How Much does an Inground Pool really Cost?
Patio loungers under an umbrella, or maybe you are out on the sun deck with the umbrella in your drink. Flagstone or pavers warm your feet, while the kids are all home and accounted for. Plus, they brought their 20 closest friends. Good food, good friends, and good memories. You know how it should look, taste, smell, and feel. The vision is vivid and one that has rolled around in your head for a decade or two. You just might even have a small model secretly stored in your desk at work, just like Chevy Chase. The sad reality is we meet families every year that never get to have their dreams fully realized.
Ok Debbie downer what's up?...
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but most companies are afraid to tell you exactly what the total costs for your dream backyard pool oasis near Sparta, NJ could be. We all know those estimates that are thrown around by the national contractor finding services is not even remotely accurate.
Why is that?
I can only speculate as to why this is, but I've always suspected fear. Fear that if the true total costs were revealed early the whole project might get squashed and that means another lost sale. I could be wrong, but the more conversations we have, the more it seams plausible.
"But I've gotten several estimates and the costs are not too much different than we suspected"...
I know, I hear this a lot too. The other thing I hear all the time is how much the homeowner dislikes the company they hired to build their pool. In almost every case the conversation is over budget, past deadline, and not a pleasurable experience. Notice I said "almost" because there are good builders out there. At the end of the day, the experience comes down to transparent conversation and properly setting the stage.
There are a lot of moving parts to creating your dream backyard. Spending a little time researching and planning your long term project before you dig will always pay back in the end. I say long term because you might want to know so you don't schedule that pool party too soon...
This is right about the time you might be wondering where I am going with this, and a few others have opened another browser to start drafting their colorful response. So let's get to the point. Here is the deal...
We've crafted this neat little niche for ourselves building Nature Inspired backyards that just happen to go well with pools. We've worked on everything from lap pools in tight spaces to 12000 square foot plant filtered natural swimming pools. We've seen a lot go right, and a few things go wrong. Mostly though we have gathered a lot of data. Data we use to better create amazing experiences for our clients as they make new memories in their well planned outdoor living spaces.
"But we already have a pool guy"...
Great, lets get them on the phone. We love collaboration. Working together to get you the best possible results. Like we said earlier, planning a little more now will pay back later.
The trouble is getting to the bottom line. More people, more contractors, more of your time, and more chances to miss something along the way. We get it. You are about to make a large investment, and it is really important to get this right. So let's dig in because I bet you are curious, and if you are still reading, possibly a little nervous.
There are lots of moving parts, so lets make a list of the basics you most likely will need to take your boring lawn to that place you first envisioned before you decided to click on this article.
Swimming Pool essentials list:
Permits and approvals - 2-5k
Engineering - 3-5k
Excavation including dealing with a pile of soil larger than your house - 3-12k
The Pool - 25-60k
Pumps, filters, etc - 5-20k
Utilities - 5-10k
Water - 2-3k
Coping - 8-15k
Patio (a real one, not that 3' slab that come with the pool) - 30-60k
Landscaping and putting your lawn back - 15-30k
Fence - 10-30k
Furniture and storage - 5-10k
Winter Cover - 3-5k
Maintenance services 2-5k
Ok, are you still with me? I know you just want to get the pool in the ground and take it from there. I completely understand the need to take it slow. We've seen projects go on for years this way. We've also seen life get in the way and a lot of projects never finished. A handful have straight up just sold the house because it was no longer a conversation they wished to have.
I hope this doesn't happen to you. In part that is why I created this blog. We believe making a well planned decision can completely change the game on the conversation. One of our core values actually. So how can we help you exactly?
At Sierra we specialize in helping families create new memories by bringing to them well planned outdoor living spaces that bring them closer to nature. Sometimes that involves a pool, and sometimes it does not. We find the best results and conversations take place when the cards are out on the table. If you are thinking about breaking ground in the future to create that personalized oasis to make your own memories we would love to speak with you. Our team is excited and standing by ready to help you make sure that you get that dream out of your headspace and actually into your yard.
Oh, and by the way I almost forgot...it would be helpful to know that the conversation will most likely be starting north of 100k and we've been a part of dreams that go exponentially higher than that. It's an important decision, and one that can be life changing. Click below to get started with a conversation on how to have a great pool building experience.
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