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AI concept image of Hillside pool with a Pikes Peak view in Colorado Springs: a kidney-shaped pool with a hot tub.Save

Colorado Springs, CO · Hillside or slope

Hillside pool with a Pikes Peak view in Colorado Springs

A kidney on a terraced slope, with a raised wall at the low side and the mountain filling the horizon.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: ranch houses on a hillside or slope in Mountain West.

Drawn for a long walkout ranch house with stone and cedar siding, a low roof and a big deck, with a terraced slope with scrub oak, ponderosa pine, native grasses and boulders, Pikes Peak rising in the distance.

Planning cost, CO
$65,000 to $180,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
30 × 15 ft
3.5 to 5.5 ft deep
Water
about 10,400 gal
Water surface
320 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 10,400 gallons. It is 30 by 15 ft with about 320 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 5.5 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 60 by 33 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 62 by 35 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for CO is $65,000 to $180,000 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 8 ft, slopes over about 10 ft, then runs level at 5.5 ft for the last 11 ft.

3.5 ft5.5 ftwater line30 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

Terraced slopes ask for a shape that follows the land, and a kidney with a raised wall at the low side suits that. Flagstone coping and a stamped concrete deck match the stone and cedar of the walkout ranch, while steps with a bench and a separate square tub at the left end keep it easy to use.

What to watch

Slope, retaining walls and the view below the edge are not drawn, because the model sits on a flat site. On the real lot, those walls and footings can change the layout and the work.

How it reads

Blue quartz with grey stone waterline tile and flagstone coping gives the kidney a sparkling, slightly textured surface that suits the stone and cedar of the ranch. The raised wall gives it a solid edge, and the bench makes a low seat beside the steps. The stamped concrete deck is the broad neutral. At golden hour Pikes Peak turns warm and the water glows blue, while scrub oak and grasses stay muted.

Through the year

Sunny weather runs through much of the year, but nights are cool and winter brings snow and hard freezes. Strong sun at altitude hits the wet deck and the raised wall hard. Before winter, ask about draining the separate square tub at the left end so water does not freeze in its lines.

Every choice, row by row (14)
ShapeKidney

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.

Size30 × 15 ft

A pool about 15 ft wide and 30 ft long. A common family size with room for play and a short swim. That is about 320 sq ft of water and about 10,400 gallons.

StepsSteps 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.

Pool edgeRaised wall

A seat-height wall along one side of the pool. It adds a place to sit, a spot for a water feature and a visual break, with extra structure to build.

Hot tubSeparate tub, 7 ft square

A hot tub on the deck, apart from the pool. It has its own water and heater, so you can run it alone on a cold night without heating the pool. 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. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish.

Finish colorBlue finish, classic deep blue water

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

Waterline tileGrey stone

Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 78 linear ft around this pool.

CopingFlagstone

Natural flagstone with irregular edges. Gives a natural, informal look that blends with planting and rock. It runs about 78 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.

DeckStamped 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 1,710 sq ft here. Where it freezes, the base and the joints matter more than the surface.

PlantingKeep what's there

The planting already in the yard. Keeps mature trees and shade in place and saves disruption.

Pool fenceBlack aluminum

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

FurnitureLoungers, 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.
LightGolden hour

Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

Coping
78 linear ft
Deck
1,710 sq ft

Why it fits the hillside or slope

The yard: a terraced slope with scrub oak, ponderosa pine, native grasses and boulders, Pikes Peak rising in the distance. 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.

Why it fits the ranch house

The house is a long walkout ranch house with stone and cedar siding, a low roof and a big deck. A ranch house is low and wide, so the pool should be relaxed and easy to walk out to. A freeform or kidney shape, a broad deck and shade trees suit a single-story house and a lawn that runs right up to the water.

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 Hillside pool with a Pikes Peak view in Colorado Springs: a kidney-shaped pool with a hot tub.

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

60 × 33 ft

About 1,980 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 42 × 15 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 60 by 33 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 62 by 35 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.

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.

Keeping it up

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

  • Quartz in this climate

    A quartz finish needs the water balanced before the pool is closed, because a freeze season is hard on any cement-based surface.

  • Stamped concrete deck

    Reseal the stamped concrete every few years with a non-slip additive, or it fades and gets slippery when wet.

  • 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.

  • 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).

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, CO

$65,000 to $180,000

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 CO by a damped regional factor of 1.02 (the state's cost of living is 103.1 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
$29,000 to $81,000
319 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
$3,000 to $4,500
78 linear ft at $40 to $55 a foot.
Deck
$21,000 to $35,000
1,713 sq ft at $12 to $20 a square foot installed. HomeAdvisor's installed figure, labor included. Fixr's $15 to $30 is materials only.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $18,000
A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
Raised wall
$2,000 to $8,000
A raised bond-beam wall.
Pool fence
$3,000 to $7,000
194 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.
Slope work
$5,500 to $23,000
A retaining wall ($5,000 to $20,000) and a structural engineer ($500 to $3,000).
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, labor included. Fixr's $15 to $30 is materials only.

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.

  • 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

The materials list for this design, with its own quantities from the model.

The materials list (6 lines)
InteriorQuartz, blueabout 660 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 tileGrey stoneabout 78 linear ft, 10 in. band
A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
CopingFlagstoneabout 78 linear ft
Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
DeckStamped concreteabout 1,710 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.
Pool fenceBlack aluminumabout 195 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.
Hot tubSeparate tub, 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. 01Do you winterize this pool or keep it running, and how is the plumbing protected from a hard freeze?
  2. 02Who engineers the retaining walls and the raised pool wall on this slope, and does the soil need testing before anything is drawn?
  3. 03How is the raised wall engineered, and who signs off on it?
  4. 04Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
  5. 05Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?

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:Mountain WestSetting:Hillside or slopeHouse style:RanchFeature:Pool with a hot tubAll 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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