Pool Installation cost in San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, TX · updated August 2026

$59,100

Typical local cost

$36,300 – $109,700

Typical range

per in-ground gunite pool
$36,250 – $109,700

Installed, local pricing

Permit
Yes

$390 – $1,765 in fees

Typical timeline
8-16 weeks from permit to plaster

8-16 weeks from permit to plaster

Calculate my pool cost

San Antonio runs -5% against the U.S. average · data confidence High · modeled estimate, not a quote

Most San Antonio homeowners pay around $59,100. The local adjustment for this trade is x0.954 — driven mainly by Bexar County labor rates and 70% exposure to local code requirements.

Estimate your San Antonio job

Priced with this market's cost index, so the calculator, the size table and the ranges on this page all agree.

Estimated total cost

$76,722 – $112,931

Turnkey, including permit allowance

Pool surface area
450 sq ft
Shell & excavation
$44,888
Decking
$7,980
Screen enclosure
$21,945
Approx. water volumeAt 5.5 ft average depth
18,513 gallons

Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.

Cost by project size

Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.

Estimated cost by project size
Project sizeEstimated range
1 in-ground gunite pool$36,300$109,700
1 in-ground gunite pool$36,300$109,700
1 in-ground gunite pool$36,300$109,700
1 in-ground gunite pool$36,300$109,700
1 in-ground gunite pool$36,300$109,700

Based on San Antonio pricing of $36,250–$109,700 per in-ground gunite pool.

Cost by material

Installed cost in this market, with expected service life.

MaterialInstalled rangeLifespanMaintenance
Fiberglass Pool$40,200 $62,1002540 yrsLow
Gunite / Concrete Pool$56,100 $100,5005075 yrsHigh
Vinyl Liner Pool$32,500 $53,2002030 yrsModerate

Where the money goes

Labor
$34,300
57% of median
Materials
$24,800
41% of median
Permit & fees
$1,080
2% of median

San Antonio project costs-5% vs U.S. average

Based on Bexar County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.

What the project looks like start to finish

Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.

  1. 01

    Planning & quotes

    Scope, material choice, contractor selection

  2. 02

    Permit application

    Filed with City of San Antonio building department

  3. 03

    Materials & staging

    Order lead time on non-stock materials

  4. 04

    Installation

    8-16 weeks from permit to plaster

  5. 05

    Inspection

    Steel / pre-gunite, Plumbing pressure test, Electrical bonding, Deck and barrier, Final pool and safety inspection

  6. 06

    Closeout

    Final sign-off, warranty and documentation

San Antonio labor intelligence

What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.

Loaded hourly rate

$50–$64

Outdoor crews in Bexar County · -9% vs U.S. ($62/hr)

Typical crew

4 × 19 days

On-site time for a typical pool job here.

Labor in the price

$34,300

58% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.

Because labor is 58% of this job, San Antonio wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.

Basis: Hometriva labor model: national outdoor crew rates adjusted by the Bexar County labor factor (x0.909). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology

Why San Antonio differs from the national average

The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.

Trade labor rates$3,275Code and inspection load$1,475Material and delivery$925
Dollars of the San Antonio difference owned by each driver, versus the U.S. median for pool installation.
  • Trade labor rates-$3,275

    Bexar County crews price 9% below the national average, and labor is 58% of this job.

  • Code and inspection load+$1,475

    Pool Installation carries 70% exposure to local code requirements, and this jurisdiction's review load indexes at x1.03.

  • Material and delivery-$925

    Materials are nationally traded, so they move less — but delivery into this market runs 4% under baseline.

Basis: Decomposition of the modeled San Antonio median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of San Antonio building department, Hometriva methodology

San Antonio vs Texas vs the U.S.

San Antonio$36,300$109,700Texas average$37,100$112,100U.S. average$38,000$115,000
Modeled ranges for pool installation. The tick marks the median in each geography.

Change the inputs, see your number

The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.

Simulated pool installation in San Antonio

$60,180

Likely range $37,380$110,780

Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.

What makes the number move

  • Pool size, depth and shape
  • Gunite versus fiberglass versus vinyl liner
  • Screen enclosure or cage
  • Deck material and square footage
  • Heater, saltwater system, spa and water features
  • Required safety barrier and alarms

Who issues each permit

Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.

Permitting authority by discipline
DisciplineIssuing authority
buildingCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
electricalCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
mechanicalCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
plumbingCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
zoningCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
fireCity of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate

Permit requirement in San Antonio

Yes — a permit is required for pool installation in San Antonio, TX. The work must be inspected before it can be closed out, and a licensed contractor generally has to pull the permit.

Permitting authority
City of San Antonio building departmentModeled estimate
Permit fee
Estimated allowance $390$1,765Modeled from comparable fee schedules — not an official quoted fee.

Inspections

  1. Steel / pre-gunite
  2. Plumbing pressure test
  3. Electrical bonding
  4. Deck and barrier
  5. Final pool and safety inspection
Full San Antonio permit guide for pool installation

Local conditions that change this job

Only the exposures that materially affect pool installation.

Cooling load / heat exposure

Severe88/100

Freeze-thaw cycles

Low34/100

Solar irradiance

Severe82/100

Lower labor costs than the Texas Triangle average, with heavy summer cooling loads and widespread slab-on-grade construction.

Nearby market comparison

MarketLocal factorMedianPer in-ground gunite pool
San Antonio (this page)x0.954$59,100$36,250$109,700
Austinx1.122$69,600$42,650$129,050
Houstonx1.023$63,400$38,850$117,650
Dallasx1.019$63,200$38,700$117,200

What San Antonio homeowners actually paid

Real reported invoices from this market, aggregated. Add yours — it takes 20 seconds and no personal details.

No name, email or address is collected. Reports are reviewed before they count.

Quotes homeowners were given in San Antonio

Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.

No name, email or address is collected.

How Hometriva estimates San Antonio pool costs

Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The San Antonio estimate for pool installation is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:

  1. National baseline$62,000

    Typical U.S. cost for pool installation on a single-family home.

  2. Local labor factorx0.909

    San Antonio-area trade labor rates, weighted at 58% of this job.

  3. Material factorx0.964

    Material and delivery pricing into Bexar County, weighted at 42%.

  4. Regulatory factorx1.034

    Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 70% for this project type.

  5. Applied multiplierx0.954

    Blended San Antonio adjustment specific to pool installation.

  6. Permit component$390 – $1,765

    Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.

Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, pool installation in San Antonio carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.

Reviewed by

Hometriva Cost Data Desk

Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for pool installation pricing in San Antonio, TX.

  • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
  • Local labor and materials factors for the market
  • Material installed-cost ranges and service life

Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to build a pool in Florida?

Yes. Every Florida jurisdiction requires a building permit with engineered plans for an in-ground pool, plus electrical and plumbing permits, and the pool cannot pass final inspection without a compliant safety barrier.

What safety barrier does Florida require?

The Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requires at least one approved feature: a 4-foot barrier fence meeting code, an approved safety pool cover, self-closing and self-latching exit alarms on doors and windows with direct access, or an approved door alarm system.

How long does pool construction take?

Typical Florida in-ground pool construction runs 8-16 weeks from permit issuance, with inspection scheduling and weather as the two biggest sources of delay.

Sources

Sources & verification

Last verified August 2026. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing — they are not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.

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