Tennessee · Inground Pool Builders & Contractors · Updated 2026
Planning a permanent backyard pool? 16 inground pool builders serving Knoxville, ranked by rating and review count, with what a fiberglass, gunite or vinyl liner pool costs installed in Knoxville this year.
Ordered by customer rating and review count across the Knoxville area. Listings include the available rating, contact details and location; confirm current credentials and scope directly.
Companies in the second group are listed as pool builders; most build inground pools in at least one material — ask which types they install and how many they completed last year.
Planning a new pool as well? The Knoxville pool builders directory ranks all 64 builders in the area.
Installed prices in Knoxville run from $43,000–$66,500 for a mid-size vinyl liner pool to $71,500–$114,000 for a comparable gunite pool, with fiberglass in between at $55,000–$81,000. Decking, fencing and permits stack on top:
| Job | Typical Knoxville price |
|---|---|
| Vinyl liner pool, installed (about 16×32) | $43,000–$66,500 |
| Fiberglass pool, installed (about 14×30) | $55,000–$81,000 |
| Gunite / concrete pool, installed (about 16×32) | $71,500–$114,000 |
| Attached spa or spillover | $11,500–$33,500 |
| Decking and coping around the pool | $5,500–$19,000 |
| Safety fence and gates | $1,900–$5,700 |
| Permits, engineering, utility locates | $500–$3,300 |
| Typical all-in project with deck and fence | $66,500–$142,500+ |
| Ongoing upkeep (chemicals, power, service) | $1,200–$2,900 / year |
Tennessee pricing is close to the national baseline used for these estimates. Soil, access for excavation equipment, slope, utility relocation and the finish and feature package move a quote more than the pool's footprint does — compare itemized bids for the same size and type.
Fiberglass, gunite and vinyl bids are not comparable to each other — settle the type (or ask each builder to bid two), then compare like for like.
Knoxville market
4.7 average customer rating · 1157 reviews · 16 companies · 9 specialists
See All on the Map →16 inground pool builders serving Knoxville. 9 are listed as specialists for this work; the rest are pool builders that routinely handle it. The ranked companies average 4.7 stars across 1,157 customer reviews. PoolPad orders the list with a weighted score that combines customer rating and review count, so a long track record counts for more than a handful of scores.
Middle Tennessee sits on limestone karst — rock excavation surcharges are common around Nashville, so get the rock clause in writing per yard. West Tennessee digs easier river-bottom soils, while East Tennessee adds slope and rock both. Drainage on clay-heavy lots separates clean builds from soggy decks. Gunite with sun shelves and spas leads new Nashville-area builds; vinyl liner remains the value king statewide, and fiberglass is growing fast for its quick spring installs. Covered outdoor living — fireplaces, kitchens — pairs with pools more here than almost anywhere.
For statewide rankings, city counts and Tennessee prices, see the Tennessee inground pool builders directory, or check the nearby cities below.
Get at least three itemized bids for the same type and size, visit finished pools that are a few years old, and read the warranty for the shell, the finish and the equipment separately. Ask how the company handles rock, groundwater and access problems once digging starts. Tennessee requires a state contractor license for larger residential projects — most full pool builds qualify, so verify the license and its monetary limit along with insurance. Local codes govern pool permits and barrier fencing, and Nashville-area HOAs frequently add architectural review.
Installed in Knoxville, TN, a mid-size vinyl liner pool typically runs $43,000–$66,500, a fiberglass pool $55,000–$81,000 and a gunite pool $71,500–$114,000. With decking, a fence and permits most complete projects land at $66,500–$142,500+. Tennessee pricing is close to the national baseline used for these estimates; the size, finish, features and site conditions move the number most.
There is no single best type. Fiberglass installs fastest and is the easiest to maintain but comes in fixed shapes; gunite can be any shape with any feature but costs more to build and to resurface later; vinyl liner has the lowest upfront price but needs a new liner every eight to twelve years. Match the type to your budget, your yard, how long you plan to stay and how much maintenance you want.
A fiberglass pool is often swimmable two to six weeks after excavation; a vinyl liner pool four to eight weeks; a gunite pool eight to sixteen weeks because the shell has to cure before tile, coping and the finish go on. Permitting adds two to eight weeks up front, and decking and landscaping follow the pool. Most crews dig in the off-season so the pool is ready when the season opens.
Most residential pools are 3 to 6 feet with a deep end of 6 to 8 feet; diving depths of 8 feet or more need a longer pool and a larger excavation. Fiberglass shells are limited to the manufacturer's molds (commonly 6 to 8 feet), while gunite and vinyl liner pools can be built to almost any profile, including sport pools that are shallow at both ends.
The outdoor season in Knoxville runs May through September — about 5 months unheated, with a heater adding several weeks on each end. Winters are mild enough that many owners idle equipment with a partial close instead of a full winterization. Tennessee swims May through September, with humid 90° summers and high algae pressure. Colder weather sends most pools into a full or partial close by early November, and spring storms add debris cleanup to the opening schedule.
Ed’s Pools Inc. has the highest customer rating on this Knoxville list at 5 stars across 57 reviews. Earthadelic has the largest review count (208 reviews at 4.6 stars). PoolPad orders the list with a weighted score that combines customer rating and review count, so a long track record counts for more than a handful of scores.
Tennessee requires a state contractor license for larger residential projects — most full pool builds qualify, so verify the license and its monetary limit along with insurance. Local codes govern pool permits and barrier fencing, and Nashville-area HOAs frequently add architectural review.
Budget $1,200–$2,900 / year for chemicals, electricity and routine service, more for a heated pool or a weekly cleaning route. Fiberglass and vinyl surfaces use fewer chemicals than plaster; a variable-speed pump and an automatic cover cut running costs the most.
Check inground pool builders in cities near Knoxville, or open the Tennessee directory for every listed market in the state.
Claim your free PoolPad listing, check the pool types you build, and show Knoxville homeowners planning a new pool what you install.
