PRECISION POOLS & SPAS
Luxury Pools & Spas
By Aimee L. Cook | Photography by Dung Hoang
WHEN UTAH HOMEOWNERS DREAM OF BUILDING A POOL, they want more than a contractor. They want someone who understands the engineering behind a beautiful build, takes pride in every detail, and will still be there years down the road if something needs attention. Since 1997, one family has been delivering exactly that.
For almost 30 years, Precision Pools & Spas has built a reputation as one of Utah’s top swimming pool contractors. Not by flashy marketing, but by focusing on quality work, strong technical skills, and making sure every project is done right.
How It All Started
Founder Doug Heer did not set out with a lifelong plan to become a pool builder. As he tells it, his path into the industry came almost by surprise.
“It was a happenstance that I ended up in this industry. I started as a general contractor flipping apartments into condominiums,” Doug explained. “That first company was called Precision Engineering and Maintenance. The [housing] market became saturated, so when an apartment manager that I worked with in the past called me and asked if I could build a pool with my contractor’s license, I said yes, I guess I can.’
That first independent pool project Doug completed was no small assignment. It was a major commercial job that included a pool and spa, utilities, fencing, and decking; a full turnkey project. It was the kind of opportunity that could have gone either way. Instead, it became the beginning of something lasting.
Doug’s careful nature and strong work ethic helped open the next door, then the next. Word of mouth brought in more projects, and by 2000, he decided to focus fully on pools and renamed the company Precision Pools & Spas.
Doug credits his wife Julie for helping to start the company. Julie was there from the beginning, providing moral support and taking care of finances as the CFO. “In the early days,” Doug recalls, “she had to juggle what little money we had and spread it around to keep employees paid and vendors happy.”
As the business grew to its current size, Julie handled the business finances and reports expertly and professionally, which gave Doug the freedom to take care of the projects and customers. “Along the way, she also provided input on which direction we would take the business and how we would manage it. She is my most important advisor and partner. Without her, Precision Pools & Spas would only be a small, unprofessional operation.”
A Business That Grew With the Family
What makes Precision Pools & Spas stand out is not just how long the company has been in business. The business has truly grown alongside the Heer family.
Over the years, all four of Doug’s sons — Andrew, Bryce, Jared, and Kyle — have worked in the business in some capacity. It became part of family life.
Today, sons Bryce and Jared have returned after college and are helping lead the next chapter. Bryce has a civil engineering degree and also holds an International Watershape Institute certification, as does Doug. Jared has a degree in construction management and is currently working on his IWI certification.
Doug says the two middle boys returned to the business after realizing it was an industry they already knew well and a skill set they could continue to build on. That, along with their earned college degrees, gives them an edge in the field.
There is also a very personal side to what the company builds. A pool is a construction project, sure, but for the family buying it, it often becomes the backdrop for special moments in everyday life. That reality appears to shape how the Heers approach their work.
Doug’s Standards, and the Values Behind Them
Doug’s background as a mechanical engineer has shaped the business from the start and continues to influence the company’s standards today. But even more than technical knowledge, what comes through in his words is a deep sense of responsibility.
“The personality of an engineer tends to focus on perfection,” Doug explained. “Sometimes that means we will come in a month late [past due date] to make sure it is one hundred percent correct, rather than ninety-nine percent, on time. This makes us sought after by the luxury, high-end clients that want something more than a basic pool; they want elegant elements.”
That mindset has helped the company take on ambitious projects, including technically challenging builds such as pools on hillsides. It has also positioned Precision Pools & Spas to serve clients looking for highly customized outdoor spaces.
“People thought you couldn't have a pool in Utah for the longest time,” Doug said. “We have changed that mindset. Now people anticipate the ‘opening’ of their pools for the season. So what if it is closed for a few months?”
The Next Generation Is Already Part of the Story
One of the most meaningful parts of the Precision Pools & Spas story is that the transition to the next generation is already underway.
Bryce and Jared Heer are active in the business, bringing their own education, energy, and perspective to the work. Doug plans to transition out slowly, hoping to step back from day-to-day operations in about three years, with full retirement planned within the next decade.
“For myself and my sons, integrity is first and foremost here; if we make a mistake, we fix it,” Doug said.
Doug sees Bryce and Jared helping carry the business forward in new ways. He says they are paying attention to emerging technology, including AI, and looking ahead to what the future can bring.
“We pride ourselves on being the most educated pool company in the state,” Doug said. “We know what the right way is to do things.”
Even so, this story is not really about education alone. It is about trust being passed down. It is about a father building something meaningful, and sons choosing to carry it forward.