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AI concept image of Beach house pool beside a Galveston stilt house: a rectangular pool with a hot tub.Save

Galveston, TX · Coastal

Beach house pool beside a Galveston stilt house

A straight rectangle with a rock waterfall to cover the highway, and a pergola for shade.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: modern farmhouse houses on a coastal in Gulf Coast.

Drawn for a gray board-and-batten beach house on tall pilings with a standing-seam roof and a wide porch, with a sandy lot with palms, oleander, beach grass and a view of the sea wall.

  • Modern farmhouse
  • Mid-range tier
  • Hot tub
Planning cost, TX
$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 14,900 gal
Water surface
450 sq ft
Hot tub
7 ft square
about 1,100 gal

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 14,900 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 45 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 50 by 47 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for TX 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.

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

Sandy ground beside the sea wall suits a straight rectangle with a rock waterfall, whose sound helps cover the highway. The black aluminum fence guards the pool while the pergola shades the dining table, and the separate tub on the far side keeps its own water and heat.

What to watch

Storms and wind push salt and debris at the pool, and sandy soil can shift under a deck. A separate tub also means a second set of equipment and a second water to balance.

How it reads

Blue pebble with grey stone tile makes the water a deep, textured blue that holds up against the gray beach house and the sea wall beyond. Concrete pavers and concrete coping keep the edge plain and sturdy, and the oleander and palms add green. The rock waterfall gives movement and sound. In midday sun the pebble sparkles, and in the evening the water goes steel blue while the pergola frames the sunset.

Through the year

Galveston has hot summers and a long swim season, with wind and salt in the air at all times. Hurricane season is the real edge of the year. Before a storm, switch off the equipment, secure the pergola furniture, and keep the separate tub covered so the sea spray and debris stay out of it.

Every choice, row by row (15)
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 14,900 gallons.

StepsWide 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 tubSeparate tub, 7 ft square

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 1,100 gallons.

Pool finishPebble

An exposed pebble aggregate finish, in the Pebble Tec style. Durable and textured, which hides small marks, but rougher on bare feet. 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 tileGrey stone

Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 90 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 90 linear ft around this pool.

DeckConcrete 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 1,750 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

PlantingTropical

Palms, bird of paradise and big-leaf plants. Creates a resort feel and screens the neighbors in a warm, humid climate. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

Pool fenceBlack aluminum

A black aluminum picket fence. A standard, durable barrier that disappears in the planting and meets most barrier codes.

Water featuresRock waterfall

Rock waterfall: A natural rock waterfall. Gives a lagoon look and a strong sound, and uses more space than a wall feature.

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.
LightMidday sun

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

Coping
90 linear ft
Deck
1,750 sq ft

Why it fits the coastal

The yard: a sandy lot with palms, oleander, beach grass and a view of the sea wall. 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 modern farmhouse house

The house is a gray board-and-batten beach house on tall pilings with a standing-seam roof and a wide porch. A modern farmhouse asks for clean lines with a warm, relaxed finish. Crisp rectangles, soft grey water and honed stone or pavers sit well beside white siding and dark window frames. Keep the planting simple and the furniture casual.

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 Beach house pool beside a Galveston stilt house: a rectangular pool with a hot tub.

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 × 45 ft

About 2,160 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 30 × 27 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 48 by 45 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 50 by 47 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.

Gulf Coast: what the climate asks of this pool

On the Gulf Coast, a pool has to handle humidity, salt air and storm surge risk as well as the heat.

  • Humid air keeps decks damp, so a textured, light-colored surface that dries quickly is safer underfoot.
  • Low, flat lots can hold standing water after heavy rain. Deck drainage and where the pool overflow goes matter more here than in a dry region.
  • Salt air is hard on metals. Stainless and aluminum parts should be marine rated, and fire features need their gas lines sized and protected for wind.
  • In a flood zone, the pool, the equipment and the fence may all have extra rules. Check the flood map for the lot before you fall for a layout.

Keeping it up

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

  • Pebble in this climate

    Warm, wet weather feeds algae. Pebble's texture gives algae something to hold on to, so brush it and keep the sanitizer steady.

  • When it is resurfaced

    Pebble is usually redone every 15 to 20 or more years, depending on the water and the builder (Shasta Pools, plaster versus pebble and Pebble Technology, support). On this pool that is about 850 sq ft of interior.

  • Concrete pavers deck

    Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers.

  • Rock waterfall

    A rock waterfall collects algae and leaves in the crevices. Plan on a spring clean and a check of the pump.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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, TX

$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 TX by a damped regional factor of 0.99 (the state's cost of living is 97.1 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
$40,000 to $111,000
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.
Pebble interior
$5,000 to $5,000
847 sq ft of shell at $6 a square foot above plaster. Pebble is $10 a square foot against $4 for plaster in both sources.
Coping
$500 to $1,000
90 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
Deck
$5,000 to $12,000
1,751 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed. HomeAdvisor's installed figure. Fixr's $6 to $8 is materials only.
Hot tub
$6,000 to $18,000
A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
Rock waterfall
$4,000 to $10,000
A medium rock waterfall. A grotto costs more.
Pergola
$2,000 to $6,500
A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.
Pool fence
$3,000 to $6,500
194 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.

  • HomeAdvisor's installed figure. Fixr's $6 to $8 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.

  • The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
  • The hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

What it is made of

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

The materials list (9 lines)
InteriorPebble, blueabout 850 sq ft of shell
Small stones set in cement. It is textured, hides wear and holds color well, and it is rougher on bare feet than the other finishes.
Waterline tileGrey stoneabout 90 linear ft, 10 in. band
A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
CopingConcreteabout 90 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.
DeckConcrete paversabout 1,750 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 fenceBlack aluminumabout 195 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.
PlantingTropical
Palms, big leaves and lush planting. It needs water, wind and cold protection, and it drops leaves in the pool.
Water featureRock waterfall
A natural stone waterfall. It needs space, a strong base and a pump sized for the flow, and it is the feature that most changes how the yard looks.
Yard additionPergola
A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
Hot tubSeparate tub, squareabout 1,100 gal
Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

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. 01Is the lot in a flood zone, and where does the pool equipment have to sit to meet that rule?
  2. 02How will the builder support the pool and deck in sandy, high-water soil, and does the pergola need to be built for storm winds?
  3. 03Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
  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.

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More like this

Region:Gulf CoastSetting:CoastalHouse style:Modern farmhouseFeature:Pool with a hot tubAll 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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