How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost?

Curious to know how much does an inground pool cost? A typical inground pool will cost you anywhere from $28,000 to $55,000, with an average price of $35,000. In the U.S., the standard price of such a pool ranges from $50 to $125 per square foot, depending on the pool material and other factors.

Key Points: 

• The average cost of inground pool installation is $35,000, which is significantly higher than the cost of a similarly-sized above-ground pool.
• The exact cost of inground pool installation will depend on the type of swimming pool, its material, shape, and size, as well as your geographic location.
• You can minimize the total pool cost by choosing the vinyl liner option, going for a simple curved shape, and keeping the size of the pool small.
• There are several options available to help you fund the pool purchase. These include personal and pool loans, credit cards, home equity loans, and retail financing.

Inground Pool Cost by Type of Material

One major factor determining how much does an inground pool cost is the material of your choice. Most inground pools are built with either vinyl liner, fiberglass, or concrete. The typical prices for an inground pool are as follows:

• Vinyl liner: $25,000 to $35,000. A standard-sized inground pool built with vinyl liner can cost you $25,000 for the basic setup and up to $35,000 for a swimming pool with additional features.
• Fiberglass: $40,000 to $45,000. Pre-engineered fiberglass pools cost between $40,000 and $45,000, depending on the specifics of your backyard and the features you choose.
• Concrete: $50,000+. Concrete pools start at $50,000 and can easily reach $100,000 or more. Concrete is pricey, but it is the most durable material of all and allows for customization.

Inground Pool Costs by Size

Aside from material, the next important factor determining the total cost of your pool is its size. Naturally, smaller pools come with a lower price tag, as they require less labor and materials.
The typical size of an inground pool is around 12’ by 24’ with a depth of around 5 to 6 feet at the deep end. Such a pool will cost you around $90 to $160 per square foot, averaging around $25,200.

Small Inground Pool Costs

If your primary goal when installing a pool is to have a place to lounge or quickly cool off on a hot day, you may get away with installing a smaller and, hence, cheaper inground pool. Some examples of smaller pools are plunge pools and spools, which can cost you as little as $10,000 or $15,000 each.

On average, the cost of small inground pools of different sizes is as follows:

• 10’ x 10’ pool: $17,500 on average
• 12’ x 24’ pool: $25,200 on average
• 14’ x 28’ pool: $34,000 on average

Large Inground Pool Costs

Larger inground pools are ideal for big families, people looking to swim and do laps, and those with extra money to spare. The cost of a large inground pool starts at around $40,000 and can reach $100,000 to $200,000.

• 15’ x 30’ pool: $39,400 on average
• 16’ x 32’ pool: $44,800 on average
• 18’ x 36’ pool: $56,700 on average
• 20’ x 40’ pool: $70,000 on average

Inground Pool Costs by Shape and Design

The pool material will determine the possible customization level of your inground pool, and its shape and design will affect the final price of the project. Fiberglass pools typically come in pre-engineered shapes, living little room for customization. Concrete pools, on the other hand, are very customizable but will cost you the most.

Common shapes of inground pools include:

• Rectangular pool: $20,000+. This is the most standard shape of inground pools, even though rectangular shapes are usually more expensive than curved ones.
• Circular or oval pool: $16,000+. Curved inground pools with circular or oval shapes are slightly cheaper than similarly-sized rectangular ones. The curved shape allows for a larger swimming area with smaller perimeter footage.
• Kidney-shaped pool: $10,000+. Similarly, standard-shaped kidney pools have the most cost-efficient design, as they allow for greater square footage with a shorter perimeter.
• Free-form pool: $70,000+. A freeform pool requires additional labor and customization, which leads to a significantly higher cost.
• Geometric pool: $70,000+. Geometric pools look beautiful against contemporary or modern architecture, but their cost is on the higher end of the spectrum.
• L-shaped pool: cost varies. L-shaped pools make a modern statement and work great with irregular landscaping. The cost of an L-shaped pool may vary greatly, so you would need to contact several pool contractors to get an accurate price estimate.

Inground Pool Installation Costs

An inground pool will typically cost you between $50 and $125 per square foot, adding up to $28,000 to $55,000 all-in, including site preparation, pool installation, and finishing touches. However, the price can vary significantly from project to project. For example, you could get a small minimal pool for $10,000 or an elaborate pool with an infinity edge and water fountains for $200,000 or more.

Overview of Inground Pool Installation Costs

When installing your inground pool, there are several tasks you must budget for:

• Site preparation: up to $20,000. If your yard is flat and ready to be excavated, you can have some big savings. Otherwise, you would need to pay up to $20,000 to grade the terrain, remove any trees, build a border wall, or deal with an existing septic tank.
• Labor and excavation: $8,000 to $30,000. The labor cost covering installation work alone typically starts at around $8,000, with another $920 to $1,230 spent on excavation labor. The all-inclusive labor cost can add up to $30,000, covering all plumbing and electrical work, as well as patio and fencing installation.
• Pool permit: $200 to $300. You might need to obtain a residential pool permit from local authorities. The permit fees vary from state to state but are typically no more than $300.
• Materials: $20,000 to $60,000. Materials often make up the largest portion of the total inground pool installation cost. Vinyl liner pools are usually the cheapest inground pools, while concrete pools will cost up to $60,000 for materials alone.
• Filtration system: $500 to $3,000. A good water filtration system is a must-have for any inground pool. Depending on the model and type of the system, you can pay anywhere from $500 to $3,000.
• Pool equipment: $2,000 to $3,000. Pool equipment like a cleaner, a pump, a chemical feeder, and, optionally, a salt chlorinator will cost you another $2,000 to $3,000.
• Water delivery: $80 to $1,200. Finally, filling up a standard 15,000-gallon pool will cost you $600 to $1,200 with truck delivery and $80 to $160 with a garden hose.

Inground Pool Installation: DIY vs. Hiring a Professional

On average, hiring a pool installation company will cost you $19,000 in labor fees alone, or 33% of the total project cost. If you were to go the DIY route, you would save on labor fees. However, you would still need to factor in the costs to rent the heavy machinery necessary to excavate the terrain and install the pool.

All in all, you won’t save much by installing an inground pool yourself. Instead, you will have to deal with the added responsibility of inspections and permit applications, - something that a pool contractor will typically do for you. Plus, you might encounter more issues and maintenance costs in the long run. Undoubtedly, an inground pool is a project better left to professionals.

Inground Pool Accessories and Add-Ons Costs

Having an inground pool in your backyard will likely increase your monthly home insurance payments by $25 to $75. In addition, you might want to install some nice-to-have pool accessories to complete your project:

• Saltwater filtration system: $600 to $2,200. If you wish to convert your chlorine pool into a saltwater one, you would need to install a saltwater chlorinator. This can cost you anywhere from $600 to $2,200, depending on the water volume to be filtered.
• Pool heater: $1,600 to $3,800. If you live in a cooler area, you might want to install a water heater to prolong the swimming season. This will set you back another $1,600 to $3,800.
• Fencing: $600 to $4,400. Often, local safety regulations require residential pools to be fenced in. Installing fencing around your inground pool can cost from $600 to $4,400.
• Pool cover: $600 to $2,200. A pool cover can help to keep your pool clean and minimize cleaning costs. The cover itself will cost you around $600 to $2,200.
• Lighting: $700 to $1,800. The cost of pool lighting can range from $700 to $1,800, depending on how elaborate you decide to go.
• Landscaping: $3,000 to $5,000. Typical landscaping costs range between $3,000 and $5,000. Of course, if you decide to install water fountains and masonry paths around your pool, the price would be much higher.
• Decking: $5,000 to $20,000. Most homeowners like to install a deck around the pool. This can cost between $5,000 and $20,000,  depending on the deck material and size.
• Diving board and water slide: $300 to $20,000. A simple diving board can cost between $300 and $5,000, while the cost of a water slide can reach $20,000 for more complex designs.
• Water features: $600 to $20,000+. Installing a waterfall in your pool will set you back $1,500 to $5,000. If you wish to add a fountain, expect to spend between $600 and $20,000, depending on the fountain's size and complexity.

Inground Pool Costs by Geographic Location

Both your geographic location and the specific location of your backyard will affect the final cost of your inground pool project. The costs can vary based on the following factors:

• Cost of living. If you live in an expensive state like California or New York, you will spend more on installing, filling up, and maintaining the pool. For example, a gallon of water costs $0.011 in San Francisco, as compared to $0.002 in Tennessee.
• Labor costs. Labor costs are typically higher in areas with a higher cost of living, but they can still vary between cities and states. For example, Hawaii has the highest labor costs, while South Dakota and Nebraska have the lowest rates.
• Urban vs. rural areas. Installing a pool in a densely populated urban area will typically cost much more than installing a similar pool in a suburban or rural area.
• Access to pool contractors. Typically, warm states have more skilled pool contractors. As such, in northern states, you will have to spend 15% to 25% more for pool installation, as compared to the states like Texas, Arizona, and Florida. In addition, if your home is more than 50 miles away from your pool company, you can expect to spend an extra $50 per day.
• The site of the future pool. If your backyard is difficult to access, has lots of rocks, or slopes significantly, you would need to spend thousands of dollars more in site preparation.
• Climate of the region. Finally, inground pools built in colder climates often need an additional water heater to keep the water at the right temperature. This will add to both the installation costs and ongoing maintenance costs.

Inground Pool Maintenance Costs

Once your pool is up and running, you will still incur maintenance costs on a monthly basis. So how much does an inground pool cost to maintain? This can range from several hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the maintenance and repairs required.

• Maintenance: $180/month. Typical pool maintenance includes skimming the water and adding chemicals. This costs between $60 to $90 per hour, adding up to around $180 per month.
• Cleaning: $50/month. Basic pool cleaning costs as little as $50 per month and is often included in the price of general pool maintenance.
• Repairs: $10 to $20,000. Depending on the specifics of the problem, a single pool repair can cost between $10 and $20,000, averaging around $900.
• Water: $80 to $200. A typical cost of water is $4 to $10 for 1,000 gallons. This means that a standard 20,000-gallon pool will cost $80 to $200 to fill up.
• Electricity: $30 to $700/month. Due to the pool pump and other necessary pool equipment, your monthly electricity bill will unavoidably increase by $30 to $700.

Above-Ground vs. Inground Pool Costs

If you are on a tight budget, an inground pool is not your only option. You can save significantly by opting for an above-ground pool instead. A typical above-ground pool will cost you between $1,850 and $20,000 when installed by a professional pool contractor. In addition, above-ground pools are relatively easy to be installed in a DIY fashion, meaning you can save even more in labor costs.

To compare, the cost of an inground pool typically ranges from $28,000 to $55,000, averaging $35,000. Inground pools are considered higher-end, but they require more site preparation work and are considerably more expensive.

How to Save Money on Inground Pool Costs

An inground pool can be a significant investment, but it doesn’t have to leave you penniless. Here are a few tips on how to save money when installing an inground pool:

• Go for a vinyl liner pool. Concrete inground pools are the most expensive; fiberglass pools are in the middle; and vinyl liner pools are typically on the lowest end. Installing a vinyl pool can save you thousands of dollars as compared to more expensive materials.
• Skip the extra features. Of course, you would still need to install a pool ladder and some minimal lighting, but an elaborate water slide and a fancy fountain can wait.
• Install a small pool. A smaller inground pool like a spool or a plunge pool will cost significantly less than a family-sized pool. 
• Order in advance. To get the best inground pool prices, start shopping for the pool in the fall or winter one year prior to when you are planning the pool installation.

Inground Pool Financing Options

Even with smart planning and design decisions, a small inground pool will cost you at least $10,000 to $20,000. If you aren’t ready to cover this expense from your savings, you have other financing options available to choose from:

• Personal loan. Many lenders, such as Best Egg, Discover, and Upgrade, offer unsecured personal loans with great rates and terms. Some of them even offer “pool loans” to help you cover the costs of installing a pool.
• Home equity loan or line of credit. Alternatively, you could tap into your home equity with a home equity loan or line of credit. With a loan, you would receive a cash lump sum upfront, while a home equity line of credit would grant you access to the pre-approved amount.
• Credit card or line of credit. Regular credit cards and lines of credit can also be used to finance a pool purchase, - given that you have sufficient credit limits, of course.
• Retail financing. When purchasing a swimming pool from a dedicated pool company, you might be offered an option to pay for your pool over time, in regular installments.

Regardless of the financing option you choose, make sure to conduct thorough research and carefully study the loan terms and conditions. It might also be a good idea to visit independent review websites like TrustPilot to evaluate the overall customer sentiment.

Final Word

To conclude, the answer to “how much does an inground pool cost?” is: it can vary. Depending on the materials of your choice, as well as the shape, size, and design of your pool, you can expect to pay between $28,000 and $55,000, - or much more if you wish to splurge. The good news is that there are multiple financing options available to help you cover the cost and turn your swimming pool dream into a reality.