport Beach, Brett brings a deep understanding of the community's canyon landscape, HOA requirements, and the standard of excellence expected at the Big Canyon Country Club. Call (949) 555-0190 for a free design consultation.
About Big Canyon
Big Canyon is among the most prestigious addresses in all of Newport Beach. This guard-gated golf course community sits inland from the coast in the 92660 ZIP code and centers around the Big Canyon Country Club, an 18-hole course surrounded by mature sycamore and eucalyptus trees and dramatic canyon landforms. With approximately 230 homes valued between $3 million and $8 million, the community draws Newport Beach's business executives, attorneys, physicians, and civic leaders.
Building a pool in Big Canyon requires a thoughtful combination of design excellence and process expertise. All projects require architectural committee approval from the Big Canyon Community Association and permits from the Newport Beach Building Department. Brett Ryan has navigated both bodies for clients throughout the community and understands the standards that define acceptable work here.
The landscape is defined by the canyon itself: mature trees, rolling topography, and the sculpted fairways of Big Canyon Country Club. These are not coastal lots with ocean views. They are intimate, verdant estate lots where the golf course, the trees, and the canyon ridgeline create a backdrop that calls for resort-style pools designed to embrace the setting rather than compete with it. Learn more at newportbeachca.gov.
What We Build
Every project is designed around your Big Canyon property's unique lot, golf course orientation, and canyon setting.
Five hundred custom pools built across Orange County's finest communities since 1999. In Big Canyon, we design every pool around the lot's relationship to the golf course and canyon backdrop. From initial site visit to Newport Beach final inspection, Brett Ryan manages every phase personally. Our pools start at $120,000 and routinely reach $350,000 or more for complete outdoor environments on Big Canyon estate lots. Every design includes 3D rendering, material selection, and a fixed-price contract before a shovel touches the ground.
The most requested feature in Big Canyon is an infinity-edge pool that frames a golf course view. We engineer the structural bond beam and vanishing edge trough to capture specific fairway vistas from Big Canyon Country Club. Glass tile spillways, zero-horizon water lines, and precision-leveled deck planes transform your backyard into a resort experience. Our infinity edges are built to engineering standards exceeding California structural requirements, using 6,000 PSI gunite shells. Roughly 60% of Big Canyon clients include an infinity element in their design.
Therapeutic spas designed to hold 104 to 106 degrees year-round with Jandy or Pentair variable-speed heaters. Big Canyon evenings cool quickly even in summer, making a heated spa essential for year-round outdoor living. We build raised overflow spas that cascade into the main pool, side-by-side spa and pool combinations, and standalone grotto spas with rock water features. Hydrotherapy jet placement is customized per client, and all spa systems integrate with whole-home automation via Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Pentair IntelliConnect. Every spa includes ADA-compliant entry steps.
Thirty-day standard remodel timeline for most Big Canyon pool restorations. Existing gunite shells in this community were typically built in the 1980s and 1990s and are excellent candidates for full modernization. We re-plaster with pebble, quartz, or glass bead finishes, update coping and deck to travertine or natural stone, replace aging single-speed pumps with variable-speed units that consume up to 90% less energy, and add LED lighting, automation, and water features. HOA submittal included for all exterior finish changes. Many clients add a spa or infinity edge during remodel for significant cost savings versus new construction.
Complete outdoor living environments designed to match the architectural standards Big Canyon Community Association expects. We build fully equipped outdoor kitchens with Wolf or Lynx grills, stainless refrigeration, granite or quartzite countertops, and stone veneer bases. Pergolas and pavilions use Douglas fir or cedar structural framing with tile or slate roofing panels. Fire features, infrared heaters, and integrated audio are installed as a unified system. All structures are engineered and permitted through Newport Beach Building Department. Big Canyon homeowners typically invest $40,000 to $120,000 on outdoor kitchen and shade structure additions alongside their pool project.
Eight or more custom water feature styles in our portfolio, from sheet waterfalls and grottos to fire-and-water bowl combinations and scupper wall fountains. In Big Canyon, water features serve a dual purpose: they add visual drama and they mask the ambient sounds from adjacent golf course activity. Gas fire bowls and linear fire pits create evening ambiance on canyon evenings while complementing the community's upscale aesthetic. All gas fire features are permitted and inspected by the City of Newport Beach. Water features are engineered as part of the pool hydraulic system, not bolted on after the fact.
One app controls every pool and spa function from anywhere in the world. We install Pentair IntelliConnect, Jandy iAqualink, or Hayward OmniLogic systems depending on equipment configuration. Full automation includes variable-speed pump scheduling, heater and spa temperature control, LED lighting color programs, water feature activation, chemical dosing alerts, and energy usage reporting. Integration with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home is standard. Variable-speed pump automation alone typically reduces pool energy costs by 70 to 90 percent versus single-speed operation, satisfying California Title 24 energy standards per guidance from the California Energy Commission.
One hundred percent of our Big Canyon projects go through HOA architectural review and Newport Beach Building Department permitting. We prepare the complete application package for the Big Canyon Community Association: site plan, pool design drawings, elevation renderings, material samples and finish boards, equipment specification sheets, and construction timeline. For the Newport Beach Building Department, we prepare structural and hydraulic engineering drawings, Title 24 energy compliance documentation, and barrier fence specifications meeting CPSC Pool Safely guidelines. Our permit success rate is 100% on first submission for Big Canyon projects.
By the Numbers
Client Reviews
Five-star reviews from guard-gated golf course community residents.
"Brett Ryan built a spectacular golf-view pool and infinity-edge spa for our Big Canyon estate. The negative edge aligns perfectly with the 14th fairway and the canyon ridgeline beyond. Brett handled every step with the Big Canyon Community Association and Newport Beach Building Department. We have entertained every partner in the firm back here and every single person asks who built it."
"We wanted a resort pool that felt like it belonged in the canyon setting rather than fighting it. Brett proposed using natural travertine, soft curves, and a grotto waterfall framed by the mature sycamores on our lot. The result is breathtaking. Every morning coffee on the pool deck looking at the canyon trees is a gift. The whole project came in on time and on budget at $228,000."
"Our Big Canyon home needed a full pool remodel. The original plaster was 30 years old and the equipment was obsolete. Brett re-plastered in pebble finish, replaced all equipment with variable-speed Pentair systems, added LED lighting and full automation, and built an outdoor kitchen and fire pit area. The yard is completely transformed. We spend more time at home now than we have in 20 years. Total investment was $185,000 for the complete outdoor space."
Common Questions
Specific answers for Big Canyon homeowners in Newport Beach.
How much does a custom pool cost in Big Canyon Newport Beach?
Custom pools in Big Canyon range from $120,000 to $450,000+. The $3M-$8M estate properties in this golf course community demand resort-caliber finishes. Most Big Canyon pools fall between $175,000 and $350,000 for a complete outdoor living environment including spa, decking, and landscaping integration.
Do I need HOA approval to build a pool in Big Canyon?
Yes. Big Canyon Community Association requires written approval from the architectural committee before any construction begins. We prepare the full HOA submission package including site plans, material samples, equipment specs, and construction timeline. Typical review takes 30-45 days.
Which city issues pool permits for Big Canyon homes?
Big Canyon is within the City of Newport Beach. All pool permits are issued by the Newport Beach Building Department at newportbeachca.gov. Plan check typically takes 3-5 weeks. We handle every step including submission, corrections, and final inspection.
How long does it take to build a pool in Big Canyon?
From signed contract to first swim: HOA review 30-45 days, Newport Beach permit processing 3-5 weeks, construction 8-12 weeks. Total timeline ranges from 14 to 22 weeks depending on project complexity and HOA review speed.
Can you build a pool with views of the Big Canyon golf course?
Golf-view pools are our specialty in Big Canyon. We design pool decks and infinity edges that frame the Big Canyon Country Club fairways and canyon ridgeline. Approximately 60% of our Big Canyon clients include an infinity or zero-edge element designed around a specific fairway view.
What pool styles work best in Big Canyon?
Big Canyon's canyon topography and traditional estate architecture favor resort-style designs: rectangular pools, travertine or natural stone decking, negative-edge spas, and tropical landscaping. We also build contemporary geometric pools and Mediterranean designs. Canyon landscape integration is the defining design principle in 100% of our Big Canyon projects.
Are there water conservation requirements for pools in Newport Beach?
Yes. MWDOC and the City of Newport Beach encourage water-efficient equipment. We install variable-speed pumps using up to 90% less energy and pool covers reducing evaporation by 95%. Every pool meets current Title 24 energy standards per the California Energy Commission.
Do Big Canyon pools require special safety fencing?
California law and CPSC Pool Safely guidelines require pool barrier fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates on all new residential pools. We work within Big Canyon Community Association design standards to select fencing that satisfies both legal requirements and the community's aesthetic. Popular options include frameless glass panels and low-profile ornamental iron.
What financing options are available for a Big Canyon pool project?
Most Big Canyon clients use HELOCs or construction-to-permanent loans given substantial equity in $3M-$8M homes. Projects in this community average $200,000 to $350,000, and strong real estate values typically support that financing easily. We provide lender introductions upon request. Many clients also find ENERGY STAR-qualified equipment rebates reduce net costs.
Service Area
Brett Ryan serves the full range of guard-gated and luxury communities across Newport Beach and Orange County.
Get Started
Call Brett Ryan for a free on-site design consultation. We review your lot, your golf course views, and your vision, then deliver a full 3D design and fixed-price proposal within two weeks.