Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's 2026 figures span roughly $25,000 to $100,000 for an inground pool, $50,000 to $120,000 for gunite and $45,000 to $100,000 for fiberglass. Bethesda projects can land toward the upper end because of tight access, soil hauling, decking and the required barrier. Your written quote after a site visit is the real number.

Almost every pool does. DPS staff have said only pools 24 inches deep or less, portable and without circulating equipment are exempt. Everything else needs a building permit and an electrical permit, and some towns, such as the Village of North Chevy Chase, require their own permit as well.

On the department's podcast, DPS staff described the required pool barrier as essentially a 60-inch fence that cannot be climbed, with self-latching gates that open in the correct direction. House doors or windows leading to the pool area need alarms unless you install an automatic pool cover. Spas need a lockable cover instead of the fence. Confirm current requirements with DPS before you build.

For a typical gunite pool, HomeGuide's estimate is six to eight weeks in the yard, and fiberglass installs are usually shorter once the shell arrives. Permitting and design come before that and can take several weeks more, so a pool you want ready by Memorial Day is best planned the previous fall or winter.

Often, yes, but the setbacks decide the size. A plunge pool, a narrow lap pool or a compact geometric pool with a spa can work where a large freeform will not. We measure the buildable area after setbacks, tree protection and equipment space before suggesting a shape.

Both handle freezing winters when they are built and winterized correctly. Gunite allows any shape and size, which helps on odd lots; fiberglass goes in quicker and its gelcoat gives algae little to grip, but shell sizes are limited by what can be trucked and craned in. Access to your back yard is often the deciding factor.

Many owners close in early fall, and the pool should be closed before overnight freezes become regular. January lows here average around 30°F, so lines must be blown out and plugged and equipment drained. We give you written closing steps for the equipment we install.

HomeGuide's national figures run $25,000 to $100,000 for inground pools overall and $50,000 to $120,000 for gunite, which is what most custom pools are. Spas, decking, the required fence and difficult access add to that. We give an itemized price after measuring your yard.

Plunge pools around 10 by 16 feet are common on small lots and are big enough to cool off, sit and exercise in. A narrow lap pool, perhaps 8 to 10 feet wide and 30 or more feet long, fits along a side or rear setback line. We can show you both against your measured yard.

Yes. A slope can be handled with a retaining wall, a raised pool wall on the low side, or a spillover or vanishing edge that turns the drop into a feature. Each adds structural work and cost, and walls may need their own review, so we price it in the design stage.

Not always. We locate trunks and root zones first and try to fit the pool around trees you want to keep. If a sediment control permit is required, the county's Tree Canopy Law may require new shade trees or a fee, whether or not trees come down.

The concrete shell can last 50 years or more, according to HomeGuide. The interior finish wears out sooner: plaster usually lasts 7 to 12 years, while pebble can go 15 to 20 or longer when chemistry is kept in range.

The difference is when water is added. Gunite leaves the hose as dry material and is wetted at the nozzle; shotcrete is pumped already mixed. Both make strong shells when applied correctly; the crew's skill and the curing matter more than the label.

No. A concrete pool should stay filled through a Maryland winter, with the water lowered below the skimmer and the lines blown out and plugged. Draining it can let groundwater push on an empty shell and leaves the finish exposed to freeze damage.

Every gunite pool is built by hand on site, with steel, spraying, curing, tile and a troweled finish, which takes more labor and time. In return you get any shape or size and features a fiberglass shell cannot offer.

Installed fiberglass pools fall mostly between $45,000 and $100,000 in HomeGuide's guide, with turn-key packages including fence, electrical and landscaping at the top of that range. Larger shells and difficult crane lifts cost more. We quote after checking your access.

Often yes, because the shell is lifted by crane over the house or fence. The crane needs a place to set up and a clear lift path away from power lines and large trees. If that path does not exist, gunite is usually the answer.

Once the permit is issued and the shell is delivered, the dig, set and backfill often take only a few days. Decking, the fence and inspections add a few more weeks, which is still usually faster than a gunite build.

Not when they are closed properly. Leave it full with the level dropped under the skimmer and return fittings, and blow out and plug the lines. Problems usually come from draining a shell or poor backfill, not from winter itself.

HomeGuide's national average is about $11,000, with most resurfacing jobs between $6,000 and $15,000. Plaster costs least, while pebble and tile cost most. Repairs to tile, coping or cracks are priced separately.

It depends on the finish and the water chemistry. HomeGuide lists standard plaster at 7 to 12 years, quartz at 10 to 15 and pebble at 15 to 20 or more. Poorly balanced water shortens all of these.

Only if the water meets the county's limits: chlorine at or below 0.1 ppm and pH between 6 and 9, with solids settled. Even then, the county prefers slow release onto land so it does not erode or flood neighbors. We handle draining as part of a resurfacing job.

DPS has said in-ground pools installed before July 1990 can use an automatic cover instead of the 60-inch barrier. Newer pools need the barrier. We review your barrier and gates when we renovate.

Pavers and well-built natural stone hold up well because individual units can move slightly and be reset. Poured concrete is durable too if it has control joints and good drainage. The base and slope matter more than the material.

Light-colored travertine and light pavers stay noticeably cooler than dark stone or dark stamped concrete. If the deck gets full afternoon sun, color is worth weighing as much as material.

Installed, HomeGuide runs from $5 to $15 a square foot for poured concrete to $16 to $35 for natural stone. A 600-square-foot deck can range from a few thousand dollars to over $20,000 depending on the choice.

A ground-level patio built with a new pool is part of the pool permit and its deck bonding inspection. Raised decks and retaining walls may need separate review. We confirm what your project requires.

DPS has said spas and hot tubs do not need the 60-inch pool barrier, but they must have a lockable cover. A spa inside a fenced pool area shares the pool's barrier.

DPS staff have said a permitted pool or spa needs a building permit plus an electrical permit pulled by an electrician; only small portable units 24 inches deep or less with no circulating equipment are exempt. Requirements can differ for a plug-in tub, so we confirm with DPS for your setup.

Yes. The HomeGuide ranges are $6,000 to $15,000 alongside a new pool and $8,000 to $25,000 as a later addition, because excavation, plumbing and the heater are shared.

Yes, and many people use it more in winter than summer. Keep it running, keep the cover on, and make sure the equipment has freeze protection in case of a power outage.