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AI concept image of Shingle-style beach house pool on Cape Cod: a rectangular pool with a sun shelf.Save

Chatham, MA · Coastal

Shingle-style beach house pool on Cape Cod

A clean rectangle in dune grass and hydrangeas, with a white deck, a bench and the harbor in view.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: coastal houses on a coastal in Northeast and New England.

Drawn for a gray cedar-shingled Cape Cod beach house with white trim, a steep roof, dormers and a widow's walk, with a dune-side lot with beach roses, hydrangeas, tall dune grass, a split rail fence and the harbor in the distance.

Planning cost, MA
$65,000 to $170,000
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 9,800 gal
Water surface
450 sq ft

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 9,800 gallons. It is 30 by 15 ft with about 450 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 48 by 33 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 50 by 35 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for MA is $65,000 to $170,000 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. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

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

Wind and salt air favor white quartz with travertine coping and a travertine deck, a stone that stays cooler than dark pavers. Steps with a bench and a sun shelf give you places to sit in 9,800 gallons, and the pergola adds shade without blocking the harbor.

What to watch

White surfaces glare at golden hour and show sand and dirt, and Cape winters are hard on pavers. Wind carries dune sand and grass into the water, so skimming is a regular job.

How it reads

White quartz and white tile make the water look clear and bright, a good match for the white deck and trim. Travertine coping and pavers glow pale and warm, and the gray shingles of the house anchor the picture. In golden hour the whole yard turns gold, and the harbor light adds a soft glow. The bench and shelf stay shallow and sunny. Underfoot, travertine stays cooler than dark pavers would, even in full summer sun.

Through the year

Cape pools get steady use in summer, with fog and sea wind in spring and fall. Wind carries sand and grass into the water, and winter storms can be hard on the edges. Check the pergola's fasteners before the first big blow of the season, and again after the last.

Every choice, row by row (14)
ShapeRectangle

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

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 450 sq ft of water and about 9,800 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.

Sun shelfSun shelf

A shallow ledge a few inches under the water. Kids play and adults lounge on it, and bubblers or a chair fit there.

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 colorWhite finish, bright light blue water

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

Waterline tileWhite

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 90 linear ft around this pool.

CopingTravertine

Ivory travertine with a rounded edge. Stays cooler underfoot than most stone and gives a warm, classic edge. It runs about 90 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.

DeckTravertine pavers

Ivory travertine pavers. Light and cool underfoot, and a natural fit with Mediterranean and French styles. The deck is about 1,230 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.

Add to the yardPergola

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.

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
90 linear ft
Deck
1,230 sq ft

Why it fits the coastal

The yard: a dune-side lot with beach roses, hydrangeas, tall dune grass, a split rail fence and the harbor in the distance. A coastal pool deals with wind, salt and a view, so materials and shelter shape the design. Wind chills the water and carries salt. A low wall, a glass fence and tough fittings let the pool take in the view without punishment from the weather.

Why it fits the coastal house

The house is a gray cedar-shingled Cape Cod beach house with white trim, a steep roof, dormers and a widow's walk. A coastal house wants light colors, natural wood and a view that stays open. A clean rectangle, a glass fence, pale coping and a wood-look deck keep the yard bright and let the ocean air and light do the work.

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 Shingle-style beach house pool on Cape Cod: a rectangular pool with a sun shelf.

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

48 × 33 ft

About 1,584 sq ft. The pool alone is 30 × 15 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 48 by 33 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 50 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.

Northeast and New England: what the climate asks of this pool

A Northeast pool is built for a short season and a long winter, in yards that are often small and tight.

  • Winterizing is a yearly job. A safety cover, drained and blown lines and frost protected equipment are part of the plan.
  • Freeze and thaw is hard on stone and concrete. Pick paving that is rated for it and ask how the base is drained.
  • Space is tight and access can be hard. A crane, a narrow side yard or a rooftop changes what can be built and how it is brought in.
  • Historic districts and homeowner associations can review fences and structures. Check before you commit to a look.

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.

  • Travertine pavers deck

    Seal the travertine as the maker says and rinse it after salt or chlorine splashes. Use a stone-safe cleaner, never an acid wash.

  • 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, MA

$65,000 to $170,000

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 MA by a damped regional factor of 1.03 (the state's cost of living is 105.8 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
$42,000 to $116,000
450 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
$4,000 to $5,000
90 linear ft at $45 to $55 a foot.
Deck
$19,000 to $34,000
1,225 sq ft at $15 to $27 a square foot installed.
Pergola
$2,000 to $6,500
A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.
Pool fence
$2,500 to $6,000
170 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.
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.

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.

  • The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.

What it is made of

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

The materials list (6 lines)
InteriorQuartz, whiteabout 710 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 tileWhiteabout 90 linear ft, 10 in. band
White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
CopingTravertineabout 90 linear ft
Natural stone with a rounded edge. It stays comfortable underfoot but should be sealed, and it needs a gentle cleaner rather than an acid wash.
DeckTravertine paversabout 1,230 sq ft
Natural stone pavers. Cooler than most paving in the sun, but porous: it needs sealing and a quick rinse after salt or chlorine splashes.
Pool fenceBlack aluminumabout 170 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.
Yard additionPergola
A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.

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. 01How will equipment and materials reach this yard, and what does winterizing involve for this layout?
  2. 02Salt air is hard on stone, so how often will travertine need sealing, and does the builder stand behind it against freeze and thaw?
  3. 03How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
  4. 04Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
  5. 05Does the pergola need a permit or engineering for wind or snow, and who builds it?

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.

See this pool in your yard, freeUpload your yard

More like this

Region:Northeast and New EnglandSetting:CoastalHouse style:CoastalFeature:Pool with a sun shelfAll 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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