Just curious if anybody knows how pool builders price gunite pools? Is it generally a set rate per square foot?
Pricing
- Thread starter Dapdo
- Start date
Realistically, it's like anything else - what the market will support.
I'm sure every builder has a method for pricing, but you really cant compare it except to others in your specific geographic area. In an area with lots of pools (Florida, Texas, Arizona, California) you will have lots of pool builders who have lots of competition. Vineland, NJ; probably not as many builders and even more important, not as many tradesman to do the work. A gunite crew in your area would be out of business 4 - 6 months of the year. Fewer resources push up prices. That is what in some areas vinyl and fiberglass pools are much more affordable comparatively speaking.
I'm sure every builder has a method for pricing, but you really cant compare it except to others in your specific geographic area. In an area with lots of pools (Florida, Texas, Arizona, California) you will have lots of pool builders who have lots of competition. Vineland, NJ; probably not as many builders and even more important, not as many tradesman to do the work. A gunite crew in your area would be out of business 4 - 6 months of the year. Fewer resources push up prices. That is what in some areas vinyl and fiberglass pools are much more affordable comparatively speaking.
blakeusa
In The Industry
In NJ its more expensive that say FL, TX, AZ etc where they build a lot of pools.
A baseline would be 60k for a simple basic inground gunite pool with costs increasing to $150k with landscaping.
For a nice high end pool I would expect closer to 100K
200 feet of aluminum fence can run 10K
Pavers or decking can run 6-10K
Electrical 3K
Plumbing 3K
Gunite 12k
Plaster 5k or Pebble finish 9k
Equipment 5-12K ie pump, filter, valves, automation, heater
Digging & Steel 10K
Coping 4-7K
Permits 2k
Costs can add up quickly but I would expect it to be hard to build for under $60k IMO.
If you want hard costs apples to apples you would need to create your own set of plans and specs and then have builders bid those specifically.
There are many online vendors that will create pool plans for you.
A baseline would be 60k for a simple basic inground gunite pool with costs increasing to $150k with landscaping.
For a nice high end pool I would expect closer to 100K
200 feet of aluminum fence can run 10K
Pavers or decking can run 6-10K
Electrical 3K
Plumbing 3K
Gunite 12k
Plaster 5k or Pebble finish 9k
Equipment 5-12K ie pump, filter, valves, automation, heater
Digging & Steel 10K
Coping 4-7K
Permits 2k
Costs can add up quickly but I would expect it to be hard to build for under $60k IMO.
If you want hard costs apples to apples you would need to create your own set of plans and specs and then have builders bid those specifically.
There are many online vendors that will create pool plans for you.
jersey is pricey, I priced out just the rebar and gunite for a 15x30 doing my own dig, plumbing, and finish work and was around 20k with no plaster, my pool would have been over 40k with me doing most of it. Im around 20k doing a full DIY vinyl pool
This is the verbiage from the proposal. Seems somewhat vague
"Custom Freeform pool:
500 sq ft - Price includes excavation, steel framing, PVC plumbing with 2.5 inch and 2 inch piping, gunite construction ( Lifetime Warranty ), six inch perimeter tile border, Paver coping , Diamond Brite aggregate finish, & all upgraded Pentair equipment with 3 year parts and labor warranty.
2 Led lights - 2 pool $ 1,000
Prowler 920 automated cleaner. $ 1,000
Super Mesh Safety cover with installation & winterization. $ 2,800
EZ Touch Automation system& Screen logic. $ 1,500
Salt System IC - 40 $ 1,800
Sundeck with jet & umbrella pipe. $ 2,500
Swimout in deep end w/ step. Included
Electrical package: Includes bonding of pool, all electrical to each electrical device, approx. 150ft of conduit run, bonding grid for deck. $ 2,200
Does this sound right
"Custom Freeform pool:
500 sq ft - Price includes excavation, steel framing, PVC plumbing with 2.5 inch and 2 inch piping, gunite construction ( Lifetime Warranty ), six inch perimeter tile border, Paver coping , Diamond Brite aggregate finish, & all upgraded Pentair equipment with 3 year parts and labor warranty.
2 Led lights - 2 pool $ 1,000
Prowler 920 automated cleaner. $ 1,000
Super Mesh Safety cover with installation & winterization. $ 2,800
EZ Touch Automation system& Screen logic. $ 1,500
Salt System IC - 40 $ 1,800
Sundeck with jet & umbrella pipe. $ 2,500
Swimout in deep end w/ step. Included
Electrical package: Includes bonding of pool, all electrical to each electrical device, approx. 150ft of conduit run, bonding grid for deck. $ 2,200
Does this sound right
D,
You want to make sure you get an EasyTouch with built-in salt cell power supply..
Make sure the pool builder is not going with a 'lite" model EasyTouch... You really need the model or P/N... If it has an 'L' in it you don't want it..
I also notice that there is no pump listed???
Thanks,
Jim R.
My presumption is that it's included in the "all upgrades pentair equipment"
This confuses me im going to have to meet with them again
He did say that we get 4'concrete decking and the salt compatible ez touch and intelliflo pump with quad de filter not in writing tho
This confuses me im going to have to meet with them again
He did say that we get 4'concrete decking and the salt compatible ez touch and intelliflo pump with quad de filter not in writing tho
have him take the cleaner out and get it yourself theres a thousand off, and then ask if you can get your own automation panel and salt cell and he installs it, you save 3300 off his price and can get it for less than half that and get a good model
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also get a sq ft # of how much concrete is included. I see he is going with paver coping and u said 4' of concrete which I assume is just all the way around. depends on how ur yard is setup you may only want 2-3ft on the backsides and use the extra towards ur main decking area. Its a pain to add decking later on and makes a mess all over again, bite the bullet and add what you want now and try to work the price a little. The pool guy is using a concrete sub most likely and adding a mark up, many on here just get a credit and hire a sub on their own for less
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also get a sq ft # of how much concrete is included. I see he is going with paver coping and u said 4' of concrete which I assume is just all the way around. depends on how ur yard is setup you may only want 2-3ft on the backsides and use the extra towards ur main decking area. Its a pain to add decking later on and makes a mess all over again, bite the bullet and add what you want now and try to work the price a little. The pool guy is using a concrete sub most likely and adding a mark up, many on here just get a credit and hire a sub on their own for less
He has extra profit built in to the equipment, so he probably won't let you bring your own. Many suppliers base their pricing ot the builder on how much they sell, so he want's to include the equipment.
I agree withthe deck, get what you want now. Tearing up the yard a second time is a pain. I've never heard anyone say, you know - my deck it too big.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,998
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Usually this is the first thing they do when you are interested. I had 3 separate drawings/designs with 2 days of calling everyone.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,443
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You have to figure out where on a job you are going to let a builder make a "reasonable" profit.
If you want the project done right and on time the builder needs to have the incentive of his profit. The low profit jobs are often the ones that drag on or are delayed while he focuses on the high profit ones. That is the reality of construction.
You squeeze a builder too much and you set yourself up for problems.
Very good point!!
The biggest problem being no builder who will work with you or one that walks when something goes wrong and they don't have any fat in the bid to cover it.
Im in no way looking to squeeze a builder. I want a quality job done right. I have no issue paying for quality. What I was trying to figure out is how big of a pool I can afford in my budget.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,998
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
It really isn't directly proportional (size to price). Once you have your basic shape you can tweak it for usually minimal amounts. We contracted for a basic 20x40 area and ended up with around 44x22 total dimensions. It cost us minimal more I think maybe $3k or something.
I did an owner-build, so paid the gunite contractor directly. The price was based roughly on the number of yards of gunite used. My friend, who is a PB and managed most of this for me, explained that this is where an experienced excavation crew matters. If they overdig certain areas in the excavation, those need to get filled with gunite, which increases the gunite bill. Supposedly (and honestly I am no expert so just believe what I told), the excavation crew we used is one of the best in the business. You can see photos here (Pool Build Photos - Gunite, Pebble Fina, Clovis Calif.), their work looked good to me. This was pretty much all done with a end-loader bobcat and some shovels.
The cost of the gunite and rebar on our project was $6,800. That's in central California, for a 15,000 gal pool with 84 ft. perimeter. My guess is your PB just estimates what the ultimate gunite bill will be, and bundles that into his proposal with a bit of cushion/profit.
The cost of the gunite and rebar on our project was $6,800. That's in central California, for a 15,000 gal pool with 84 ft. perimeter. My guess is your PB just estimates what the ultimate gunite bill will be, and bundles that into his proposal with a bit of cushion/profit.
the gunite and rebar/shell work is where they make their bulk money. The rest is just really percentage markups on equipment and the plaster is kinda the same its not a huge markup. Here in NJ and other seasonal areas the gunite guys actually migrate with the weather. Theres no money to be made here in the winter so they travel around the northeast during season and head south/west during the off season. Some crews are concrete guys and do other work during off season too
We are currently house hunting. I really wanted an existing Inground aka free pool.. but best candidates don’t have pools.
I am just going to hire a pool builder & whatever he says it is, it is.. if too high I’ll wait a year and save some dough.
I say this because funds are a tool, I want him to have the tools for a quality build.
I wouldn’t hire a plumber who doesn’t have wrenches..
I am just going to hire a pool builder & whatever he says it is, it is.. if too high I’ll wait a year and save some dough.
I say this because funds are a tool, I want him to have the tools for a quality build.
I wouldn’t hire a plumber who doesn’t have wrenches..
Got a hold of pool builder who was pretty exceptional at recommending some cost saving measures to maximize our pool for budget.
The best way to save money on a build is. To ask -
“ what must be done now? & what can be done later if or when funds allow?”
What did he recommend?
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