# Starter pool in a new Loudoun County subdivision A small Roman-end pool with a mesh fence on a neat lot, plaster inside and a wide set of steps for the little ones. Drawn for a new three-story brick-front colonial with white trim, black shutters and a two-car garage, with a small flat lot with new sod, a few young trees, a wood fence and rows of similar houses behind. A design idea for Ashburn, VA. Mid-Atlantic, new-build subdivision, Colonial. Updated 2026-10-06. ## The numbers - Size: 24 × 12 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep) - Water surface: 280 sq ft - Water: about 8,400 gal - Coping: 68 linear ft - Deck: 980 sq ft ## The design, spelled out The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft. ### Shape: Roman A rectangle with a half-round bump-out at one short end. The curved end gives a natural place for steps and a softer, classic look. ### Size: 24 × 12 ft A pool about 12 ft wide and 24 ft long. Big enough for a few people to cool off and play, small enough for a tight lot. That is about 280 sq ft of water and about 8,400 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. ### Pool finish: Plaster A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. ### 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 68 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 68 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 980 sq ft here. ### 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. ### Furniture: Loungers Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. ### 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 small flat lot with new sod, a few young trees, a wood fence and rows of similar houses behind. A new-build lot starts as bare ground, so grading, drainage and the house's own plan shape the pool. Subdivision lots are often tight and graded for drainage. Check the homeowner association rules, the utility easements and the setbacks before the layout is final. The house is a new three-story brick-front colonial with white trim, black shutters and a two-car garage. 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 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft. ## Mid-Atlantic: what the climate asks of this pool A Mid-Atlantic pool gets four seasons, so it needs to cope with hot, humid summers and a winter that freezes. - Summers are hot and sticky and winters freeze, so you plan for both a cover and a cooler deck surface. - Freeze and thaw moves paving. Choose a material rated for it and a base that drains. - Mature trees are common. They give shade and drop leaves, so skimmer placement and a cover matter. - Older neighborhoods can have setbacks, easements and tree rules that shape where the pool can go. ## Quick answers **How much water does this pool hold?** About 8,400 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 280 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 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 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft. **What does this design cost?** A planning range for VA is $30,000 to $85,000 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 Small lots need a pool that does not take the whole yard, and a 24 x 12 Roman of about 8,400 gallons leaves room for new sod and a few young trees. Wide steps give little ones a shallow place to start, and plaster with blue glass tile is a simple finish for a brick-front colonial. What to watch: Roman ends leave a bit less usable floor than a plain rectangle, which matters for laps. A removable mesh fence only works if it goes back every time, and the town decides whether it is accepted. ## What this will cost: a planning range $30,000 to $85,000 for VA, a range from published prices and not a quote. - The pool: $25,000 to $70,000. 278 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. 68 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot. - Deck: $3,000 to $7,000. 978 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed. - 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, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [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. ## What it is made of - Interior: Plaster, blue (about 550 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 68 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 68 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: Concrete pavers (about 980 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: Removable mesh (about 145 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. ## Keeping it up - Plaster in this climate: Plaster works in a mixed climate if the water is kept balanced, and it is the easiest finish to repair. - 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 550 sq ft of interior. - Concrete pavers deck: Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers. - Removable mesh fence: A mesh fence has to be put back and latched every time. Check the anchors and the mesh each spring. - 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 do you handle a mature tree near the pool, and what is the winterizing routine for this design? - Because the lot is a new build with fresh fill, how will the builder test and compact the ground before the Roman shape is dug? - What base sits under the pavers, and how are they locked in against movement? - What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping? - Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town? Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=starter-pool-loudoun-county-new-build