Q&A: All About My Pool Build

As most of you know by now, I took on the daunting task of having a pool built last year and boy was that quite the project. I always get tons of questions on my Instagram about the process of building a pool and everything that goes along with it so I thought I’d finally do a full blog post answering all your questions. Lets get to it.

How long did the whole pool construction process take?

A LONG freaking time. So I actually started my pool build in June or July of 2021 and it was not completed until about May of 2022. We didn’t actually break ground until October or November of 2021 but I started the essential first part – which is permitting in July. So all in all, took close to a year including permit time or 6-7 months after breaking ground. Keep in mind, I did choose a very difficult time period to start with people still having limited availability after COVID so that could have lead to the extremely long process.

Was it hard to get a permit?

Again, I started the whole process while COVID was still pretty much an ongoing issue so permitting offices were closed and it was very difficult and long to get my permit. It took close to 5 months for me to get my permit and I was SO irritated with the entire process because you really can’t get started until you have that.

I have heard however it can go MUCH faster now but I think it depends on your county and how top of it your pool people are, etc..

What are the different stages of a pool build?

Once you decide on a contractor, you work with them to come up with a look and a 3D rendering of your final pool design. Then they should work on pulling permits and it’s pretty much just a waiting game from there.

Once the permit is approved, you can start on the construction. The first step is excavation where they pretty much come in and just destroy everything and just make a big ass hole in your yard. They set up perimeter and you can kind of get an idea of how large the pool will be, but tbh, it’s just a MESS at this point. 

Next, they move onto bend and tie steel rebar to form the structure of the pool. Here you’ll get a better idea of the outline of the pool, jacuzzi (if you’ve added this), Baja shelving etc..

Then comes plumbing & electrical which is kind of wild to see because I had NO idea how much plumbing/electrical actually went into the ins & outs of a pool. Very complicated.

The best part is next when the concrete (or shotcrete) is poured. This is a one day process and they shoot the concrete out and start forming the pool, steps, Jacuzzi, and Baja shelving etc… I was probably the most excited after concrete because you FINALLY see the vision come to life. Then, another waiting game while the concrete cures.

After concrete, then comes installing pool equipment, more plumbing, more electrical AND gas lines (if you choose to add a pool heater). The next step of the process is coping & tile. The coping is the stone or concrete around the edge of the pool and the tile is your waterline tile. I have a raised wall, so that part was tiled as well.

Now you’re in the home stretch! This is the time when the surrounding area around the pool is landscaped with a pool deck, pavers, concrete or whatever you’ve chosen. I went with pavers because I found them to be beautiful, long lasting and low maintenance. 

The last step is for them to finish up the interior of the pool with plaster. I used pebble tec which is supposed to be better and last longer. Fill up the pool with water and you’re DONE!

How much does it cost to build a Pool?

Guys — it’s f*$@ing expensive. If you think you’re going to come out of a pool build at anything under $80k, you’re dreaming. I’m just being honest – the pool itself costs between $60-75k and that’s BASE price. Add a jacuzzi you’re on the higher end. Any additional features (colored LED lighting, waterfalls, saltwater, pool heater, raised walls etc..) then you’re adding ON TOP of this. 

Were there unexpected things that came up?

Let’s be honest, with construction there are ALWAYS unexpected things that come up that you have to plan for. One that I can think of off the top of my head was having to upgrade my home’s main electrical panel which was a very costly upgrade.

Chlorine or Saltwater pool?

I went with a saltwater pool since I was starting from scratch. It’s slightly more expensive but I found the benefits were worth it. Saltwater pools are more gentle on the eyes and skin, and deal with less chemicals than a chlorine pool.

Was it worth it?!

I’ll be honest, 4 months into the build I was starting to re-think all my life choices (haha) but I will say now that it’s all said and done, I am absolutely obsessed and think it was totally worth it. With that being said, if you’re considering building a pool I highly suggest thinking it over and making sure this is a financial investment that you are able to do without stress. A pool is expensive not only to build but to maintain so just be aware there will be lots of additional costs and make sure it’s something that you know you won’t regret in the end.