# Waterfront contemporary pool on Sarasota Bay

A pool with cut corners, a wood-look deck and an open view across the water to the keys. Drawn for a low contemporary house with deep overhangs, wide glass and a cedar-clad entry in the Sarasota modern style, with a bayfront lot with sea oats, sabal palms, a short dock and open water to the horizon.

A design idea for Sarasota, FL. Gulf Coast, lake or waterfront lot, Contemporary. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 630 sq ft
- Water: about 15,600 gal
- Coping: 101 linear ft
- Deck: 1,670 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 10 ft, slopes over about 12 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 14 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: Grecian

A rectangle with cut corners (Grecian). It reads more formal than a simple rectangle and adds interest without becoming a curve.

### Size: 36 × 18 ft

A pool about 18 ft wide and 36 ft long. Room for lengths and a group, and a yard that can hold the larger deck it needs. That is about 630 sq ft of water and about 15,600 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.

### Sun shelf: With loungers

A sun shelf sized for chairs in the water. Lets you sit in the cool water in the sun with a drink, which is why it works well in a hot climate.

### Hot tub: Spills into the pool, 7 ft square

A hot tub built into the pool and level with the deck, spilling into it. It shares the pool's water and equipment, so one heater and one set of chemistry cover both. 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: White finish, bright light blue water

A white interior. Gives the brightest, lightest 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 101 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Porcelain

Large-format grey porcelain with a square edge. Crisp and low maintenance, ideal beside a modern house. Check it is rated for exterior use where it freezes. It runs about 101 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Wood-look deck

Warm brown composite wood-look boards. Soft on bare feet and warm to look at. Darker boards can run hot in full sun, so check the color. The deck is about 1,670 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

### Planting: Modern

Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. A tidy, low-maintenance frame that suits clean architecture. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

### Pool fence: Glass

A frameless glass pool fence. It keeps the view open. Your town's barrier code sets the height, the gate and the latch, so ask before you design around it.

### Add to the yard: Fire pit

Fire pit: A round fire pit with seating. Extends the evening. Local burn rules and clearance from the house and plants apply.

### Furniture: Loungers, Outdoor sofa

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Outdoor sofa: An outdoor sofa and lounge chairs. Makes the deck feel like a living room outside.

### 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 bayfront lot with sea oats, sabal palms, a short dock and open water to the horizon. A waterfront lot is regulated land, so the rules decide how close the pool can sit to the shore. Shoreline setbacks, flood zones and sometimes environmental review limit where a pool can go. The view is the point, so a low edge, glass fence or vanishing edge can frame it.

The house is a low contemporary house with deep overhangs, wide glass and a cedar-clad entry in the Sarasota modern style. A contemporary house asks for hard edges, quiet colors and one confident feature. Rectangles, large-format porcelain or concrete, and a single water feature keep the yard calm and let the architecture lead.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 63 by 36 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 65 by 38 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 15,600 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 630 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 6 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 63 by 36 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 65 by 38 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for FL is $160,000 to $375,000 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

Bayfront lots with open water want a glass fence, so the view from the low house stays clear. The cut corners of the Grecian shape echo the clean lines of the house. The wood-look deck resists moisture and salt air better than real wood, and the fire pit and sofa sit back from the water.

What to watch: Salt air and wind off the bay are hard on metal hardware, and glass spots quickly, so the panels need regular rinsing. A wood-look deck in dark tones also gets hot in direct sun.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$160,000 to $375,000 for FL, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $58,000 to $161,000. 631 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: $6,000 to $6,000. 966 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: $2,000 to $4,000. 101 linear ft at $20 to $40 a foot.
- Deck: $68,000 to $136,000. 1,666 sq ft at $40 to $80 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $18,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.
- Pool fence: $20,000 to $44,000. 205 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $95 to $210 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); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen); [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 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, white (about 970 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 101 linear ft, 10 in. band). A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
- Coping: Porcelain (about 101 linear ft). Large, flat porcelain slabs with a square edge. Very modern, and the joints and the edge profile need a careful installer.
- Deck: Wood-look deck (about 1,670 sq ft). Composite boards that look like timber. They stay splinter free but can get hot in direct sun, and a dark color shows scratches and fades first.
- Pool fence: Glass (about 205 linear ft around the deck as drawn). Frameless glass keeps the view open and needs wiping to stay clear. Its height, gate and hardware have to meet your town's barrier rules.
- Planting: Modern. Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. Tidy and low water, with the beds kept away from the skimmer.
- Yard addition: Fire pit. A round fire pit with seating. It needs clear space from the house, the plants and the pool, and a town that allows it.
- Hot tub: Spills into the pool, 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 970 sq ft of interior.
- Wood-look deck deck: Wash the composite boards with soap and water, and keep furniture feet from scratching a dark color.
- 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.
- Glass fence: Glass fence panels show water spots. Wipe them down and rinse the hardware.
- 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?
- What is the glass fence hardware made of, and how will it hold up to salt air along the coping?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- What does the town's barrier code require for the glass height and the gate, and how do you clean it?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=waterfront-contemporary-pool-sarasota