How Long Does It Take to Build a Pool? Expert Insights to Meet the Timeline

You’ve been thinking about a pool for a long time and have finally made the decision to have it built. It will be a great way to encourage the kids to spend more time at home this summer, to entertain family or friends, or even just to cool off after a long day. And it will be so much more enjoyable dining al fresco now that you can dine pool-side.



As you begin the process of thinking about it, you want to know how long does it take to build a pool. You may have decided that you simply don’t want to go another summer without a pool. That’s why you want to know when you should start the planning process in order for it to be ready-to-go come swim season.

Let’s take a look at some of the big contributing factors to the pool construction timeline:

Site Terrain:  Some pool projects require extensive site grading while others have a terrain that is more “ready to build” on. Every site is different and those differences will have a major effect on the pool construction timeline.

Weather:  A variety of weather factors can come into play during construction. A lot of rain (and several next days while drying) or a unseasonably additional snow can have the power to delay your pool construction timeline.

Pool Builder’s Timeline:  Using a landscape design and build firm that has a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA) on staff can be to your benefit in many ways. With an RLA overseeing your project, it will help ensure that the work is completed the right way from design all the way through to completion. But it’s also beneficial to work with a unified company that can ensure the schedule sticks to the timeline as opposed to working with a pool company that isn’t good about overseeing various subcontractors’ schedules or keeping things on schedule.

Your Availability:  You have a stake in the timeline as well. Though it may not seem like a big deal at the time, rescheduling design meetings, putting off decisions, or changing your mind about details can definitely set the entire project back. Even one small setback can have a snowball effect and push the entire timeline further out. We set a realistic timeline at the beginning of the process, but it hinges upon everyone doing their parts. Those initial design consultations, which we think of as “getting your ducks in a row,” really have a big impact on charting the course of the project and in order to keep the project moving forward on time, it’s important to make decisions and stick to them, or at least leave enough time to plan for these kind of changes.

When is the Best Time to Build a Pool

If you ask us when you should start planning, we will respond with another important question: When do you want to start swimming? Then we’ll work backward from there. If you want to be swimming by the summer, then you must start planning in the fall. But it certainly wouldn’t hurt to start talking even earlier than that.

If you are serious about a pool, you could get the ball rolling right away on those initial design factors. Then when it’s pool construction time, there will be nothing holding it back. It can begin as soon as your pool builder’s schedule, and the ground (not being frozen that is), allows for it. In other words, don’t use up valuable time when the pool building process could be happening to deal with permits or design changes if you want to keep things moving forward.

With the guidance of an RLA, we often think of details that pool companies don’t include. There are a lot of important decisions and factors that go into a pool design and you want to make sure they’re completed the right way. That means starting the process early and being realistic about the pool construction timeline.



Your decisions absolutely have an impact on that timeline. Choosing a landscape professional to handle the design and oversee your pool construction will also help ensure that the process is done right—and that’s a big deal when it comes to keeping things on time. With the proper planning, you’ll finally be able to make your dreams a reality and enjoy swimming with your friends and family in the pool you’ve always wanted.