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Marietta, GA · Classic suburb

Starter pool with a safety fence in Marietta

A modest freeform and a stamped deck behind a craftsman with a front porch, and a lawn the dog has already claimed.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: Craftsman houses on a classic suburb in Southeast.

Drawn for a one-story brick craftsman with tapered columns, a front gable and a deep front porch, with a green lawn with tall pines, dogwoods, azaleas, a wood privacy fence and red Georgia clay at the edges.

Planning cost, GA
$30,000 to $80,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
24 × 12 ft
3.5 to 5 ft deep
Water
about 7,300 gal
Water surface
230 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 7,300 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 230 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 GA is $30,000 to $80,000 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 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft.

3.5 ft5 ftwater line24 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

Georgia clay holds water and shifts, so a small 24 x 12 freeform of about 7,300 gallons keeps the dig modest on a flat lawn. Corner steps save space, plaster with blue glass tile is a plain finish, and a removable mesh fence works for a family with a dog.

What to watch

Pine needles and pollen clog skimmers and stain plaster, and red clay washes into the water after heavy rain. Freeform edges also mean more curves to clean.

How it reads

Blue plaster with blue glass tile makes bright water that stands out against the green lawn and brick house. Concrete coping and the stamped deck add warm texture, and the freeform shape softens the yard. The mesh fence stays out of sight. In midday sun the pool sparkles, and the pines throw long shade in the evening. Underfoot, stamped concrete grips well, though it warms quickly in strong afternoon sun.

Through the year

Marietta pools get steady use from late spring through early fall, with hot, humid afternoons and quick storms. Pine needles, pollen and red clay arrive in spring and after heavy rain. Rinse the stamped deck and check the mesh fence latch after each storm, so clay and needles do not build up.

Every choice, row by row (12)
ShapeFreeform

A pool with natural, flowing curves. Curves relax a yard and work with planting, a rock feature or a tub, at the cost of a more complicated cover.

Size24 × 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 230 sq ft of water and about 7,300 gallons.

StepsCorner steps

Steps tucked into a corner. Keeps the water free for swimming and saves space in a small pool. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

Pool finishPlaster

A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. Warm, humid water grows algae faster, so a smooth, dense finish is easier to keep clean.

Finish colorBlue finish, classic deep blue water

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

Waterline tileBlue glass

Blue glass mosaic at the waterline. Adds sparkle and a clear blue edge to the water. It runs about 59 linear ft around this pool.

CopingConcrete

Smooth, cantilevered poured concrete. A clean, modern edge that sits flush with a concrete or paver deck. It runs about 59 linear ft around this pool.

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 1,030 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

PlantingLawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

Pool fenceRemovable 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.

FurnitureLoungers, 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.
LightMidday sun

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

Coping
59 linear ft
Deck
1,030 sq ft

Why it fits the classic suburb

The yard: a green lawn with tall pines, dogwoods, azaleas, a wood privacy fence and red Georgia clay at the edges. A classic suburb yard has room for a real pool, so the design is about how the family uses it. A regular lot and a rear yard give room for a pool, a deck and a lawn. Think about sight lines from the kitchen, where the shade falls and where the kids will play.

Why it fits the Craftsman house

The house is a one-story brick craftsman with tapered columns, a front gable and a deep front porch. A Craftsman house wants natural materials, warm wood and a pool that tucks into the yard. Wood-look decking, stone coping and planting that reaches the water soften a compact pool so it looks as if it belongs with the porch and beams.

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 Starter pool with a safety fence in Marietta: a freeform pool.

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

42 × 30 ft

About 1,260 sq ft. The pool alone is 24 × 12 ft.

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.

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.

Southeast: what the climate asks of this pool

A Southeast pool is used for a long, humid season, so shade, drainage and old-yard constraints decide the design.

  • Heat and humidity mean shade, ceiling fans under a pergola and a deck that does not hold water make the yard usable.
  • Red clay and mature trees are common. Roots, drainage and soil movement all shape the excavation.
  • Summer thunderstorms are frequent. Plan where the water runs off the deck and keep electrical equipment high and dry.
  • Historic and coastal neighborhoods can have design review. Ask about fence, structure and lighting rules early.

Keeping it up

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

  • Plaster in this climate

    Plaster can stain and grow algae in warm, wet weather. Brush it and keep the chemistry steady.

  • 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 480 sq ft of interior.

  • Stamped concrete deck

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

  • Removable mesh fence

    A mesh fence has to be put back and latched every time. Check the anchors and the mesh each spring.

  • Algae and storms

    Warm, damp weather grows algae fast, so keep the sanitizer steady and circulation running. Secure loose furniture before a storm.

  • 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, GA

$30,000 to $80,000

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 GA by a damped regional factor of 0.98 (the state's cost of living is 96.3 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
$20,000 to $56,000
230 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 $500
59 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
Deck
$12,000 to $20,000
1,033 sq ft at $12 to $20 a square foot installed. HomeAdvisor's installed figure, labor included. Fixr's $15 to $30 is materials only.
Pool fence
$1,500 to $2,500
A removable mesh fence, priced by the job.
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.

Nothing in this design adds a stage beyond the usual order: excavate, steel and plumbing, shell, tile and coping, deck, finish, fill.

What it is made of

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

The materials list (6 lines)
InteriorPlaster, blueabout 480 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 tileBlue glassabout 59 linear ft, 10 in. band
Glass mosaic reads bright in sun and is easy to wipe clean of the waterline scum ring.
CopingConcreteabout 59 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.
DeckStamped concreteabout 1,030 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 fenceRemovable meshabout 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.
PlantingLawn 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.

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 you protect the existing trees and drain the deck in a summer thunderstorm?
  2. 02Since red clay sits at the edges of the lot, how will the stamped deck be graded so runoff drains away from the pool?
  3. 03How is the stamped concrete sealed so it is not slippery when wet?
  4. 04What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?
  5. 05Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town?

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:SoutheastSetting:Classic suburbHouse style:CraftsmanFeature:Small backyard poolAll 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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