Does a pool add value to a home? In general, building a pool is not the best way to add value to your home. You’re better off making physical improvements to your actual house instead of adding a pool to your yard.Related: What Home Projects Give the Most Value?Still, that’s no guarantee you’ll get a return on your investment. At most, your home’s value might increase 7% if all circumstances are right when it comes time to sell. Those circumstances include the points made above, plus:But only you, the homeowner, can determine the true return on investment. A pool can add value to your quality of life and enhance the enjoyment of your home. You can’t put a price tag on that.But we can put a price tag on how much a pool costs to build and maintain.The average cost in the U.S. to install, equip, and fill a 600-sq.-ft. concrete pool starts at $30,000.Add in details like safety fences (most states require them), waterfalls, lighting, landscaping, and perhaps a spa, and you’re easily looking at totals approaching $100,000.Costs also depend on the type of pool you choose.

Gunite is the most popular in-ground pool. Gunite is a mixture of cement and sand, which can be poured into almost any shape. best carpet cleaner for bmwIt has replaced concrete pools as the sought-after standard.vacuum cleaner parts njFiberglass shells and those with vinyl liners fall on the lower end of the budget scale, but the liners typically need replacing every 10 or so years. best vacuum cleaner suction powerChanging the liner requires draining the pool and replacing the edging (called coping), so over time, costs add up. best way to clean really dirty vinyl floorsMost homebuyers will insist that you replace a vinyl liner, even if it’s only a few years old.best pool cleaner under $300

Related: Fences for Pool SafetyThe filtration pump is the biggest energy hog in a pool system, so you want to get the most efficient pump possible. las vegas poolsideThe good news here is that new, variable-speed pumps use up to 80% less energy than old single-speed pumps, cutting operating expenses dramatically.At about $500, these cost more up front, but some local utilities offer rebates through participating pool dealers. You can further cut energy costs by setting the pump to run at non-peak times, when rates for electricity are lower.If you’re planning to heat your pool, gas heaters are the least expensive to purchase and install, but they typically have the highest operation and maintenance costs. Many pool owners opt instead for electric heat pumps, which extract heat from the surrounding air and transfer it to the water. Heat pumps take longer than gas to warm the pool, but they’re more energy-efficient, costing $200 to $400 less to operate per swimming season.

Regardless of heating system, covering the pool with a solar blanket to trap heat and reduce evaporation will further lower operating costs.All pools require that the water be balanced for proper pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels. They also need sanitizing to control bacteria and germs, which is where chlorine has traditionally entered the picture.These days you have a variety of options, including systems that use bromine, salt, ozone, ionizers, or other chemical compounds that can be less irritating to skin. Chlorine remains the most popular because the upfront costs are reasonable, and you don’t have to be as rigid about checking the levels on a set schedule. But as far as your wallet is concerned, they all even out in the end.In a seasonal swimming climate, budget about $600 annually for maintenance if you shoulder the chemical balancing and cleaning yourself; in a year-round climate, it’s more like $15 to $25 per week.To save yourself the task of once-a-week vacuuming, you can buy a robotic cleaning system for between $500 and $800 that will do the job for you.

In locations where the pool must be opened and closed for the season, add another $500 each time for a pro to handle this task.A basic homeowners insurance policy typically covers a pool structure without requiring a separate rider, but you should increase your liability from the standard amount.It costs about $30 a year to bump coverage from $100,000 to $500,000. Many underwriters require you to fence in the pool so children can’t wander in unsupervised.In some areas, adding a pool may increase your annual property taxes, but it won’t necessarily add to your home’s selling price. For that reason, try to keep your total building cost between 10% and 15% of what you paid for your house, lest you invest too much in an amenity that won’t pay you back. New Braunfels Retail Sales862 South I-35New Braunfels, TX830-625-SWIM (7946)Hours of OperationM-F 9:00am - 6:00 pmSaturday 9:00am - 5:00 pm Corporate Office & Manufacturing Plant15655 E US Hwy 90Kingsbury, TX830-875-6900Hours of OperationM-F 8:00 am - 4:00Pm

San Antonio Retail Sales25620 Hwy 281 NorthSan Antonio Texas 78258830-980-DIVE (3483)Hours of OperationM-F 9:00am - 6:00 pmSaturday 9:00am - 5:00 pm Back To Top ↑Installing a pool is no small project. As you might expect, pools take a lot of planning, effort, water and digging if you’re thinking about an inground pool. While the average pool installation price is roughly $8,000, the type of pool you choose will greatly affect the final cost. As you can see above, some pool installations run as high as $25,000, if not higher. These pools were most likely inground. We will discuss further below, but inground pools will always be more expensive. Bear in mind, they also add more value to your home. The biggest factor in the cost of your swimming pool will be whether you choose an inground pool or above ground pool. Above ground pools reflect our average cost above. As opposed to inground swimming pools, above ground options do not require any excavation, which is a big percentage of the overall pool installation.

Furthermore, the materials needed for above ground pools are far cheaper than that of inground pools. Overall, the costs of an above ground pool is typically a third of the price of an inground pool, and they shouldn’t cost more than $6,000 to purchase and professionally install. Time to deepen your pockets. As you might expect, inground pools take a lot of planning, machinery, materials and workers to install. After all, swimming pool pros will have to dig into the ground, put up wall panels, put together a pool kit, install plumbing and skimmers, add cement, sand the floor, add pool liners, insert water and extra accessories and then finally add dirt around the pool. Needless to say, it’s a long process. Watch how it’s all done with this quick YouTube video. Given the amount of work, it’s no surprise the cost of installing a new inground swimming pool runs between $14,961 and $21,649. Just remember, while the installation cost is much more than an above ground pool, the value added is much higher as well.

Now that you have the overall cost, it’s time to jump into the smaller costs that make up the final pool price. Besides labor, materials make up a majority of those costs. Cement, pool liners, decks, skimmers, extra accessories and fencing all add to the final pool installation cost. Fortunately, we broke down each individual pool material cost. Aggregate Pool Deck: When you install a pool, you have to think about the area surrounding the pool. After all, you can’t have grass surrounding the pool. If you want a pool deck option that can stand up to water, humidity and look great beside your brand new pool, aggregate is a great choice. Beware though, as prices range between $8/sf and $35/sf for aggregate pool decks. Concrete Pool Deck: If you want to go with a safe, durable and relatively inexpensive option, concrete is your answer. While the average cost can range between $3 and $15, maintenance costs should be minimal if the builder applies sealant to the top. The sealant will protect it from pool cleaning solutions and chlorine that can discolor the deck.

Cement Pool Deck: Cement is another option that should require little maintenance. Cement can eliminate dirt, grass and rocks near the water, drastically reducing the amount of time it takes to clean and clear any debris from the pool. Nonetheless, a large-scale concrete pour can be costly and the preparation time is not short. According to our material estimator, the minimum price for cement is approximately $70 per cubic yard. Finally, cement can get very hot in the summer, so it’s not the best option for your feet. Stamped Concrete Pool Deck: Stamped concrete brings the same advantages and disadvantages as some of the options above. Stamped concrete is also available in many different styles, so there is a design and feel for every homeowner or pool. Nonetheless, due to its design, stamped concrete is hard and expensive to remove should you change your mind years down the road. If you do go with this popular option, expect to pay $12/sf. Stained Concrete Pool Deck: While regular concrete is the most common pool decking option, the plain color can get dull over the years.

As such, many homeowners pony up and add a stain color to their concrete pool deck. Needless to say, a stain adds an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the rest of the pool. The final price will depend on your deck size, but most homeowners pay $5/sf to stain their pool deck. Pool Pavers: If you don’t want one large piece covering your entire deck or would like an interesting design for your pool deck, pool pavers are a great choice. Just about any paver used for decking, patios and walkways can be used in the area around a pool. The most common types are concrete, brick and stone. While brick and stone are more expensive than concrete, the average paver costs range between $7/sf and $17/sf. Pool Fencing: Safety can’t be ignored when talking about a new swimming pool. The pool needs it’s own designated area from the rest of the backyard and that is why most homeowners install a fence around their pool. Furthermore, fences help deter neighborhood kids or animals from using your clean swimming pool.

If you do install a fence, expect to spend around $5,000 for an average-sized aluminum pool fence. If you go with a glass fence, that cost balloons up to $15,000. Pool Covers: Some pool covers are designed to heat the water of the pool, which makes it a viable swimming option for much of the year. These covers can be made for inground or above ground pools. The low-end price for these covers is $139, but professional installation and high-quality solar warmth may cost as much as $1,305. Furthermore, winter pool covers, which many homeowners will need, start at $50. While the deck and material options above are the most popular when it comes to pools, most patio and deck options can apply. To see their costs, please check our patio cost estimators and deck cost estimators. Obviously, the size of the pool will play a big role in the overall price. However, going from a medium-sized pool to a large pool may be less than you expect, and even doubling the total size of the pool may only cost 10-20% more overall.

Adding in a slide, diving board or a patio surrounding the pool will also increase total costs. Below are some of the most popular pool extras that homeowners are adding to amplify their swimming experience. If your new pool is installed correctly, you wont have that much maintenance to worry about in the coming weeks. However, as time goes on, pool maintenance is a very involved process. Like many other aspects around the home, it’s not a set it and forget it type of home addition. Therefore, to really determine the overall pool installation cost, you must consider future maintenance costs. According to our pool maintenance cost estimator, most homeowners spend roughly $250 on pool maintenance. Just note that this price can be ongoing. Natural pools may not require heating or pH balance testing, but most pools need to be cleaned, heating systems need to be repaired and debris should be removed. While many homeowners can do this themselves, other pool maintenance projects are better left to the pros.