linda117: I'm in So Cal so I'm not familiar with the market in NY. However, based on what you describe it sounds like about what you would pay here. Our pool is just slightly smaller than what you describe and cost us $90,000. Plus &20,000 for artifical/natural waterfall and steps up hillside leading to our slide. Plus $20,000 for concrete block/stucco retaining walls and equipment enclosure. And we will likely be spending somewhere in the neighbourhood of $24,000 for landscaping.

Our pool specs:
42'x 23' freeform
120' perimeter
3'6" shallow end
7'6" deep end
7' spa with six Waterway jets
18' gunite slide
grotto/waterfall(artificial panel rock/natrual rock)
fire pit
gas lines stubbed for 5 tiki torches (not yet installed)
baja shelf with umbrella sleeve
Cameron Brown flagstone coping
Stonescapes Tropics Blue mini-pebble
aprox. 900 sq.ft. natural concrete deck, acid washed (may stain later)
Equipment:
Pentair Intelliflo 4x160 (pool circulation)
Pentair 2HP pump (spa)
Pentair 1.5HP pump (slide and waterfall)
Pentair 100 sq.ft. Quad DE filter
Pentair 400,000 BTU heater
Hayward Navigator vacuum
2 Pentair 500W pool lights (plus a 100W spa light)
IntelliChlor - IC40 Salt generator
Intellitouch I-7 In house control (plus spa side control)

I would think that your quote of $95,000 should include a heater and a vacuum. Our $90,000 included both. You may want to try to negotiate that into the package.

Hope this helps some.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our pool build pictures

Before we began, we planned to do Owner builder. Had a quote of $60k (from someone who would have 'supervised' our project) After much consideration we decided to go with a Pool Builder. Obtained 2 quotes, one for $110K and the other was $94,500.
I felt all along the original 60,000 was not realistic.

We chose the PB with the lower quote, but that was a decision based on reputation and good old fashioned gut instinct :)

When all is said and done, we will probably be in the range of $150k for everything. Patio furniture, landscaping, addtl. decking, shade, BBQ. And that's a low estimate. I still have a hard time convincing the hubby that we are not being overcharged. Everything is just plain expensive nowadays.

As crazy as it sounds, what you're looking at is realistic, unless you are DIY capable.

Good luck with your decisions :)

We are in Southern California. We DID call (and turn away) builders that told us that we couldn't get a pool for less than $80 in my area and that would be for a stripped down pool. Basically, builders charge you more if they think they can.

We told each builder we had a firm budget of $50. Any more than that and we didn't have a pool. The builder we wound up choosing gave us a bid of $51. Then we added the bells and whistles that we wanted and the total came to $60. That did not include a fence or landscaping (we did that on our own), but it did include all of the extras for the pool, deck, equipment, etc.

Did they ask you how much you can spend and try to get anywhere near that number, or did you just ask for the lowest bid that included what you want? There are a couple of ways to go about that.

Anyone on the East Coast?

We're just finishing up here in Maryland - one section of fencing left. 18x36 free form gunite w/pebbletec and 3 sheer descents,retaining wall,no heater or spa, SWG, landscaping-that included having 4 trees taken down- and wooden fencing and we're right around $115,000. We've just used it for the first time this weekend and it's worth every penny!! We love it :)

Wow - I'm starting not to feel so bad about how much overbudget we went.

Our original bid was for $60K which was for a 45 by 14 rectangular pool with internal (not raised) spa, 3 sheer descents, heater, separate pumps, controller, raised bond beam, solar heating, 400 sq. feet of concrete, and an automatic safety cover.

When all was said and done, we spend a bit over $100K afer adding an SWG, lots of hardscaping, landscaping, Pebblefina, etc., etc. We ended up redoing the front of the house as well for an extra 12K. We're in So. Cal.

We are located in Orange Co. California built a small pool. In addition to building the pool, we had the entire rear yard demo'd from the front gates which added some cost. Out the door, with landscape, lighting, block wall, safety net, furniture, bbq island and everything else I would estimate that we spent between 95 - 105 thousand.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only crazy person on the site. And by the way, the ability to have a great backyard for your kids, to be able to entertain and just plain enjoy a great yard.... priceless!

Regards,

Mike

$59,000 was our quote. 34'X46' freeform, 860 sq. ft. surface area, 125 linear ft., 3-7 ft. deep, 6'x9' spa(55 sq. ft), 33 linear feet spa, 2 hp pump, cartridge filter, SWG, heater, polaris 480, Pebbletec-midnight blue, 700 sq. ft stamped concrete, aqua logic control system with indoor controls and remote, 2-12" spillways from spa to pool, 2hp blower, 1/2 hp pump for sheer decent, flagstone coping on pool and spa, 50' x 2' dry stacked stone wall, raised spa along that wall, stone steps to raised spa, 2-500 watt lights in pool, 1-100 watt light in spa, all elect, plumb, and permits

We added 400 sq. ft of stamped decking at time of pour at $7 a sq. ft. for a total of $2800(at cost for PB due to some problems we had had he didn't mark it up). Patio furnishings-too much, but we went for quality-around $6000. Napoleon Grill, Big Green Egg, 2 refrigerators, side burner, ss doors and drawers for outdoor kitchen around $3000. Propane Tiki torches and copper piping around $2000. Sod and sprinkler equipment around $3500. Framing for outdoor kitchen not sure, but it was just backerboard and steel studs. Kitchen sink-$150, faucet-$100, concrete counter top materials-$500 for about 100 sq. ft. Shrubs, flowers, potting soil etc. probably $2000. Stamped pad for kitchen area-about $2000(we formed it, and sealed it, so he only charged us $4 a sq. ft. Fencing(black chain link)-$4000, tile for kitchen-$350

So, total- $85,400, and we still need to do the stone on the back of the kitchen area. We also did almost all work, other than building the pool and pouring the decking, by ourselves.

We are in Georgia.

Tampa, FL.
Our pool w/spa, waterfall, pebble tec, heater, 1600 sq ft of pavers was $60,000. Our screened enclosure was another $12,500. Kitchen w/Viking grill, side burners, fridge, warming drawer, stone & granite was $11,500. Separate bar with electric, same stone & granite was $6,000. Another $1,500 to purchase & bury a huge propane tank. Landscaping around pool, plus redoing both the front yard and back yard while we were at it - $15,000. Our total budget was $100,000 but we went a little over. Oh, we just added another $4,000 for solar panels last month. I forgot about that.

Dogpaddle :I am in NEW YORK and am interested in installing a pool in 2008.Your pool is gorgeous!! I wanted to know if I could get your plans emailed to me? my email address is 08pool@gmail.com Thank You, Crizo

I am in Florida and our's is costing $43K. This does not include landscaping (which we plan to do ourselves) or patio furniture, etc. Our pool will be 30 X 18, sheer descent, screen enclosure, pavers, solar, vacuum, french grey 3M, SAM's light. They are finishing up the screen right now so I'm unsure what our total will be once we add landscaping but I would estimate the total to prob. be around $49K.

gotpool- i am also in florida. your estimate has to be without a spa/heat pump right? how much pavers? sounds like you got a good deal. who is your builder?

No spa, solar yes, a 60" sheer descent, accent tiles as well. There was 5 pallots of pavers, not sure of the square footage, our screen is 34 X 30. I made a mistake on the pool size....it's actually 32 X 18 instead of 30 X 18. Artesian is the builder. We used them for our last pool and they did a great job so we went w/them again. We did not do SWG because we had one in our last pool...hated it/had lots of problems with it. We might have water by this weekend but if not, early next week. I have posted some pictures of the build in prior posts but will post final pictures when we get water :)

I just have to post this -
15 x 32, 3 to 5'6" depth gunite pool
1000 aq ft acylic deck
6' raised BB and sheer descent
18' bench aound 2 sides of the pool and longer steps
upgraded tile 80' perimeter
white plaster
40k btu heater
vacuum lines and cleaner
fencing

ta da $22,000 IN 1993!
Replaster with mini pebble in 2005 - $4900
If I move, I'm taking the pool with me : ) Barb

We spent 60 but that didn't include any fencing or softscape. We did not replace any fencing and did all of the softscape ourselves. Furniture was from Costco and probably cost around $300 total. BBQ was a drop-in from BBQ's Galore, about $1000 plus $200 for the delivery.

Our pool included:
345 sq feet, 3.5-7 feet deep (25x14)
7x7 spa
Group 4 tile (from NPTG)
Poured-in-place concrete coping with bullnose edge
3M Colorquartz, premium group
Aqualogic PS 4 SWG and computer, kitchen panel, floating remote
400 btu heater, filter, and pump (all Hayward)
Extra jets incl. calf jets in spa and booster pump
Sheer descent
RBB
Hydrostatic relief valve
Navigator with dedicated line
Acid-washed, scored decking
Autofill
Overflow drain
Umbrella sleeve
Baja shelf and loveseat
Special rebar & gunite setup to make pool freestanding (we are on the upside of a retaining wall), so if wall should collapse, pool should not be affected
Gas line run
All digging, demo, hauling, etc.

We also had a back wall collapse and they had to fill up to 8 feet down behind the pool, and they did that free of charge.

We did not have any extra costs or change orders during the build. Really, really think about what you want and make sure everything is included in the contract. Also don't make the builder think that you are without budget. Tell him what you can spend and stick to it. If you tell him you have 100 grand available, you better believe your pool is not going to cost 70. He's going to charge you what he thinks he can get. The market is in your favor. People aren't refinancing as much and therefore, not putting in pools as much.

Good luck!

LOL Airborne. I was thinking the same thing. We had our last pool built just 7 yrs ago in 2000 and only spent $20K. It was 34 X 18, lots of deck, SWG, sheer descent, etc. We were in sticker shock when we were getting quotes for this new pool but I guess it's not so bad compared to what some have spent. I'm already enjoying it out there though (even though I am waiting for water.)