Inground pool installation cost in California

None of these guides gives a price for Orange County, San Diego County or Temecula. We did not find a published Southern California range for a gunite pool, so we will not offer one.

Bob Vila gives one California number, an average of $35,000 to build a pool in California. It is far lower than every other source, so treat it as an outlier. We cannot say why it differs. Local quotes are the only way to get a local price.

The sources disagree because they describe different pools. Some price by square foot and some by a pool of a set size. The type of pool matters too. This Old House gives $130 to $240 per square foot for vinyl liner, $175 to $330 for fiberglass and $200 to $350 for concrete. The Pool Nerd gives totals instead: $40,000 to $60,000 for vinyl liner and $70,000 to $95,000 for fiberglass, with no area named.

Dates differ as well, from January 2025 to June 2026. A bigger pool, a custom shape or a hard site costs more than a plain one. Ask each builder what is included before you compare quotes.

A pool is more than the hole and the water. This Old House lists a heater installation at $3,450 to $5,450 and a pool deck at $5,000 to $20,000. It lists a pool fence at $3,000 to $10,000, pool lights at $450 to $1,200 and pool covers at $2,700 to $3,700.

HomeAdvisor says regular maintenance costs about $3,000 to $5,000 per year, covering upkeep, repairs, water and electricity. These are national figures, so ask your builder to list every extra in the quote.

In California, a pool builder should hold a C-53 Swimming Pool licence from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Whether a general building licence is enough to take on a pool job is something we could not confirm, so ask the CSLB. Check a licence on the CSLB website or call (800) 321-CSLB (2752).

The CSLB says a written contract is required for home improvement projects over $500. A swimming pool contract must include a plan and scale drawing showing the shape, size dimensions, and construction and equipment specifications. The CSLB says to pay no more than 10 percent or $1,000 down, whichever is less. It says not to make final payment until the final plastering phase is complete.

Orange County Development Services lists pools and spas among the projects where building permits are typically required, for unincorporated areas. It lists pool inspections such as Pre-Gunite Bonding. Cities have their own offices, so ask your city or county. We did not find permit fees or safety-rule pages we could confirm. Local Business America does not check licences or rank businesses.