Pool costs

The headline number in a pool quote is rarely the number you pay. This Old House puts installed cost at $180-$350 per square foot, split roughly as vinyl $130-$240, fiberglass $175-$330, and concrete $200-$350 per square foot. Thursday Pools' 2026 figures land in the same territory: vinyl $35,000-$80,000 and concrete $50,000-$120,000 or more.

The extras are where budgets break. Thursday Pools lists permits at $100-$1,000 or more, excavation at $1,000-$5,000, electrical at $2,000-$10,000, and fencing at $10-$45 per linear foot (commonly $2,000-$13,500). A heater adds $1,200-$6,000, and an automatic safety cover $8,000-$20,000. None of that is optional if your local code requires a barrier - and most jurisdictions do.

Then there is the bill that never stops. This Old House estimates monthly upkeep at $90-$270, and ten-year maintenance of $5,000-$15,000 for fiberglass, $11,000-$17,000 for vinyl, and $27,000-$40,000 for concrete. If a ten-year running cost of that size would strain you, the install quote is the wrong thing to be arguing about.