For people all over the world, the vision of the ideal summer includes splashing around in paradise—or at least in a backyard pool. Still, building a pool can seem like a daunting and expensive task. You might get an idea of the pool price from the pool quotes you requested. However, what is the overall pool and backyard cost? When we throw in landscaping, the whole thing can just feel too overwhelming, and this prevents a lot of people from making the effort to build their own personal paradise.
However, there is no reason that building a pool and the perfect backyard scene should be prohibitively difficult or expensive, for that matter. Here, we examine a breakdown of the combined costs of pool installation and yard landscaping.
What cost components do I need to consider before installing a pool in my backyard?
Probably the number one thing that holds people back from taking the jump and beginning to build their pool is expense. Because a well-built pool and a beautifully manicured backyard look so luxurious, many assume that it is a ridiculously expensive endeavour that is impossible for the average person’s budget to cover. This is simply not true.
Still, pool prices—whether you are looking at above ground pool cost, in ground pool cost, fibreglass pool cost, concrete pool cost, or nearly any other variety of pool—can be quite high. It is important to know what you’re getting yourself into. One thing that many fear when looking into building a pool is the hidden fees; after all, when was the last time a big project ever cost ‘just the sticker price’?
Building a pool and yard will require a few conveniences be added, and it’s important that you educate yourself before committing to the project. Before taking the leap to build your own pool and yard, read further about what the costs are of the little things. We’ll remind you of the 5 components that can significantly affect your pool and backyard cost.
1. Paving
Using concrete coping is an ideal way to pave your pool deck to give your yard the sleek, put-together look that you’re aiming for. Coping refers to the kind of stone or concrete that is used to cover the deck. Typically, these pieces range in price from $35 up to $60 for each individual stone. These pieces are available in a variety of sizes, but most commonly, they are found in pieces of 300 millimetres, 450 millimetres, 500 millimetres, although they can get even larger than this. In order to determine how many stones you will need to purchase for your project, you will need to consider the dimensions of the pool that you plan to install, as well as the area it sits in.
Apart from the purchase of the actual concrete coping you will be using, most clients choose to have the stones laid for them, which comes with a separate fee. Depending on the company you choose to help you lay the stones, you can expect that this process will cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500. Still, investing in a labourer can give you some peace of mind to know that the job is being done correctly and that your swimming pool is well on its way to completion.
Considering both aspects of the paving process, a standard 7 metre pool can cost anywhere $6,000 to $10,000 for paving. While this might seem a steep price, it is important to know your investment in the pool is coming together in every way. This price fluctuates depending on how much area you want to pave. For example, many clients choose to pave not just the immediate area surrounding the pool, but also the surrounding area so that they can include pool deck furniture and have space to lounge by the poolside.
2. Pool fencing
For many clients who are looking into building a swimming pool, one of the greatest advantages to their investment is having the privacy to swim away from others so that they can peacefully drift away without having to consider who may be watching. So of course, when investing in a backyard pool, one option that you may choose is adding pool fencing. Adding fencing can also ensure safety for those who may be around, such as children or pets, and so it can be an important investment to make for your pool.
Due to safety regulations that have been put in place for backyard swimming pools, some sort of fencing is required for every pool; the difficult part can be choosing what is right for you.
Two common types of fences are aluminium fences and glass fences. Typically, aluminium fences run for about $130 to $150 per metre of fencing while glass fences cost on average $300 to $450 per metre. While these are decent estimates of the cost of fencing, there are multiple factors which can influence these numbers. Any areas around the pool which may make fence building difficult can up this price, including trees that are in the way, retainer walls, planter boxes, and stairways. By eliminating these obstacles, you can save yourself money on fencing and make the process just a little bit easier.
3. Retainer wall
For many of us, building a pool may be a dream, but a sloped backyard can get in the way. If you’re interested in building a pool and yard on your property but have uneven ground, don’t walk away from the dream just yet. By building a retainer wall, you can have the pool you desire no matter how steep the gradient found in your yard.
Retainer walls are generally built from stone, but there are other options and the price can vary depending on the materials you choose to use. Pool owners who are looking to build a retainer wall can expect to spend anywhere from $7,000 to $20,000, and selecting more cost friendly materials can help you keep the project costs down.
4. Pool house
If you’re looking into building a swimming pool, one concern you may have is dirtying up your house with wet clothes and grubby feet, especially if you have any children who may be using the pool. Thankfully, this is one issue that can combated by building a pool house. While the term “pool house” may put you in mind of something that is going to blow your budget to smithereens, the definition of a pool house is actually quite flexible, and so they can be built to fit a variety of budgets.
If a tight budget is not an issue for you, your pool house can be designed in a similar way to your own house, with the same architecture so that everything fits seamlessly. Your pool house can have as many rooms as you desire, and you can install plumbing so that you have easy access to a restroom and other facilities when you use it. If your budget is a little more on the strict side, there are still options for building a pool house in your yard that won’t break the bank.
Some pool houses include only one room with the main purpose of being a place that you can change into and out of your swimming clothes. This means that you won’t have to worry about dripping through your home after a quick swim. Because the definition is so flexible and you can choose what your pool house will be like, the cost range is rather broad, and most clients will budget to spend anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000.
5. Plumbing
While it may not be the most fun aspect to consider, one thing you’ll want to be sure to look at is the cost of installing plumbing for your swimming pool. While we cannot quote you on the exact cost of a plumber as the price will vary quite a lot depending on who you hire, you will need to look into hiring a licensed plumber who can connect your backwash line to your sewer line or another place where you can legally discharge it.
Apart from this, some clients choose to have their plumber do their drainage for them, but this job can also be taken care of by a landscaper or a particularly handy person. Finally, if you are using a gas heater, you can hire a plumber to connect the gas. While this isn’t necessarily a fun way to spend your money, you’ll certainly be glad you hired a professional to take care of the details so that all you have to worry about is enjoying your pool to the full.
How can I keep the pool installation costs low?
As you can see from the above information, building a swimming pool and yard can get a little bit pricey. Nevertheless, don’t let this discourage you! The price of a pool and yard fluctuates greatly depending on the features that you choose to add, and we are confident that we can help you find a good fit for your home without blowing your budget or sacrificing the most important aspects of your pool.
For example, those with a tight budget could choose to eliminate the retainer wall in favour of using dirt and aggregate to fill in a sloped yard for a cost of just $1,000 to $4,000, saving anywhere from $6,000 to $16,000. If you feel like you may be in over your head trying to find a solution that works for you, please do not hesitate to reach out; we want to work with you to find a perfect solution so that you can have the pool and yard of your dreams.
Is building a swimming pool and landscaping my yard the right choice for me?
If we’re being honest, there are a lot of components that go into building a pool and yard, and it can take a lot of effort to make sure each detail is perfected. Still, taking the time to make sure that everything is just as you wish is an important part of investing in a pool and yard. We feel that building a pool and yard can work for almost any project and anyone, despite some of the difficulties and complexities that may arise.
The main reason for this is that while many of us might have a vision of what we think a pool, pool deck, or pool house should look like, the reality is that the definitions of all of these things are very flexible, and so you can manipulate the details until everything looks just as you want it, including the budget.
Investing in a pool and yard is a great way to ensure that your summers can be spent under the sun, making memories in crystal cool water. Whether you need some more details before committing to this investment or are ready to get a jumpstart on the building process, we hope that you will feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns that you may have so that we can find the perfect fit for summertime fun for your home together.