Virginia · Inground Pool Builders & Contractors · Updated 2026
Planning a permanent backyard pool? 28 inground pool builders in the Portsmouth area, ranked by rating and review count, with what a fiberglass, gunite or vinyl liner pool costs installed in Portsmouth this year. This page shows the top 20.
Ordered by customer rating and review count across the Portsmouth 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.
Installed prices in Portsmouth run from $47,500–$73,500 for a mid-size vinyl liner pool to $79,000–$126,000 for a comparable gunite pool, with fiberglass in between at $61,000–$89,500. Decking, fencing and permits stack on top:
| Job | Typical Portsmouth price |
|---|---|
| Vinyl liner pool, installed (about 16×32) | $47,500–$73,500 |
| Fiberglass pool, installed (about 14×30) | $61,000–$89,500 |
| Gunite / concrete pool, installed (about 16×32) | $79,000–$126,000 |
| Attached spa or spillover | $12,500–$37,000 |
| Decking and coping around the pool | $6,500–$21,000 |
| Safety fence and gates | $2,100–$6,300 |
| Permits, engineering, utility locates | $500–$3,700 |
| Typical all-in project with deck and fence | $73,500–$157,500+ |
| Ongoing upkeep (chemicals, power, service) | $1,200–$3,100 / year |
Virginia 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.
Portsmouth market
4.6 average customer rating · 1265 reviews · 28 companies · 12 specialists
See All on the Map →28 inground pool builders in the Portsmouth area. 12 are listed as specialists for this work; the rest are pool builders that routinely handle it. The ranked companies average 4.6 stars across 1,265 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.
Piedmont red clay wants drainage and compacted backfill; Tidewater digs sand with high water tables and hydrostatic relief; and NoVa adds sloped, wooded lots where retaining walls and tree protection shape bids. Builders local to your region price these correctly by reflex. Gunite with spas and paver surrounds leads NoVa and Richmond's high end; vinyl liner remains the statewide value pick, with fiberglass surging in the suburbs. Salt systems and heat pumps are mainstream everywhere.
For statewide rankings, city counts and Virginia prices, see the Virginia 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. Virginia licenses contractors through DPOR with classes tied to project size — verify the license class and insurance. County and city permitting covers pool, electrical, and the residential code's barrier requirements (fences, gates, alarms where applicable), and Chesapeake Bay-area lots can add environmental review. HOA approval is a near-universal step in NoVa.
Installed in Portsmouth, VA, a mid-size vinyl liner pool typically runs $47,500–$73,500, a fiberglass pool $61,000–$89,500 and a gunite pool $79,000–$126,000. With decking, a fence and permits most complete projects land at $73,500–$157,500+. Virginia 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 Portsmouth runs May through late September — about 5 months unheated. A full professional winterization each fall protects plumbing and equipment through the freeze, and spring openings cluster into the same few weeks. May through late September with humid mid-summers; Hampton Roads stretches a bit longer, the mountains a bit shorter. Winters freeze statewide, and a full close remains the standard of care everywhere but the mildest coastal pockets.
Pristine Backyard Creations has the highest customer rating on this Portsmouth list at 5 stars across 6 reviews. Solid Structures has the largest review count (220 reviews at 4.7 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.
Virginia licenses contractors through DPOR with classes tied to project size — verify the license class and insurance. County and city permitting covers pool, electrical, and the residential code's barrier requirements (fences, gates, alarms where applicable), and Chesapeake Bay-area lots can add environmental review. HOA approval is a near-universal step in NoVa.
Budget $1,200–$3,100 / 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 Portsmouth, or open the Virginia directory for every listed market in the state.
Claim your free PoolPad listing, check the pool types you build, and show Portsmouth homeowners planning a new pool what you install.
