Davie’s large residential lots — the half-acre, one-acre, and multi-acre properties that define the Equestrian Capital’s character — provide something genuinely rare in Broward County: space. Space for a pool deck that extends beyond the immediate pool perimeter. Space for a separate spa. Space for an outdoor kitchen, pergola, firepit, and landscaped garden beds without the sense of crowding that the same features create on a 9,000 square foot suburban lot. If your Davie property has that space and a functional but unremarkable pool at the center of it, an outdoor living upgrade transforms the asset.
At Pool Service Fort Lauderdale, we work alongside pool renovation and outdoor living contractors to help Davie homeowners understand what pool-adjacent upgrades exist and what the maintenance implications are for each. This guide covers the most impactful outdoor living additions for Davie rural properties.
Water Features — Adding Sound and Movement
Still water in a pool is beautiful but passive. Water features add the sound and movement that make the outdoor environment feel alive:
- Sheer descent waterfalls: Thin, flat sheets of water cascading from a raised coping wall or raised structure into the pool. Available in 12-inch to 72-inch widths; multiple units can span an entire pool wall. Sound level is adjustable via pump flow rate. Cost: $1,500-$4,000 per unit installed (existing pool retrofit).
- Deck jets / scuppers: Arching streams of water that shoot from fittings in the pool deck into the pool at parabolic angles. Visually striking during the day; with underwater LED lighting, the water arcs illuminate at night. Cost: $300-$600 per fitting; 4-8 fittings per pool is typical for the deck jet effect.
- Natural rock waterfalls: Constructed from Oklahoma flagstone, artificial rock, or quarried stone — creates a grotto-like waterfall effect. More dramatic than a sheer descent but higher maintenance (rock surface algae, mortar inspection). Cost: $8,000-$25,000+ for custom rock waterfall construction.
- Bubbler / in-pool fountain: Rising bubbling fountain features in the shallow end or tanning ledge. Works well in combination with a tanning ledge — the bubbling fountain in the ledge becomes a visual feature visible from the deck. Cost: $300-$600 per fitting.
Outdoor Kitchen and Bar — The Social Anchor
On a Davie large-lot property, an outdoor kitchen within 15-20 feet of the pool deck creates a social environment that indoor kitchens can’t match for outdoor entertaining. Elements of a pool-adjacent outdoor kitchen in Davie’s climate: stainless steel construction throughout (salt air and humidity resistance), covered or pergola-protected to extend usability through South Florida’s afternoon thunderstorms, gas or natural gas connected grill (not propane tank-dependent), outdoor refrigerator, and ice maker for the extended outdoor entertaining season Davie’s climate supports. Budget: $8,000-$30,000+ for a built-in outdoor kitchen structure depending on appliance selection and countertop material (concrete, natural stone, porcelain).
Shade Structures — Making the Deck Usable in Summer
South Florida’s summer sun makes an exposed pool deck uncomfortable for anything beyond swimming between 10 AM and 4 PM. Shade structures extend the usable hours of Davie’s outdoor living environments:
- Pergola: Open-roof structure with beams that provide partial shade and create a defined outdoor room adjacent to the pool. Motorized louvered pergolas (Alumawood, StruXure) adjust the amount of sun vs. shade and close to provide rain protection — the most functional option for year-round use in Davie’s climate. Cost: $6,000-$20,000+ depending on size and louvered vs. fixed roof.
- Tiki hut: Thatch-roofed open structures that are popular in South Florida outdoor living design — provide full sun protection, create a distinctly Florida aesthetic, and on Davie rural properties can be scaled significantly larger than on a suburban lot. Maintain authentic Florida character. Cost: $5,000-$15,000+ depending on size.
- Screen enclosure: Full pool enclosure that also provides insect and debris protection. On Davie’s rural properties near pastures, a screen enclosure dramatically reduces the fly and insect presence at the pool — a genuine quality-of-life improvement for equestrian property pool owners. Also reduces organic debris load from ranch environment. Cost: $8,000-$20,000+ depending on pool size and structure.
Landscaping — Creating the Environment
On large Davie lots, pool landscaping can include privacy hedges that create an enclosed garden feeling within the larger property, tropical planting that creates the Florida resort aesthetic, and specimen trees at appropriate distances that provide afternoon shade without leaf-dropping over the pool. Landscape design for a pool environment: $5,000-$20,000 for professional planting and installation; ongoing maintenance is a separate consideration.
Pool Service Fort Lauderdale manages pools on Davie’s enhanced outdoor living properties and coordinates with renovation contractors for post-feature-addition service setup. Call (954) 501-2754 or visit our Davie pool service page. Full coverage at poolservicefortlauderdale.us.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Most impactful pool feature addition for a Davie property? Deck jets ($300-$600 each, 4-6 for dramatic effect) and sheer descents ($1,500-$4,000 per unit) deliver the most visual impact per dollar and can be retrofitted without pool demolition. For overall outdoor living impact on a large Davie lot, outdoor kitchen + shade structure transforms the pool area into a social destination.
Does a screen enclosure help with flies and insects from horse property? Yes — significantly. A full pool screen enclosure creates a physical barrier against both fly/insect pressure and organic debris (no leaves, hay dust, or manure particulate from ranch environment entering the pool). Substantially reduces phosphate loading and organic debris management requirements — one of the most practical equestrian property pool improvements.
How much space for a tiki hut or pergola on a Davie property? Tiki huts 10×10 to 20×20+; pergolas 12×12 to 16×20+. Davie’s large lots typically provide ample setback clearance without variances — one of the genuine advantages of the property sizes that define Davie’s rural character.
Permits required for pool features or outdoor kitchen in Davie? Yes — gas permits for outdoor kitchen gas lines, electrical permits for GFCI circuits and lighting, pool permits for plumbing modifications, structural permits for pergolas and screen enclosures. Work with a licensed contractor who pulls required permits — unpermitted gas and structural work creates insurance and resale complications.
Best outdoor lighting for a Davie pool at night? LED color-changing pool lights in-pool; low-voltage landscape LED uplighting on feature trees and structures; string lights on pergola for ambient entertaining light; motion-sensitive security lighting on approach paths for large lots where pool area is distant from the house.