What an Inground Pool Costs in the New Orleans Metro

Written by Big Easy Pool Designs

Why There Is No Single Number

Quick Answer: Pool pricing varies more than almost any other home improvement because so much of it depends on your specific lot. Two identical pool designs on two lots a mile apart in Metairie or Covington can differ substantially once access, groundwater, and spoil hauling are accounted for. Rather than quoting a figure that won’t match your property, it’s more useful to understand what moves the number so you can read a quote properly.

The Big Drivers

Construction Type

This is the largest single factor. Vinyl liner generally sits lowest at construction, with liner replacement as a recurring future cost. Fiberglass sits in the middle, arriving as a manufactured shell, which limits shape and size options and speeds installation. Gunite sits highest and offers full design freedom and the longest service life when built and maintained properly, which is why our custom pool design work is gunite based.

The tradeoffs on our specific soil and groundwater are covered in what type of pool material is best. The right answer is not automatically the most expensive one.

Size, Depth, and Shape

Bigger costs more, and depth costs more than length because deep excavation runs into groundwater sooner and needs more material. Complex shapes, tanning ledges, benches, and vanishing edges each add work. A simple rectangle is the most efficient shape per square foot of water.

Site Access

A meaningful cost driver on metro lots and one homeowners rarely anticipate. If equipment can drive into the back yard, excavation is efficient. If the only route is a narrow side yard between houses, work slows down, smaller machines are needed, fencing may come down and go back up, and material moves in stages. On some historic lots, access shapes what’s buildable at all.

Groundwater and Spoil

Dewatering during excavation is common here and it costs money. So does hauling excavated soil away, since there’s usually nowhere on a metro lot to put it. Both are covered further in inground pool construction.

Permits and Utility Locates

Permits are a line item too, and the office depends on the address. Inside New Orleans, building permits come from the city’s Department of Safety and Permits, and a home in a local historic district can add a commission review to the schedule. Elsewhere, whether you’re building an inground pool in Metairie or in Covington, the parish or city sets its own fees and inspections. Separately, Louisiana law requires excavators to notify Louisiana 811 at least two full business days before digging, so buried lines get marked before excavation starts. A good quote says who pulls the permit and who makes that call.

Decking

Easy to overlook and often a large share of the project. The area around the pool can rival the pool’s own footprint, and material choice swings the price widely. Make sure every quote states the deck area and material, or you’re not comparing like with like. See landscaping around the pool.

Equipment and Features

Pumps, filtration, sanitization, heating, automation, and lighting vary in both purchase price and long-term running cost. A variable-speed pump costs more up front and less to run. A heater extends an already long swim season into the shoulder months. Water features, spas, and fire elements each add scope.

Anything requiring plumbing or conduit should be decided now. Retrofitting after the deck is poured is dramatically more expensive.

Costs That Come After Construction

Budget for ownership, not just the build:

• Chemicals and water balance, which our heat, sun, and heavy rain make an ongoing task. See pool water chemistry in the Louisiana summer.
• Electricity for the pump, which is the main running cost.
• Water, for refills after evaporation and heavy backwashing.
• Periodic resurfacing, which every interior finish eventually needs. See pool remodeling and resurfacing.
• Insurance, since a pool can affect your homeowners policy. Ask your agent before building.

How to Compare Quotes Properly

Ask every bidder for the same list:

1. Pool dimensions, depth profile, and construction type.
2. Deck area, material, and finish.
3. Specific equipment models, not categories.
4. What site work is included, and how dewatering and spoil removal are billed if conditions require more than expected.
5. Whether permits and any required barrier are in scope.
6. What the interior finish is and what the startup process includes.
7. Payment schedule and warranty terms, in writing.

Point 4 is where quotes most often diverge on metro lots. A bid that assumes ideal conditions will look cheaper until excavation starts.

Does a Pool Add Value?

It varies by property, neighborhood, and buyer. What’s more reliable is use: our swim season is long, and a pool here gets used far more months of the year than it would in most of the country. That’s the return most owners actually experience. Our post on choosing the right pool for your needs and budget works through matching scope to how you’ll use it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way to get a pool here?

Generally a simpler shape, a smaller footprint, modest decking, and a construction type suited to your site. A compact design can be a good fit on a tight lot, covered in spools and courtyard pools.

Should I phase the project?

Deck and landscaping can sometimes follow later. Anything requiring plumbing or conduit should not be deferred.

Why is access such a big deal?

Because excavation and material handling are labor and equipment, and a constrained route multiplies both.

Do you handle permits?

Permitting is part of a properly scoped project. See our pool services.

Get a Written, Itemized Quote

We’ll assess your lot, tell you honestly what the site is likely to require, and quote it with the scope broken out so you can compare properly.

Big Easy Pool Designs serves Metairie, Covington, and the wider metro. See our services or call (504) 688-4066.