# Narrow garden pool in a Savannah historic district

A small kidney under a live oak, with a brick wall, a slate-gray deck and an iron gate on the lane. Drawn for a tall stucco and brick townhouse with a wrought iron balcony, arched windows and a mossy brick stoop, with a narrow garden with a live oak draped in Spanish moss, azaleas, ferns, a brick wall and a wrought iron gate.

A design idea for Savannah, GA. Southeast, small infill lot, French country. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 24 × 12 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 205 sq ft
- Water: about 6,500 gal
- Coping: 62 linear ft
- Deck: 1,060 sq ft

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 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: 24 × 12 ft

A pool about 12 ft wide and 24 ft long. Big enough for a few people to cool off and play, small enough for a tight lot. That is about 205 sq ft of water and about 6,500 gallons.

### Steps: Corner 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 finish: Plaster

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 color: Midnight finish, dark, mirror-like water

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

### Waterline tile: Sea glass

Sea-green glass mosaic at the waterline. A soft, coastal line that warms the water. It runs about 62 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Brick

Red brick with a rolled edge. A traditional edge that suits brick houses and colonial or Tudor styles. It runs about 62 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Concrete 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 1,060 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

### Planting: Keep 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.

### Furniture: Dining table

Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen.

### Light: Midday sun

Shown in midday sun. Shows the true color of the water and the finish.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: a narrow garden with a live oak draped in Spanish moss, azaleas, ferns, a brick wall and a wrought iron gate. A small infill lot asks for a compact pool and a deck that does double duty. Neighbors are close, setbacks bite into the usable area and the house often fills the lot. A narrow rectangle with a corner step and a shared deck for dining and lounging uses the space best.

The house is a tall stucco and brick townhouse with a wrought iron balcony, arched windows and a mossy brick stoop. A French country house wants soft stone, lawn and a pool that feels like a garden room. A Roman end, travertine, scuppers and a pergola with an outdoor kitchen give a relaxed, formal look suited to a larger lot.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft.

## 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.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 6,500 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 205 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 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 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for GA is $20,000 to $80,000 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

Narrow gardens under a live oak need a small, quiet pool: a 24 x 12 kidney of about 6,500 gallons with brick coping to match the wall, midnight plaster and sea glass tile. Corner steps save space, and the dining table on the pavers uses what is left.

What to watch: Live oaks drop leaves, moss and pollen year round, and their roots limit where you can dig. The design shows no fence, so ask the town what it expects around the pool.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$20,000 to $80,000 for GA, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $20,000 to $50,000. 204 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 $2,000. 62 linear ft at $25 to $30 a foot.
- Deck: $3,000 to $7,500. 1,056 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed.
- Tight access: $0 to $20,000. Up to $20,000 more when the site is hard to access. Bob Vila puts the average excavation at $3,400, which the base pool price already includes, and says it can reach $20,000 when access is hard. Nothing extra if the machines get in.

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); [Bob Vila, in-ground pool cost](https://www.bobvila.com/articles/inground-pool-cost/)

## 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.



## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, midnight (about 470 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 62 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: Brick (about 62 linear ft). Rolled-edge brick gives a traditional line. The mortar joints need attention over the years and the surface can be uneven underfoot.
- Deck: Concrete pavers (about 1,060 sq ft). Interlocking concrete pavers. Easy to repair one piece at a time, and the joints need topping up with sand now and then to keep weeds out.

## Keeping it up

- Plaster in this climate: Plaster can stain and grow algae in warm, wet weather. Brush it and keep the chemistry steady.
- 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 470 sq ft of interior.
- Concrete pavers deck: Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers.
- 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

- How will you protect the existing trees and drain the deck in a summer thunderstorm?
- Will a machine fit through the narrow historic lane to dig, and how will the live oak's roots be protected during the work?
- What base sits under the pavers, and how are they locked in against movement?
- What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?
- Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=garden-square-pool-savannah