# 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. 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.

A design idea for Chatham, MA. Northeast and New England, coastal, Coastal. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 30 × 15 ft (3.5 to 5.5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 450 sq ft
- Water: about 9,800 gal
- Coping: 90 linear ft
- Deck: 1,230 sq ft

## The design, spelled out

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.

### Shape: Rectangle

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

### Size: 30 × 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.

### 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.

### Sun shelf: Sun 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 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. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish.

### Finish color: White finish, bright light blue water

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

### Waterline tile: White

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

### Coping: Travertine

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.

### Deck: Travertine 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.

### Planting: Keep what's there

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

### 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: Golden hour

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

## Why it suits this house

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.

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.

## Will it fit your yard?

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.

## 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.

## Quick answers

**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.

## 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.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$65,000 to $170,000 for MA, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- 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.

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, travertine pavers](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/travertine-pavers-install/); [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.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Quartz, white (about 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 tile: White (about 90 linear ft, 10 in. band). White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
- Coping: Travertine (about 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.
- Deck: Travertine pavers (about 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 fence: Black aluminum (about 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 addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.

## Keeping it up

- 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).

## Questions to ask a builder

- How will equipment and materials reach this yard, and what does winterizing involve for this layout?
- Salt air is hard on stone, so how often will travertine need sealing, and does the builder stand behind it against freeze and thaw?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- 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=shingle-style-pool-cape-cod