Home & Garden

Staycations - Aabby Custom Pools offers new, high-tech meaning to staying at home

Thu, 09/03/2009 - 1:40pm By: The Citizen

You’ve probably heard of the new buzz word, staycation. It means trading an expensive trip for one in which you ‘vacation’ in your own home. The increase in gas prices and the economy in general has forced people to think of creative ways to save money, yet still enjoy a vacation atmosphere. This has led many homeowners to make changes in their homes, including adding pools and other outdoor enhancements. So, even during this economic downturn, Aabby Custom Pools, a division of The Aabby Group, has seen an increase in pool and exterior kitchen construction and landscape design.

The Aabby Group's success was the fortunate vision of Michael Leedy in 1999. Leedy’s humble beginnings started with one truck and a mower and has grown into Fayette County’s largest residential and commercial landscape company which now extends to pools as well. Aabby Custom Pools was incorporated in 2005 by Leedy and Richard Razin who saw a need on the south side of Atlanta to build safe, reliable outdoor pool designs.

“Our primary goal in starting the business was to incorporate our engineering background by using high tech computer-aided design in the pool building process to make us stand out from the competition.” said Razin.

“Our established landscaping business allows us to offer our pool customers a seamless integration of the outdoor experience. It allows us to not only build a custom pool for our customers, but also to complete the total package by installing the landscaping, fencing, retaining/rock walls, landscape lighting, water garden and ponds, pavers, decorative concrete patios, irrigation, grading, drainage, pest and termite control and any other facet of the building process.

“Our goal is to keep the entire project under our control, and this “in house” concept is a huge reason for our success. We also take pride in offering maintenance programs for pool and landscaping after the job is complete to keep the finished job looking its best. Not many of our competitors can retain the control that we have in our job processes. Quality control is key in the final product and we maximize that by doing the work ourselves.” said Leedy.

The custom pool process starts with an initial consultation with the homeowner and listening to the needs of the customer. The staff of Aabby takes that information to create a computerized, scaled design of the pool and landscape design. This enables the client to see the end result prior to starting the project. If any changes are to be made, it is simply another visit to the computer to apply them. A comprehensive estimate is included with a price breakdown so the customer can easily decide what optional features to include in their custom pool.

Some of the popular features in newly built pools are saline systems, water effects, upgraded fiber optic lighting, wireless pool control systems, tanning shelves and beach entry systems, diving rocks in lieu of diving boards, underwater sound systems and automatically controlled acid feeders.

The concept of a maintenance free pool is the goal Aabby strives for when we design our pools and it all really depends on the budget of the customer.

“We are seeing a trend to transform a backyard environment into a resort atmosphere. The customer is realizing that a well designed backyard can not only be enjoyable but will increase the value of their home.” said Razin.

The Aabby Group has a full staff of experts. The pool operation’s General Manager is Jim Devereese who has come to the company with over 15 years of pool building and maintenance experience.

“Put simply, if it has to do with a pool or spa, from construction, repairs, pool covers, saline systems, service or maintenance, we take great pride in completing the job in a timely and professional manner.” said Devereese.

The pool division has expanded its operations recently by adding monthly pool maintenance and service contracts to its long list of capabilities. With the fall season rapidly approaching, Aabby Pools can take the drudgery out of preparing your pool for the winter months. Custom pool covers and pool closings can be ordered and scheduled to get the pool ready for fall leaves and the freeze protection that is required for the winter months.

“We also see an increase in the installation of hot tubs and spas in the cold weather, as people enjoy relaxing in a hot therapeutic spa when the temperatures fall.” Said Devereese.

Aabby is also proud to have some of the most knowledgeable managers in their specific fields.

Brian Lowery, the hardscapes manager, has a Masters Degree from West Georgia College and has numerous certifications including the National Concrete and Masonry Association Certification, NCMA, and the Interlocking Concrete Paver Installer Certification, ICPI.

Terry Powell, an Auburn graduate with a B.S degree in Horticulture, and is a Georgia green industry Certified Plant Professional, is the landscape maintenance manager and is extremely knowledgeable in local plant varieties and diseases of lawns and plants, and can help keep your lawn and plant beds looking their best.

Jon Murchison is Aabby’s landscape sales manager, and has a degree in Environmental Horticulture and Landscape Design, and is the resident landscape designer. He proves invaluable by showing the customer a planned design on paper prior to commencement of the job.

Brett Self, the Commercial Sales Manager, handles all of the commercial and residential landscape sales and is an expert in landscape computer aided design.

Jim Blocker, is the Termite and Pest Control Manager and has all required Georgia State pest control certifications to keep your home pest free.

The Aabby Group is located at 205 Shamrock Industrial Blvd. Tyrone, GA 30290, and can be reached at 770-632-7288.

Aabby enjoys having our customers visit their complex to see the operation. Customers can drop by to ask questions of our professionals and get expert advice on a particular problem that they may be experiencing. They offer free estimates and discounts for customer referrals. The Aabby Group would be delighted to help your dreams for your outdoor environment be realized. Visit www.aabbygroup.com for more information.