What happens when you call
- You call and say what you have in mind and where you live.
- If no one picks up, leave a message. It is passed to an independent local pool builder the same day.
- The builder looks at your yard and gives you a written quote before any work starts.
Inground pools in Austin
New concrete pools
Concrete (gunite) pools are formed on site, so the size and shape are up to you. Fixr says concrete pools take 3 to 12 weeks to install once work starts.
Spas and water features
A spa can be built into the pool. Austin's drought plan bans filling spas in its Stage 4 restrictions, so ask how a spa would be filled and kept up in a dry year.
Pool decks and coping
Decks are often quoted separately from the pool. This Old House puts a pool deck at $5,000 to $20,000, depending on size and materials.
Pool fences and barriers
Austin applies the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. The barrier is part of the pool permit, so plan it with the pool.
Outdoor kitchens, shade and turf
Many builders also plan the space around the pool: outdoor kitchens, pergolas and artificial turf.
Plumbing, gas and electrical
Pool plumbing, gas lines and wiring are done by the builder's state-licensed plumbers and electricians under city trade permits.
Pools across Austin and nearby
- West Lake Hills
- Lakeway
- Bee Cave
- Steiner Ranch
- Dripping Springs
- Cedar Park
- Leander
- Round Rock
- Georgetown
- Pflugerville
- Buda
- Kyle
Building a pool in Austin: what to know
Rock to the west, clay to the east
The Balcones Escarpment runs through Austin. The Bureau of Economic Geology says soils west of it are thin and rocky over limestone, while soils to the east are deep. The Blackland Prairie clays that run from Dallas to San Antonio shrink and swell a lot with moisture. Both affect digging, so ask how a builder handles your lot.
Long, hot summers
Camp Mabry averaged 29 days a year at 100°F or hotter from 1991 to 2020. It had 80 such days in 2023 and a record 90 in 2011.
Drought stages and pools
Austin Water has been in its baseline Conservation Stage since September 2, 2025. Under the city's drought plan, Stage 4, when Lakes Travis and Buchanan hold less than 600,000 acre-feet combined, stops new single-family pool permits. Emergency Stage 5 bans adding water to pools.
Suburbs set their own rules
Water utilities outside Austin have their own drought plans. In May 2014, Lakeway put a moratorium on new swimming pool construction during a drought, with a $2,000-a-day fine.
Big trees are protected
Inside Austin, trees 19 inches or more across are protected, and a permit is needed to remove or impact them. Some species 24 inches or more are heritage trees, which are harder to remove.
Typical prices
| Concrete pool, 12 x 24 feet, pool only | $58,000-$100,000 |
| Concrete pool, national range | $50,000-$90,000 |
| Pool deck | $5,000-$20,000 |
| Pool fence | $3,000-$10,000 |
| Outdoor kitchen | $6,000-$30,000 |
Ranges from published cost guides, not a quote. The pool builder sets the price and should confirm it before starting.
Before you hire
- Inside Austin city limits, a builder must register with the City before working under a permit. Ask who will pull the pool permit.
- Texas law requires a written disclosure statement before you sign a home construction contract, and a list of subcontractors and suppliers before work starts.
- Get a written contract that lists the work, the timeline, the cost and how payments work. Texas warns that oral promises left out of the contract may not be enforceable.
- Ask whether the quote includes rock excavation, decking, fencing and the gas and electrical runs.
- Plumbing, gas and electrical work must be done by state-licensed trades. Ask who holds those licences.
- Check your HOA's rules before you sign. A Texas HOA can't ban a mesh pool fence that meets safety rules, though it can set limits on how it looks.
Texas has no state licence for pool builders. The City of Austin requires builders to register before they work under a city permit, and plumbing, gas and electrical work needs state-licensed trades. Prices above are published ranges from cost guides and a pool builder's Austin page, not quotes.
More help in Austin
Questions
Do I need a permit for a pool in Austin?
Yes, for an inground pool inside city limits. The City's permit exemption covers prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep, not inground pools. Its plan review time for pools is 5 business days, counted from when the review invoice is paid.
Can I fill a new pool during a drought?
Austin is in its baseline Conservation Stage. If lake storage falls far enough for Stage 4, the City stops approving new single-family pool permits. In Emergency Stage 5, adding water to pools is banned.
How tall does a pool fence need to be?
Federal safety guidance says at least 48 inches, and some places require 60. Austin's own Swimming Pool and Spa Code sets the local rule, and the barrier is checked with the pool permit.
Does Texas license pool builders?
No. The City of Austin says a state licence isn't required to act as a general contractor, but the builder must register with the City before working under a permit. Plumbers and electricians must hold state licences.
How long does a pool take?
Fixr says concrete pools take 3 to 12 weeks to install. Add time for design and permits. Homes on septic systems also need a septic review before a pool is added.