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AI concept image of Beach cottage pool a block from 30A: a rectangular pool with a sun shelf.
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Santa Rosa Beach, FL · Coastal

Beach cottage pool a block from 30A

A relaxed rectangle with a white deck and a bench, close enough to the Gulf to rinse off in.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: coastal houses on a coastal in Gulf Coast.

Drawn for a raised white beach cottage with a metal roof, board-and-batten siding and a wraparound porch, with sand-colored grounds with sea oats, dune grass, cabbage palms and crushed shell paths.

Planning cost, FL
$45,000 to $105,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
24 × 12 ft
3.5 to 5 ft deep
Water
about 5,700 gal
Water surface
290 sq ft

Quick answers about this design

Worked out from this design's own model, so they differ from page to page.

How much water does this pool hold?
About 5,700 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 290 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 5 ft at the deep end. The gallons come from adding up the depth over the real floor, steps and shelf included.
How big a yard does it need?
Plan on a clear area of about 42 by 30 ft for the pool, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 43 by 31 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for FL is $45,000 to $105,000 all in: the pool, deck, coping, fence and features listed on this page. Permits and engineering are not in it. It is a range built from published prices, not a quote, and real jobs usually land inside it rather than on its edges.
How long does it take to build?
Plan on about 3 to 6 months from a signed contract to the first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.

Chapter 1 of 4

The design

What is in this pool, and how it turns in 3D.

The design, spelled out

Every choice in this pool, what it is, and why it suits this house and this part of the country.

Depth profile

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

3.5 ft5 ftwater line24 ft long

Design notes

Written with AI tools from this design's own measurements and sources, not by a pool builder. How we write

Why it works here

Sand-colored grounds and a raised white cottage suit a clean white rectangle that does not compete with the dune grass. Travertine deck and coping stay light and kind to bare feet after a rinse. The bench by the steps gives a seat in the shallows under the umbrella.

What to watch

Sand blows onto the deck and into the water, and salt air eats at metal fittings. With no fence in the design, the town may still require a barrier, and a raised house can change where it goes.

How it reads

White quartz and white waterline tile give the pool a light, clear aqua that matches the white cottage and the sand-colored grounds. Travertine coping and deck stay pale and warm, so the edge reads as a soft border rather than a hard line. The bubblers add a gentle ripple, and the dune grass and cabbage palms sit close. By evening the water takes on the pink and gold of the sky.

Through the year

Santa Rosa Beach has hot summers, which are the busy season, and a cooler stretch when the pool is used less. Sand and salt blow in all year, and the Gulf storms in late summer and fall bring wind and rain. Rinse the deck and the loungers after beach days, and empty the skimmer basket often so sand does not clog it.

Every choice, row by row (13)
ShapeRectangle

A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house.

Size24 × 12 ft

A pool about 12 ft wide and 24 ft long. Big enough for a few people to cool off and play, small enough for a tight lot. That is about 290 sq ft of water and about 5,700 gallons.

StepsSteps and a bench

Steps with a bench along one wall. Gives adults a place to sit and talk in the water while the kids play. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

Sun shelfWith an umbrella

A sun shelf with an umbrella in the water. Adds shade so the shelf is usable at midday.

Pool finishQuartz

Plaster with quartz aggregate, smooth with a bit of sparkle. Usually holds color and resists staining better than plain plaster, and stays gentle on feet. Warm, humid water grows algae faster, so a smooth, dense finish is easier to keep clean.

Finish colorWhite finish, bright light blue water

A white interior. Gives the brightest, lightest blue water.

Waterline tileWhite

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 72 linear ft around this pool.

CopingTravertine

Ivory travertine with a rounded edge. Stays cooler underfoot than most stone and gives a warm, classic edge. It runs about 72 linear ft around this pool.

DeckTravertine pavers

Ivory travertine pavers. Light and cool underfoot, and a natural fit with Mediterranean and French styles. The deck is about 960 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

PlantingModern

Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. A tidy, low-maintenance frame that suits clean architecture. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

Water featuresBubblers

Bubblers: Small domes of water rising on the sun shelf. A soft sound and a cooling touch on a shelf, with little plumbing.

FurnitureLoungers, Dining table
  • Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck.
  • Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen.
LightMidday sun

Shown in midday sun. Shows the true color of the water and the finish.

Coping
72 linear ft
Deck
960 sq ft

Why it fits the coastal

The yard: sand-colored grounds with sea oats, dune grass, cabbage palms and crushed shell paths. A coastal pool deals with wind, salt and a view, so materials and shelter shape the design. Wind chills the water and carries salt. A low wall, a glass fence and tough fittings let the pool take in the view without punishment from the weather.

Why it fits the coastal house

The house is a raised white beach cottage with a metal roof, board-and-batten siding and a wraparound porch. A coastal house wants light colors, natural wood and a view that stays open. A clean rectangle, a glass fence, pale coping and a wood-look deck keep the yard bright and let the ocean air and light do the work.

Turn this design around in 3D

This is the model behind the numbers above, with this design's own shape, steps, finish and deck. It loads when you scroll to it.

The same choices as the picture, as a model you can turn.

AI concept image of Beach cottage pool a block from 30A: a rectangular pool with a sun shelf.

Turn it, zoom in, switch the dimension lines on.

In your yard

How would this swimming pool look on your home?

See this exact design as a photorealistic video, filmed in your own yard, from one photo.

You pick the film, add one photo, and see the picture before you decide anything.

A sample yard photo

A frame from an example film

A sample yard photo on the left, and on the right a frame from an example AI film of a pool in a backyard.

Chapter 2 of 4

Will it work for you

Your yard, your climate, and what the pool asks of you after the build.

Will this fit your yard?

A planning estimate, built from the model's own dimensions. Your town's setbacks decide the real answer.

Clear area to plan on

42 × 30 ft

About 1,260 sq ft. The pool alone is 24 × 12 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 42 by 30 ft for the pool, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 43 by 31 ft.

The 4 ft walkway and 5 ft setback are our planning allowances, not code. Towns set their own distances from the water to the lot line and the house, so ask yours before you commit to a layout.

Will it fit your yard?

Enter the clear area, from the house to the back fence and side to side.

Gulf Coast: what the climate asks of this pool

On the Gulf Coast, a pool has to handle humidity, salt air and storm surge risk as well as the heat.

  • Humid air keeps decks damp, so a textured, light-colored surface that dries quickly is safer underfoot.
  • Low, flat lots can hold standing water after heavy rain. Deck drainage and where the pool overflow goes matter more here than in a dry region.
  • Salt air is hard on metals. Stainless and aluminum parts should be marine rated, and fire features need their gas lines sized and protected for wind.
  • In a flood zone, the pool, the equipment and the fence may all have extra rules. Check the flood map for the lot before you fall for a layout.

Keeping it up

What this pool asks of its owner, by finish, climate, deck and feature.

  • Quartz in this climate

    A smooth quartz surface is easier to keep algae-free than a textured one, but it still needs a steady sanitizer level in warm water.

  • Travertine pavers deck

    Seal the travertine as the maker says and rinse it after salt or chlorine splashes. Use a stone-safe cleaner, never an acid wash.

  • Bubblers

    Bubblers are low upkeep. Check the nozzles for scale and keep the shelf free of debris.

  • Algae and storms

    Warm, damp weather grows algae fast, so keep the sanitizer steady and circulation running. Secure loose furniture before a storm.

  • Yearly running cost

    Owners commonly budget $3,000 to $5,000 a year for chemicals, power, service and repairs (HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost, 2026).

Chapter 3 of 4

Cost and timeline

A sourced range to plan with, and how long it takes.

What this design costs: a planning range

Built line by line from this design's own measurements and published prices. It is a range to plan with, not a quote.

Planning range, FL

$45,000 to $105,000

Everything on this page, built: the pool, the deck, the coping, the fence and the features. It is a range, not a quote. Every line is at its lowest published price for the low end and its highest for the high end, so a real job lands inside it rather than on an edge.

Prices are scaled for FL by a damped regional factor of 1.02 (the state's cost of living is 103.4 against 100 for the US, and we use half the gap). Land clearing, landscaping beyond what is listed, a pool house's interior and financing are not in it.

Where the range comes from

The pool
$26,000 to $73,000
288 sq ft of water at $90 to $250 a square foot (shell, excavation, plumbing, equipment, plaster). Steps and the sun shelf are part of the shell.
Coping
$3,500 to $4,000
72 linear ft at $45 to $55 a foot.
Deck
$15,000 to $26,000
964 sq ft at $15 to $27 a square foot installed.
Bubblers
$500 to $1,000
Two bubblers. Each bubbler, installed.
How we built this range, and the sources

We measure this design in the 3D model (water area, shell area, coping, deck, tub, what stands on the deck), multiply each quantity by a published price range per unit, add the lines and scale them for the state. The prices are from the pages below, collected in October 2026. Where two sources disagree the range spans both, and the line says so.

The method is written out, with every rate, at docs/POOL-IDEAS-COST-MODEL.md in our repository, and one file holds the rates, so a change of price changes every page at once.

How to get a number you can trust

Ask two or three local builders to quote the same scope in writing: the pool, the deck, the fence, the electrical, the permits and the landscaping, each on its own line. Then compare the lines, not the totals. Share this page with them: the size, the choices and the 3D model give a builder a starting point. To see how the published prices are built up and where they disagree, read inground pool cost, line by line.

How long it takes to build

From a signed contract to the first swim, before the yard additions.

Contract to first swim

3 to 6 months

Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts. Weather, inspections and the builder's schedule move every date.

Nothing in this design adds a stage beyond the usual order: excavate, steel and plumbing, shell, tile and coping, deck, finish, fill.

What it is made of

The materials list for this design, with its own quantities from the model.

The materials list (6 lines)
InteriorQuartz, whiteabout 480 sq ft of shell
Plaster with quartz grains mixed in. Smoother than pebble and tougher than plaster, with a little sparkle under the water.
Waterline tileWhiteabout 72 linear ft, 10 in. band
White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
CopingTravertineabout 72 linear ft
Natural stone with a rounded edge. It stays comfortable underfoot but should be sealed, and it needs a gentle cleaner rather than an acid wash.
DeckTravertine paversabout 960 sq ft
Natural stone pavers. Cooler than most paving in the sun, but porous: it needs sealing and a quick rinse after salt or chlorine splashes.
PlantingModern
Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. Tidy and low water, with the beds kept away from the skimmer.
Water featureBubblers
Small domes of water on the shelf. They are quiet, they run on the pump or a small one of their own, and they take little room.

Chapter 4 of 4

Talk to a builder

What to ask before you sign, and how to bring this design to them.

Questions to ask a builder about this design

Specific to what is in this pool. Ask them before you sign.

  1. 01Is the lot in a flood zone, and where does the pool equipment have to sit to meet that rule?
  2. 02Which fittings and equipment will the builder use that are made for salt air, and how will blown sand be kept out of the skimmer?
  3. 03How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
  4. 04Do the bubblers run on the main pump or their own, and can I shut them off?
  5. 05Is the travertine sealed, and how does it hold up to the pool chemicals?

Make it yours

Start with this design and add a photo of your own yard. The free visualizer places the pool on it, with your choices ready to change.

See this pool in your yard, freeUpload your yard

More like this

Region:Gulf CoastSetting:CoastalHouse style:CoastalFeature:Small backyard poolFeature:Pool with a sun shelfAll pool ideas

This is a design idea for a sample yard, and every picture is an AI concept image, not a built pool. Sizes, gallons and areas are estimates from the same maths as the 3D model, and the price and time ranges are planning figures from published sources, to help you talk to a builder.

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