Knoxville Pool Cost Guide
Prepared 2026-07-19, 2026 dollars.
Market ranges, not quotes. Every figure below is sourced from at least two independent citations, at least one Knoxville-local, and dated. This page is not a substitute for a real quote from a licensed builder, and no range here is a promise of what your specific project will cost.
Pool size and material
| Gunite pool, ~12x24, installed (decking separate) | $95,000 - $155,000 |
| Gunite pool, ~16x32 w/ spa + features, installed (decking separate) | $120,000 - $250,000 |
| Gunite pool, ~20x40, installed (decking separate) | $180,000 - $350,000+ |
| Fiberglass pool, ~12x24, installed (decking separate) | $70,000 - $95,000 |
| Fiberglass pool, ~16x32, installed (decking separate) | $100,000 - $135,000 |
| Fiberglass pool, ~20x40, installed (decking separate) | $135,000 - $190,000+ |
Hillside adders
These apply to sloped lots. Your personalized report only shows the lines that apply to your yard.
| Slope engineering / elevated beam | $10,000 - $60,000+ |
| Retaining wall, structural, 4-7 ft | $20,000 - $50,000 |
| Retaining wall, large/tiered, 8+ ft | $60,000 - $150,000+ |
| Rock exposure allowance | Allowance |
Not a price -- an allowance. If rock is encountered during excavation, it is measured and billed at a pre-agreed rate (Knoxville-area rate: $75-$150 per cubic yard), never estimated in advance.
Style-linked upgrades
These apply if you choose that style.
| Attached spa / spillover | $12,000 - $30,000 |
| Infinity / negative edge premium | $15,000 - $50,000 |
Required by code, Knoxville market
| Permits + plan review (valuation-based) | $300 - $1,100 |
| 48-inch barrier fence (code-required) | $4,000 - $10,000 |
| Pool alarm (Katie Beth's Law, required if >36in deep) | $100 - $400 |
| Annual maintenance | $1,500 - $4,000 |
National 2026 benchmark figures
Local quotes vary. Not sourced from a Knoxville-specific citation.
| Gas heater, equipment + install | $2,000 - $8,000 |
| Heat-pump heater, equipment + install | $2,500 - $7,000 |
| Automatic pool cover, installed | $11,000 - $22,000 |
| Decking, broom-finish concrete (per sq ft) | $8 - $18 / sq ft |
| Decking, pavers (per sq ft) | $12 - $28 / sq ft |
| Decking, travertine (per sq ft) | $15 - $50 / sq ft |
Prepared 2026-07-19 from pool-price-research-2026-07-19.md under the amended R4 gate (every customer-facing figure needs >=2 independent citations with >=1 Knoxville-local; ranges only, never point estimates; date-stamped, 2026 dollars). Derek approved 2026-07-19, option B1 (national-benchmark upgrade lines included, visibly labeled 'national 2026 benchmark figures; local quotes vary') after a source spot-check of 6 load-bearing sources: Morales Outdoor Living published tiers + retaining wall guide (TN Lic #77919), Paramount Knox mid-range and slope figures, Magnolia Landscape Construction rock rate, Thursday Pools' 2026 survey of 20 TN dealers, City of Knoxville EDS fee schedule, and Tenn. Code Ann. 68-14-801 through 807 (Katie Beth's Law). That sign-off is a source spot-check, not a pricing judgment. Thursday's statewide TN averages run lower ($74,000-$113,000) than the Knoxville-specific ranges below because flatter Middle/West TN lots pull the average down -- an honest cross-check note, not a discrepancy. Decking (Section B) is quoted separately from the base pool price, per local practice. Two categories of source content are intentionally not carried into this file: (1) the source table's 'Typical' point figures, so nothing here can ever be mistaken for a point estimate; (2) weeks-denominated timeline/duration lines (permit timeline, build duration, total project timeline) -- not dollar costs, and this schema is dollars-only. Section C lines (vinyl-liner tiers, rock hammer day rate, grading/terracing dollar figures, crane/hard-access surcharge, door/window alarm pricing) were cut by the gate for insufficient sourcing and are not included.
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