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AI concept image of Harborfront vanishing edge pool in Newport, Rhode Island: a rectangular pool with a hot tub.Save

Newport, RI · Lake or waterfront lot

Harborfront vanishing edge pool in Newport, Rhode Island

A pool that spills toward the harbor, a glass fence so you never lose the sailboats and a stone terrace.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: coastal houses on a lake or waterfront lot in Northeast and New England.

Drawn for a large gray shingle-style house with white trim, a turret, big gables and a wide porch, with a sloping lawn above Narragansett Bay with beach plum, hydrangeas, a stone wall and sailboats on the water.

Planning cost, RI
$95,000 to $260,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
36 × 18 ft
3.5 to 6 ft deep
Water
about 15,700 gal
Water surface
650 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 15,700 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 650 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 63 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 65 by 38 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for RI is $95,000 to $260,000 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 10 ft, slopes over about 12 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 14 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

3.5 ft6 ftwater line36 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

Sloping ground toward the bay is what makes a vanishing edge sensible: the water line meets the harbor, and the glass fence keeps the sailboats in sight. At 36 x 18 and about 15,700 gallons there is room for a sun shelf with loungers and a square hot tub spilling in at the left end, all finished in porcelain.

What to watch

Salt air and wind pull water out of the pool, and a vanishing edge also needs a catch basin and extra pumping. Glass shows salt spray and fingerprints, so plan to clean it often.

How it reads

Blue quartz with white waterline tile sets the water against the bay, so the two read as one view from the porch. Porcelain coping and deck stay pale and sleek, and the glass fence adds no visual barrier. At golden hour the edge catches the light and the sky. The sun shelf looks bright and shallow, and the stone wall frames the lawn. Underfoot, porcelain is smooth and cool, though sea spray can leave it slick.

Through the year

Newport summers are breezy and busy, with sea fog at either end of the season. Salt spray coats the glass fence and the deck, and fall storms test every loose chair. Rinse the glass and the porcelain with fresh water now and then, and clear the vanishing edge's catch basin before heavy weather.

Every choice, row by row (15)
ShapeRectangle

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

Size36 × 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 650 sq ft of water and about 15,700 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 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. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish.

Finish colorBlue finish, classic deep blue water

A blue interior. Gives a classic, deeper blue water.

Waterline tileWhite

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 72 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 72 linear ft around this pool. Coping takes the worst of freeze and thaw, so it should be rated for it and set in a flexible joint.

DeckPorcelain tile

Large-format light grey porcelain tile. A modern, low maintenance deck that resists stains and fading. The deck is about 1,640 sq ft here. Where it freezes, the base and the joints matter more than the surface.

PlantingLawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck.

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.

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
72 linear ft
Deck
1,640 sq ft

Why it fits the lake or waterfront lot

The yard: a sloping lawn above Narragansett Bay with beach plum, hydrangeas, a stone wall and sailboats on the water. 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 coastal house

The house is a large gray shingle-style house with white trim, a turret, big gables and a wide porch. A coastal house wants light colors, natural wood and a view that stays open. A clean rectangle, a glass fence, pale coping and a wood-look deck keep the yard bright and let the ocean air and light do the work.

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 Harborfront vanishing edge pool in Newport, Rhode Island: 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

63 × 36 ft

About 2,268 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 44.5 × 18 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 63 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 65 by 38 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.

Northeast and New England: what the climate asks of this pool

A Northeast pool is built for a short season and a long winter, in yards that are often small and tight.

  • Winterizing is a yearly job. A safety cover, drained and blown lines and frost protected equipment are part of the plan.
  • Freeze and thaw is hard on stone and concrete. Pick paving that is rated for it and ask how the base is drained.
  • Space is tight and access can be hard. A crane, a narrow side yard or a rooftop changes what can be built and how it is brought in.
  • Historic districts and homeowner associations can review fences and structures. Check before you commit to a look.

Keeping it up

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

  • Quartz in this climate

    A quartz finish needs the water balanced before the pool is closed, because a freeze season is hard on any cement-based surface.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Winter

    Close the pool before the first hard freeze: lower the water, blow out the lines, drain or turn off the features and fit a cover. A heater or heat pump is an option for the shoulder seasons.

  • 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, RI

$95,000 to $260,000

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 RI by a damped regional factor of 1.01 (the state's cost of living is 102.3 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
$59,000 to $164,000
648 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 $3,000
72 linear ft at $20 to $40 a foot.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $18,000
A spa added to a new pool.
Vanishing edge
$10,000 to $30,000
Pool Research's premium over an average inground pool, and it can run higher.
Pool fence
$20,000 to $44,000
205 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 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 (7 lines)
InteriorQuartz, blueabout 1,000 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 tileWhiteabout 108 linear ft, 10 in. band
White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
CopingPorcelainabout 72 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 1,640 sq ft
Large porcelain tile. Very clean and modern. Check its slip rating for a wet area and keep the joints sealed.
Pool fenceGlassabout 205 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.
PlantingLawn and hedges
A lawn and clipped hedges. It softens the yard and brings grass clippings and fertilizer, so it should be kept away from the water.
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. 01How will equipment and materials reach this yard, and what does winterizing involve for this layout?
  2. 02Does the vanishing edge catch basin fit on this slope, and how deep does the wall behind it need to be?
  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:Northeast and New EnglandSetting:Lake or waterfront lotHouse style:CoastalFeature: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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