# Prairie ranch pool on acreage near Kansas City

A big kidney with a separate hot tub, a fire pit and nothing but sky and corn behind the fence. Drawn for a long brick ranch house with a low roof, a big covered patio and a detached two-car garage, with an open yard of Bermuda grass with a few oak trees and a split rail fence, farmland stretching behind.

A design idea for Kansas City, MO. Midwest, ranch or acreage, Ranch. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 460 sq ft
- Water: about 16,700 gal
- Coping: 94 linear ft
- Deck: 1,990 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: 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: 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 460 sq ft of water and about 16,700 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.

### Hot tub: Separate tub, 7 ft round

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 850 gallons.

### 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: Blue finish, classic deep blue water

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

### Waterline tile: Blue glass

Blue glass mosaic at the waterline. Adds sparkle and a clear blue edge to the water. It runs about 94 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 94 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: 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 1,990 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.

### Add to the yard: Fire pit

Fire pit: A round fire pit with seating. Extends the evening. Local burn rules and clearance from the house and plants apply.

### Furniture: Loungers, Umbrella

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Umbrella: A market umbrella. Cheap shade that you can move with the sun.

### Light: Midday sun

Shown in midday sun. Shows the true color of the water and the finish.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: an open yard of Bermuda grass with a few oak trees and a split rail fence, farmland stretching behind. On acreage there is room to spread out, so the pool can be sized for the whole family and for entertaining. Space lets you place the pool for the best light and keep it away from trees. A well, a septic field and an easement can still limit where it goes, so locate them first.

The house is a long brick ranch house with a low roof, a big covered patio and a detached two-car garage. 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.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 66 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 68 by 38 ft.

## Midwest: what the climate asks of this pool

A Midwest pool lives with a hard winter, so the swim season, the cover and the winterizing plan are part of the design.

- The pool is usually closed for the winter. A safety cover, drained lines and a plan for the first warm weekend are normal costs of ownership.
- Freeze and thaw cycles move decks. Pavers, a good base and joints that can flex last longer than a rigid, thin surface.
- A pool heater or a heat pump stretches the season at both ends. Think about it while the equipment pad is being planned.
- Back yards are often generous but fenced, so there is room for a deck, a lawn and a pergola without crowding the water.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 16,700 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 460 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 66 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 68 by 38 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for MO is $45,000 to $135,000 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

Open acreage and a long brick ranch leave room for a large 36 x 18 kidney with a separate round hot tub at the left end. A light concrete deck and blue glass waterline tile keep the look simple, and the removable mesh fence sits inside the split rail fence and the fire pit corner.

What to watch: Open land means wind blowing dust and field debris into about 16,700 gallons of water. Light concrete in full sun can also glare, so ask about a broom finish or a shade plan.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$45,000 to $135,000 for MO, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $39,000 to $110,000. 459 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. 94 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Hot tub: $5,500 to $17,000. A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.
- Pool fence: $1,500 to $2,500. A removable mesh fence, priced by the job.

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, 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, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen); [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 hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, blue (about 910 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: Blue glass (about 94 linear ft, 10 in. band). Glass mosaic reads bright in sun and is easy to wipe clean of the waterline scum ring.
- Coping: Concrete (about 94 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 1,990 sq ft). A light, textured concrete topping made to stay cooler underfoot. It wears over the years and can be recoated.
- Pool fence: Removable mesh (about 210 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.
- Yard addition: Fire 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 tub: Separate tub, 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

- 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 910 sq ft of interior.
- Light concrete deck: A cool-deck topping wears with use. Wash it, patch chips early and plan to recoat it.
- 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.
- 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

- What does closing and opening this pool involve each year, and which parts of the deck are rated for freeze and thaw?
- With open land and wind, do you suggest a cover for this pool, and where would it be stored when it is off?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- What clearance does the fire pit need from the house and the plants, and does the town allow it?
- What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?

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