I’ve finally set aside time to write the world’s longest and most detailed post about building a pool. Hopefully this will provide some insight for you into the process. I use the term ‘building a pool’ lightly, because you’ll quickly see that the scope of the project is much larger than just the actual pool decisions.
If you’re new around here or have missed my other progress reports, you can get caught up here:
A Pool + Backyard Update | Progress: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 |Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | The Reveal
Before we get to everything you could ever want to know about building a pool, I thought it would be fun to share this time lapse video I made from still photos on my GoPro. It basically condenses 20 weeks of work into four minutes! Don’t mind the part where dirt magically appears and disappears near the one minute mark (I swear it wasn’t like that when I was editing). This video left me fit to be tied (I used over 8,000 images to make it so it was an insanely long and frustrating process). Because the video is so long (and I didn’t want to crash all of your computers while you tried to watch it), the quality isn’t stellar, but I think it’s still really fun to watch!
Now, onto all the details.
BUILDING A POOL: BUDGET BREAKDOWN
I’m not going to talk exact dollar figures for our project, because I know costs can vary so much by region, company you use, and even more so, by your own backyard and the space you are working with. But, I thought it would be helpful for you to see the breakdown percentage by each project completed in our backyard. I think you’ll quickly see that the pool was only about half of the expense. All figures below include labor to install each line item.
- All pool expenses (pool, liner, concrete coping, pool equipment, inground cleaning system, pool cover, and excavation): 47%
- Patio pavers/pool deck, water feature and grading/drain installation: 17%
- 235’x4′ poured concrete retaining walls: 13%
- Veneers (product and installation) for concrete walls: 11%
- 11 trees, plants, mulch and 4,000 square feet of new sod: 5%
- Iron fence and gates (installed on one full side of our yard and a portion of the other side): 4%
- Replacement of sprinkler system in backyard: 3%
In terms of budgeting, we had talked to friends and neighbors and had a ballpark idea of what the project would cost. I can pretty much guarantee it’s never going to be less than you anticipated. We were determined to pay cash for the entire project, so we started saving the year we moved into the house. Kurtis said he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the pool if he was floating on water he had financed 😉 Once we felt like we were close to the money we needed, we started requesting bids to further fine-tune the number we would need to have on hand. But, we can now proudly say we don’t owe a single dime on the project and it really is that much easier to enjoy now!
BUILDING A POOL: OUR VENDORS
We worked with multiple vendors to complete the entire project. But, we had Justin from Kloos Kutters run point on most of it, which helped limit the number of calls we would have to make on a daily basis.
- Architectural drawings, planning and all landscaping/pavers/water feature: Kloos Kutters | Justin Verbeck
- Pool: Phoenix Pools | Shane Johnson
- Concrete Retaining Walls: Subcontracted through Kloos Kutters
- Veneer Products: Supply Dog
- Veneer Installation: Bell Building Group
- Iron Fence: S&W Fence
We would absolutely recommend each and every one of these companies again. They were all so accommodating and we believe they all did exceptional work!
BUILDING A POOL: SPECS & THE PRODUCTS WE USED
- Pool Details: 20’x40′ Oasis pool with two custom benches – included two Intellibrite LED color lights
- Pool Liner: Tara Liners Cheyenne (with no border)
- Inground Cleaning System: Paramount’s Vanquish in-floor self-cleaning system (they have really helpful info on their site if you’re curious how this system works)
- The bulk of our other pool equipment is from Pentair, including our water heater: 125k BTU heat pump
- Water Type: Salt Water
- Concrete Travertine Pavers: Antique Travertine in Ivory (approximately 850 square feet of pavers)
- Water Feature Scuppers: EasyPro Vianti Falls Spillway (x3) along with EasyPro LED multi-color light strips
- Drain & Waterfall Stones: Indian Sunset rock
- Concrete Coping Color: Rosemary (2′ around perimeter of pool)
- Wall Veneers: Dutch Quality Arizona Dry Stack from supplydog.com
- Wall Caps: Vertica Pro 4″ Wall Cap in Sahara
To outline a little more about how the project started and played out, I’ll go into more detail. For us, we knew the landscaping would play a major part in the design. We were dealing with a rather large sloped hill that we wanted pushed back so we could take advantage of more of our yard. With that being said, we started the process with a landscape designer. We had two different companies draw plans and give us bids. Most landscape companies, at least in our area, work with a preferred pool company so the process is pretty seamless.
Prior to meeting with each of the teams, I gathered inspiration photos from Pinterest to give a general idea of the style and look we were wanting to achieve. We wanted a resort-like vibe that made us feel like we were on vacation.
Once we met with both sets of teams and looked at the plans, it was pretty apparent to us the route we would go. It wasn’t solely based off design plans either. Make sure the personalities of the key contact people are ones you think you can work with on a daily basis over an extended period of time! It’s likely that you’ll find you click with one team. Clearly design and price will steer your decision as well, but you want to make sure you can also work together. From there, things started rolling in terms of finalizing plans.
I don’t think Kurtis or I had a truly excited moment about the direction of the design until Justin showed us the concrete travertine pavers. These were a game changer for us. They were the exact look we had envisioned and weren’t your typical concrete paver you find at the hardware store. Also, keep in mind that Omaha deals with a lot of freeze/thaw in the winters, so we needed a product that could withstand it (that’s why natural travertine wasn’t an option). It was a win-win and we knew it would be perfect!
We had contemplated limestone slabs to build up the terrain on the hill, but it was going to be cost-prohibitive with the volume we would need. Justin suggested the poured concrete foundation walls (that are structurally crazy sound) and found the veneers we ultimately ended up using. The veneers were ultimately one of our favorite finishes on the project! The water feature is also a must and we love to hear the sounds of the falls!
Kurtis was super nervous about the in-floor cleaning system when he first heard about it. I think by now though, we both agree it is a serious game changer and we highly recommend it! We basically have it set the recommended 8-10 hours per night and every day our pool is incredibly clean and free of debris. Kurtis is diligent about testing the chemicals on a weekly basis. Either he is a natural, or it really is easy to keep everything fairly regulated with a salt water pool. When it’s bright and sunny this pool is sparkling!
After much discussion, we opted to have the pool equipment out near the pool. Shane was worried we didn’t have enough space on the side of our house (unless we completely covered our courtyard access). We were worried about the location initially, but Justin drew some cool plans to help camo everything with landscaping. In another year or so, we’re pretty sure you won’t even know it’s back there! And we actually love the design element of the turned wall (and the fact it’s easy to run to the control panel at any time).
We still have a 2-3 year plan to add more trees and plans to further enhance the privacy in our backyard, but we love how it’s turned out so far!
BUILDING A POOL: CLOSING TIPS AND ADVICE
Overall, we felt the entire project went off without too many major issues. Weather delays can obviously be very frustrating, but if that’s the worst that happens, it’s really a blessing. Here are some tips we would recommend when working on a project of this scale:
- Get all change orders in writing. Verbally is not enough and it can cause issues when payment is due. Thankfully a friend gave us this advice, so we were diligent about requesting updated costs/changes to all be in writing. Definitely recommended!
- Don’t be afraid to ask for references if they aren’t provided. Every person that worked on our job site had worked for a neighbor, friend or family member so we could see first-hand the quality of workmanship and learn in advance any issues we may encounter.
- Projects this large may need to be completed over several years, so don’t be afraid to work with your designer and contractor to break off bits of the project into manageable pieces that will still look ‘finished’ when each phase is completed.
- Don’t settle for things you don’t want. You’re spending your own, hard-earned money so make sure you’re getting what you want. Compromise is one thing (and you’re going to have to learn to make several along the way), but if there is something that is counter to what you know needs to be included, stay firm. Basically, choose your battles so that when an important issue comes up, you’ll have more sway.
- Be present. We felt like it was really important to show up daily on site to check status. Plus, we were geeking out each day to see what had been completed so it wasn’t much of a chore.
- Don’t be afraid to question decisions.
- In terms of budget, be sure to also factor in the cost of outdoor furniture. If you recall, I worked with Hayneedle on most of our furniture, so we had minimal miscellaneous expenses where this was concerned. But, outdoor furniture is pricey so I don’t want to leave you with any budget surprise!
- Mostly importantly, have patience! It’s no fun to have delays, dust on all your floors on a daily basis (even though it’s an outside project), and stress like you’ve never felt before. But, we can both promise you it is worth it in the end!
If you’re interested in any of the decor in our pool area, you can click any of the images below to find each item:
Did I forget anything? Any other questions you had that I didn’t cover? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you all so much for following along on this journey with us! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
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Really cool! I’ve always wondered how much work goes into building a pool. Apparently a lot! They made it look so easy on Encino Man.
BEYOND gorgeous!! Girl I think you need to have a pool party!! 😀
This is great, Sara! I do have a few questions. Some are specific to your pool and some are general questions. Thank you for taking the time to post your information and helping those of us who may be thinking through such a project.
1. Is your pool water heated?
2. Do you have a cover for the pool for the winter?
3. Is it better to get a landscape architect/designer to spearhead the project or a pool company who can do all? Or did you look for both and they had to work with each other?
4. Will you put covers on your pool furniture during the winter or you have space to store them away from the elements?
5. Are the plants near the water able to survive if it gets wet by the salt water?
Thanks for following along Debbie! Yes, our pool is heated with a heat pump (but we didn’t turn it on until late August and will likely run it into the early fall). Currently, we do not have a cover. Once the pool is closed for the first time this fall, our pool company is providing a mesh cover. They’ll have to drill about 60 holes into our pavers to attach it (but apparently they aren’t that noticeable). The cover will then stay on through winter and early spring. As far as landscape vs. pool company, we started with a landscaping company because we knew our hill presented a problem/challenge. It seemed to work out best to start with them, and they worked with Phoenix pools, who ended up being an amazing company! We actually plan to bring our outdoor furniture into our basement in the winter because we don’t want to pay for custom covers. We have cold enough weather and potentially enough snow that it seems worth the hassle. None of our plants have been damage by the salt water. But keep in mind, they are 4+ feet away from the pool edge and besides our dives and cannonballs, don’t get much splash because we don’t have a diving board. I’ve actually tried to taste the salt in our water (weird, I know) and it isn’t what you’d expect at all. It’s not like ocean water and really doesn’t taste salty. I hope that helps – let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank for the answers to my questions Sara! Interesting info about the pool cover. The pool company we asked for an estimate told us about two ways to do a cover. Both of which I’m not very excited about. One would be metal bars on side of the pool that would hold the cover and it would be visible. The other way is that there would be a step down on the concrete and the cover would be hidden. I just see the step down as a hazard and the metal bar doesn’t sound like it would look very resort like at all. I’m curious what yours will look like when you get the cover installed. I hope you’ll post a blog about it. Also, is the cost of that included in your initial pool payment already?
Is it a vinyl pool liner in there with full concrete underneath? We are considering a pool and this info is so helpful!
Yes, it is concrete underneath with a vinyl pool liner. I hope that helps!
I forgot to ask about what trees you chose around your pool, Sarah. Creating privacy and visual interest is important to us but my husband doesn’t want trees that would create debris for the pool. We don’t have a big yard like yours so trees planted would be closer to the pool than yours are.
We were careful about that too. We know maples lose their leaves around here earlier than others, so we tried to pick some evergreens and oaks (that don’t lose their leaves until spring) in the near proximity of the pool. Time will tell if our plan worked 😉
Thank you Sara! Another info that I’ll file away for future reference if we ever decide or jump into our pool project idea. Scared about it, to be honest. I even had a dream that one of family who I was hoping to speak to about their pool decided to pour concrete over their pool because of problems it caused. I’m not sure why I had a dream about it. Maybe my subconscious was telling me we’ll regret it if we do build a pool someday. Waahhhh!
I know where the 4th of July barbecue will be for your family. Nice layout! Love the water coming out of the wall. I’m sure you cant wait for the spring and summer weather. Enjoy!
I love your pool area! It’s seriously breathtaking. We are starting to get bids for our pool and really want to go with a salt pool, but I’m concerned about the drawbacks of the salt damaging the concrete coping and concrete surrounding area. Have you had any issues with that after a year or heard of anyone else having those types of issues? Did you seal the concrete or did your pool installer give you any particular advice?
Also, if you could give any additional advice after having it for a year, what would that be?
Thank you so much! We are so happy with it. I actually have a post going up next week (on the one year anniversary of my reveal post) that will go over all of this. But long story short, we haven’t had any issues with the salt on the concrete. My pool guys said it could be an issue long term, but probably not until the point it was wearing naturally anyways. We do hose it off on a weekly basis, but mostly to keep the dirt off the pool deck, so I’m sure that helps!
Hello, I was just reading about salt water pools with a vinyl pool and they didn’t recommend because of the steel underneath. Do you not have steel underneath your liner? Is that something special you requested? Thanks
Hi Lucy-
I haven’t heard of that being issue before, but I’m not sure. We have steel under ours but only on the walls. The floors are concrete. If you take a look at this post you can see an in-progress photo that will show a better look at it. We haven’t had any issues with ours. Thanks!
https://lifeonvirginiastreet.com/2016/06/pool-progress-week-15/
I’ve heard that as well… which makes sense… and water/salt water that gets on steel, it will rust. There are composite sides you can get as well; although I think they are a little more expensive. We are in the process of putting in a fiberglass pool because my wife wanted a tanning ledge and with dogs we were too afraid of the vinyl liners with pups
We are looking to put in a pool similar in shape and size to yours with the vinyl covered bench and steps but I worry that it will be torn by our kids/dogs. Has that been an issue for you? And how deep is your pool? Is there enough play room and is there enough room for volleyball? Would you do anything different? Thanks!
So far we haven’t had any issues! We’ve had a few dogs in our pool, but we try to make sure they are lifted in so their nails don’t rip the liner. We’ve also had tons of kids here and no issues so far! We have a friend whose liner was punctured by a toe (in the corner where it was a bit loose) and he just added a patch that has held up well! With the bench, we actually have a rather steep drop off shortly after the access so it wouldn’t be idea for volleyball (the deep end is standard diving depth of 9 ft). We’ve played waterpong in the shallow end but have to do it width-wise rather than length-wise to avoid the drop. Overall, we love everything we did! Hopefully that helps!
I love what you said about keeping the pool equipment close to the pool in case of emergency. Building a pool is a great way of adding value to your home and property. My neighbor wants to build a pool, so I’ll suggest they find a contractor with a nice portfolio of work.
I really like your idea of looking for photos online that represent the style we want for our pool. My husband and I just bought a home with a pool that needs a new vinyl liner, so we want to use this as an opportunity to have it renovated in other ways as well. I’m glad I read your article because your tips will help us end up with a finished pool that we’re satisfied with!
I love your pool construction planning tips. My husband and I are thinking about having a pool put into our backyard. We will have to make sure that we have a budget set from the start like you suggested.
I appreciate you sharing this information on how to build a pool. It seems that designing how a pool will look before starting the project would be really important. I imagine that working with a pool contractor would also be really important.
There is a lot that goes into building a pool for you and your family. This blog provides helpful information. Thanks for sharing!