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AI concept image of Canal-front vanishing edge pool in Fort Lauderdale: a rectangular pool with a hot tub and a sun shelf.Save

Fort Lauderdale, FL · Lake or waterfront lot

Canal-front vanishing edge pool in Fort Lauderdale

A long rectangle that runs out to the seawall so the water meets the canal and the yacht beyond it.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: contemporary houses on a lake or waterfront lot in Florida.

Drawn for a white two-story contemporary house with a flat roof, large glass walls and a covered terrace, with a deep lot ending at a seawall on a wide canal, a moored yacht beyond, clusters of foxtail palms.

Planning cost, FL
$125,000 to $355,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
40 × 20 ft
3.5 to 6 ft deep
Water
about 19,800 gal
Water surface
800 sq ft
Hot tub
7 ft square
about 1,100 gal

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 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 67 by 38 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 69 by 40 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for FL is $125,000 to $355,000 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 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.

3.5 ft6 ftwater line40 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

Running deep to a seawall, the lot lets a long rectangle point at the canal, and the vanishing edge makes pool and water read as one line. The glass fence keeps that view open. Porcelain deck and coping handle sun and salt spray well, and the cabana gives the sun shelf some shade.

What to watch

A vanishing edge sends water over a lip into a catch basin that has to be tuned and kept clean. Wind can empty it fast, and digging beside a canal can hit a high water table.

How it reads

White quartz with grey stone at the waterline gives the pool a crisp, pale look against the white house. Porcelain deck and coping keep one flat, cool surface that runs up to the glass fence. At golden hour the vanishing edge catches the sky and the canal beyond, so water and view blend into one band. The foxtail palms give the hard lines some softness, and the deck jets add small arcs of motion.

Through the year

Winters here are mild and the pool is used almost all year, with the heaviest use after work and on weekends. Summer brings heavy storms and wind off the canal. Before a big blow, ask the builder whether to lower the water a little, bring the loungers and the cabana cushions inside, and keep the glass fence clear of spray spots.

Every choice, row by row (17)
ShapeRectangle

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

Size40 × 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.

StepsWide 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 shelfWith loungers

A sun shelf sized for chairs in the water. Lets you sit in the cool water in the sun with a drink, which is why it works well in a hot climate.

Pool edgeVanishing edge

One edge where the water spills over a wall into a hidden catch basin. It makes the water look like it runs into the view, and it needs a slope or a retaining wall, a catch basin and more engineering.

Hot tubRaised, spills over, 7 ft square

A hot tub raised on a wall and spilling over into the pool. The raised wall gives a seat-height edge and a small waterfall, at the price of extra masonry. The tub holds about 1,100 gallons.

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 tileGrey stone

Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 80 linear ft around this pool.

CopingPorcelain

Large-format grey porcelain with a square edge. Crisp and low maintenance, ideal beside a modern house. Check it is rated for exterior use where it freezes. It runs about 80 linear ft around this pool.

DeckPorcelain tile

Large-format light grey porcelain tile. A modern, low maintenance deck that resists stains and fading. The deck is about 1,770 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

PlantingTropical

Palms, bird of paradise and big-leaf plants. Creates a resort feel and screens the neighbors in a warm, humid climate. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

Pool fenceGlass

A frameless glass pool fence. It keeps the view open. Your town's barrier code sets the height, the gate and the latch, so ask before you design around it.

Water featuresSheer descents, Deck jets
  • 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.
  • Deck jets: Deck jets that arc water into the pool. A playful feature for kids that adds movement and sound.
Add to the yardCabana

Cabana: A small, open-sided cabana beside the pool. A shady place to change, nap or stash towels. It needs a footing and often a permit.

FurnitureLoungers, Outdoor sofa
  • Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck.
  • Outdoor sofa: An outdoor sofa and lounge chairs. Makes the deck feel like a living room outside.
LightGolden hour

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

Coping
80 linear ft
Deck
1,770 sq ft

Why it fits the lake or waterfront lot

The yard: a deep lot ending at a seawall on a wide canal, a moored yacht beyond, clusters of foxtail palms. A waterfront lot is regulated land, so the rules decide how close the pool can sit to the shore. Shoreline setbacks, flood zones and sometimes environmental review limit where a pool can go. The view is the point, so a low edge, glass fence or vanishing edge can frame it.

Why it fits the contemporary house

The house is a white two-story contemporary house with a flat roof, large glass walls and a covered terrace. A contemporary house asks for hard edges, quiet colors and one confident feature. Rectangles, large-format porcelain or concrete, and a single water feature keep the yard calm and let the architecture lead.

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 Canal-front vanishing edge pool in Fort Lauderdale: a rectangular pool with a hot tub and 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

67 × 38 ft

About 2,546 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 48.5 × 20 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 67 by 38 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 69 by 40 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.

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.

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.

  • Porcelain tile deck

    Wash the porcelain with a neutral cleaner and keep the joints sealed. Check the slip rating if it will be wet most days.

  • 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.

  • Deck jets

    Deck jets lose water to wind and evaporation. Run them on a timer and turn them off on a breezy day.

  • 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.

  • Glass fence

    Glass fence panels show water spots. Wipe them down and rinse the hardware.

  • 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

$125,000 to $355,000

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.

The deck is not in this range. No guide we use prints an installed price per square foot for porcelain pavers. Ask your builder.

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
$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
$1,500 to $3,500
80 linear ft at $20 to $40 a foot.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $18,000
A spa added to a new pool.
Raised tub wall
$2,000 to $8,000
The raised wall, where there is none.
Vanishing edge
$10,000 to $31,000
Pool Research's premium over an average inground pool, and it can run higher.
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.
Deck jets
$1,000 to $2,000
Three jets. Each deck jet, installed.
Cabana
$7,500 to $31,000
Priced at $150 to $600 a square foot for a custom pool house, over this cabana's footprint.
Pool fence
$21,000 to $46,000
217 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $95 to $210 a foot 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.

  • A vanishing edge needs the catch basin and its wall built to level, so the schedule runs to the long end. One builder source puts an infinity pool at 12 to 20 weeks.
  • 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

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

The materials list (10 lines)
InteriorQuartz, whiteabout 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 tileGrey stoneabout 120 linear ft, 10 in. band
A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
CopingPorcelainabout 80 linear ft
Large, flat porcelain slabs with a square edge. Very modern, and the joints and the edge profile need a careful installer.
DeckPorcelain tileabout 1,770 sq ft
Large porcelain tile. Very clean and modern. Check its slip rating for a wet area and keep the joints sealed.
Pool fenceGlassabout 215 linear ft around the deck as drawn
Frameless glass keeps the view open and needs wiping to stay clear. Its height, gate and hardware have to meet your town's barrier rules.
PlantingTropical
Palms, big leaves and lush planting. It needs water, wind and cold protection, and it drops leaves in the pool.
Water featureDeck jets
Arcs of water thrown from the deck. They run on the pump, lose some water to wind and are the first thing to turn off on a breezy day.
Water featureSheer 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 additionCabana
A small open-sided shelter beside the pool: shade, a changing spot and somewhere to keep towels.
Hot tubRaised, spills over, squareabout 1,100 gal
Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

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. 01Which parts of this design need a hurricane tie-down, and does the screen enclosure change the pool layout?
  2. 02How will the builder handle groundwater and the load near the seawall when digging a 40 by 20 pool this close to the canal?
  3. 03How is the catch basin sized and hidden, and what happens to the water on a windy day?
  4. 04Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
  5. 05How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?

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:FloridaSetting:Lake or waterfront lotHouse style:ContemporaryFeature:Pool with a hot tubFeature:Infinity edge 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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