# Small mid-century pool on a Tempe infill lot

A pocket kidney in a 1960s neighborhood, white plaster and a cool deck, just big enough to float in. Drawn for a small 1960s mid-century house with a low roof, a breeze-block wall and a bright turquoise front door, with a compact yard with a block wall, a palo verde tree, agave and red gravel.

A design idea for Tempe, AZ. Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest, small infill lot, Mid-century modern. 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. In strong sun, a lighter finish fades less and hides scale from hard water.

### Finish color: White finish, bright light blue water

A white interior. Gives the brightest, lightest blue water.

### Waterline tile: White

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 62 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Concrete

Smooth, cantilevered poured concrete. A clean, modern edge that sits flush with a concrete or paver deck. It runs about 62 linear ft around this pool. A light coping stays cooler on bare feet in summer.

### Deck: Light concrete

Light, textured concrete finished to stay cool. A practical choice where the summer sun is strong and kids run barefoot. The deck is about 1,060 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.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

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

### Furniture: Loungers

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck.

### 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 compact yard with a block wall, a palo verde tree, agave and red gravel. 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 small 1960s mid-century house with a low roof, a breeze-block wall and a bright turquoise front door. 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.

## 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.

## Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the desert Southwest, a pool is a cooling tool, so shade, water loss and finish fade shape the design.

- Sun and dry air evaporate water quickly. Expect to top up often, and ask about a cover or a smaller surface if water cost matters to you.
- Strong sun fades dark finishes and tile faster, and hard water leaves scale on tile at the waterline. Lighter finishes hide it better.
- Decks can get hot enough to burn bare feet. Choose light, cool-to-touch surfaces and add shade near the steps.
- Desert planting uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. Gravel yards still need a clear drainage plan for monsoon storms.

## 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 AZ 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

Small 1960s lots reward restraint. A pocket kidney at 24 by 12 keeps the breeze-block wall, palo verde and red gravel in the picture, while white plaster and a light concrete deck reflect heat. Corner steps leave the rest of the pool open for floating.

What to watch: White plaster shows stains and mineral scale from hard water, and a light concrete deck throws glare in midday sun. A kidney curve at only 12 feet wide also limits lap swimming.

## What this will cost: a planning range

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

- The pool: $20,000 to $51,000. 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: $500 to $1,000. 62 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Pool fence: $2,000 to $5,000. 147 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a 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/); [Fixr, pool fence](https://www.fixr.com/costs/swimming-pool-fence); [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, white (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: White (about 62 linear ft, 10 in. band). White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
- Coping: Concrete (about 62 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.
- Deck: Light concrete (about 1,060 sq ft). A light, textured concrete topping made to stay cooler underfoot. It wears over the years and can be recoated.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 145 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.
- 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.

## Keeping it up

- Plaster in this climate: Plaster is the finish most likely to etch or scale in hot, hard-water country, so keep the calcium and pH in range and plan for an earlier resurfacing.
- 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.
- Light concrete deck: A cool-deck topping wears with use. Wash it, patch chips early and plan to recoat it.
- 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.
- 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

- How will you keep the deck and the water line cool and scale-free in full summer sun?
- How close is the palo verde to the pool shell, and what will the builder do about its roots and leaf drop in white plaster?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
- How do you keep the gravel and the planting out of the pool and the filter?
- What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=mid-century-infill-pool-tempe