# Hill Country hillside pool in Dripping Springs

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

A design idea for Dripping Springs, TX. Texas, hillside or slope, Modern farmhouse. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 520 sq ft
- Water: about 13,900 gal
- Coping: 50 linear ft
- Deck: 1,810 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft round (about 850 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. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: Freeform

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.

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

### Steps: Curved 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 shelf: Sun 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 edge: Vanishing 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 tub: Spills 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 finish: Pebble

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 color: Tan finish, sandy turquoise water

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

### Waterline tile: Grey 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.

### Coping: Flagstone

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.

### 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 1,810 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.

### Water features: Rock 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 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, 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.

### 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: 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.

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.

## Will it fit your yard?

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.

## 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.

## Quick answers

**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.

## 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.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$100,000 to $255,000 for TX, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- 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.
- 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).

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/); [ThePricer Media, pool resurfacing (quoting Angi, April 2026 data)](https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does-pool-resurfacing-cost/); [Willsha Pools, pool finishes](https://willshapools.com/?p=5877); [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); [Pool Research, infinity pools](https://poolresearch.com/infinity-pools/); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen); [Pool Research, pool retaining wall](https://poolresearch.com/?p=2044)

## 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.

- 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

- Interior: Pebble, tan (about 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 tile: Grey stone (about 88 linear ft, 10 in. band). A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
- Coping: Flagstone (about 50 linear ft). Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
- Deck: Stamped concrete (about 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.
- 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.
- Water feature: Rock 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 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: Spills into the pool, round (about 850 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- 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).

## Questions to ask a builder

- What does the soil report say for this lot, and how is the shell designed for clay that moves?
- What 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?
- How is the catch basin sized and hidden, and what happens to the water on a windy day?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=hill-country-hillside-pool-dripping-springs