Noel Martinez (left) and his son Gabriel Martinez beside one of their most recent creations on Padre Island in Corpus Christi. Owner of Oscar’s Pools, Noel Martinez bought the company from his brother 25 years ago. Gabriel’s involvement keeps the family business tradition going. Photo by Carrie Robertson Meyer/Third Coast Photo
Boot makers, dentists and carpenters blend art and science to create a lasting, functional visage. On the sun-drenched Texas coast, Noel Martinez adds another vocation to the guild: pool planner to the stars.
Of course, local celebrities aren't the only coastal dwellers to take a dip in Martinez's cement masterpieces. Oscar's Pools serves any homeowner wanting a backyard paradise, rounding out a client roster that began with homebuilders and country clubs more than 25 years ago. Each receives the personalized attention of Martinez's expertise because on the complex coastal plain, no single pool design fits all.
"When I see a backyard, I can just look at it and already picture the finished job before we even start talking," said Martinez, who has a natural knack for navigating the minefield of easements and setbacks that can complicate pool construction. "I visit with my clients and feel what they're thinking. Then, I take measurements, do a drawing to scale and show them the shape. Most of the time, they like what I draw."
Drawing, Martinez said, was never his focus in school. Math was his strong suit, a vital skill that helps reliably translate his hand drawings to full-scale swimscapes. Each design complements the home's exterior and landscaping, a customized pool layout intended to feel integral to the home. Some clients, however, come to Martinez swimming in their own visions. Martinez is happy to oblige.
"We designed a local country club's guitar-shaped pool," Martinez said. "Later, we were hired by a customer who used to be in a mariachi band. Music was his hobby. He wanted a pool in a guitar shape, too, and we built it — right on Ocean Drive."
That pool was built in the early 1980s when his brother Oscar owned the business. At the time, Noel worked for his brothers, Oscar, Eloy and Roel. He bought the business from Oscar in 1985 and now runs it with his son, Gabriel.
Hi-tech pool performance
Every morning, Martinez departs the remote farm town of Premont for the hour-long commute to Corpus Christi. No stranger to technology, he uses his work truck's Bluetooth system to schedule appointments, motivate his work crew and connect with clients eager to see their backyard dreams rendered in bespoke colors, patterns and materials.
Tools of communication are not the only upgrades in the swimming pool construction trade. Advancements in concrete composition have increased the long-term luster of modern pools. Gone, too, are the days of complex maintenance regimens, now streamlined by new technologies that put pool upkeep at a homeowner's fingertips.
"Today, everything from lighting to water testing can be controlled through your smartphone," said Gabriel Martinez, Noel's son and right-hand man. "Say you're heading home from work in your car. You can start your heater and have a hot tub waiting for you by the time you get home. There's no wait time anymore. It's fascinating."
Not every avid swimmer is prepared for the sometimes steep price of an Internet-connected pool. One must-have maintenance innovation, however, is within the reach of most homeowners: the automated salt chlorination system.
"We've gotten rid of the pill," Gabriel Martinez said. "In a salt generator, electrical impulses break down salt into natural chlorine. It's healthier and cleaner than chemical chlorination. No more red eyes. No more rough hair. There's no need for that anymore."
Conventional pools converted to "saline pools" use food-grade pool salt, readily available in bulk at a fraction of the cost of chlorine tablets. Nearly 75 percent of customers opt for this more natural approach to pool care, hinting at the reasons why families this close to the ocean still choose to swim in their backyard.
"Parents have the peace of mind of knowing exactly where their kids are at," Gabriel Martinez said. "Homeowners have the luxury of seeing something beautiful in their own backyard. You can step right out to take a swim. Your teenagers stay at home. And there's no chance of a rip current in your swimming pool."
To get started on your own backyard paradise, give Oscar’s Pools a call at either 361-438-2828 for Noel or 361-438-0485 for Gabriel. Oscar’s Pools is accredited with the Better Business Bureau — and approved by swimmers throughout the Coastal Bend!
