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AI concept image of Hill Country hillside pool in Dripping Springs: a freeform pool with a hot tub and a vanishing edge.
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Dripping Springs, TX · Hillside or slope

Hill Country hillside pool in Dripping Springs

A vanishing edge on a limestone ledge, with the Texas Hill Country rolling out below.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: modern farmhouse houses on a hillside or slope in Texas.

Drawn for a long white modern farmhouse with a standing-seam metal roof, black window frames and a limestone chimney, with a rocky slope with Texas live oaks, cedar elm, bluebonnets, native grasses and limestone boulders.

Planning cost, TX
$100,000 to $255,000
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 13,900 gal
Water surface
520 sq ft
Hot tub
7 ft round
about 850 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 13,900 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 520 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 TX is $100,000 to $255,000 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

Rocky slopes with limestone boulders are where a vanishing edge earns its place, because the water can face the hills below. Tan pebble and flagstone coping match the stone around it, and desert planting asks little of the sprinkler. The rock waterfall and left-end tub tie the freeform shape to the boulders.

What to watch

The model shows flat ground, but this is a slope. Retaining walls, rock-breaking and the wall behind the edge are real unknowns. With no fence drawn, ask the town what barrier the pool needs.

How it reads

Tan pebble with grey stone tile gives the freeform water a soft, warm color that matches the limestone boulders. Flagstone coping and stamped concrete keep the edge earthy, and the desert planting stays low and quiet. The vanishing edge lets the water meet the sky and the hills below. At golden hour the rock waterfall and the stone glow, and later the fire pit becomes the center of the yard.

Through the year

The Hill Country has hot, dry summers and a mild winter, so the pool is used from spring to fall and the tub and fire pit carry the cooler months. Spring brings wildflowers, wind and sometimes hard storms. Check the vanishing edge basin and the water level often, and keep the fire pit area clear of dry grass.

Every choice, row by row (16)
ShapeFreeform

A pool with natural, flowing curves. Curves relax a yard and work with planting, a rock feature or a tub, at the cost of a more complicated cover.

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 520 sq ft of water and about 13,900 gallons.

StepsCurved steps

Curved, wedding-cake steps. A formal, graceful way into a Roman or larger pool. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

Sun shelfSun shelf

A shallow ledge a few inches under the water. Kids play and adults lounge on it, and bubblers or a chair fit there.

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 round

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 850 gallons.

Pool finishPebble

An exposed pebble aggregate finish, in the Pebble Tec style. Durable and textured, which hides small marks, but rougher on bare feet. In strong sun, a lighter finish fades less and hides scale from hard water.

Finish colorTan finish, sandy turquoise water

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

Waterline tileGrey stone

Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 50 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 50 linear ft around this pool. A light coping stays cooler on bare feet in summer.

DeckStamped 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 1,810 sq ft here. Here the deck is the hottest thing in the yard, so surface color matters as much as material.

PlantingDesert

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.

Water featuresRock waterfall
  • Rock waterfall: A natural rock waterfall. Gives a lagoon look and a strong sound, and uses more space than a wall feature.
  • Moving water raises evaporation, so keep features modest and run them on a timer.
Add to the yardFire pit

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

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
50 linear ft
Deck
1,810 sq ft

Why it fits the hillside or slope

The yard: a rocky slope with Texas live oaks, cedar elm, bluebonnets, native grasses and limestone boulders. A hillside pool is built into the slope, so retaining walls and drainage are part of the design. A slope can give a dramatic view and a vanishing edge, and it brings walls, drainage, soil reports and extra engineering. Plan on a longer approval and a more detailed build.

Why it fits the modern farmhouse house

The house is a long white modern farmhouse with a standing-seam metal roof, black window frames and a limestone chimney. A modern farmhouse asks for clean lines with a warm, relaxed finish. Crisp rectangles, soft grey water and honed stone or pavers sit well beside white siding and dark window frames. Keep the planting simple and the furniture casual.

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 Hill Country hillside pool in Dripping Springs: a freeform pool with a hot tub and a vanishing edge.

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.

Texas: what the climate asks of this pool

A Texas pool earns its keep through long, hot summers, so shade, deck temperature and water loss decide how it feels.

  • Deck material matters in July. Light concrete, travertine and some porcelains stay far cooler on bare feet than dark pavers.
  • Heat and wind raise evaporation, so a pool in Texas loses water faster than the same pool in a mild region. A cover or a shade structure helps.
  • Many parts of the state have expansive clay soil. It moves with wet and dry spells, so the shell, the steel and the deck joints are built for movement.
  • A pergola or shade sail over part of the deck often decides whether people sit outside at 4 p.m.

Keeping it up

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

  • Pebble in this climate

    Pebble handles sun well but not hard water: scale is the most common problem on it, and the maker's own support page says scale removal is not covered by warranty. In a dry region, test calcium and balance the water on a schedule.

  • When it is resurfaced

    Pebble is usually redone every 15 to 20 or more years, depending on the water and the builder (Shasta Pools, plaster versus pebble and Pebble Technology, support). On this pool that is about 830 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.

  • Rock waterfall

    A rock waterfall collects algae and leaves in the crevices. Plan on a spring clean and a check of the pump.

  • 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.

  • 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).

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, TX

$100,000 to $255,000

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.

Prices are scaled for TX by a damped regional factor of 0.99 (the state's cost of living is 97.1 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
$46,000 to $127,000
518 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.
Pebble interior
$5,000 to $5,000
834 sq ft of shell at $6 a square foot above plaster. Pebble is $10 a square foot against $4 for plaster in both sources.
Coping
$2,000 to $2,500
50 linear ft at $40 to $55 a foot.
Deck
$21,000 to $36,000
1,807 sq ft at $12 to $20 a square foot installed. HomeAdvisor's installed figure, labor included. Fixr's $15 to $30 is materials only.
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.
Rock waterfall
$4,000 to $10,000
A medium rock waterfall. A grotto costs more.
Fire pit
$500 to $3,000
A fire pit, wood or gas.
Slope work
$5,500 to $23,000
A retaining wall ($5,000 to $20,000) and a structural engineer ($500 to $3,000).
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.

  • HomeAdvisor's installed figure, labor included. Fixr's $15 to $30 is materials only.

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.
  • Slope work comes first: walls, drainage and an engineer's sign-off. One builder describes a complex sloped project as a few months of work on its own.
  • 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 (8 lines)
InteriorPebble, tanabout 830 sq ft of shell
Small stones set in cement. It is textured, hides wear and holds color well, and it is rougher on bare feet than the other finishes.
Waterline tileGrey stoneabout 88 linear ft, 10 in. band
A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
CopingFlagstoneabout 50 linear ft
Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
DeckStamped concreteabout 1,810 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.
PlantingDesert
Gravel, agave and succulents: very little water and no lawn, with sharp leaves to keep away from the steps and the barefoot path.
Water featureRock waterfall
A natural stone waterfall. It needs space, a strong base and a pump sized for the flow, and it is the feature that most changes how the yard looks.
Yard additionFire 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 tubSpills into the pool, roundabout 850 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 does the soil report say for this lot, and how is the shell designed for clay that moves?
  2. 02What will the builder find in the limestone when digging the slope, and who carries the extra work if hard rock or more retaining walls turn up?
  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:TexasSetting:Hillside or slopeHouse style:Modern farmhouseFeature: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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