# Foothills ranch pool with a separate hot tub in Tucson

A kidney on a desert acre, a fire pit for the cold January nights and the Catalinas behind everything. Drawn for a long adobe-colored ranch house with a flat roof, exposed beams and a deep ramada, with an acre of native desert with saguaro, palo verde, prickly pear and ocotillo, the Santa Catalina Mountains behind.

A design idea for Tucson, AZ. Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest, ranch or acreage, Ranch. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 460 sq ft
- Water: about 16,200 gal
- Coping: 94 linear ft
- Deck: 1,970 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 10 ft, slopes over about 12 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 14 ft.

### Shape: Kidney

A curved pool with a wide and a narrow end. A classic shape that separates a swimming zone from a play zone in a regular yard.

### Size: 36 × 18 ft

A pool about 18 ft wide and 36 ft long. Room for lengths and a group, and a yard that can hold the larger deck it needs. That is about 460 sq ft of water and about 16,200 gallons.

### Steps: Steps 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.

### Hot tub: Separate tub, 7 ft square

A hot tub on the deck, apart from the pool. It has its own water and heater, so you can run it alone on a cold night without heating the pool. The tub holds about 1,100 gallons.

### Pool finish: Plaster

A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. In strong sun, a lighter finish fades less and hides scale from hard water.

### Finish color: Tan finish, sandy turquoise water

A tan interior. Gives a green-blue lagoon look.

### Waterline tile: Sea glass

Sea-green glass mosaic at the waterline. A soft, coastal line that warms the water. It runs about 94 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Flagstone

Natural flagstone with irregular edges. Gives a natural, informal look that blends with planting and rock. It runs about 94 linear ft around this pool. A light coping stays cooler on bare feet in summer.

### Deck: Stamped concrete

Tan stamped concrete with a stone pattern. An affordable deck poured in one piece. It needs a sealer and a grit additive so it is not slippery when wet. The deck is about 1,970 sq ft here. Here the deck is the hottest thing in the yard, so surface color matters as much as material.

### Planting: Desert

Gravel, agave, succulents and boulders. Uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. A low-water planting plan keeps leaves out of the water and the bill down.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

A black aluminum picket fence. A standard, durable barrier that disappears in the planting and meets most barrier codes.

### Add to the yard: Fire pit

Fire pit: A round fire pit with seating. Extends the evening. Local burn rules and clearance from the house and plants apply.

### Furniture: Loungers, 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.

### 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: an acre of native desert with saguaro, palo verde, prickly pear and ocotillo, the Santa Catalina Mountains behind. On acreage there is room to spread out, so the pool can be sized for the whole family and for entertaining. Space lets you place the pool for the best light and keep it away from trees. A well, a septic field and an easement can still limit where it goes, so locate them first.

The house is a long adobe-colored ranch house with a flat roof, exposed beams and a deep ramada. A ranch house is low and wide, so the pool should be relaxed and easy to walk out to. A freeform or kidney shape, a broad deck and shade trees suit a single-story house and a lawn that runs right up to the water.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 66 by 36 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 68 by 38 ft.

## Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the desert Southwest, a pool is a cooling tool, so shade, water loss and finish fade shape the design.

- Sun and dry air evaporate water quickly. Expect to top up often, and ask about a cover or a smaller surface if water cost matters to you.
- Strong sun fades dark finishes and tile faster, and hard water leaves scale on tile at the waterline. Lighter finishes hide it better.
- Decks can get hot enough to burn bare feet. Choose light, cool-to-touch surfaces and add shade near the steps.
- Desert planting uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. Gravel yards still need a clear drainage plan for monsoon storms.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 16,200 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 460 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 66 by 36 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 68 by 38 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for AZ is $75,000 to $190,000 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

Open desert on a full acre leaves room for a kidney shape with no straight lines to fight. The fire pit answers cold January nights, the separate square tub at the left end keeps warm water close, and flagstone coping with stamped concrete borrows its color from the adobe house.

What to watch: On open ground, wind and dust settle in the water, and a long stretch of stamped concrete gets hot in summer. A separate tub also needs its own heater, so winter use adds to the running load.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$75,000 to $190,000 for AZ, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $41,000 to $115,000. 459 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: $4,000 to $5,000. 94 linear ft at $40 to $55 a foot.
- Deck: $24,000 to $40,000. 1,974 sq ft at $12 to $20 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $18,000. A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.
- Pool fence: $3,000 to $7,500. 212 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.

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, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [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); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen); [Fixr, pool fence](https://www.fixr.com/costs/swimming-pool-fence)

## 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 hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, tan (about 900 sq ft of shell). A smooth cement-based surface. It is the least expensive interior and the one most likely to stain, etch or scale if the water chemistry drifts.
- Waterline tile: Sea glass (about 94 linear ft, 10 in. band). Sea-green glass adds color without matching the water, and it needs the same regular wipe as any glass tile.
- Coping: Flagstone (about 94 linear ft). Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
- Deck: Stamped concrete (about 1,970 sq ft). Poured concrete pressed with a stone pattern. It should be sealed with a non-slip additive and resealed on a schedule, or it fades and gets slick.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 210 linear ft around the deck as drawn). Black aluminum pickets are light, strong and the usual choice for a barrier. Near salt air, ask for a marine-rated finish.
- Planting: Desert. Gravel, agave and succulents: very little water and no lawn, with sharp leaves to keep away from the steps and the barefoot path.
- Yard addition: Fire pit. A round fire pit with seating. It needs clear space from the house, the plants and the pool, and a town that allows it.
- Hot tub: Separate tub, 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

- Plaster in this climate: Plaster is the finish most likely to etch or scale in hot, hard-water country, so keep the calcium and pH in range and plan for an earlier resurfacing.
- When it is resurfaced: Plaster is usually redone every 5 to 15 years, depending on the water and the builder (HomeAdvisor, pool resurfacing and Shasta Pools, plaster versus pebble). On this pool that is about 900 sq ft of interior.
- Stamped concrete deck: Reseal the stamped concrete every few years with a non-slip additive, or it fades and gets slippery when wet.
- 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.
- Black aluminum fence: A black aluminum fence needs a wash and a check of its gate latch. Near salt air, rinse it and touch up any chipped finish.
- Sun and water loss: Heat and dry air take water out of the pool quickly. A cover, a pool shade and a smaller surface all cut the top-ups.
- 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

- How will you keep the deck and the water line cool and scale-free in full summer sun?
- Where will the fire pit sit compared with the square tub and the dining table, and how much clear deck stays between them and the water?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
- What clearance does the fire pit need from the house and the plants, and does the town allow it?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=foothills-ranch-pool-tucson