Above ground pool cost

An above-ground pool costs $3,000 to $15,000 installed, typically around $6,500. The pool kit itself is $1,500 to $8,000 and the rest is site preparation, electrical, a fence and whatever decking you put around it.

It is a tenth the price of an in-ground pool and it is a different product: 10 to 20 years of life rather than 30 to 50, and it does not add value to the house.

What it costs

Level ground is not optional

An above-ground pool holds 5,000 to 20,000 gallons. Water weighs 8.3 pounds a gallon, so even a small pool is 40,000 pounds sitting on the wall and the base.

If the ground is out of level by more than about an inch across the pool, the water sits deeper on one side, the wall on that side takes more pressure, and pools fail this way. Not slowly: a wall failure releases the entire volume in seconds and it has killed people and destroyed yards.

Correct preparation is:

• Excavate to level, cutting into the high side rather than building up the low side
• Compact the base
• Sand or a foam pad over it, then a liner pad
• Never on a raised platform of soil or timber unless it is engineered for the load

That is $500 to $3,000 and it is the part to pay for. It is also why "we leveled it by eye" is the wrong answer to how the site was prepared.

The safety requirements still apply

An above-ground pool is a pool, and in most jurisdictions the barrier requirements are identical to an in-ground one.

Typically that means a 48 inch barrier, self-closing self-latching gates, and no climbable surface within a set distance of the wall. Some codes accept the pool wall itself as the barrier if it is high enough and the ladder is removable or lockable, and some do not.

Check locally before buying. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged one to four, and above-ground pools are over-represented because people assume the height is protection.

The electrical requirements also apply: GFCI protection, a bonded pool structure and pump, and no overhead lines within the clearances. Bonding is the one most often skipped in a DIY installation.

What it is and is not

It is: a way to swim at home for a tenth the price, installable in days, removable when the children grow up, and a reasonable thing to buy for five to fifteen summers.

It is not: an investment. Appraisers do not credit above-ground pools, and a fair number of buyers see one as something to remove. It also does not last: 10 to 20 years for a good steel or resin frame, and liners need replacing every 6 to 12 years at $500 to $2,000.

Semi-inground pools sit part-buried and cost $6,000 to $18,000. They look better, last longer, and sit between the two categories in both price and permanence.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install it myself?

Assembling the kit, yes, over a weekend with help. Leveling the site properly usually wants a machine, and the electrical bonding needs an electrician. Many people split it that way.

How long do they last?

Ten to twenty years for the structure with good maintenance and winterization. Liners 6 to 12 years. The wall is what eventually fails, usually from rust at the bottom track where water has sat.

Does it need a permit?

Frequently yes, and almost always for the electrical and the barrier. Depth thresholds vary; anything holding more than 24 inches of water is typically regulated.

Can it stay up over winter?

In most climates yes, with proper winterization: lowering the water, an air pillow to absorb ice expansion, and a cover. Draining it completely in a freezing climate is worse than leaving it partly full, because an empty pool can be pushed out of shape.

Is it cheaper to run than an in-ground pool?

Yes, roughly half: less water, less chemical volume, a smaller pump. Expect $600 to $1,500 a year without heating.