Royal Pools by Adams designs and builds custom inground swimming pools throughout Union City, from the historic Alvarado district to the hillside east of Mission Boulevard. We are a Diamond Certified pool construction company headquartered in San Jose, about 30 minutes away, and we have been building Bay Area pools since 1969. Our five-step program takes your project from first sketch to first swim.
Or call (408) 371-8000
Union City was born in 1959 when the historic towns of Alvarado and Decoto joined, taking the name of the steamer The Union that once carried local crops to San Francisco, and the city still builds in two characters. Most lots are level tract parcels from the postwar growth decades, which means clean access and straightforward excavation. East of Mission Boulevard, the voter-protected Hillside Area has its own planning regime, where slopes bring conditional review and retaining walls over four feet need their own permits, engineering we plan from the first site visit. Pools here follow the city’s detached accessory structure criteria: the rear half of the lot, at least four feet from side and rear lines, and five feet from other structures. Only prefab pools under 24 inches deep skip the permit, so every in-ground project runs through the Building Division on Alvarado-Niles Road, and we manage it from submittal to final inspection.
Every photo below is from a real Royal Pools by Adams project. See more in our project gallery.
Royal Pools by Adams is part of the Adams Pool Group, a family-run organization that has been building and finishing pools since 1953. Every 28 Palms project is backed by the same leadership team that oversees every Royal pool in the Bay Area.
Owner & CEO, Adams Pool Group
General Manager, Royal Pools by Adams
We build throughout Union City and the Tri-City area:
The city’s Old California Town heritage area, where classic pool styling suits homes dating from the 1880s to 1930.
The 1870 railroad-town founding community on the east side, now established family neighborhoods.
The transit-oriented downtown around Union City BART.
East of Mission Boulevard, where conditional review and sloped-site engineering lead the design.
Next door to the south, with a dedicated page of its own.
The third Tri-City neighbor, with a dedicated page of its own.
Yes. The Building Division exempts only prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep, so every in-ground pool needs building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits before work starts. The division is at 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road (510-675-5313), and we prepare and manage the full submittal.
Pools follow the city’s detached accessory structure criteria: the rear half of the lot, at least 4 feet from side and rear property lines, and 5 feet from any other structure, with larger street-side setbacks on corner lots. We confirm the exact numbers for your lot with the Planning Division during design.
Yes, with the extra review planned in. The Hillside Area has a voter-approved planning regime dating to 1989 and a Hillside Combining District with conditional use review, and hillside pools often involve retaining walls, which need their own permit above four feet. We handle the review and the engineering together.
Alameda County Water District, the same district serving Fremont and Newark. In a typical year its supply blends roughly 40 percent State Water Project, 20 percent San Francisco regional (Hetch Hetchy) supply, and 40 percent local Alameda Creek watershed sources, including Niles Cone groundwater.
Very. Most of the city is level tract housing from the growth decades after the 1959 incorporation, which typically means clean equipment access and straightforward excavation. That keeps schedules predictable, and hillside lots get a site-specific plan instead.
Absolutely. The Historic Alvarado District preserves the city’s Old California Town character, with buildings dating from the 1880s to 1930, and we design classic pool shapes and hardscape that complement heritage architecture rather than clash with it.
Prefer to plan your project in person? Our San Jose showroom at 2258 Camden Ave is about 30 minutes from Union City: take I-880 South, continue onto CA-17 South toward Santa Cruz, and exit at Camden Avenue. Get directions from Union City →
Cities Near Union City, CA
Start with a free design consultation at your home or in our San Jose showroom.
Royal Pools by Adams | 2258 Camden Ave, San Jose, CA 95124 | (408) 371-8000 | Mon-Fri 8am-4pm | CSLB #278052
