Estimating Inground Pool Prices

An inground swimming pool is a great way to experience everything that is fun about summer right in your own backyard. Pools are a great centerpiece for family recreation, entertaining guests and promote exercise and good health. If you've decided to enjoy these benefits through the addition of your own pool you will need to first educate yourself about all the associated costs. Learning as much as possible about the financial and physical demands of pool ownership before you begin planning your own design will help you not only get the best price but also enjoy your swimming pool to the fullest.

Inground pool prices will greatly vary depending on design, manufacturer and material construction. To help understand pool construction prices let's briefly examine the process of planning and constructing an inground pool. First, a design is selected based on size and perimeter shape. Standard pools are rectangular, oval or some variation on a "Y" shape. Considerations for access including stairs, ladders and diving boards are taken into account. Once a design is selected, an installation company will determine a construction plan. At this point, local municipal regulations will need to be considered. Most municipalities require permits for pool construction and many have annual fees. It is not uncommon to pay $1000 for the initial permit and inspection along with $500-$700 for an annual permit. Additionally, most areas require some manner of fencing around the pool area. In some cases, a property line fence will suffice but not always. Additional permits may need to be applied for if fencing is to be constructed along with the pool. Under no circumstances should any construction be allowed to start until your local regulations are fully understood. Fortunately, most reputable pool installers will have full knowledge of the local requirements and will walk you through the entire process to ensure compliance. Once all necessary permits are acquired, construction will begin. This means excavation and the general destruction of your yard. It would be very unwise to do a lot of landscaping before installing your pool. After excavating the pool area laborers install the pool walls including stairs and associated hardscaping. Depending on design, the pool floor may be sand or a hardened surface. Next, the liner is installed if necessary by design. Gunite, fiberglass and concrete are three typical alternatives to vinyl liners. At some point, the plumbing is installed along with the electrical system for the filter and the pool lights. After construction is complete the pool is filled with water, treated and shortly thereafter swimming can begin.

If you use a pool installer most, if not all of these steps will be included in the total cost. They are experienced in all phases of installation. Purchasing a prefabricated pool individually may seem to be an inexpensive alternative but consider that after you have the pool you need to hire an excavator, a plumber, an electrician and most likely a landscaping crew to handle the cleanup. At this point, it is worth noting that custom designs, not using prefabricated pools, kits or design packages, can be extremely costly with the final price greatly depending on the actual design.

A prefabricated pool comes complete as a kit and essentially drops in the excavated hole. These are least expensive on the list of inground swimming pool prices with simple 15'X30' rectangles selling for as little as $8000.They are usually fiberglass construction and reasonably durable. Designs that are more creative incorporate complex shapes and higher water volumes that allow for diving board depths on the deep end. Economical models tend to run 3' to 5' deep and do not safely allow for diving. A 15’X30’, again an industry standard size, pool can run 8' to 10' feet deep to accommodate diving. As with any inground pool, prefabricated installation still requires all associated plumbing and electrical lines to be run and connected. Fiberglass pool prices are among the lowest but do not necessarily reflect diminished quality or durability. What is typically sacrificed is a degree of customizable finishes and aesthetics as well as limitations on size and shape.

Another option available through qualified installers is to have the pool constructed on site. After excavation, the walls and floor are literally built by hand. There are two basic formats. One incorporates a steel frame and sand or concrete floor that is covered with a vinyl liner. The other is to use a rebar framework to pour concrete or guinea concrete-like material typical in pool construction, over the frame to form the pool walls. Again, floor construction is a matter of choice with sand being somewhat more cost efficient and softer but also prone to misshaping over time. unite pool prices reflect a widely accepted view that solid wall construction, as opposed to vinyl, lasts longer and is also easier to maintain. Using the standard 15'X30' rectangle as a model one can expect to pay $18,000-$20,000 for a vinyl lined pool and $25,000 to $30,000 for a gunite or concrete pool. Other possibilities include tile walling. This will add several thousand more to the cost of the initial concrete or gunite finish but also adds a degree of aesthetic customization through tile choice.

Overall, a rough estimate of $35,000-$40,000 is a good starting point for an average size and design inground swimming pool. This figure should take from planning through the first day you jump in the water. Additional costs to consider include an increase to electric bills during months when the pool is open. Most likely, this will not exceed $50 a month and may be substantially less. There will be ongoing maintenance costs for chemicals and treatments. A winter cover will likely be necessary if you cannot keep the pool open year round. A host of accessories both fun and practical are available and you will surely want to take advantage of some of these. It may help to keep in mind that an inground pool is not a one-time purchase or a single use item. It is a long term investment in both quality of home and quality of home entertainment. For further research, check out Home Turned Green's swimming pool page.

For larger pools, it would be best to consult a commercial pool builder. These contractors have experience dealing with the complexities and issues that arise from designing and building large facilities.