Inground Pool Pricing - Ballpark figures!

NOTE: It is very likely that no more above ground pools will be installed in the 2020 season. Due to a manufacturing shortage we are unable to obtain any more above ground pool kits. This post is tailored to inground pool builds.

If you're considering an inground pool build and want some ballpark figures to begin the pool discussion you've come to the right place. There are SO many options but we understand that our customers would like some idea of what to expect. We've put this blog post together in hopes it will help give you a bit more information to see if pool ownership is right for you & your family. This blog post is written in June of 2020 and the contents below are subject to change and apply to The Pool House builds in within a 20 mile radius of our store in Inman, SC.

Pool prerequisites: 3 things to consider before moving forward in the process.

1. Do you have a septic tank? If so, where is it located? A surefire way to confirm whether or not your home has a septic system is to check your property records. It is likely that the building permit and blueprints for your home and property will contain information about the presence (or lack) of a septic tank. There are a couple other ways to check this as well. Here are some resources to help you track down your situation:
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqNyp5NCwAM
Link: https://flohawks.com/4-easy-ways-to-find-your-septic-tank/
Another Link: https://www.paradisevalleyseptic.com/where-is-my-septic-tank-located-here-are-4-ways-to-find-it/
Diagram:

2. Your backyard dimensions: You need to get out and measure to figure out what size pool your backyard can support. Don't forget you'll need concrete on each side too. The standard amount of concrete around the border of the pool is 4-8 feet. Here's a link that can provide you more information on how to measure the size of your yard. https://www.owntheyard.com/how-to-measure-a-backyard/. If you're lucky enough to have a square or rectangular yard you can just measure the length in feet * width in feet to get your square footage.

3. Power lines: You cannot have a pool underneath power lines. You also can not dig into underground power lines. If you do not know the location of those lines you can call 811 https://call811.com/Before-You-Dig to get an idea of where you can dig. It is possible to get these power lines moved but it will cost you a premium from your power company to do so. State laws vary, but generally, utility companies have a few days to respond to your request. Utilities will send out locators who will come to your dig site to mark the approximate location of buried utilities with paint or flags so that you can avoid them. Each utility type corresponds to a specific color of paint or a flag -- for example, gas lines are marked with yellow paint or flags. In addition to waiting for marks, you must use the info on your ticket to confirm that ALL utilities have responded before you can dig.

Your Pool WHY

If you're feeling good about those prerequisites, let's keep going! This is exciting. Here at The Pool House we've always sat down with our customers to understand why they want a pool. From there, we've been able to use our expertise and knowledge to get the absolute perfect pool for their backyard dream. One of the first questions that we start with is: "tell us why you want a pool"?

We want to hear your dream and really listen to you. This question leads the entire conversation. For example, if you have children or grandchildren that may be the main desire for a new pool. That's a great one. Pools provide amazing events and memories for you and your loved ones. Another reason may be that you like hosting friends, floating on hot summer days, excercise, etc. The reason that we start with this question is because by understanding your goals we are able to better guide your pool buying process.

Ultimately, what we've found is that our pool builds mostly fall under one of the following two "umbrellas" 😏...

Umbrella 1 >> Family Pools for kids (think diving board with a "shallow end" and a "deep end"):

Example photo of a traditional pool:

Summary of a traditional pool: This is the "traditional" family pool. Comprised of a shallow and a deep end to support the necessary diving board dimensions. These pools also require a "slope". Where the shallow end slopes down until the depth is met for the deep end.

Reasons for this type of pool:
- You have kids that enjoy swimming in the "deep end"
- Of course they need a diving board! The minimum pool size for a diving board is 16'W x 32'L with 8' depth. This is the current standard for the safety and protection of your family and guests for pools that have a diving board

Benefits for this type of pool:
- Kids love diving boards
- Allows diving in deep end
- Allows diving games
- Traditional family pool

Disadvantages for this type of pool:
- No one usees the "slope" of the pool. It takes up space and is required by code to reach the lowest depth.
- People tend to group up in the shallow end.

Umbrella 2 >> Shallow Pools for everyhing else:

Example photo of a shallow pool:

Summary of a shallow pool: This shallow pool is also an amazing choice. Because of its shallow depth people of all ages can enjoy ALL of the pool. Notice how the kids are able to stand in the traditional "deep" end as well. This also allows for grandparents and moms to not be confined to playing with the little ones in only one section of the pool. It is better for pool games such as volleyball too! Finally, the pool is still deep enough to enjoy swimming, excercising and is equally conducive for hosting and pool conversation!

Reasons for this type of pool:
- No need for a diving board
- Excercise
- Events
- Hosting
- Aesthetics

Benefits for this type of pool:
- Use of the whole pool
- Suits all ages
- Good for games, resistance walking
- Can still "swim" but offers ability to stand anywhere throughout pool

Disadvantages for this type of pool:
- No diving, too shallow!

Shape, Size, Depth, Type

Once you know your "why" for the pool we can then move on to the next important part of the pool building process, the "what". What size, shape and depth is right for you?

What Size:

We spoke about this a bit as it is largely determined by what your backyard can hold. If you're fortunate to not be constrained at all then we just need to define the size. As a general rule of thumb most pools are 16' wide and 32' long. What we've found is that in our area you can roughly guesstimate that the number of feet long is the ballpark number of thousands of dollars you can expect to spend. So, for a 16' x 32' pool that will be in the ballpark of $32,000. Similarly a 16' x 40' pool will be roughly $40,000. Altering the width by a few feet does not typically have a large impact on the price. For example, 12' x 20' foot pool is roughly $20,000 still and an 18' x 40' will still be roughly $40,000. With all of the sizes of pools there are a number of add-ons that will impact the final price. These are intended to be ball park figures. Pictured below from our Instagram account (@ThePoolHouseKnows) is a 12'x20' pool that was 4.6' deep as well. The cost of this project eneded up being between $25-30K with the add-ons that were selected.

What Shape:

There are many shapes to choose from. For more info and photos on each check out: https://www.generationpools.com/gallery.html. In the meantime, here are some examples!

What Depth:

Whether you choose a shallow pool or a pool with a deep end you're still able to set your depth. Maybe you want your pool to be 5' of depth from end to end. Maybe you want a shallow end at 3' and a deep end at 10'. The depth does not drive the price as much as the other dimensions of width and length as we've mentioned.

What Type (Salt system or Chlorine sytem):

We can do either! Salt systems are typically at least $1500 more and if you have a larger pool you may need to salt systems which would me a $3,000 increase.

Conclusion

So if you scrolled to the bottom just for pricing here we go.

- Roughly speaking the length of your pool * 10 is what you can expect to pay in thousands of dollars for an inground pool in our area. **40' length = ~$40k. 20' length = ~$20k.**
- The main driver in your selection should be your WHY for YOUR pool!
- We also build decks, retaining walls, stonework and more to augment your pool & backyard!
- Each add-on comes with a price and many of them are amazing. Ledges for tanning, fountains, lighting, etc.
- Still, the best way to get the best idea of how much your dream pool will cost is to come in and speak with us face to face and let our experts get to work!
- Financing is available for these sorts of projects and rates are currently very good. Here's a link to another blog post we made in regards to financing your backyard project: http://thepoolhousesc.com/lightstream-pool-loans.php

If you have any further questions at all please send us an email or message on social media from the links below. We'd be honored to help build your backyard dream into a reality. With you every step of the way, and beyond the build, The Pool House knows.

Follow up with us!

If you have any other questions about building your inground pool, hit us up: Instagram @ThePoolHouseKnows or Facebook or shoot us an email (thepoolhouse1@gmail.com) on the contact page. We look forward to serving all of your pool needs!