I get asked this question more than almost anything else. Someone calls the office, they have a backyard they’ve been staring at for years, and within the first two minutes: “Scott, just give it to me straight — what’s this going to cost?“
I respect that. After 45 years building custom pools across Dallas-Fort Worth, I’ve learned that the best thing I can do is put real numbers on the table early. Nobody wants to fall in love with a design that’s three times their budget.
So here it is – a straight, honest breakdown of what custom pools actually cost in DFW in 2026. These numbers are based on real projects we’ve completed in Frisco, Plano, Dallas, and the surrounding communities. Not national averages pulled from a spreadsheet somewhere. Actual North Texas builds.
Why Pool Pricing Varies So Much
I’ve seen homeowners get quotes ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 for what looks like “the same pool” on paper. That gap isn’t dishonesty. It reflects real differences in scope, materials, site conditions, and who’s doing the work.
When we sit down with a family for the first time, we’re not pricing a hole in the ground with some water in it. We’re designing an outdoor space that has to work with your soil conditions, your lot dimensions, your home’s architecture, North Texas’s clay soil and brutal temperature swings, and how your family actually plans to use it.
The main variables that move the needle on price:
- Who’s building it — Experience, warranty, and reputation carry real value in this industry.
- Pool size and shape — A 12×24 rectangle and a 20×40 freeform are completely different projects, even if they’re both called ‘a pool’.
- Construction material — Gunite/concrete, fiberglass, and vinyl all have different costs, strengths, and long-term maintenance realities.
- Surface finish — Standard plaster, PebbleTec, quartz, and glass bead finishes all carry different price tags and different lifespans.
- Added features — Spa, tanning ledge, water features, automation, outdoor kitchen — each adds real dollars.
- Site conditions — Difficult soil, slopes, narrow access, or rock can add 10–20% to excavation costs alone.
The Real Numbers: Custom Pool Cost Ranges in DFW
Entry-Level Custom Pools: $55,000 – $80,000
You can build a solid, beautiful gunite pool in this range if you keep the footprint modest and features straightforward. Think 12×24 to 15×30 feet, a PebbleTec or quartz finish, basic LED lighting, standard coping, and a concrete deck.
What you typically don’t get at this price: a spa, water features, a tanning ledge, automation, or premium decking. That’s perfectly fine for a lot of families. A well-designed, clean pool is genuinely beautiful without any of that.
Mid-Range Custom Pools: $80,000 – $130,000
This is where most of our projects land — and honestly, it’s a great place to be. At this budget level, you can get a pool in the 300–500 square foot range with the features that really make a difference in daily enjoyment.
What this budget typically gets you:
- A connected spa or hot tub
- Tanning ledge (also called a baja shelf or sun shelf) — wildly popular in Texas for obvious reasons
- One or two water features — deck jets, a spillway, or a sheer descent
- LED color lighting package
- Basic automation — run the whole thing from your phone
- PebbleTec or Pebble Sheen finish
- Travertine or natural stone coping and decking
Luxury Custom Pools: $130,000 – $250,000+
When a client wants the full picture — vanishing edge, resort-style outdoor living space, custom water features, full automation, large spa, fire features — we’re working in this range. These are the projects I personally find most creatively fulfilling because the design latitude is enormous.
I’ve built pools in this range all over North Texas. Some have been featured in trade publications. They’re genuinely remarkable spaces.
Here’s how it all maps out:
| Pool Type | Approx. Size | 2026 Cost Range (DFW) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level Inground (Gunite) | 12×24 – 15×30 ft | $55,000 – $80,000 |
| Mid-Range with Spa + Features | 15×30 – 18×36 ft | $80,000 – $130,000 |
| Premium / High-End Build | 18×36 – 20×40 ft | $130,000 – $175,000 |
| Luxury / Vanishing Edge | Custom design | $175,000 – $250,000+ |
| Full Outdoor Living Package | Pool + living space | $175,000 – $350,000+ |
You May Like To Read: Gunite vs Fiberglass Pools: Which Is Better?
What’s Usually Included vs. Priced as Add-Ons
One of the most common mistakes I see is homeowners comparing quotes that include fundamentally different things. Always ask exactly what’s in the number you’re being given. Here’s how we typically structure it at Leisure Living Pools.
Usually Included in the Base Quote
- Excavation and site preparation
- Gunite shell construction
- Basic plumbing and circulation system
- Standard pump and filter equipment
- Interior finish (specify which — plaster, PebbleTec, or quartz)
- Basic coping
- Electrical connection and lighting
- City permit and inspection fees (in most cases)
Typically Priced as Add-Ons
- Spa or hot tub: $15,000 – $35,000
- Tanning ledge / baja shelf: $3,000 – $8,000
- Water features (per feature): $2,000 – $12,000
- Pool automation system: $3,000 – $8,000
- Premium decking — travertine, pavers, cool deck: $8,000 – $25,000
- Outdoor kitchen: $15,000 – $50,000+
- Fire pit or fire bowls: $3,000 – $10,000
- Pergola or shade structure: $8,000 – $25,000
The Costs Most Homeowners Don’t See Coming
In 45 years I’ve watched good people get blindsided by costs they didn’t factor in. I’d rather you know about these upfront.
Landscaping Restoration
After excavation, your yard looks like a construction site. Budget $5,000–$25,000 to restore or improve the area around the pool. Some homeowners factor this in from the start. Many don’t.
Pool Safety Fencing
In Texas, a pool barrier — either a fence or self-closing gate system — is required by law. Depending on your existing fencing, add $2,000–$8,000.
Ongoing Maintenance
A pool isn’t a one-time purchase. Budget $1,200–$2,400 per year for chemicals, minor equipment maintenance, and seasonal service. If you hire a pool service company in DFW, that’s typically $150–$300 per month.
Monthly Utility Costs
Running a pump, heater, and lighting adds roughly $80–$150 per month to your utility bills in Texas. Variable speed pumps and LED lighting help cut this down considerably.
Equipment Replacement Over Time
A pump lasts 8–12 years. A heater lasts 6–10 years. A pool surface, depending on the material, lasts 15–25 years. These aren’t worries right now — but they’re part of the honest lifetime cost of owning a pool.
Why DFW Costs Are Different From National Averages
I get homeowners who’ve looked at national cost calculators online and come in expecting a number that’s 20–30% lower than what the DFW market actually costs. Those tools are using national averages from markets with different labor costs, different soil conditions, and different permitting environments.
Building in Frisco, Plano, or Dallas comes with specific realities: expansive clay soil that requires engineering consideration, varying permit timelines across different municipalities, and a competitive skilled-labor market. A contractor unfamiliar with the area may not account for all of it in their first quote — and you end up paying for the gap later in change orders.
We’ve been permitted and inspected in Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, and dozens of other North Texas cities for over four decades. That institutional knowledge has real dollar value.
How to Get a Budget-Accurate Quote (Not a Ballpark)
I want to be direct about this: you cannot get a reliable pool quote over the phone or by submitting an online form. Any contractor who gives you a firm number without seeing your yard, your soil, your access points, and your vision is guessing. Be skeptical of those quotes.
Here’s what a proper quoting process looks like at our company:
- Site visit — we walk your backyard together, assess soil conditions, note any access limitations, and see how the lot is graded
- Design consultation — we talk about how you’ll actually use the pool. Family swimming? Entertaining? Lap swimming for exercise? That shapes everything
- 3D rendering — you see exactly what the finished space looks like before a shovel goes in the ground
- Itemized proposal — every line item spelled out. No vague ‘pool package’ numbers
- Build schedule — if everything aligns, you get on our calendar
What About the Timeline? How Long Does This Take?
Cost is the first question I get asked. Timeline is almost always the second. The honest answer is that from the first site visit to final inspection, most projects run 10–18 weeks under normal conditions.
I walk through the full week-by-week breakdown in our guide on pool construction timelines in North Texas — but the short version is that weather, permit processing times, and material lead times all affect it.
Why the Builder You Choose Matters as Much as the Budget
I’ve been in this industry since my father Tom started Leisure Living Pools in 1980. I’ve watched companies appear and disappear. I’ve seen homeowners who chased the lowest quote end up spending more money fixing problems than they saved upfront. In some cases significantly more.
A pool is a major structural addition to your property. It has to be engineered correctly, plumbed correctly, finished correctly — because when something goes wrong underground, it’s expensive to fix. The companies that are still in business after 40-plus years are still there for a reason.
Let’s Talk About Your Backyard
I don’t do ballpark estimates. When you contact Leisure Living Pools, you get a real site visit, a real conversation, and an honest quote based on your actual property and your actual goals.
We’ve been building pools in Frisco, Plano, Dallas, and across the DFW Metroplex since 1980. The third generation of our family is working in this business now. We stand behind everything we build — and we’ll be here long after the pool is finished.
Call us at (972) 335-2777 or schedule a consultation on our website. Let’s see what your backyard can become.
