How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Pool in Slidell?

Written by Big Easy Pool Designs

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Pool in Slidell?

Quick Answer: National cost guides put a custom concrete pool somewhere between the mid-five figures and well into six, with HomeGuide’s 2025 guide citing $50,000 to $120,000 installed on average. Where a Slidell pool lands depends on its size, shape and features, plus site work that’s specific to building north of Lake Pontchartrain.

We know a range that wide isn’t a satisfying answer. It’s wide because “custom” covers everything from a simple rectangle with a bench to a freeform pool with a spa and water features. The useful part is knowing which decisions move the number, so you can spend where it matters to you.

What Do National Cost Guides Say?

Two national guides, read side by side, show both the typical range and how much sources disagree:

• HomeGuide (2025): a concrete pool costs $50,000 to $120,000 installed on average, with a national average around $85,000, or roughly $165 to $300 per square foot.
• Fixr (2024): a sprayed-concrete pool runs $23,417 to $127,817, and the guide’s national average for building any pool type is $44,688.

The low ends differ a lot, and the high ends nearly agree. Neither guide is a Slidell quote, which only comes from a site visit.

Why Does a Custom Pool Cost More?

A custom shape is usually built in gunite, sprayed concrete over a steel frame. It’s the build type that can be shaped into nearly any design, and it’s the most durable option we build. It also takes the longest. Fiberglass shells come in set shapes from a mold, and vinyl liner pools are generally the lowest upfront cost, but neither offers the same freedom. Our comparison of gunite, fiberglass and vinyl liner pools covers the trade-offs.

The other reason is the design work itself. Every custom pool starts as a plan matched to one lot, and that plan solves problems like drainage and equipment placement before anyone digs. Our custom pool design page explains how that process runs.

What Drives the Cost of a Custom Pool?

Size and Depth

More square footage and more depth mean more excavation, more steel, more concrete and more finish. HomeGuide’s per-square-foot range is a quick way to see how fast size adds up. Depth matters too: a uniform shallow pool uses less material than one with a deep end.

Shape and Features

HomeGuide’s 2025 guide lists unique shapes, infinity edges, tanning ledges and built-in spas among the design choices that raise cost. Each one adds forming, plumbing or both. Water features and lighting add more. Features like a vanishing edge or a spa can be stunning, so we price them as separate line items. That way you can see what each one adds.

Site Conditions and Access

Excavation is never the same twice. Groundwater, soft soil and tight access all add time and equipment. If a machine can’t reach the backyard easily, the dig gets slower and harder.

Equipment, Utilities and Decking

Pumps, filters, heaters, automation and lighting all need power and plumbing runs, and electrical work needs a licensed electrician. The deck is its own line item, and on a large custom pool it can be a big one. Permits and inspections round out the list.

How Do Slidell Conditions Affect the Budget?

Slidell sits north of Lake Pontchartrain, and like much of the metro it deals with a high water table and soft delta soil. That shapes three parts of the budget.

Dewatering. An open excavation in saturated ground can fill with water, so the dig has to be planned around keeping it dry. Our post on building a pool on a high water table explains why that affects the shell design too.

Drainage. Frequent summer afternoon storms mean the deck has to slope away from the pool and the yard needs a planned route for runoff. That’s cheaper to design in than to fix later.

Storm readiness. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, so equipment placement and anchoring belong in the design. Our hurricane season pool prep guide covers the ownership side.

Your permit goes through the City of Slidell or St. Tammany Parish, depending on the address, and we handle it as part of the build.

How Do You Keep a Custom Pool on Budget?

A custom pool doesn’t have to mean a blank check. A few approaches we use often:

• Rank the features. Decide what’s essential and what’s nice to have before the design starts.
• Simplify the shape, not the experience. A clean geometric pool with a great ledge can feel more custom than a complicated outline.
• Right-size the pool. Size it for how many people swim at once. A smaller design like a spool can deliver a lot of pool in less space.
• Plan for phases. Rough in plumbing or power for a future feature now, then add it later.

We also offer financing, and our post on what an inground pool costs in the New Orleans metro walks through more of the budget picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won’t you quote a price over the phone?

Because the site decides so much of the cost. A written estimate after a free consultation is the only number worth planning around.

Is a custom pool worth it compared to a standard one?

If the yard is unusual or you have specific needs, often yes. A pool designed for your lot tends to get used more and fight the site less.

Can a spa or water feature be added later?

Often, yes, if the plan allows for it. Adding a spa after the fact is easier when the plumbing and power were roughed in during the original build, which is why we ask about future features at the design stage.

Does a bigger budget always mean a better pool?

No. The pools families use most are the ones designed around how they swim and gather. Spending on the right ledge, steps and shade often beats spending on sheer size.

Price Your Custom Pool in Slidell

We’ll walk your yard, talk through what you want and put a written estimate in front of you.

See custom pool design in Slidell and our Slidell service area, then request your free consultation or call (504) 688-4066.