# Beach house pool beside a Galveston stilt house

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

A design idea for Galveston, TX. Gulf Coast, coastal, Modern farmhouse. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 30 × 15 ft (3.5 to 5.5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 450 sq ft
- Water: about 14,900 gal
- Coping: 90 linear ft
- Deck: 1,750 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft square (about 1,100 gal)

## 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.

### 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 14,900 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.

### Hot tub: Separate 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 finish: Pebble

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 color: Blue finish, classic deep blue water

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

### Waterline tile: Grey 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.

### Coping: Concrete

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.

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

### Planting: Tropical

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 fence: Black aluminum

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

### Water features: Rock 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 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: Midday sun

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

## Why it suits this house

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.

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.

## Will it fit your yard?

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.

## 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.

## Quick answers

**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.

## 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.

## What this will cost: a planning range

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

- 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.
- 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.

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/); [ThePricer Media, pool resurfacing (quoting Angi, April 2026 data)](https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does-pool-resurfacing-cost/); [Willsha Pools, pool finishes](https://willshapools.com/?p=5877); [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); [HomeAdvisor, hot tub cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/install-a-hot-tub); [Shasta Pools, Arizona costs](https://shastapools.com/blog/breaking-down-the-cost-of-an-arizona-pool); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [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.
- The hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Pebble, blue (about 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 tile: Grey stone (about 90 linear ft, 10 in. band). A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
- Coping: Concrete (about 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.
- Deck: Concrete pavers (about 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 fence: Black aluminum (about 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.
- Planting: Tropical. Palms, big leaves and lush planting. It needs water, wind and cold protection, and it drops leaves in the pool.
- Water feature: Rock 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 addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
- Hot tub: Separate tub, square (about 1,100 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- 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).

## Questions to ask a builder

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