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Portland, OR · Inner-ring suburb

Mid-century pool with a hot tub in Portland

A small Grecian pool with an attached hot tub and a fire pit, because a Portland pool season is mostly about staying warm.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: mid-century modern houses on a inner-ring suburb in Pacific Northwest.

Drawn for a low mid-century modern house with cedar siding, a flat roof, clerestory windows and a brick planter, with a green yard with Douglas fir, rhododendrons, ferns, a Japanese maple and a cedar fence.

Planning cost, OR
$80,000 to $195,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
24 × 12 ft
3.5 to 5 ft deep
Water
about 8,900 gal
Water surface
280 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 8,900 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 280 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 51 by 30 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 52 by 31 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for OR is $80,000 to $195,000 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 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft.

3.5 ft5 ftwater line24 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

Midnight quartz with charcoal waterline tile suits the cedar siding and flat roof of a low mid-century house. The small Grecian pool takes a square hot tub at the left end, and the fire pit and black aluminum fence make the wet months more usable.

What to watch

A dark finish absorbs heat but shows every leaf and fir needle. Wet months also mean a slick wood-look deck, so ask about texture and drainage before you pick the surface.

How it reads

Midnight quartz turns the water almost black, and the charcoal waterline tile draws a crisp line under the concrete coping. Against cedar siding and the Grecian curves, the dark surface mirrors the sky and the firs, while ferns and the Japanese maple stand out in green and red. The black aluminum fence fades into the shade. At dusk the fire pit and the steam from the hot tub glow against the dark water.

Through the year

Wet winters and drier summers shape the year, with the best swimming in the dry months and the hot tub carrying the rest. Rain, needles and leaves arrive in fall and spring, so the dark surface needs frequent skimming. Because the hot tub spills into the pool, learn which valve closes that spill before the cold season.

Every choice, row by row (13)
ShapeGrecian

A rectangle with cut corners (Grecian). It reads more formal than a simple rectangle and adds interest without becoming a curve.

Size24 × 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 280 sq ft of water and about 8,900 gallons.

StepsCorner 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.

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. Cool, wet weather means more leaves and less sun, so a darker finish helps warm the water.

Finish colorMidnight finish, dark, mirror-like water

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

Waterline tileCharcoal

Charcoal glass at the waterline. A bold, modern line that deepens the water color. It runs about 68 linear ft around this pool.

CopingConcrete

Smooth, cantilevered poured concrete. A clean, modern edge that sits flush with a concrete or paver deck. It runs about 68 linear ft around this pool.

DeckWood-look deck

Warm brown composite wood-look boards. Soft on bare feet and warm to look at. Darker boards can run hot in full sun, so check the color. The deck is about 1,170 sq ft here. A textured surface and good drainage keep this deck safe through a wet week.

PlantingLawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Keep needles and leaves away from the skimmer by planting away from the water's edge.

Pool fenceBlack aluminum

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

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.
Coping
68 linear ft
Deck
1,170 sq ft

Why it fits the inner-ring suburb

The yard: a green yard with Douglas fir, rhododendrons, ferns, a Japanese maple and a cedar fence. An inner-ring suburb lot is mid sized, so the design balances the pool, the deck and the lawn. Established neighborhoods have mature trees, older houses and neighbors close by. A pool that matches the house and keeps privacy with planting or a clean fence tends to feel at home.

Why it fits the mid-century modern house

The house is a low mid-century modern house with cedar siding, a flat roof, clerestory windows and a brick planter. A mid-century modern house pairs a low, horizontal pool with natural materials. A long rectangle, a wood-look deck and a glass fence keep sight lines open and honor the house's flat roof and big windows.

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 Mid-century pool with a hot tub in Portland: a Grecian-corner pool.

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

51 × 30 ft

About 1,530 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 32.5 × 12 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 51 by 30 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 52 by 31 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.

Pacific Northwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the Pacific Northwest, a pool is for the dry months and the warm tub in the wet ones, so heat and a cover are the design.

  • Rain and cool nights mean a heater, a solar cover or a heat pump is part of the plan, not an upgrade for later.
  • Shade from tall evergreens is a trade-off: it keeps the deck cool and fills the pool with needles, so keep the water away from the drip line when you can.
  • Wet weather is hard on slick surfaces. A textured deck and a covered area for the hot tub or seating extend the season.
  • Small city lots are common, so a compact pool with a narrow deck and a fire feature can fit better than a classic rectangle.

Keeping it up

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

  • Quartz in this climate

    Quartz stays smooth under leaves and rain. Brush it after a storm so debris does not stain it.

  • Wood-look deck deck

    Wash the composite boards with soap and water, and keep furniture feet from scratching a dark color.

  • 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.

  • Leaves and rain

    Wet weather brings leaves, needles and slick surfaces. Put a cover on for the wet months, keep the skimmer baskets clear and brush the steps.

  • 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, OR

$80,000 to $195,000

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 OR by a damped regional factor of 1.02 (the state's cost of living is 103.4 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
$26,000 to $71,000
281 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
$500 to $1,000
68 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
Deck
$47,000 to $95,000
1,166 sq ft at $40 to $80 a square foot installed. HomeAdvisor's installed figure for composite, labor included. Fixr's $8 to $16 is for the boards alone.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $18,000
A spa added to a new pool.
Fire pit
$500 to $3,000
A fire pit, wood or gas.
Pool fence
$2,500 to $6,000
164 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 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.

  • HomeAdvisor's installed figure for composite, labor included. Fixr's $8 to $16 is for the boards alone.

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.

  • 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)
InteriorQuartz, midnightabout 570 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 tileCharcoalabout 68 linear ft, 10 in. band
Charcoal glass makes the water read dark and mirror-like, and it shows mineral spots until they are wiped off.
CopingConcreteabout 68 linear ft
Cast or poured concrete with a clean, square line. Plain, tough and the easiest to repair, though it can heat up in direct sun.
DeckWood-look deckabout 1,170 sq ft
Composite boards that look like timber. They stay splinter free but can get hot in direct sun, and a dark color shows scratches and fades first.
Pool fenceBlack aluminumabout 165 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.
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.
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, 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. 01What heating and cover system do you recommend here, and how will water drain off the deck in a wet week?
  2. 02The hot tub spills into about 8,900 gallons of pool: can it be heated on its own so you are not warming the whole pool for a soak?
  3. 03Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
  4. 04Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
  5. 05What clearance does the fire pit need from the house and the plants, and does the town allow it?

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.

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More like this

Region:Pacific NorthwestSetting:Inner-ring suburbHouse style:Mid-century modernFeature:Pool with a hot tubFeature:Small backyard poolAll 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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