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Local Leadership
About Cypress Pools
Cypress Pools is a luxury pool construction, wellness, and aquatic care company serving the Monterey Peninsula through a design-driven approach that blends timeless craftsmanship, long-term performance, and elevated client support. With expertise spanning custom pool construction, system modernization, wellness environments, and ongoing aquatic care, the company was built to provide a more complete and accountable experience for discerning residential and commercial clients alike.
Serving Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel Highlands, and Big Sur, Cypress Pools was established around a simple belief: exceptional outdoor environments require more than just construction or maintenance alone. They require a unified understanding of design, functionality, wellness, and long-term stewardship.
Rather than viewing pools as standalone projects or routine service accounts, Cypress Pools approaches every environment as an integrated living space — one that directly impacts lifestyle, wellness, property value, guest experience, and long-term reliability.
The company combines architectural detail, hydraulic performance, advanced systems knowledge, and wellness-focused design into a cohesive strategy that supports both beauty and functionality. From custom pools and spas to in-ground cold plunges, saunas, automation systems, and ongoing care programs, every element is designed to perform seamlessly for years to come.
With deep local roots and a commitment to personalized service, Cypress Pools provides thoughtful guidance and long-term support for clients seeking exceptional outdoor living environments built around craftsmanship, wellness, and enduring quality.
Meet The Leadership
Formed through the joining of Spa Duck Specialties and 18 Mile Pool Care, Cypress Pools brings together more than 35 years of combined experience in luxury pool construction, wellness environments, aquatic systems, and long-term outdoor living care under one locally owned company.
Travis Moran
Born and raised right here in Carmel, my journey took me far beyond the area before bringing me back. After heading off to college in Montana, I spent my 20s living in Sacramento and traveling the country as a professional bass fishing personality. I had the incredible opportunity to star in multiple television shows, launch businesses, and fish alongside my childhood idols. It was a dream career, but it required constant travel. When the time came to settle down and start a family, I knew exactly where I wanted to be: back home in Carmel. Looking for a way to build a life here with less travel, I founded 18 Mile Drive Pool Company. My mission was simple: be highly responsive and provide the absolute best premium service possible. Word spread quickly, and soon I was hiring team members to keep up with the demand for top-tier pool care. However, as the business grew, so did my frustration. Whenever a client needed a major repair, an equipment upgrade, a cover fix, or a complete build-out, I had to rely on outside contractors. I hated losing control over the quality of the work being done for my clients. During that time, I kept crossing paths with Chris Flaming. We’d often find ourselves working late into the night on clients' equipment, obsessed with getting things perfect. We quickly realized we shared the exact same drive for quality and possessed perfectly complementary skill sets. After a few long conversations over late dinners, we decided to combine forces. That partnership birthed Cypress Pools. By expanding from a premium maintenance company into a full-service builder, remodeler, and commercial service provider, we eliminated the middleman. Today, we handle everything pool-related entirely in-house. We don't just service your pool; we build, protect, and maintain it to the highest possible standard, keeping total control over the elite quality you deserve.
Chris Flaming
Chris is one of California’s premier energy-efficient pool and spa builders, bringing more than 35 years of hands-on mastery and advanced technical expertise to every project. Based in Carmel and serving clients statewide, he specializes in designing and constructing high-performance, intelligent pools and spas that seamlessly blend flawless luxury with lasting engineering excellence. A defining hallmark of Chris’s career is his reputation as a master problem solver. Often called upon to rectify costly mistakes made by others in design, automation, and HVAC systems, he ensures clients ultimately receive the seamless, reliable results they deserve. His industry journey began in 1996 in retail store management, expanding into spa construction in 1998, and culminating in the founding of his own company in 2002. By 2014, Chris became the first HVAC-certified pool and spa warranty technician for industry giants Pentair, AquaCal, and Jandy. Through this role, he traveled California mastering complex systems, including the AquaCal Great Big Bopper, Geothermal systems, and Chiller heat pumps. Signature Specialties Intelligent Design & Automation: Crafting smart, effortlessly managed aquatic environments. Advanced Climate Control: Expertise in solar heating (residential and commercial) and sophisticated HVAC integration. Precision Engineering: Specializing in complex plumbing, energy-efficient construction, and automatic pool covers (10+ year specialist). As a respected Pool Pro workshop instructor and national consultant, Chris dedicatedly educates fellow builders across the country on cutting-edge plumbing, construction, and HVAC techniques. He maintains a strict standard of discretion, frequently working with high-profile clients who require unparalleled excellence without fanfare. Credentials Licensing: C-53 Pool Building License Certifications: HVAC Certified, CPO & NPC Certified, Watershape University Certified Additional: Certified Scuba Diver Beyond his primary work, Chris is a true multi-trade artisan. Alongside his wife and son—both of whom are active in the family business—he enjoys restoring classic cars and historic homes. A skilled welder, fabricator, electrician, plumber, and ASE-certified mechanic, Chris applies the same philosophy to every facet of life: built strong, engineered smart, and delivered with absolute precision.
The Partnership
Cypress Pools was built on a shared commitment to accountability and customer satisfaction. Together, Travis and Chris combine deep local roots with technical mastery to deliver a level of service that is both highly responsive and operationally precise.
Unlike larger firms that rely on rotating, out-of-area technicians, Cypress Pools offers a true local ownership model. Clients work directly with decision-makers who are invested in the performance of every system and the long-term success of every facility.
The company is currently establishing its flagship headquarters in Carmel Valley, which will serve as both a high-end design studio and a strategic logistics hub for commercial parts and equipment. This local infrastructure ensures faster response times, greater control over system performance, and a level of service consistency that national providers cannot match.
Client Testimonials
Hear what our clients have to say about us.
