From Kern County kids to backyard builders
Published: Dec. 26, 2025 | Edited Jan. 25, 2026
The pool hasn’t flinched in 25 years.
The pebble finish still holds. The rock waterfall remains steady. The waterline tells a story of time, care, and work done with intention. Standing in Mike’s Rosedale backyard, you don’t just see a pool. You see a piece of Kern County history built to endure.
This pool was built by Kern County pool builder, Chad Rogers of Marina Pool Company roughly 25 years ago for the home’s original owners. A year later, Mike Jones of Mr. Bobcat Excavation Inc. purchased the house, inheriting a backyard that reflects experience, trust, and local Kern craftsmanship.
Rogers and Jones have been serving Kern County for nearly four decades. Their work has always been hands-on, earned in backyards and job sites where reputation matters more than talk. Both were raised here. Both stayed.
Meet Mike Jones
Mike Jones, Mr. Bobcat Excavation, Inc.
“My parents moved here when I was four,” Jones says. “I grew up by the fairgrounds. Wayside School, then Fairfax and Foothill. I’ve basically been here my whole life.” He smiles. “We’ve been playing in the dirt ever since.”
That early exposure shaped his path. In 1987, Jones earned his contractor’s license and started Mr. Bobcat Excavation Inc. “My dad was in the dirt business,” he says. “Water trucks, job sites. I was raised around it.”
For Jones, the work has always been straightforward. “You have to make a living doing something,” he says. “It might as well be something you enjoy. I still have a blast going to work.”
Meet Chad Rogers
Chad Rogers, Marina Pool Company
Rogers’ story is equally rooted in Kern County.
“Born and raised,” he says. “Memorial Hospital. Oildale, then Rosedale in the seventies. North High School, then straight into construction.” After framing houses, he moved into pools and became a licensed contractor in 1998.
“I’ve always wanted to build,” Rogers says. “Pools brought together everything I liked about construction. Design, underground work, and problem-solving.”
Today, what keeps him motivated is connection. “I can picture the finished pool early on,” he says. “The goal is understanding what homeowners want and guiding the process all the way through.”
How It All Came Together on the Job
The two met decades ago while working alongside mutual colleagues in the industry. “Mike was selling and digging, and I was running the operation” Rogers says. Jones laughs. “That was over 30 years ago.” The working relationship and friendship grew from there.
The pool behind them reflects the era it was built in. Rock waterfalls were a defining feature of backyard design at the time, and this one remains a centerpiece.
“Waterfalls were part of almost every build,” Rogers says.“We worked with large amounts of stone, measured by tonnage.”
Below Kern County’s Soil
Jones has spent decades working beneath Kern County soil, where no two jobs are ever the same.
“You see everything,” he says. “People bury pets. You come across old items. Sometimes things that surprise you.” One job off South H Street led to the discovery of an unmarked burial area, requiring coordination with county officials before work could continue.
Pool construction brings its own unpredictability. “Once you start digging, you don’t always know what’s underground,” Rogers says. “Old lines, old systems. You deal with it as it comes, and you keep moving forward.”That steady approach defines both men.
Getting it Done, the Right Way
It’s clear these two love what they do and their Kern pride runs deep. Built through years of working side by side, their partnership carries a quiet confidence that comes from shared history, mutual respect, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
“I’ve been a contractor for almost 40 years and never had a complaint,” Jones says. “Not because nothing ever happened, but because I stayed involved and made things right.”
Rogers echoes that mindset. “I chose to stay hands-on,” he says. “I take the calls. I’m present through the process. That’s important to me.”
Their connection to Kern County runs deeper than work.
“This is home,” Rogers says. “I left briefly, but I was always drawn back.”
Jones nods. “Our friends are here. Our families are here. That’s what matters.”
Standing beside a pool Rogers built decades ago and Mike now calls home, the through line is obvious. This is Kern grit. Built with care. Rooted in community. And carried forward by people who chose to stay.
Beyond the Build
Where they stay local: When they’re not on a job site, comfort wins. Familiar Bakersfield favorites like Luigi’s, Benji’s French Basque Restaurant, and Mamma Mia Restaurant are where conversations linger and routines feel easy.
How they reset: A drives away looks different for each of them. Jones heads west to Avila Beach for slower mornings and coastal air. Rogers points south, boards a plane, and trades blueprints for fishing days in Cabo.
How to Reach Them
Marina Pool Company
Phone: (661) 342-1660
Mr. Bobcat Excavation, Inc.
For more stories like this, visit Kern Magazine’s Merchants Lounge. Want to learn more about Kern Magazine? Visit our About Us page.
