The average cost for installing an in-ground pool is $45,583, with a typical range between $32,408 to $60,873. A small, low-end in-ground pool installation project may cost as low as $21,500, while some homeowners may pay as much as $135,000 or more for a luxurious backyard oasis.
Splashing waterfalls, slippery water slides, romantic lighting –– let’s estimate how much installing an in-ground pool (and all its bells and whistles) is going to cost you.
Take a look at our pricing guide below to estimate your pool’s installation costs and long-term expenses. Many factors will affect your total costs, such as pool type, pool size, and even where you live.
Want to install a pool heater or privacy fence? You can expect a higher bill for each attractive feature you add.
How Much Does In-Ground Pool Installation Cost?
- Average National Cost: $45,583
- Typical Range: $32,408 to $60,873
- Low End: $21,500
- High End: $135,000
The numbers above are average in-ground pool installation costs across the U.S. Homeowners can expect to pay between $32,408 to $60,873 for their new in-ground pool, with most paying $45,583.
Remember that many factors can impact your total bill. Want to install a pool house or in-ground hot tub? Get out your credit card or checkbook. The more bells and whistles you want to add to your in-ground pool design, the more labor and materials you’ll need to pay for.
In-ground pools are also expensive to maintain, some more than others. In this pricing guide, we will cover how pool materials (fiberglass, concrete), amenities (pool heater, hot tub, pool deck), and necessities (pool cover, pool maintenance) will affect your total cost.
On This Page
Cost Estimator by Pool Type
Cost Estimator for Custom Pools
Other Factors That Affect Cost
Extra Services
FAQ About In-Ground Pools
Cost Estimator by Pool Type
The type of pool you install will have a significant effect on cost. The three pool types are:
- Vinyl liner
- Fiberglass
- Concrete (also known as gunite or shotcrete)
Each pool type has advantages and disadvantages, so you’ll need to consider how each pool type meets your needs in addition to their overall cost.
Vinyl liner
A vinyl-liner pool is typically the most budget-friendly option for homeowners. On average, vinyl liner pools cost homeowners $24,000 to $44,000. The liner is smooth on your feet, and you can customize a vinyl pool into any shape you want.
The vinyl liner needs to be replaced every 7 to 10 years. For an in-ground pool, liner replacements cost $965 to $4,025.
Pros:
✓ Budget-friendly
✓ Nonabrasive surface
✓ Pool shape is customizable
✓ Difficult for algae to grow on the surface
✓ Takes about two to five weeks to install
✓ Moderate maintenance
Cons:
✗ Not as durable as concrete or fiberglass pools
✗ Metal walls are not compatible with saltwater systems.
✗ Not as visually appealing as concrete or fiberglass pools.
✗ Vinyl needs to be replaced every seven to 10 years.
Fiberglass
A fiberglass pool is a pre-made shell that’s placed into an excavated hole that matches its shape and size.
Despite the limited shell designs, homeowners prefer this pool type for its durability and low maintenance requirements. Professionally installed fiberglass pool prices range from $24,335 to $70,000 on average.
Most fiberglass pool owners don’t need to resurface their pool. But if the pool shell is low quality or you treat the pool with lots of chemicals, you may need to resurface it. Expect to pay between $3,500 to $10,000 to resurface a fiberglass pool.
Pros:
✓ Installation takes less than two weeks.
✓ Conserves heat better than vinyl-lined or concrete pools
✓ Resists algae growth
✓ Low maintenance
✓ Nonabrasive surface
✓ Compatible with saltwater systems
✓ No acid washing or liner replacement required.
✓ Typically does not need to be resurfaced
✓ Requires low amounts of electricity to run
Cons:
✗ Not customizable
✗ Shells usually measure no more than 16 feet across.
✗ The surface can be slippery.
✗ Gel coat may need resurfacing depending on the shell’s quality and exposure to harsh chemicals.
Concrete / gunite / shotcrete
Concrete pools, also known as gunite or shotcrete, are the most expensive pool type, costing most homeowners between $35,145 and $62,500 to install. You can shape your concrete pool into a customized design, and concrete pools last nearly a lifetime.
Keep in mind that concrete pools are high maintenance. Algae has no problem growing on concrete. To keep your concrete pool less green and more clean, you’ll need to perform an acid wash every 3 to 5 years. Professional acid washing costs between $525 and $1,775.
Concrete is susceptible to cracking and needs to be replastered every 10 to 15 years. Acid washes also increase the need for replastering the pool. Replastering a concrete pool typically starts around $2,500 and can cost as much as $13,000.
Pros:
✓ It can last for more than 50 years.
✓ Shape and size are customizable.
✓ Durable
Cons:
✗ It is usually the most expensive pool type to install
✗ High maintenance
✗ Requires high amounts of electricity and chemicals to stay clean and swimmable
✗ Susceptible to mold and algae
✗ It has an abrasive surface that can make feet bleed. Children’s soft feet are especially vulnerable to the harsh surface.
✗ Not compatible with saltwater systems.
✗ It can take months to install
Cost Estimator by Custom Pools
The three different pool types and their costs are covered above: vinyl, fiberglass, and concrete. But what about the costs of specific pool designs, such as a lap pool or plunge pool? Maybe you want to relax in an in-ground hot tub, or you’re dreaming about a tropical lagoon pool.
Here is what your dream pool’s total cost might look like:
| IN-GROUND POOL TYPE | AVERAGE COST |
| Semi-Inground Pool | $8,400 to $22,500 |
| Plunge / Spool / Cocktail Pool | $12,250 to $24,750 |
| Hot Tub | $12,666 to $21,666 |
| Lap Pool | $30,000 to $67,500 |
| Saltwater Pool | $34,500 to $61,333 |
| Lagoon Pool | $50,000 to $150,000 |
| Infinity Pool | $57,500 to $130,000 |
| Indoor Pool | $63,333 to $206,666 |
Saltwater pool
If chlorine is hard on your hair and skin, a saltwater pool may be the perfect alternative. Saltwater pools have low chlorine levels, making them much softer on the skin and offering a smooth, silky swim. Typically, saltwater pool installation costs $25,375 to $64,060.
Saltwater pools are low maintenance, and they don’t require the same high chemical costs as chlorine pools. You may want to opt for corrosion-resistant pool features, as the salt may damage pool ladders, decking, or nearby landscaping.
Already have a chlorinated pool and want a saltwater system instead? No need to install a brand new pool. Costs range between $908 and $2,393 to convert a freshwater pool to saltwater system.
Hot tub
Who doesn’t love sinking into a luxurious hot tub? Most in-ground hot tubs cost between $10,500 to $25,000 to install.
Keep in mind that installation costs will be on the lower end if you install both your pool and hot tub at the same time.
Lap pool
Lap pools are a great way to get your exercise in for the day. Long and thin, these pools will fit in almost any backyard.
If your yard is too small for a standard pool, a lap pool may be the ticket to your backyard oasis. Expect to pay between $30,000 and $67,500 for lap pool installation.
Lagoon pool
Build a complete vacation in your backyard with a lagoon pool. These luxurious pools often feature asymmetrical custom designs and attractive add-ons, such as rock waterfalls, pergolas, and tropical plants.
Because of their extravagant features, they often are more expensive to install than a basic pool. Most homeowners pay between $50,000 to $150,000 to install a lagoon pool.
Plunge/spool/cocktail pool
If you have a small backyard but still dream big, don’t let limited space stop you from owning a pool. Small pools like plunge, spool, and cocktail pools are perfect for your getaway.
Need a day at the spa? That’s what a small pool with a built-in spa is for, also known as a spool.
If you’re not much of a swimmer but love to cool down after a heavy workout, a quick dip in a small pool can have you refreshed in seconds. These small custom pools usually range from $12,250 to $24,750.
Indoor pool
An indoor pool is perfect for those year-round swimmers. Whether it’s a rainy afternoon or the pond is turning to ice, the luxury of an indoor pool allows you to swim whenever you please. You also never need to worry about debris and falling leaves finding their way to the pool.
These luxuries come with a high cost, with most people paying between $63,333 and $206,666 to build an indoor pool.
Infinity pool
Infinity pools are stunning. Their edgeless appearance creates a beautiful visual effect as the water flows over the pool’s edge and into a small basin.
Because the rim has a disappearing effect, homeowners may need to slope their property to enhance the illusion. These lavish pools are expensive. An infinity pool typically costs between $57,500 to $130,000.
Semi-inground pool
If you love in-ground and above-ground pools, why not have a little bit of both? Semi-inground swimming pools are more expensive than a traditional above-ground pool, but they’re much more affordable than an in-ground pool.
Plus, they look great. Installation of semi-inground pools costs from $6,500 to $24,750.
Other Factors That Affect Cost
When estimating your new in-ground pool’s price, average installation costs and long-term maintenance expenses are great places to start. While pool type and design customization have a significant impact on your total bill, many expensive factors come with building an in-ground pool on your property, including:
- Size of the Pool: Like many outdoor services, the bigger the job, the higher the bill.
- Location: Want to build your pool in an area that’s hard to access? Pool installers may charge you more depending on the difficulty of excavating the site.
- Soil Condition: If your soil is rocky, you can expect to pay more in excavation fees.
- Increased Property Taxes: An in-ground pool can increase the value of your home, often leading to an increase in property taxes.
- Increased Homeowner’s Insurance: Having a pool in your yard increases the chances of someone getting hurt on your property.
- Permit: Most homeowners will need to acquire an expensive permit to build a pool.
- Package: What features are included in the job? Some pool installers may offer installation package plans with attractive pool features at a lower cost.
Pool size
On average, the cost to install an in-ground pool ranges between $50 to $125 per square foot. The larger you want your pool to be, the more you can expect your bill to rise.
That’s why many large pools, such as lagoon pools or luxurious indoor pools, are much more expensive than small pools, like plunge pools or hot tubs.
Why do large pools cost more? Because they require more labor, materials, and time to install.
Location
If you want your pool built in an area where pool installers have limited access, labor costs will likely rise.
How so: Because pool builders typically use large equipment to excavate the area and install the pool. If their equipment can’t fit the space, they’ll have to use a more taxing strategy to dig out the site and haul in materials.
Keep in mind that if your pool site is located on a hill or slope, that will also raise costs. The crew will likely need to perform sloping or grading to get the land just right for the new pool, leading to additional service fees.
Soil condition
Hitting rocks is no good for an excavation job and may even lead to a higher bill.
Here’s why: Pool installers risk damaging or dulling their expensive equipment when working in rocky soil conditions. If your soil is packed with rocks, expect to pay an additional charge.
Increased property taxes
An in-ground pool can increase your home’s value, which may lead to an increase in your property taxes.
In addition to maintenance fees, resurfacing, replastering, and annual upkeep, increased property taxes is another long-term cost to consider.
Increased insurance
As fun as pools are, they can lead to injuries or worse. A pool increases the risk of someone getting hurt on your property, which likely will cause your homeowner’s insurance to rise.
Permit
You’ll likely need to acquire a permit to build an in-ground pool in your yard. These permits are often expensive, typically ranging between $475 and $1,900. When calculating your total cost, don’t forget to include the permit fee.
Packages
Another factor that significantly impacts total cost is what features your pool installer is including in the pool installation service.
For example, some pool professionals may include a safety pool fence, pool deck, and pool cover in their pool installation service at a much lower cost. If your professional pool builder offers packaged installation plans, this could help you save on special features.
Pool maintenance
Pool maintenance and upkeep are other costs to consider when deciding whether you want an in-ground pool. You may choose to maintain the pool yourself, or you may prefer to hire a professional to maintain the pool for you.
On average, pool maintenance costs most pool owners $1,080 to $1,800 per year. Pool upkeep, which typically has an annual cost range of $3,000 to $5,000, includes all services that keep the pool in working condition, such as maintenance, repairs, and part replacements. Upkeep costs will vary depending on the type of pool you have.
Extra Services
Most homeowners typically spend between $32,408 and $60,873 for an in-ground pool. But remember, the sky’s the limit when it comes to designing your backyard waterworld. Homeowners who add luxurious features to their pool can spend upward of $200,000.
You know the average cost of installing an in-ground pool. Now, let’s review the average price of the features you can add. Extra installation services often include:
- Pool Lighting
- Water Features
- Diving Board and Pool Slide
- Pool Deck
- Pool Fencing
- Pool Heater
- Landscaping
- Pool Cover
- Pool Enclosure
- Pool House
Pool lighting
You don’t have to hop out of the pool once the sun goes down. Enjoy a late-night pool party or romantic evening with some pool lighting. Pool lighting can set the mood, help ensure safety, and even accentuate the pool’s design.
Prices typically range from $617 to $1,567, with smaller LED lights starting around the low-end and fiber optics costing closer to the high end.
Water features
Give your pool that tropical touch with a built-in water feature, such as a rock waterfall or splashing fountain. Pool water features often start around $1,500 and cost as much as $21,666 for an elaborate custom design.
Diving board and pool slide
Throw the best pool parties in the neighborhood with a diving board and slippery pool slide. Summer vacation will be in your backyard, and so will all the fun.
Installing a diving board starts around $366 for most homeowners, with some homeowners paying up to $5,000 for a high-end diving board project.
Pool slides usually cost between $883 and $16,000 to install.
Pool deck
A pool deck is a non-slip area around the pool that’s often appealing to the eye. When designed right, a pool deck can enhance your overall landscape and even help protect nearby flower beds, turf, and trees from the water’s chemicals or salt.
Most pool owners spend between $3,600 to $15,733 to install a deck around their pool.
Pool fencing
Installing a fence around your pool has many benefits. It can help provide privacy, create aesthetic appeal, and protect young children and pets from entering the pool area and drowning.
The cost of pool fencing often ranges between $1,350 to $6,985, depending on the fence’s material and how big the pool is. For example, adding a 6-foot privacy fence typically costs between $1,788 and $6,961 for a regular-sized residential backyard.
Adding a fence gate with a self-closing latch typically costs $425 to $625 per gate. Common pool fencing materials include:
- Mesh
- Wood
- Chain-link
- Plexiglass
- Aluminum
- Tempered glass
- Ornamental designs
Pool heater
For those brisk days where you want a dip in the pool, a pool heater can make the water more comfortable. A heater is also handy if you want to prolong the swimming season.
Expect a pool heater to cost anywhere from $1,718 to $4,426 to install.
Landscaping
An in-ground pool won’t leave the neighbors in awe if it’s surrounded by a grassless yard, messy flower beds, and unattractive soil erosion. Boost the curb appeal with professional landscaping around your pool so the area looks like a resort.
How much does landscaping cost? Most homeowners spend between $4,000 and $20,317 for landscaping. Keep in mind there are many different landscaping projects to choose from to get your yard looking just right, and costs vary widely from project to project.
| TYPES OF LANDSCAPING PROJECTS | COST |
| Sod Installation | $0.87 to $1.76 per square foot |
| Pathway Installation | $8 to $22 per square foot |
| Tree and Bush Planting | $25 to $3,000 |
| Flower Bed Planting | $650 to $3,000 |
| Pergola Installation | $2,216 to $8,959 |
| Retaining Wall Installation | $4,025 to $8,711 |
| Outdoor Kitchen Installation | $5,057 to $17,276 |
| Gazebo Installation | $5,364 to $9,027 |
Pool cover
Installing a pool cover is an excellent way to maintain your pool. A pool cover:
- Helps ensure safety. Young children are less likely to fall in the pool.
- Keeps debris from falling into your pool. You’ll spend less time and energy scooping out leaves and debris.
- Retains heat in the water. If you’re investing in a heater, a pool cover can help make sure the heat doesn’t escape the water. Losing too much heat may increase how much you use the heater, raising your energy bills.
Pool covers often range from $392 to $2,400. For a high-end automatic, retractable pool cover, you can expect to pay between $4,600 and $13,666.
Pool enclosure
If you want an indoor pool’s luxuries but can’t build one inside the home, an outdoor pool enclosure can offer many of the same benefits.
Typically made of wood, plastic, vinyl, or glass, a screened-in pool enclosure keeps out the insects and debris, protects against sun exposure, and can even enable year-round swimming. Having control over swimming pool access also helps ensure safety.
Building a pool enclosure typically costs pool owners between $6,335 and $19,665, or $9 to $122 per square foot.
Pool house
A pool house can completely transform your swimming pool experience. Building a pool house costs most pool owners $100 to $600 per square foot. From easy access to pool floaties to relaxing in a hot sauna, there’s plenty a pool house has to offer, including:
- Changing Room: You no longer need to worry about cleaning up wet floors when you have an outdoor changing room. Instead of pointing dripping wet guests down your hallway to the bathroom, send them to the pool house where they can make a quick change.
- Guest House: Friends and family will love their weekend visits when they get to wake up next to your sparkling pool. And you’ll love the extra privacy, too.
- Bathroom: Who likes to pause the fun with a long trip to the bathroom? Installing a bathroom in the pool house helps prevent wet floors indoors, and you can get back to swimming in minutes.
- Storage: No need to litter the garage with floaties and water volleyball nets –– use the pool house instead.
- Sauna: A sauna and a pool? Now that’s what we call a backyard vacation. Keep in mind that a sauna should always be used safely, just like your pool.
- Outdoor shower: Coming back from a run? Just slip on your bathing suit, take a quick outdoor shower, and jump straight into the pool. No detour needed.
- Outdoor living space: Your pool house can also act as an outdoor living space, providing a shelter covering for your outdoor furniture, TV, kitchen, or drink bar.
Cost of Pool Installation Across the U.S.
The swimming pool costs we’ve listed in this pricing guide are all national averages.
Remember that many factors will affect your in-ground pool installation’s total cost, including where you live. Prices may differ on a local scale. For instance, if you live in a hilly area or rocky soil is expected in your region, you may pay additional excavation and sloping costs.
If you live in a northern state, you can expect to pay around 20% more for pool installation than a homeowner living in a southern state.
Cost of DIY Pool Installation
Installing an in-ground pool is not generally considered a DIY project. And if you do try to install a pool yourself, saving on costs isn’t likely.
Hiring a professional ensures the job is done right, whereas doing it yourself may lead to costly repairs or significant damage to your property that adds to your long-term costs.
Installing a pool also requires proper training. Attempting to install a pool yourself without the necessary experience can prove dangerous and costly.
The bottom line: Pool installation is not a DIY job. It’s not safe and usually won’t save you money. Hiring a professional is typically the wiser investment to make.
FAQ About Pool Installation
Walk-in pools, also known as zero entry or beach entry pools, are designed so that a gentle slope lets you walk into the pool without using stairs or a ladder. Entering a walk-in pool is similar to how you would walk into the beach’s water.
Walk-in pools have the same price range as a standard pool, costing most homeowners between $50 to $125 per square foot to build.
Yes, building an above-ground pool is almost always less expensive than building an in-ground pool. For homeowners looking to install a pool on a budget, an above-ground pool is a smart option.
Conclusion
Designing and installing your dream pool can feel like a limitless project. Waterfalls, outdoor kitchens, new flower beds –– there’s so much you can create around your pool.
Even if you have a small backyard, you can still enjoy the luxuries of a swimming pool. Call up a local pool builder near you for an expert’s help building and installing the perfect place for you to do laps or make a splash with friends and family.
Remember, homeowners often spend between $32,408 to $60,873 for in-ground pool installation, with most paying a total pool cost of $45,583. Low-end pool installation projects typically cost $21,500, while the average high-end pool project costs $135,000.
Main Photo Credit: Bill Wilson / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
