On grade
The yard sat higher than the house, and continued to rise as you moved toward the back of the property.
To preserve an old cinder-block wall in the back, the builder and homeowner decided against grading the yard level with the house. Instead, the builder proposed a terraced effect. The front half of the pool would sit 18 inches above the ground, dividing the deck into two levels.
This provided instant seating areas and would be particularly helpful for some of the clients’ senior guests, who weren’t comfortable swimming but wanted to be close to the action. It also created another surface to showcase the decorative tile.