# Formal pool with a pergola in Myers Park, Charlotte

A rectangle with brick coping behind a Georgian house, under willow oaks, with a pergola and a lawn to walk on. Drawn for a red brick Georgian house with white columns, black shutters and a symmetrical slate roof, with a tree-shaded lot with huge willow oaks, boxwood, azaleas, a manicured lawn and a brick garden wall.

A design idea for Charlotte, NC. Southeast, inner-ring suburb, Colonial. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 650 sq ft
- Water: about 22,100 gal
- Coping: 108 linear ft
- Deck: 1,660 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.

### Shape: Rectangle

A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house.

### 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 650 sq ft of water and about 22,100 gallons.

### Steps: Steps and a bench

Steps with a bench along one wall. Gives adults a place to sit and talk in the water while the kids play. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

### 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: Quartz

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. Warm, humid water grows algae faster, so a smooth, dense finish is easier to keep clean.

### Finish color: Blue finish, classic deep blue water

A blue interior. Gives a classic, deeper blue water.

### Waterline tile: White

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 108 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Brick

Red brick with a rolled edge. A traditional edge that suits brick houses and colonial or Tudor styles. It runs about 108 linear ft around this pool.

### 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 1,660 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

### Planting: Lawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

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

### Add to the yard: Pergola

Pergola: A pergola over part of the deck. Gives shade and a room feeling. It may need a permit and engineering where it is windy or snowy.

### 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 tree-shaded lot with huge willow oaks, boxwood, azaleas, a manicured lawn and a brick garden wall. 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.

The house is a red brick Georgian house with white columns, black shutters and a symmetrical slate roof. A colonial house wants symmetry, brick or flagstone and a formal edge. A tidy rectangle, stone coping and a calm palette respect the house's proportions. Clipped hedges and simple furniture keep the formality.

## 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.

## Southeast: what the climate asks of this pool

A Southeast pool is used for a long, humid season, so shade, drainage and old-yard constraints decide the design.

- Heat and humidity mean shade, ceiling fans under a pergola and a deck that does not hold water make the yard usable.
- Red clay and mature trees are common. Roots, drainage and soil movement all shape the excavation.
- Summer thunderstorms are frequent. Plan where the water runs off the deck and keep electrical equipment high and dry.
- Historic and coastal neighborhoods can have design review. Ask about fence, structure and lighting rules early.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 22,100 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 650 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 NC is $75,000 to $205,000 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

Willow oaks throw big shade over a 36 x 18 rectangle of about 22,100 gallons, with a round tub spilling in at the right end. Brick coping and the brick garden wall match the Georgian house, and steps with a bench give a seat in the pergola shade.

What to watch: Big oaks mean heavy leaf loads in fall and pollen in spring, and roots near the dig can complicate the work. Brick coping and concrete pavers also run hot in humid sun.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$75,000 to $205,000 for NC, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $57,000 to $157,000. 648 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: $2,500 to $3,000. 108 linear ft at $25 to $30 a foot.
- Deck: $5,000 to $11,000. 1,660 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $17,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Pergola: $2,000 to $6,500. A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.
- Pool fence: $3,000 to $7,000. 205 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.

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); [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); [Fixr, pergola](https://www.fixr.com/costs/build-pergola); [Fixr, pool fence](https://www.fixr.com/costs/swimming-pool-fence)

## 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.

- The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
- 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: Quartz, blue (about 1,140 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 tile: White (about 108 linear ft, 10 in. band). White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
- Coping: Brick (about 108 linear ft). Rolled-edge brick gives a traditional line. The mortar joints need attention over the years and the surface can be uneven underfoot.
- Deck: Concrete pavers (about 1,660 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: Black aluminum (about 205 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: 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.
- Yard addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
- 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

- Quartz in this climate: A smooth quartz surface is easier to keep algae-free than a textured one, but it still needs a steady sanitizer level in warm water.
- Concrete pavers deck: Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers.
- 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.
- Algae and storms: Warm, damp weather grows algae fast, so keep the sanitizer steady and circulation running. Secure loose furniture before a storm.
- 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 protect the existing trees and drain the deck in a summer thunderstorm?
- Do the willow oak roots reach the excavation, and how will the builder protect the trees or deal with the roots?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
- Does the pergola need a permit or engineering for wind or snow, and who builds it?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=myers-park-formal-pool-charlotte