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Bellevue, WA · New-build subdivision

Contemporary pool with a cabana in a Bellevue new build

A rectangle with a sun shelf, a cabana for the rainy days and a glass fence in front of the city view.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: contemporary houses on a new-build subdivision in Pacific Northwest.

Drawn for a new three-story contemporary house with dark cedar siding, a flat roof and floor-to-ceiling glass, with a landscaped yard with evergreen trees, ornamental grasses, a stone path and distant lit city towers.

Planning cost, WA
$75,000 to $225,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
30 × 15 ft
3.5 to 5.5 ft deep
Water
about 10,200 gal
Water surface
450 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 10,200 gallons. It is 30 by 15 ft with about 450 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 5.5 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 57 by 33 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 59 by 35 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for WA is $75,000 to $225,000 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 8 ft, slopes over about 10 ft, then runs level at 5.5 ft for the last 11 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

3.5 ft5.5 ftwater line30 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

Floor-to-ceiling glass faces this yard, so the glass pool fence keeps the view of the distant city towers clear. Porcelain coping and deck match the dark cedar siding, the sun shelf with an umbrella gives shade, and the cabana covers the rainy days on the 30 x 15 pool.

What to watch

Sheer descents and a hot tub spilling into the pool look good but add moving parts and noise, and glass fence panels show every water spot. In a wet climate, expect regular wiping.

How it reads

Midnight quartz and charcoal waterline tile make a deep, dark rectangle that mirrors the dark cedar and the glass wall. Porcelain coping and deck stay lighter, so the pool reads as a dark panel set into pale ground. Evergreens and grasses soften the edges. At golden hour the water takes warm color from the sky, and after dark the lit towers beyond echo in the surface.

Through the year

Dry summers fill the sun shelf and the cabana, while the long wet season sends most people to the hot tub at the right end. Evergreen needles and rain keep the porcelain slick and the water dull. A good habit is to rinse needles out of the sheer descents before you restart them in spring.

Every choice, row by row (16)
ShapeRectangle

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

Size30 × 15 ft

A pool about 15 ft wide and 30 ft long. A common family size with room for play and a short swim. That is about 450 sq ft of water and about 10,200 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 an umbrella

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

Hot tubSpills 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 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. Cool, wet weather means more leaves and less sun, so a darker finish helps warm the water.

Finish colorMidnight finish, dark, mirror-like water

A midnight interior. Gives dark, mirror-like water that reflects the sky and the house.

Waterline tileCharcoal

Charcoal glass at the waterline. A bold, modern line that deepens the water color. It runs about 90 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 90 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 1,450 sq ft here. A textured surface and good drainage keep this deck safe through a wet week.

PlantingModern

Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. A tidy, low-maintenance frame that suits clean architecture. Keep needles and leaves away from the skimmer by planting away from the water's edge.

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

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.

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
90 linear ft
Deck
1,450 sq ft

Why it fits the new-build subdivision

The yard: a landscaped yard with evergreen trees, ornamental grasses, a stone path and distant lit city towers. A new-build lot starts as bare ground, so grading, drainage and the house's own plan shape the pool. Subdivision lots are often tight and graded for drainage. Check the homeowner association rules, the utility easements and the setbacks before the layout is final.

Why it fits the contemporary house

The house is a new three-story contemporary house with dark cedar siding, a flat roof and floor-to-ceiling glass. 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 Contemporary pool with a cabana in a Bellevue new build: a rectangular pool with a hot tub.

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

57 × 33 ft

About 1,881 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 38.5 × 15 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 57 by 33 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 59 by 35 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.

Pacific Northwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the Pacific Northwest, a pool is for the dry months and the warm tub in the wet ones, so heat and a cover are the design.

  • Rain and cool nights mean a heater, a solar cover or a heat pump is part of the plan, not an upgrade for later.
  • Shade from tall evergreens is a trade-off: it keeps the deck cool and fills the pool with needles, so keep the water away from the drip line when you can.
  • Wet weather is hard on slick surfaces. A textured deck and a covered area for the hot tub or seating extend the season.
  • Small city lots are common, so a compact pool with a narrow deck and a fire feature can fit better than a classic rectangle.

Keeping it up

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

  • Quartz in this climate

    Quartz stays smooth under leaves and rain. Brush it after a storm so debris does not stain it.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Leaves and rain

    Wet weather brings leaves, needles and slick surfaces. Put a cover on for the wet months, keep the skimmer baskets clear and brush the steps.

  • 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, WA

$75,000 to $225,000

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 WA by a damped regional factor of 1.04 (the state's cost of living is 107.0 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
$42,000 to $116,000
450 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
$2,000 to $3,500
90 linear ft at $20 to $40 a foot.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $19,000
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 $8,500
The wall that sheer descents and scuppers pour from, where none exists.
Cabana
$8,000 to $31,000
Priced at $150 to $600 a square foot for a custom pool house, over this cabana's footprint.
Pool fence
$18,000 to $41,000
187 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.

  • 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 (9 lines)
InteriorQuartz, midnightabout 720 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 tileCharcoalabout 90 linear ft, 10 in. band
Charcoal glass makes the water read dark and mirror-like, and it shows mineral spots until they are wiped off.
CopingPorcelainabout 90 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 1,450 sq ft
Large porcelain tile. Very clean and modern. Check its slip rating for a wet area and keep the joints sealed.
Pool fenceGlassabout 185 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.
PlantingModern
Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. Tidy and low water, with the beds kept away from the skimmer.
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 tubSpills into the pool, 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. 01What heating and cover system do you recommend here, and how will water drain off the deck in a wet week?
  2. 02Where does the cabana sit compared with the hot tub and the sheer descents, and how will spray be kept off it?
  3. 03Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
  4. 04How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
  5. 05What does the town's barrier code require for the glass height and the gate, and how do you clean it?

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:Pacific NorthwestSetting:New-build subdivisionHouse style:ContemporaryFeature:Pool with a hot tubFeature: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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