# British colonial estate pool in Palm Beach

A formal rectangle between clipped hedges, a long loggia and a pair of fire bowls for the evening. Drawn for a grand white British West Indies colonial with louvered shutters, a hipped roof and a columned loggia, with formal grounds with tall clipped ficus hedges, royal palms, a gravel path and manicured lawn panels.

A design idea for Palm Beach, FL. Florida, large estate, Colonial. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 40 × 20 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 800 sq ft
- Water: about 19,800 gal
- Coping: 120 linear ft
- Deck: 1,940 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft square (about 1,100 gal)

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 11 ft, slopes over about 14 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 15 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: Rectangle

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

### Size: 40 × 20 ft

A pool about 20 ft wide and 40 ft long. A big pool for swimming and entertaining, which needs a generous lot and a strong filtration plan. That is about 800 sq ft of water and about 19,800 gallons.

### Steps: Wide steps

Wide steps across one end. Easy for kids and older swimmers, and a place to sit in the shallow water. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

### Sun shelf: Sun shelf

A shallow ledge a few inches under the water. Kids play and adults lounge on it, and bubblers or a chair fit there.

### Hot tub: Spills into the pool, 7 ft square

A hot tub built into the pool and level with the deck, spilling into it. It shares the pool's water and equipment, so one heater and one set of chemistry cover both. The tub holds about 1,100 gallons.

### Pool finish: Quartz

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 color: White finish, bright light blue water

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

### Waterline tile: White

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 120 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Travertine

Ivory travertine with a rounded edge. Stays cooler underfoot than most stone and gives a warm, classic edge. It runs about 120 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Travertine pavers

Ivory travertine pavers. Light and cool underfoot, and a natural fit with Mediterranean and French styles. The deck is about 1,940 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

### Planting: Lawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

### Water features: Sheer descents, Fire bowls

Sheer descents: Sheets of water pouring from a wall into the pool. A calm, modern sound that masks street noise. It needs a pump sized for the flow. Fire bowls: Fire bowls on pedestals at the edge. Adds drama at night. They run on gas, so wind and the gas line need a plan.

### Add to the yard: Pergola

Pergola: A pergola over part of the deck. Gives shade and a room feeling. It may need a permit and engineering where it is windy or snowy.

### Furniture: Loungers, Umbrella

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Umbrella: A market umbrella. Cheap shade that you can move with the sun.

### Light: Golden hour

Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: formal grounds with tall clipped ficus hedges, royal palms, a gravel path and manicured lawn panels. An estate lot can hold a large pool, so the design is about scale, views and a place to gather. Space lets the pool, the pergola, the outdoor kitchen and the lawn each have room. The risk is a pool that looks lost, so scale the deck and the planting with the house.

The house is a grand white British West Indies colonial with louvered shutters, a hipped roof and a columned loggia. A colonial house wants symmetry, brick or flagstone and a formal edge. A tidy rectangle, stone coping and a calm palette respect the house's proportions. Clipped hedges and simple furniture keep the formality.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 58 by 47 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 60 by 49 ft.

## Florida: what the climate asks of this pool

A Florida pool is used most of the year, so heat, storms and screens shape the design.

- Many Florida pools sit under a screen enclosure, which keeps out bugs and leaves but changes how much sun and breeze the deck gets. Plan planting and furniture around the cage lines.
- Afternoon storms and hurricane season mean equipment pads, pergolas and loose furniture need to be anchored or easy to stow.
- A high water table is common near the coast. Builders usually fit a hydrostatic relief valve so the shell does not float when the ground is saturated.
- Near salt water, salt air is hard on metal fences, light fittings and some stone. Ask which materials are rated for it.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 19,800 gallons. It is 40 by 20 ft with about 800 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 6 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 58 by 47 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 60 by 49 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for FL is $120,000 to $305,000 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.

## Why it works here

Formal hedges and lawn panels need straight lines, so the rectangle follows the loggia and the clipped ficus. White quartz and white tile keep the water bright against travertine, and the pergola shades the sun shelf. Fire bowls and sheer descents add evening interest without breaking the symmetry.

What to watch: White surfaces and pale travertine bounce strong sun back at you by the afternoon. Fire bowls beside a pool also need a gas line and careful placement near the loungers and the sheer descents.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$120,000 to $305,000 for FL, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $73,000 to $203,000. 800 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: $5,500 to $6,500. 120 linear ft at $45 to $55 a foot.
- Deck: $30,000 to $53,000. 1,943 sq ft at $15 to $27 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $18,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Sheer descents: $1,500 to $4,000. Two descents. Each, installed.
- Wall for the water: $2,000 to $8,000. The wall that sheer descents and scuppers pour from, where none exists.
- Fire bowls: $500 to $3,000. 2 bowls. Each, from the gas fire pit price band. No source prices pool-side fire bowls.
- Pergola: $2,000 to $6,500. A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.

Sources: [US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state](https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area); [HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/inground-pool); [Fixr, gunite and concrete pool](https://www.fixr.com/costs/inground-gunite-concrete-swimming-pool); [Pool Research, plunge pool cost](https://poolresearch.com/plunge-pool-cost/); [Pool Research, pool coping cost](https://poolresearch.com/coping-cost/); [HomeAdvisor, travertine pavers](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/travertine-pavers-install/); [HomeAdvisor, hot tub cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/install-a-hot-tub); [Shasta Pools, Arizona costs](https://shastapools.com/blog/breaking-down-the-cost-of-an-arizona-pool); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [Fixr, pergola](https://www.fixr.com/costs/build-pergola)

## How long it takes

3 to 6 months from contract to first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.

- The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
- The hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Quartz, white (about 1,200 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 tile: White (about 120 linear ft, 10 in. band). White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
- Coping: Travertine (about 120 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.
- Deck: Travertine pavers (about 1,940 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.
- Planting: Lawn and hedges. A lawn and clipped hedges. It softens the yard and brings grass clippings and fertilizer, so it should be kept away from the water.
- Water feature: Fire bowls. Gas flames on pedestals at the edge of the pool. They need a gas line, a shut-off and a pedestal set clear of splash and foot traffic.
- Water feature: Sheer descents. Thin sheets of water that pour from a wall. They run on the pool pump and can be loud or quiet, so ask to hear one.
- Yard addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
- Hot tub: Spills into the pool, square (about 1,100 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- 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.
- Sheer descents: Sheer descents grow a film of algae on the wall. Wipe it down and run them on a timer rather than all day.
- Fire bowls: Have the gas lines and the burners checked once a year, and cover or switch off the bowls in a storm.
- The hot tub: A hot tub is a second body of water with its own chemistry. Keep it covered between uses and drain and clean it on the maker's schedule.
- 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).

## Questions to ask a builder

- Which parts of this design need a hurricane tie-down, and does the screen enclosure change the pool layout?
- Where does the gas line for the fire bowls run in relation to the pool shell, and who inspects it?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- Does the pergola need a permit or engineering for wind or snow, and who builds it?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=british-colonial-estate-pool-palm-beach