A new in-ground gunite pool in East Texas in 2026 starts around $55,000, with most homeowners landing in the $65,000 to $100,000 range once you factor in decking, basic equipment, and the small extras every project ends up needing. Simple pools without premium add-ons sit at the lower end. Once you add an attached spa, larger water features, premium decking, or a high-end finish, builds routinely cross $150,000.

That's a wide range, and most pool company websites will dodge the question entirely. We won't, because the number isn't actually mysterious — it's just the sum of a series of decisions you'll make during design. Here's the breakdown.

Quick reference: pool cost tiers in East Texas for 2026

| Tier | Price range | What you typically get | |---|---|---| | Simple build | $55K – $65K | ~12'×24' to 14'×28' gunite shell, white plaster, basic equipment, sprayed concrete deck, no water features or spa | | Mid-range (most common) | $65K – $100K | Larger or custom shape, quartz finish, tanning ledge, maybe one water feature, travertine or stamped concrete deck, variable-speed pump, salt system | | Premium custom | $100K – $175K+ | Attached spa, multiple water features, premium pebble finish, premium decking (travertine, flagstone), full automation, LED lighting throughout | | Outdoor living add-on | +$20K – $100K | Pergola, covered patio, outdoor kitchen, fire features — added during or after the pool build |

These are ranges, not quotes. Your actual number depends on what you pick and what your lot requires.

What's actually driving the number

About 80% of pool cost variation comes from six decisions. Get clear on these and you'll know what you're paying for.

1. Size and shape

Bigger pools cost more, but not linearly — the equipment and labor overhead are mostly fixed, so a 14'×28' pool isn't twice the cost of a 7'×14'. Pool shape matters too. Rectangles are the cheapest to build and finish (less wasted material, simpler forms). Freeform and curved designs cost more for the same surface area. Depth adds excavation cost and water volume — a uniform 5' pool is cheaper than one with an 8' deep end.

2. Interior finish

This is one of the biggest single line items, and the choice impacts both upfront cost and how long until you're paying for it again.

White marcite plaster — the standard, cheapest option. Lifespan around 7–10 years before resurfacing.
Quartz aggregate — smoother, longer-lasting, more color options. Typical lifespan 10–15 years. Add roughly $5K–$10K vs. plaster.
Pebble finishes — most durable and slip-resistant. Lifespan 15–20+ years. Add roughly $8K–$15K vs. plaster.

The math on pebble usually works out in your favor if you're staying in the home long-term. The math on plaster works out if you're moving in 5–7 years.

3. Decking

Deck size and material can swing the total by $10,000 or more.

Sprayed concrete (Kool Deck-style) — cheapest, cool to walk on, looks OK.
Stamped or stained concrete — mid-tier, lots of design flexibility.
Travertine pavers — the most popular premium option in this region. Stays cool, looks great, replaceable stone-by-stone if a section settles.
Natural flagstone — premium, organic look, more expensive than travertine.

Most homeowners under-budget the deck. A typical pool deck is 600–1,200 square feet, and material choice can mean $4–$25 per square foot delivered and installed.

4. Equipment

The pump, filter, heater, and automation package is where you can save a couple thousand dollars upfront and then pay for it many times over in electricity. Specifically:

Variable-speed pumps use up to 80% less electricity than single-speed pumps. The upgrade pays for itself in 1–2 years for most homeowners and then keeps saving you money for the next decade.
Salt chlorine generators add $1,500–$3,000 upfront but eliminate the need to buy and haul chlorine.
Smart automation panels ($1,500–$4,000) let you control everything from your phone. Once you have one, you wonder how you lived without it.
Heaters add $3,000–$8,000 (gas) or $4,000–$10,000 (heat pump) and extend your usable season by 2–3 months.

5. Water features and extras

These are where personalization really shows up — and where budgets get away from people.

Sheer descents (waterfall sheets): $2K–$8K each
Bubblers and deck jets: $500–$2K each
Rock waterfalls or grottos: $5K–$25K+ depending on scale
Tanning ledge / beach entry: $3K–$8K
Attached spa: $10K–$25K
Custom slide: $5K–$20K+

Pick two or three things you'll genuinely use. Every feature is also a future maintenance and repair point, so the right answer is rarely "all of them."

6. Site and lot conditions

The most underrated cost driver. Site conditions can swing the total by tens of thousands and they're not visible from a Google Earth view.

Soil type — East Texas has everything from sandy loam in the Piney Woods to expansive clay in the post oak belt. Clay requires more structural engineering.
Slope — steeper lots cost more to excavate and require retaining walls.
Access — if heavy equipment can't get to your build site without tearing up landscaping, irrigation, or a driveway, that's all factored into the price.
Drainage and water table — lots near creeks or in low-lying areas may need dewatering during construction.
Trees — large pines or oaks near the build need to be assessed (cut, transplanted, or worked around).

This is why a "ballpark price" from a builder who hasn't walked your yard is meaningless. You can see what we look for during a site visit on our New Pool Construction page.

The hidden costs nobody mentions

Even a complete pool quote doesn't always include everything you'll spend before you swim. Budget another $5,000 to $15,000 for these line items:

County permits and surveys — $500–$2,000 depending on the county. We handle the paperwork but the fees are yours.
Pool safety fencing — required by code in Texas for new in-ground pools. $3,000–$15,000 depending on lot size and material.
Gas line extension (if you're heating with gas) — $500–$3,000.
Electrical sub-panel to handle pool equipment load — $1,000–$5,000.
Driveway protection or repair from heavy equipment access — $500–$5,000.
Landscape restoration — irrigation repair, sod replacement, plant relocation — $1,000–$5,000.
Insurance bump — most homeowner's policies increase $50–$200/year with a pool.

A good builder walks you through every one of these before you sign so the final number isn't a surprise.

Is gunite worth it vs. fiberglass or vinyl?

We only build gunite. Here's the honest comparison.

Gunite is poured-in-place concrete reinforced with rebar. Custom shape, custom size, custom features. 30+ year structural life with proper care. Resurface-able. Most expensive upfront ($60K and up in East Texas in 2026).

Fiberglass is a factory shell trucked in and dropped into a hole. Faster install (3–6 weeks vs. 14–20). Cheaper upfront ($45K–$85K typical). Limited to whatever shapes the factory makes. Gel coat fades over time and can be hard to repair. The biggest issue in this region is that fiberglass shells can bulge or crack in expansive clay soils.

Vinyl liner is a metal or polymer wall structure with a flexible liner. Cheapest upfront ($35K–$65K typical). Liner replacement every 7–12 years at $4K–$8K. Punctures easily. Less long-term value at resale.

The right answer depends on your budget, how long you'll stay, and your soil. For most East Texas homeowners staying long-term in a home with anything but ideal sandy soil, gunite is the durable choice and the only thing we'll build.

We go deeper on this in our New Pool Construction guide.

Outdoor living: budget separately

Most people who build a pool also want pergolas, outdoor kitchens, fire features, or covered patios. If that's you, budget separately — it's usually 20–50% of the pool cost on top.

Pergola or covered patio — $15K–$50K depending on size and materials.
Outdoor kitchen — $20K–$80K+ depending on appliances and finishes. A full setup with grill, smoker, sink, beverage fridge, and bar seating runs north of $40K.
Fire features — $5K–$20K for a freestanding fire pit or built-in fire bowl. Larger fireplaces run higher.
Hardscape and landscape integration — $5K–$25K depending on scope.

Done at the same time as the pool, outdoor living additions are usually cheaper than retrofitting later. Heavy equipment is already on-site, the deck isn't poured yet, and electrical/plumbing trenches are already open. See our Outdoor Living page for what we typically build.

Why East Texas pricing is closer to Houston metro than you'd think

A common assumption is that building rural means a big discount. The reality is more nuanced. Our overhead is lower than a Houston metro builder's, which helps — but specialty subcontractors (gunite crews, master tile installers, automation specialists, equipment reps) often charge trip fees to drive out to East Texas job sites. Those trip charges offset a real share of the metro-vs-rural delta.

So if you're shopping based purely on price, don't expect East Texas builds to come in dramatically below comparable Houston metro projects. They usually don't.

What building locally actually buys you is accountability, not a price discount. The team that built your pool will still be answering your call in year five — not bouncing the issue between a Houston office and a subcontractor who never wanted to drive out here in the first place. For a 20-year purchase, that matters more than a few percentage points on the build cost.

What does a pool cost to own?

The build cost is the big number. The long-term cost matters too. Plan for:

Chemicals — $30–$80/month depending on pool size, equipment, and how dialed-in your chemistry is. You can buy and dose yourself, or pay a service to keep it balanced. We deliver chemicals and run at-home water testing if you'd rather not deal with it.
Electricity — $30–$100/month with a single-speed pump, $10–$40 with a variable-speed pump.
Routine maintenance — net, brush, skim. Either DIY (15 min/week) or service ($150–$300/month).
Equipment lifecycle — pumps last 8–12 years, heaters 8–15, filters 5–10. Budget for replacements over the long run.
Resurfacing — every 7–20 years depending on finish. $5K–$15K typical.

Owning a pool isn't free. But it's not as expensive as people fear, either — most of our service customers run $50–$150/month all-in once they've got a good system going.

Financing options

Most pool builders work with one or two preferred lenders who specialize in pool financing. Common paths:

Cash or HELOC — cheapest in the long run; HELOC interest is sometimes tax-deductible (check with your CPA).
Pool-specific loans through HFS Financial, Lyon Financial, or similar — fast approvals, no equity required, fixed terms.
Builder-arranged financing — most builders, us included, can put you in touch with a lender we trust if you want it. We don't take referral fees on financing, and we'll be straight with you about the terms.

If you're financing, get pre-approved before you go too deep into design. It anchors the budget conversation and saves time.

Red flags when comparing quotes

You'll get quotes that vary wildly for "the same pool." A few things to watch for:

Vague line items. "Equipment package — $8,000" is not a quote. Make them spell out the pump model, filter, heater, chemistry, automation, and lighting.
"Allowances" instead of selections. A $5,000 tile allowance can buy you the cheapest tile in the showroom. Lock in your actual choices before signing.
Suspiciously low overall price. Sometimes it's real efficiency. More often, it's a missing line item that'll show up as a "change order" mid-build.
No structural engineering on the proposal. For gunite in expansive clay, the engineering is the difference between a 30-year pool and a cracked one.
No clear payment schedule. Reputable builders use milestone-based payment — never a large upfront deposit with vague triggers.
The builder won't visit your lot before quoting. A real quote requires walking your yard. If they're quoting blind, they're guessing — and you'll pay for the guess.

So what should you actually do next?

If you're early in research:

Browse our project gallery to see what builds at different tiers actually look like.
Walk your backyard with a tape measure — note where you'd want the pool, what trees are in the way, where the closest electrical and gas are.
Set a budget range with a 15% buffer for site conditions and the smaller line items we covered above.

If you're ready to talk numbers:

Reach out for a free quote — we'll come walk your yard, talk through what's possible, and give you an honest budget conversation. No high-pressure sales, no membership pitches.

A pool is a 20-year purchase. The companies that build the most pools aren't always the ones who build the best ones. Pick the builder who'll still be answering your call in year five.

If you have questions about anything covered here, we're happy to talk pools — call (936) 243-1385 or send a message via the chat in the corner.