# Modern farmhouse pool on a small Boise lot A small rectangle on a lawn behind a farmhouse infill, with a mesh fence the kids and the inspector both like. Drawn for a narrow two-story white modern farmhouse with black windows, a metal porch roof and board-and-batten siding, with a small lawn with a young maple, lavender, a wood fence and the Boise foothills in the distance. A design idea for Boise, ID. Mountain West, small infill lot, Modern farmhouse. Updated 2026-10-06. ## The numbers - Size: 24 × 12 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep) - Water surface: 290 sq ft - Water: about 8,800 gal - Coping: 72 linear ft - Deck: 960 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: Rectangle A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house. ### 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 290 sq ft of water and about 8,800 gallons. ### Steps: Wide 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. ### Pool finish: Plaster A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish. ### Finish color: Light grey finish, soft turquoise water A light grey interior. Gives soft turquoise water that suits most houses. ### Waterline tile: White White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 72 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 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. ### Deck: Concrete pavers Grey interlocking concrete pavers. Pavers move with the ground and can be lifted and reset, which helps where the soil freezes or shifts. The deck is about 960 sq ft here. Where it freezes, the base and the joints matter more than the surface. ### Planting: Lawn and hedges A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. ### Pool fence: Removable mesh A removable black mesh safety fence. It is a child-safety barrier you can take down for a party, and it sits in sockets in the deck. ### Furniture: Loungers, Dining table Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen. ### 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 small lawn with a young maple, lavender, a wood fence and the Boise foothills in the distance. 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 narrow two-story white modern farmhouse with black windows, a metal porch roof and board-and-batten siding. 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 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. ## Mountain West: what the climate asks of this pool In the Mountain West, a pool has to handle a real winter, intense sun and a short, bright swim season. - Freeze and thaw cycles crack decks that are not built for them. Choose paving that is rated for freezing and set on a well drained base. - Cold nights and thin air chill the water fast, so heating and a cover are what extend the season. - The sun is strong at altitude and the air is dry. Sunscreen on a deck, shade and light surfaces make long afternoons easier. - The pool is winterized or kept running with a heater, and either way the equipment needs frost protection. ## Quick answers **How much water does this pool hold?** About 8,800 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 290 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 ID is $30,000 to $100,000 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 Narrow two-story houses leave a small lawn, so the 24 x 12 rectangle keeps the shape simple and the wide steps double as a place to sit. Concrete pavers and light grey plaster with white waterline tile match the white siding and black windows, with a mesh fence around it. What to watch: Little shade comes with a small lot and a young maple, so the pavers and the water get strong afternoon sun. A removable mesh fence also leaves a gap whenever someone forgets to put it back. ## What this will cost: a planning range $30,000 to $100,000 for ID, a range from published prices and not a quote. - The pool: $25,000 to $70,000. 288 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. 72 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot. - Deck: $3,000 to $6,500. 964 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed. - Pool fence: $1,500 to $2,500. A removable mesh fence, priced by the job. - 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/); [HomeAdvisor, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [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, light grey (about 580 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 72 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 72 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: Concrete pavers (about 960 sq ft). Interlocking concrete pavers. Easy to repair one piece at a time, and the joints need topping up with sand now and then to keep weeds out. - Pool fence: Removable mesh (about 145 linear ft around the deck as drawn). A removable mesh fence goes up for children and comes down for a party. It has to be installed tight to meet code, and it has to be put back every time. - Planting: Lawn 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. ## Keeping it up - Plaster in this climate: Plaster is the finish a freeze season stresses most, so close the pool carefully and do not drain it. - 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 580 sq ft of interior. - Concrete pavers deck: Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers. - Removable mesh fence: A mesh fence has to be put back and latched every time. Check the anchors and the mesh each spring. - 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). ## Questions to ask a builder - Do you winterize this pool or keep it running, and how is the plumbing protected from a hard freeze? - How close to the fence and the property line is the pool, and does the removable mesh fence need a gate that latches itself? - What base sits under the pavers, and how are they locked in against movement? - What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping? - Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town? Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=modern-farmhouse-pool-boise