How Much Does a Custom Swimming Pool Cost in the Lehigh Valley?
When homeowners in the Lehigh Valley ask about the cost of a custom swimming pool, they want a real number. For a professionally designed and built project, most Kennedy Design + Build custom pool and patio installations begin at $75,000.
Think of this as the starting investment for your backyard oasis. It covers all the high-quality basics, from the first dig to the durable pool shell. This sets the stage for everything else.
Your Lehigh Valley Custom Pool Cost at a Glance
A custom swimming pool is rarely just a pool. It’s the main feature of a complete outdoor living space. The final cost is shaped by your design choices and the features you want.
For many of our clients in areas like Center Valley and Allentown, the pool is part of a larger backyard transformation. This means the total investment often includes elements needed to create a beautiful and useful space.
These key parts typically include:
- Patios and Decking: This is the area around the pool for lounging and entertaining.
- Integrated Spas: Adding a spa creates a year-round spot for relaxation.
- Landscape and Lighting: Good landscaping and lighting make the pool feel natural and look great at night.
- Fencing and Safety Features: These are required to meet local codes and keep your family safe.
To give you a clearer picture, here is a breakdown of typical costs in our area.
Lehigh Valley Custom Pool Cost At a Glance
This table shows the typical cost ranges for a custom swimming pool project in the Lehigh Valley. It’s a good starting point for understanding how your budget might be used.
| Project Component | Typical Cost Range | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Concrete Pool | $75,000 – $80,000+ | Excavation, pool shell, basic plumbing, filtration system, and standard coping. |
| Patios & Hardscaping | $25,000 – $50,000+ | The surrounding deck area, walkways, and retaining walls using materials like pavers or natural stone. |
| Fencing & Safety | $10,000 – $20,000+ | Code-compliant fencing (e.g., aluminum, vinyl) and safety covers. |
| Landscaping & Lighting | $15,000 – $30,000+ | Planting beds, trees, sod, and a professional low-voltage lighting system. |
| Premium Features | $20,000 – $100,000+ | Integrated spas, waterfalls, fire features, swim-up bars, and high-end automation. |
As you can see, a basic custom concrete pool often starts in the $75,000 to $80,000 range. Fully loaded projects with features like waterfalls and integrated spas can easily cost more than $200,000. The final number depends on your vision.
At Kennedy Design + Build, we specialize in creating these complete transformations. Our design-first approach ensures every element works together perfectly. You can learn more about our custom swimming pools and how we build them to last.
Key Factors That Shape Your Pool Budget
Why does one custom swimming pool in the Lehigh Valley cost $80,000 while another costs $200,000? It comes down to a few key decisions. Understanding these cost drivers is the first step to building a realistic budget.
Every choice you make plays a part, from the pool’s size to the features you add. It’s like building a custom home. The foundation, materials, and finishing touches all add up.
This image shows a cross-section of a custom pool installation. You can see all the layers of work, from the initial dig to the final surfaces.
As you can see, it’s more than just digging a hole. A lot of engineering, plumbing, and structural work goes into creating a pool that’s built to last.
Size, Shape, and Materials
Let’s start with the basics. The most direct factors affecting your budget are the pool’s physical details. A larger pool requires more materials, labor, and digging, which all drive up the cost.
The material you choose is another big decision. At Kennedy Design + Build, we specialize in custom concrete (gunite) pools. Concrete offers great durability and complete design freedom.
While the initial cost for a concrete pool is higher than vinyl or fiberglass, its long life and custom options provide greater value over time.
Local Terrain and Site Preparation
Here in Allentown, Coopersburg, and across the Lehigh Valley, the land itself can be a major factor. Our region is known for its beautiful but sometimes tricky terrain.
A flat, clear backyard is the ideal starting point. But many properties have features that require an expert touch:
- Sloped Yards: A sloped yard often needs retaining walls to create a level spot for the pool and patio.
- Rocky Soil: Hitting rock during excavation is common in our area. It is harder to dig through and adds to labor costs.
- Access Issues: If heavy machinery can’t easily get into your backyard, it can complicate the building process.
A true design-build firm knows how to turn these “problems” into stunning features. A retaining wall can become a beautiful tiered garden or the backdrop for a waterfall.
Custom Features and Add-Ons
Now for the fun part. This is where you personalize your pool and make it a backyard resort. These features add enjoyment and function, but they also add to the final project cost.
Some of the most popular upgrades we see are:
- Integrated Spas: A built-in hot tub is a perfect spot to relax on cooler nights.
- Sun Shelves and Benches: These shallow areas are great for lounge chairs.
- Water Features: Waterfalls and jets add soothing sounds and visual appeal.
- Automated Covers: An automated cover adds safety and convenience.
- Advanced Lighting: Modern LED lighting can change colors and create a resort-like feel at night.
These elements are woven into a design that often includes large hardscape areas. For many of our clients, the pool is the main part of a larger vision that includes patios and decks for entertaining.
Visualizing Your Investment at Different Price Points
Seeing how budget numbers translate into a real backyard design makes all the difference. Let’s walk through what different investment levels can create for your Lehigh Valley home. Thinking in project tiers helps clarify what a custom swimming pool costs when you include the entire environment.
The Foundational Pool Project: Starting at $75,000
This is the starting point for a beautiful and functional outdoor space. A foundational project typically includes a classic rectangular or geometric gunite pool.
It covers all the essentials—the pool shell, plumbing, and a simple concrete patio. This creates a high-quality base that your family can enjoy for years.
The Enhanced Oasis Project: $100,000 – $175,000
In this price range, you can add more luxury and function. We move beyond the basics to include features that create a more resort-like feel. You can add a spillover spa, upgrade to premium paver patios, and install landscape lighting.
These additions turn the space from a simple swimming area into a true outdoor retreat. The goal at this level is to weave all features into a cohesive design.
The Complete Backyard Transformation: Over $175,000
For homeowners in Coopersburg and Center Valley looking for a complete backyard overhaul, this investment level offers endless possibilities. Your vision can expand to include custom freeform pool shapes and dramatic waterfalls.
The pool becomes just one part of a complete outdoor living environment. The project often grows to include an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, and detailed hardscaping. It is a complete lifestyle upgrade.
Thinking about your project in these tiers helps connect your dream backyard to a realistic budget. To see how these elements come together, explore our work on this Upper Gwynedd poolscape transformation.
Thinking Beyond the Pool to a Complete Outdoor Oasis
For many of our clients in Allentown, Center Valley, and Coopersburg, building a pool is just the start. The real vision is for a complete outdoor living space. When you picture the whole environment, you understand the real scope of your investment.
Imagine your new pool flowing into a large paver patio with room for lounging. Picture a spot for summer barbecues. This is where other elements—like walkways and fire features—create a cohesive, resort-like feel.
Integrating Hardscaping for a Cohesive Design
A well-designed poolscape should feel like a natural part of your home. That’s why we encourage homeowners to think about the entire project from day one.
Instead of a basic concrete slab, think about how other hardscape elements can improve the space:
- Retaining Walls: On sloped properties, retaining walls are often needed. We can design them as beautiful tiered planters or use them to create raised patios.
- Walkways and Paths: Walkways connect the pool area to your home and other parts of the yard. They make the whole property feel unified.
- Fire Features: A custom fire pit or outdoor fireplace creates a natural gathering spot. It extends the use of your outdoor space into cooler evenings.
Creating a True Outdoor Living Room
The best backyards offer different “rooms” for different activities. The area surrounding the pool is for living. This is where functional additions turn your investment into a lifestyle upgrade.
A dedicated spot for cooking and dining is a big part of that experience. Many homeowners find that exploring options for beautiful and functional outdoor kitchens is the next step in planning their backyard transformation.
When you view your project as a full outdoor oasis, you get a clearer picture of the total investment. It’s about creating a destination where your family will make memories for years.
How Our Design-Build Process Protects Your Investment
We have all heard stories about outdoor projects gone wrong. Budgets grow, contractors blame each other, and the homeowner is stuck in the middle.
Our integrated design-build approach prevents this chaos.
Having a single, expert team manage your entire project is the best way to protect your investment. This method closes the communication gaps that lead to expensive mistakes and delays.
A Single Vision From Day One
The design-build model means your pool, hardscaping, and landscaping are designed to work together from the start. We are not just a pool installer; we are landscape architects and construction experts under one roof.
This ensures every element is planned and built as one. We create one master plan that accounts for everything. You can learn more about our team’s philosophy by exploring the Kennedy Design + Build approach.
By handling every piece of the project, we can give you a clear, complete budget from the beginning. This transparency is key. Our proposals cover the full project scope to avoid surprise costs.
The Value of an Integrated Team
Our method is about more than making things easier. It is about delivering superior quality and creating long-term value.
A design-build process ensures accountability and craftsmanship at every stage. When the same team that designs your project also builds it, there is a deep sense of ownership in the final result.
This process gives you a single point of contact throughout the entire build. Whether you are in Allentown, Coopersburg, or anywhere else in the Lehigh Valley, you have one trusted partner. This protects your investment for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lehigh Valley Pool Costs
1. What factors have the biggest impact on the final cost of a custom pool?
The biggest cost drivers are the pool’s size, shape, and materials. Other major factors include site conditions like sloped yards or rocky soil, and the custom features you choose, such as an integrated spa, waterfalls, or advanced lighting.
2. What is a realistic starting price for a quality custom pool in the Lehigh Valley?
Most of our custom concrete pool and patio projects start at $75,000. This provides a high-quality foundation, including the pool shell, basic equipment, and surrounding hardscape. The final investment increases based on the complexity and features added.
3. Why is a design-build approach better for a pool project?
A design-build firm manages everything from the initial concept to the final construction. This single-team approach prevents communication gaps, budget surprises, and delays. It ensures your pool, patio, and landscaping all work together in a cohesive design.
4. How long does it take to build a custom swimming pool?
A full backyard transformation, including a custom pool, patio, and landscaping, typically takes several months from design approval to completion. Because we manage the entire process, we can create a realistic timeline and avoid the delays that often happen when working with multiple separate contractors.
5. Are there any hidden costs I should be aware of?
Our design-build process is designed to be fully transparent and avoid hidden costs. We include expenses that are often overlooked, such as electrical work, security fencing required by local codes, and potential rock excavation, in our initial comprehensive proposal. This gives you a clear financial picture from the start.
Ready to stop dreaming and start designing your perfect backyard oasis? The team at Kennedy Design + Build is here to bring your vision to life with expert craftsmanship and a seamless design-build process. Schedule your design consultation today and take the first step toward transforming your outdoor space.