A backyard pool sounds like the ultimate dream – until the price tag starts making waves. But creating your own personal paradise doesn’t have to mean draining your savings.
With the right planning, smart design moves, and a few clever cost-cutting tricks, it’s entirely possible to get the pool you want without blowing your budget!
These 17 tips will help keep your pool project in check, so you can splash out where it counts and save where it matters.
1. Create a Clear Budget Plan
Money has a funny way of disappearing during big projects. Before digging that first shovelful of dirt, establish a detailed budget with a 15-20% buffer for unexpected costs.
Track every expense in a spreadsheet or app, categorizing costs between necessities and luxuries. This financial roadmap will keep you from drifting into dangerous spending territory when tempting upgrades present themselves.
2. Downsize Your Pool Dreams
Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to backyard swimming pools. Each additional square foot adds to excavation, materials, water, and ongoing maintenance costs.
Consider how you’ll actually use the pool—for exercise, family fun, or just cooling off? A cozy plunge pool or lap pool might perfectly suit your needs while saving thousands. Remember: you’ll spend most of your time in the shallow end anyway!
3. Embrace Simple Geometric Shapes
Those flowing, freeform pool designs with curved edges might look amazing on Pinterest, but they come with a hefty price tag. Complicated shapes require more engineering, labor, and materials.
Rectangular and square pools are substantially cheaper to build while offering maximum swimming space. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider an L-shape—it provides visual interest without the premium price of fully custom designs.
4. Select Cost-Effective Materials
Fancy finishes can quickly inflate your pool budget beyond recognition. Vinyl liners typically cost half as much as fiberglass shells and a third of gunite concrete installations.
For decking, stamped concrete delivers a high-end look at a fraction of the cost of natural stone. When choosing coping (the material that caps your pool edge), opt for precast concrete instead of custom stone to keep costs manageable.
5. Roll Up Your Sleeves for Landscaping
Professional landscaping around a pool can easily add $5,000-$10,000 to your project. Why not channel your inner gardener instead?
Start with simple, drought-resistant plants that won’t drop debris into your pool. Laying sod, planting shrubs, and creating mulch beds are all beginner-friendly tasks. Local nurseries often provide free design advice when you purchase plants, helping you create a beautiful poolside retreat without the professional markup.
6. Phase Your Pool Features
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your dream pool doesn’t need to be completed in one go either. Smart pool owners plan for feature expansion over time.
Start with the basic pool structure and essential equipment. Later, when your budget recovers, you can add that waterfall, fire feature, or built-in spa. This approach spreads costs across multiple years while still delivering your ultimate vision.
7. Consider a Saltwater Sanitation System
While the initial investment runs $1,000-$2,500 higher than traditional chlorine systems, saltwater pools can save you money long-term. The salt cells convert regular salt into chlorine naturally, eliminating the need for constant chemical purchases.
Most owners report spending about 80% less on chemicals annually. As a bonus, saltwater systems are gentler on skin, eyes, and swimwear, extending the life of your pool accessories and enhancing comfort.
8. Maximize Existing Yard Features
Working with your property’s natural contours can dramatically reduce excavation costs. A sloped yard isn’t a pool obstacle—it’s an opportunity!
Consider a semi-inground pool on the downhill side, requiring less digging while creating a natural infinity edge effect. Existing retaining walls can double as pool walls, and mature trees provide free shade that would otherwise cost thousands in shade structures.
9. Skip the Fancy Lighting Package
Those color-changing LED light shows look spectacular in showrooms but add $2,000-$5,000 to your pool budget. Instead, start with standard white LED main lights—they’re energy-efficient and provide ample illumination for safety.
For ambiance, add inexpensive solar-powered landscape lights around the pool area. This approach delivers similar visual impact at a fraction of the cost, plus you can easily change or upgrade the look seasonally.
10. Choose Vinyl Liners Over Gunite
Concrete pools might be the gold standard, but vinyl-lined pools deliver 90% of the experience at 50-60% of the price. Modern vinyl liners come in stunning patterns that mimic tile and stone finishes.
They’re smooth to the touch, resistant to algae, and typically last 7-10 years before needing replacement. When that time comes, you’ll spend $3,000-$5,000 on relining—still less than major concrete resurfacing costs.
11. Cover Your Investment
A quality solar cover costs $100-$300 but delivers remarkable savings. These bubble-wrap-like covers trap heat from the sun, raising water temperature 10-15 degrees without running your heater.
They also reduce evaporation by up to 95%, conserving water and chemicals. For year-round protection, add a safety cover ($1,000-$2,500) that prevents debris from entering during off-seasons, reducing spring cleaning costs and extending your pool’s lifespan.
12. Use Alternative Decking Materials
Natural stone and pavers look magnificent but can add $15,000+ to your pool surround. Gravel, mulch, and crushed granite offer budget-friendly alternatives that still look intentional and designed.
For hard surfaces, consider stamped concrete at $6-$12 per square foot versus $15-$30 for pavers. Another hack: create a smaller “luxury zone” of high-end materials for the main entry area, transitioning to more affordable options for the remainder.
13. Shop Off-Season for Accessories
Timing is everything when outfitting your new pool. Retailers slash prices on loungers, umbrellas, and pool toys by 40-75% during fall clearance sales.
Stock up on chemicals in early spring before demand drives prices up. Even pool equipment sees seasonal discounts—October through February typically offers the best deals on pumps, heaters, and filters as manufacturers release new models and clear inventory.
14. Prioritize Essential Safety Features
Safety features aren’t areas to skimp on, but you can prioritize wisely. Start with code-required fencing and self-closing gates ($1,500-$3,000), which protect children and pets while potentially lowering insurance premiums.
Add inexpensive pool alarms ($100-$300) that alert you to unexpected water entry. Save more elaborate safety features for future upgrades. Remember: no fancy water feature is worth compromising safety.
15. Minimize Water Features
Nothing drains a pool budget faster than elaborate water features. That cascading waterfall with color-changing lights could add $15,000+ to your project cost.
Instead, consider a simple sheer descent water blade ($500-$1,000) that creates a peaceful water sound without extensive plumbing. Even more affordable: solar-powered floating fountains ($100-$300) that add movement and ambiance without permanent installation costs.
16. Repurpose Existing Materials
Your property might already contain materials perfect for your pool project. That old brick patio? Repurpose it for pool coping or decking accents.
Existing fencing can be relocated to surround your new pool area, saving thousands. Large rocks unearthed during excavation become free landscape features. Even soil removed for the pool can be repurposed to create cost-free privacy berms around your new aquatic retreat.
17. Select Standard Tile Options
Those hand-painted imported tiles look stunning in magazines but can cost $50-$100 per square foot installed. Standard ceramic pool tiles deliver similar durability at $5-$15 per square foot.
If you crave a designer look, use expensive accent tiles sparingly at the waterline while using budget-friendly options elsewhere. Another trick: standard tiles installed in creative patterns (herringbone or basketweave) create high-end visual impact without the premium price tag.