How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost in Jacksonville, FL? (2026)

Price is the first thing every homeowner asks on a site visit, and most builders answer it with “it depends.” That’s true, but it isn’t useful. After building pools across Northeast Florida since 2007, we know what “it depends” actually means here, so this guide gives you the ranges we quote, the reasons a quote lands where it does, and the parts of the budget people forget.

One thing to know up front: Castle Pools builds concrete (gunite) pools. The ranges below are for custom concrete construction. Fiberglass and vinyl-liner pools cost less to install and we say so where it matters, but they’re a different product with different tradeoffs in Florida soil and sun.

How much does an inground pool cost in Jacksonville by type?

These are the ranges Castle Pools quotes for new construction in Duval, St. Johns and Clay County in 2026. Each includes design, engineering, permits, excavation, the gunite shell, standard interior finish, waterline tile, standard pump and filter, and a paver or concrete deck. They do not include screen enclosures, fencing, or landscaping unless noted.

Ranges reflect Castle Pools quotes for projects started in 2026. Your lot and choices can put you outside them in either direction.

Where do most people land? Our budget question on the consultation form has four bands, and the majority of the pools we build fall in the $60,000 to $80,000 and $80,000 to $120,000 bands. The under-$60,000 band is real but it means a modest pool-only build with standard selections.

What changes the cost of a pool in Jacksonville?

Two pools with the same square footage can land a full budget band apart. Eight things account for almost all of that difference.

1. Size and depth

Gunite is priced largely by surface area and the amount of steel and concrete in the shell. Going from a 12×24 to a 16×32 doesn’t double the price, but it adds meaningfully to excavation, shell, plaster, tile, and deck. A deep end for diving adds more shell than the same length at play depth.

2. Shape

Rectangles and simple geometrics are the most efficient to form and finish. Freeform shapes with curves, beach entries, and multiple levels take more labor at every stage. Neither is “better.” A freeform pool suits a natural backyard; a rectangle suits a modern one and a lap swimmer.

3. Gunite vs fiberglass

Fiberglass shells install faster and usually cost less up front in Jacksonville, often meaningfully below a comparable gunite pool. The tradeoff is a fixed catalog of shapes and sizes, a limit on depth, and less flexibility for spas, sun shelves and custom features. Gunite is built in place to any shape and is what we build, so that’s what this guide prices.

4. Soil, water table and access

Northeast Florida is mostly sand, which digs easily, but parts of Jacksonville and St. Johns sit on a high water table and some lots have clay or organic layers that need to be dug out and replaced. A dewatering pump during construction or extra fill adds cost. Access matters too: if the excavator can’t get to the backyard through a side yard, we bring in smaller equipment or remove and replace fencing, and that shows up in the quote.

5. Tree removal and root systems

Mature oaks are common on older Jacksonville lots. Removing a large tree and grinding the stump is its own line item, and the price depends on size and whether it’s near the house. Roots near the shell also affect the engineering.

6. Interior finish and tile

Standard white plaster is the baseline. Quartz aggregate finishes and pebble finishes cost more but last longer and hide wear. Glass tile at the waterline or on a spa spillway is a visible upgrade with a real price. This is one of the biggest single line items you control.

7. Decking

Broom-finish concrete is the least expensive deck. Pavers cost more and are what most of our clients choose because they handle Florida’s ground movement and heat better. Travertine and natural stone are the top of the range. Deck square footage is often larger than the pool itself, so this line moves the total more than people expect.

8. Equipment and automation

Every quote includes a base equipment package: pump, filter and sanitizer. Ask what models are in it, because that’s where quotes quietly differ. A heater, chiller, automation that runs from your phone, and additional lighting each add to the package. A heat pump is the most common upgrade in Jacksonville because it extends the swim season into November and back in March.

What do pool add-ons cost in Jacksonville?

These are the features clients ask about most, with the typical cost to add them to a new build. Adding any of them later, as a separate project, generally costs more than including them during construction because the crew, equipment and permits are already on site.

What do permits, inspections and HOA review cost and add to the timeline?

Every inground pool in Florida needs a building permit, engineered plans, and a series of inspections. Castle Pools handles all of it and the cost is included in our quotes, but it helps to know what’s inside that line.

• Engineering. Sealed structural plans for the shell, required by every county here.
• Building permit. Fees vary by county and by project value. Duval, St. Johns and Clay each set their own schedule. The fees are inside our quote, not an extra.
• Inspections. Steel, plumbing, electrical bond, gas if applicable, deck, and a final barrier inspection. Each one is a scheduled stop that the timeline has to wait on.
• Safety barrier. Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (Chapter 515) requires every new residential pool to have at least one approved safety feature before final inspection: a 4-foot isolation fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate; an approved safety cover; exit alarms on every door and window that opens to the pool; self-closing, self-latching devices on those doors; or an approved pool alarm. If you don’t already have a compliant fence, plan for it. This is the item most often missing from competitor quotes.
• Survey. The county wants your lot survey to place the pool relative to setbacks and easements. If you don’t have one from closing, a new survey is an added cost and a couple of weeks.

HOA review is separate from the county and comes first. Nocatee, Julington Creek, Eagle Harbor, Oakleaf and most newer St. Johns and Clay communities require architectural review board approval before permits. That typically adds two to six weeks and sometimes dictates screen enclosure style, fence type or setback distances that affect the design. We prepare the ARB package for you.

Permit timing itself runs from a couple of weeks to over a month depending on the county’s backlog. It’s the part of the schedule we control least, so we file as early as the design is final.

Can you get an inground pool for $20,000 or $30,000 in Jacksonville?

This is one of the most searched pool questions in Florida, so here is a straight answer: not a custom concrete pool built to code in 2026. Engineering, permits, excavation, the steel and gunite shell, plaster, tile, equipment, a deck, and the safety barrier together cost more than $30,000 before any margin. A quote at that number is either missing large pieces, an above-ground pool, or a bare shell with the deck and finish left to you.

What those budgets realistically buy in Northeast Florida:

• Around $20,000: a quality above-ground pool with a deck, or a small fiberglass plunge pool from a specialty installer with minimal decking.
• Around $30,000: a fiberglass plunge or cocktail pool with a modest deck, or the down payment on a financed custom build.
• Around $55,000: where a small custom gunite pool becomes possible, with standard finishes and a compact deck.

If your budget is in the $30,000 range and you want a real inground pool, the honest path is financing. Most of our clients finance part of the project, and a $60,000 pool financed over 15 to 20 years is a payment many households in Jacksonville are already making on a second car. See pool financing options for how that works with Lyon Financial.

Do pool prices differ between Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, St. Johns and Clay County?

The pool itself costs the same to build anywhere in our service area. What differs is the lot and the rules around it.

• Jacksonville and Duval County. Older neighborhoods mean mature trees, existing fences, and tighter side-yard access. Tree removal and access are the common extras. Permitting through the City of Jacksonville.
• Ponte Vedra and the beaches. Sandier lots with a high water table near the coast, so dewatering is more common. HOA and community standards are stricter. Larger lots often mean larger pools and more outdoor living, which is why our Ponte Vedra projects skew toward the top of the ranges.
• St. Johns County (Nocatee, Julington Creek, St. Augustine). Newer construction, HOA architectural review almost everywhere, and many communities requiring screen enclosures or specific fence types. Budget the enclosure from the start.
• Clay County (Fleming Island, Orange Park, Oakleaf, Middleburg). More lot variety, more acreage, and some lots with clay soil layers that need extra excavation. Permitting through Clay County is generally quick.

Our area pages go deeper on each: Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, St. Johns County, and Clay County.

How long does a pool take to build, and how do you pay for it?

From the day we break ground, Castle Pools builds most pools in about three months. Design, HOA review and permitting happen before that and add anywhere from three weeks to two months depending on your community and county. So from the first site visit to the first swim, plan on four to five months for a typical project. The stages, in order:

1. Free in-home consultation and site walk
2. 3D design and a fixed quote
3. Contract, HOA package and permit application
4. Layout and excavation
5. Steel, plumbing rough-in and gunite shell
6. Tile, coping and deck
7. Equipment set, electrical and gas
8. Interior finish and fill
9. Startup, barrier inspection and final

Payment follows the stages. Our contracts use a payment schedule tied to construction milestones rather than a large deposit up front, so you pay as the pool takes shape. For financed projects, Lyon Financial specializes in pool loans and funds directly against that schedule. Details on the financing page.

How do you compare pool quotes in Jacksonville?

Getting several quotes is smart. One of our St. Johns clients got ten. Comparing them only works if you compare the same things, so check each quote for:

• What’s excluded. Deck, fence or barrier, electrical service upgrades, and permits are the usual gaps. A quote that looks cheaper often has more than the difference sitting in the exclusions.
• Equipment brand and model. “Pump and filter” can mean very different things. Ask for the model numbers.
• Interior finish. Plaster, quartz or pebble changes both price and lifespan.
• Who runs the job. Ask who does the site visit, who draws the design, who sets the price, and who is on site during construction. At Castle Pools that’s the same person. At many companies it’s a salesperson, then a designer, then a project manager you haven’t met.
• License and insurance. Florida requires a Certified Pool Contractor license. Ours is CPC 1458960, and you can verify any contractor at the Florida DBPR license search.
• Timeline and payment schedule. Milestone-based payments protect you. A large upfront deposit doesn’t.

If you’d rather talk it through than read about it, that’s what the consultation is for. Andrew walks the yard, listens to what you want, and gives you a design and a number that already accounts for your lot.

Frequently asked questions about pool cost in Jacksonville