Royal Pools by Adams builds estate-quality pools and spas for homeowners in Monte Sereno. With acre-plus lots, significant grade changes, and a permitting process that includes both standard building review and potential hillside oversight, Monte Sereno pool projects reward a contractor who understands the city’s requirements before the first shovel goes into the ground. We are Diamond Certified, CSLB licensed (License #278052, C-53 Swimming Pool), and have designed and built premium pools for South Bay homeowners since 1953.
We offer Monte Sereno homeowners the full range of estate-scale pool and outdoor water feature construction:
Monte Sereno is a small city with high expectations. Homeowners here invest in outdoor living spaces that match the scale and quality of their homes, and they expect their pool contractor to bring the same level of detail to project management that they bring to the design itself. Our Diamond Certified rating is a third-party verified credential based on customer satisfaction, and our C-53 Swimming Pool Contractor license is the required California classification for residential pool construction.
We bring premium materials, custom design capabilities, and an experienced project management team to every Monte Sereno build. We offer financing options for qualifying projects and free site visits for all Monte Sereno homeowners who are evaluating a pool build.
Monte Sereno’s City Hall and Building Division are located at 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. All inground pool construction in Monte Sereno requires a building permit, and the city’s Master Fee Schedule (effective August 18, 2025) sets the following approximate fees for a pool project valued at $60,000: building permit fee of approximately $855, plan check fee of approximately $556, and planning review of approximately $192, for a combined total of roughly $1,603 before any additional review charges. These figures are from the published Monte Sereno fee schedule and give homeowners a realistic permit cost to include in the project budget.
For properties that require a Hillside Development Permit (applicable where slopes and site conditions meet the city’s hillside overlay criteria), an additional fee of $4,037 applies per the same fee schedule. Grading permits are also required when earthwork exceeds certain volumes: less than 50 cubic yards of grading is $317, and 51 to 100 cubic yards is $635.
Before any pool design is finalized, we verify whether drainage easements cross your parcel. Monte Sereno parcels frequently carry drainage easements that restrict where structures can be placed. Pool siting must account for these easements, and encroachment into an easement area requires approval that can significantly delay a project. We identify easement locations during the site visit using public parcel records and confirm with the city if needed.
All inground pool construction in Monte Sereno requires a building permit from the City of Monte Sereno Building Division at 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. The permit process includes plan check review of engineered construction drawings, structural review, and inspection at multiple construction stages. Based on Monte Sereno’s Master Fee Schedule effective August 18, 2025, the combined building permit, plan check, and planning review fees for a $60,000 pool project total approximately $1,603. Hillside Development Permit fees ($4,037) and grading permit fees apply if your project meets those thresholds. We obtain the exact fee determination from the city and include it in your project budget.
Monte Sereno’s Hillside Development Permit requirement applies to projects on properties with slopes and other site characteristics that meet the city’s hillside overlay criteria. If your lot has a significant cross-slope, is adjacent to a ridgeline, or falls within the city’s hillside overlay zone, a Hillside Development Permit is required in addition to the standard building permit. The fee for this permit is $4,037 per the August 2025 Monte Sereno Master Fee Schedule. We evaluate whether your parcel triggers the hillside permit requirement during the initial site visit and include that determination in the project scope before design work begins.
Large Monte Sereno parcels offer more placement flexibility than typical South Bay lots, but they also introduce more site-specific constraints. Drainage easements are common on Monte Sereno properties and can restrict where a pool can be placed regardless of overall lot size. Setbacks from property lines, from the primary residence, and from any recorded easements all affect the usable envelope for pool placement. On sloped parcels, we evaluate retaining wall requirements, equipment pad placement, and drainage flow direction as part of the site assessment. The goal is to identify the optimal pool location before design dollars are spent, not after permit review flags a problem.
Monte Sereno is served by San Jose Water (SJW), which blends surface water from the Santa Cruz Mountains with local groundwater. The groundwater contribution to SJW’s supply can push total hardness to 364 mg/L or more in high-groundwater-blend periods, which is classified as Very Hard (above 180 mg/L). For Monte Sereno pools, this means calcium scale will accumulate on plaster surfaces, tile grout, and equipment over time if water chemistry is not managed carefully. We recommend quartz aggregate or specialty plaster finishes for Monte Sereno builds because those surfaces are more resistant to calcium scaling than standard white plaster. We also include a chemical startup protocol that conditions the fill water and sets the water chemistry baseline correctly before the pool is placed in service.
We build the full range of spa configurations for Monte Sereno properties: attached in-pool spas that share circulation with the pool, elevated spillover spas positioned at a higher elevation so water cascades into the pool below, freestanding spa structures set apart from the pool in a separate yard zone, and integrated fire-and-water feature spas with fire bowls and water effects built into the spa surround. For Monte Sereno estate lots with significant grade changes, an elevated overflow spa positioned above the pool is a particularly dramatic and functional configuration that takes advantage of natural topography. We can review specific spa options with renderings during your design consultation. Contact us to get started via our online form.
Call us at (408) 371-8000 to schedule a free site visit and design consultation for your Monte Sereno pool or spa project. Our San Jose showroom at 2258 Camden Ave. is also open for in-person material consultations. Use our contact form to reach us online.