Courtyard plunge pool behind a Charleston single house

A dark plunge in a brick courtyard, with a sheet of water down the garden wall and palmettos at the gate.

Suits: Colonial houses on a townhouse courtyard in Southeast.

Colonial
Luxury tier
Small yard
Plunge

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Courtyard plunge pool behind a Charleston single house: a Colonial yard in Charleston, SC, with a walled brick courtyard with a palmetto, crape myrtle, camellias, ivy, boxwood and an iron gate. — Drawn for a pastel Charleston single house with a double piazza, black shutters, a slate roof and a gas lantern, with a walled brick courtyard with a palmetto, crape myrtle, camellias, ivy, boxwood and an iron gate.

Size: 16 × 8 ft; 3.5 to 5 ft deep
Water surface: 130 sq ft
Water: about 4,000 gal
Coping: 48 linear ft
Deck: 630 sq ft

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 4 ft, slopes over about 5 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 6 ft.

ShapeRectangle: A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house.
Size16 × 8 ft: A small pool about 8 ft wide and 16 ft long. A plunge pool is for cooling off, soaking and a small yard, not for swimming laps. That is about 130 sq ft of water and about 4,000 gallons.
StepsCorner steps: Steps tucked into a corner. Keeps the water free for swimming and saves space in a small pool. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.
Pool finishPlaster: A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. Warm, humid water grows algae faster, so a smooth, dense finish is easier to keep clean.
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 48 linear ft around this pool.
CopingFlagstone: Natural flagstone with irregular edges. Gives a natural, informal look that blends with planting and rock. It runs about 48 linear ft around this pool.
DeckConcrete pavers: Grey interlocking concrete pavers. Pavers move with the ground and can be lifted and reset, which helps where the soil freezes or shifts. The deck is about 630 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.
PlantingKeep what's there: The planting already in the yard. Keeps mature trees and shade in place and saves disruption. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.
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.
FurnitureDining table: Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen.
LightGolden hour: Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

Why it fits the townhouse courtyard

The yard: a walled brick courtyard with a palmetto, crape myrtle, camellias, ivy, boxwood and an iron gate. A courtyard pool is a small, walled room, so every inch has to do a job. Walls give privacy and shade, and also limit access and sun. A compact plunge pool with a clean edge and a single feature water element fits better than a bigger pool crowding the seating.

Why it fits the Colonial house

The house is a pastel Charleston single house with a double piazza, black shutters, a slate roof and a gas lantern. 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.

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.

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

34 × 26 ft

About 884 sq ft. The pool alone is 16 × 8 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 34 by 26 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 33 by 25 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?

Width, ftDepth, ft

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

Southeast: what the climate asks of this pool

A Southeast pool is used for a long, humid season, so shade, drainage and old-yard constraints decide the design.

Heat and humidity mean shade, ceiling fans under a pergola and a deck that does not hold water make the yard usable.
Red clay and mature trees are common. Roots, drainage and soil movement all shape the excavation.
Summer thunderstorms are frequent. Plan where the water runs off the deck and keep electrical equipment high and dry.
Historic and coastal neighborhoods can have design review. Ask about fence, structure and lighting rules early.

What this will cost: ask a local builder for a quote

We do not print a price for this design. The public ranges we checked disagree widely, and soil, access, local labor and permit rules move the real number more than any picture can.

What moves the price on this design

Size. This pool has about 130 sq ft of water surface and about 4,000 gallons. More surface means more excavation, steel, finish and equipment.
Deck. About 630 sq ft of paving is a large line item on its own. Ask for the deck priced separately so you can compare materials.
Water features (sheer descents), each with its own plumbing and pump capacity.

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, so the first conversation is about your yard instead of a blank sheet.

Questions to ask a builder about this design

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

01How will you protect the existing trees and drain the deck in a summer thunderstorm?
02Will a pool this small have room for the equipment, and can I swim in it or only soak?
03What pump runs the sheer descents, and how loud is it at night?
04What base sits under the pavers, and how are they locked in against movement?
05What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?
06Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town?