Custom backyard swimming pool with stone waterfall built by a local pool builder
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Find a Pool Builder Near You

Search 19,000+ pool builders and contractors across all 50 states — ratings, reviews, and contact info, all in one place.

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Top-Rated Pool Builders Near You

Finding pool builders in your area… or enter your city or ZIP above and we’ll list the top-rated pros within 50 miles.

Your local results will appear here on a map once you search. Try your city, your ZIP code, or the Use my location button.

Step 1 · Vet Your Shortlist

How to Hire the Right Pool Builder

A pool is one of the biggest checks most homeowners ever write for their backyard, and the builder you pick matters more than the brand of anything they install. Our finder above pulls up the top-rated pool builders and contractors near you, but a rating is a starting point, not a decision. Once you have a shortlist of three or so, ask each one for addresses of pools they’ve built in your area in the last two years — and actually go look. A builder who works in your soil and your climate already knows whether your yard needs extra steel, better drainage, or a different shell than the one in the brochure.

Walk into that first meeting knowing what you want, too. Browse our pool design ideas and settle roughly on a shape and build type before anyone quotes you — homeowners who show up with pictures get accurate bids weeks faster.

Pool Design Ideas Pool Shapes Gunite Pools Fiberglass Pools
Custom inground swimming pool designed and built by a local pool builder
The gap between a pool you love and a four-month headache is almost entirely the builder you pick.
Step 2 · Set the Budget

What a New Pool Costs in 2026

Nationally, most inground pools land between $55,000 and $120,000 installed, with the average around $75,000. The pool type drives more of that number than anything else:

Pool typeInstalled costGood to know
Vinyl liner$45k–$70kLowest upfront; liner replaced every 7–12 years
Fiberglass$55k–$90kFastest install; lowest lifetime maintenance
Gunite / concrete$65k–$120k+Fully custom; longest build time

Those ranges cover the pool plus standard decking and equipment — not landscaping or premium finishes. Our inground pool cost guide breaks down every line item (and where builders pad margins). Financing? Run any offer through the pool loan calculator before you sign so the monthly payment is a fact, not a surprise.

Full Cost Breakdown Loan Calculator Small Pool Ideas
Typical mid-range inground pool with paver deck in a suburban backyard
A typical mid-range project — rectangular pool, paver deck, small retaining wall — lands near the $75k national average.
Step 3 · Interview Like a Pro

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Bring this list to every meeting. A good builder answers all seven without flinching; a builder who dodges two or more just saved you $75,000.

  1. Are you licensed and insured in this state? Ask for the license number and certificates of general liability and workers’ comp — then verify them. This one call filters out more bad builders than anything else on this list.
  2. Who actually does the work? Most builders subcontract excavation, plumbing, and electrical. That’s normal — what matters is who supervises the subs and how often the project manager is on your site.
  3. Can I see three pools you built nearby in the last two years? Recent, local, and visitable. A portfolio photo proves nothing about the crew they run today.
  4. What exactly does this bid include? Get decking, fencing, electrical, gas lines, permits, and yard repair in writing. “That’s extra” mid-build is how a $75k pool becomes a $95k pool.
  5. What’s the payment schedule? Payments should track completed milestones (dig, shell, plumbing, deck, startup). Be wary of any builder who wants a large share up front.
  6. How does the warranty break down? Structure, plumbing, and equipment carry different terms from different parties. Get each one in writing, including who you call when something leaks in year three.
  7. What’s the realistic timeline — and what happens when it slips? Weather and inspections delay pools; that’s life. What you want is a builder who communicates delays instead of going quiet for three weeks.
Traditional house with a rectangular swimming pool built by a local contractor
Ask every builder for addresses of recent local projects — a pool that still looks right two summers in tells you more than any brochure.

Planning the whole backyard?

The excavator is already in your yard — bids for decking, shade, and an outdoor kitchen are far cheaper during the pool build than after it.

Pool Landscaping Deck Ideas Outdoor Kitchens Pergolas Pool Lighting
Step 4 · Break Ground

From First Call to First Swim

Expect design and permitting to take two to eight weeks depending on your city — a local builder who knows your permit office is worth real money here. Once ground breaks, a fiberglass shell can be swimming-ready in three to six weeks, while a gunite pool typically runs eight to twelve because the shell has to cure. If you want to swim next summer, the smartest time to sign is fall or winter: schedules are open, some builders discount the off-season, and your pool opens with the season instead of halfway through it.

While the crew works, do your homework on what comes after: our Pool School covers startup chemistry and week-one care, size your pump and chemical doses with the volume calculator, and our hands-on reviews will tell you which robotic cleaner is worth putting in the shell once it’s full.

Pool School Robot Cleaner Reviews Volume Calculator Austin Builders
Modern swimming pool lit up at night after construction is complete
Sign in the fall and the pool opens with the season — not halfway through it.

Plan Your Build

Inground Pool Cost Guide

Every line item that goes into a pool bid — and the extras that catch homeowners off guard.

Read the guide →

Pool Loan Calculator

Estimate monthly payments and total interest before you accept any builder’s financing offer.

Run the numbers →

Pool Design Ideas

50+ visual guides — shapes, materials, landscaping, lighting — to bring to your first design meeting.

Browse ideas →

Gunite Pools 101

Why concrete is the fully-custom option, what it costs, and how the build actually works.

Learn about gunite →

Fiberglass Pools 101

The fastest pool to install — shells, sizes, costs, and whether one fits your yard.

Learn about fiberglass →

City & State Builder Guides

Ranked builder directories for 668 cities and every state — local costs, permits, and top companies.

Browse the directory →

Browse Pool Builders by State

Prefer a ranked list to a map? Every state directory has a statewide top-10, city-by-city rankings, local price ranges, and licensing notes.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Pool Builder FAQs

How do I find a good pool builder near me?
Start with our finder above — enter your city or ZIP and you'll get local builders ranked by rating, with review counts, phone numbers, and websites. From there, shortlist three, look at real projects they've completed nearby, and confirm each one is licensed and insured in your state before requesting bids.
How much does it cost to build an inground pool?
Most inground pools cost $55,000–$120,000 installed, with a national average around $75,000. Vinyl-liner pools run roughly $45k–$70k, fiberglass $55k–$90k, and gunite/concrete $65k–$120k+. Our inground pool cost guide breaks down every line item.
What is the cheapest type of inground pool?
Vinyl-liner pools have the lowest upfront cost, typically $45,000–$70,000 installed. Just budget for a liner replacement every 7–12 years — that's a recurring cost fiberglass and gunite pools don't have.
How long does it take to build a pool?
Once permits are approved, a fiberglass pool can be swim-ready in 3–6 weeks, while a gunite pool typically takes 8–12 weeks from dig to swim. Add 2–8 weeks up front for design and permitting, and longer in peak season when good builders are booked out.
How many quotes should I get before choosing a builder?
Three, all itemized. Two bids only tell you which is cheaper; the third shows you which one is the outlier. Give every builder the same scope to price, including decking, barrier fencing, the electrical run to the equipment pad, and yard restoration, or you will be comparing totals that cover different work.
What should I verify before hiring a pool builder?
Confirm a current contractor's license (where your state requires one), general liability and workers' comp insurance, at least a handful of local references from the past two years, and a written warranty that separates structure, plumbing, and equipment. A reputable builder hands all of this over without friction.
Do pool builders offer financing?
Many builders partner with lenders, and banks offer pool loans and home-equity options too. Before you commit, run the numbers in our pool loan calculator so you know the monthly payment and total interest for any offer you're handed.
When is the best time to start a pool project?
Fall and winter. Builders' schedules loosen up after the summer rush, some offer off-season pricing, and a pool finished in spring is ready for the entire first swim season — instead of opening in August after a summer of construction.