San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country is one of Texas's fastest-growing pool markets. Expanding neighborhoods in Boerne, New Braunfels, Helotes, and the Stone Oak corridor mean thousands of new homeowners making their first pool decision. We build custom gunite and shotcrete pools designed for our terrain — limestone bedrock, caliche soil, and sloped lots that challenge contractors who don't know the market.
Pool Styles
San Antonio homeowners aren't building cookie-cutter pools anymore. Here's what we build most often in Bexar County and the Hill Country.
Our Process
We visit your property, assess the lot grade, soil type, and drainage, then discuss your vision, budget, and priorities. We check for underground utilities, HOA restrictions, and local setback requirements. Most Bexar County lots require a 5-foot setback from property lines; some HOAs add to that.
We produce a digital design with top-view and 3D renderings so you can visualize the finished pool before any ground is broken. This is where you finalize shape, depth, features, and surface finish. Changes at this stage cost nothing. Changes after excavation cost a lot.
We file for the City of San Antonio (or the applicable municipal authority) building permit and handle all inspections. Permit timelines in Bexar County typically run 3–6 weeks. We start material scheduling during this window so we're ready to break ground the day the permit clears.
San Antonio's limestone bedrock is the biggest excavation wildcard in this market. Caliche and soft limestone are standard. Hard limestone shelf — common in Boerne and northwest SA — requires hydraulic breakers or blasting permits. We assess bedrock risk during site assessment so it doesn't surprise your budget.
Rebar cage is placed to engineered specifications, then shotcrete or gunite is applied in a single continuous application to form the shell. Gunite shells in SA are typically 6–8 inches thick to handle the limestone subsoil movement and thermal cycling.
All plumbing lines, return jets, skimmers, main drains, and light niches are installed. Electrical is run to the equipment pad. Equipment — pump, filter, heater, and automation — is set and wired. GFCI protection required throughout per NEC 680.
Waterline tile and coping are set. Decking — concrete, travertine, flagstone, or pavers — is installed with proper slope for drainage away from the pool. Water features and spillover spas are set and tested before plaster.
Plaster, quartz aggregate, or pebble finish is applied by our own crew and the pool is filled immediately. Startup chemistry begins the same day — calibrated for San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer water — and we manage it daily through the 30-day break-in protocol.
Investment
New pool construction in San Antonio runs from $55,000 for a basic gunite build to $150,000+ for a fully custom Hill Country design with water features, infinity edge, and high-end finishes. Here's how it breaks down:
Permit fees, utility connections, and landscaping restoration are not included in these ranges and vary by municipality. We itemize all of these in your written estimate.
Hill Country Specifics
Northwest SA, Boerne, and the Hill Country corridor frequently hit limestone shelf at 2–4 feet of depth. Standard excavation equipment can't break it — hydraulic hammers or blasting are required. We assess this during the site visit, not after we've already dug.
The Edwards Aquifer Protection Zone (Recharge and Contributing Zones) covers much of northwest Bexar County and the Hill Country. Pools in this zone require approved drainage plans and specific construction practices. We're familiar with EAA requirements and build to compliance from day one.
SA pools need oversized circulation systems relative to cooler markets. We size pumps and filtration for Texas summer heat loads — a pool that runs clean in Minnesota isn't spec'd correctly for San Antonio summers.
Hill Country lots rarely sit flat. A lot with 6+ feet of natural grade change is an opportunity — not a complication — for a well-designed infinity edge or elevated spa. We design pools that work with grade rather than fighting it.
Common Questions
From signed contract to first swim: typically 10–16 weeks. Permitting takes 3–6 weeks (often the longest phase). Actual construction — excavation through final plaster — runs 6–10 weeks depending on scope and weather. Bedrock excavation and custom water features add time. We give you a written schedule with milestones before we start.
Yes. All new pool construction in San Antonio requires a building permit from the City Development Services Department or the applicable county authority. Pools in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone also require EAA review. We handle all permit applications, inspections, and final certificates of completion as part of the construction contract.
Fall and winter (October–February) are typically the best construction windows — shorter permit queues, fewer contractors competing for crew, and concrete work performs better in cooler temps. You'll also be ready to swim when summer arrives rather than breaking ground in May. That said, we build year-round. SA weather rarely stops a build; limestone rock and wet springs occasionally do.
Both are pneumatically applied concrete — the difference is dry-mix (gunite) vs. wet-mix (shotcrete). Both produce structurally equivalent shells when applied correctly by experienced crews. We use the method best suited for each project. What matters more: rebar spacing, shell thickness (6–8"), and curing protocol — not which application method is used.
Complete Backyard Builds
A new pool changes the whole backyard. The construction process disturbs soil, removes landscaping, and leaves bare areas that need to be addressed. Most homeowners deal with this in phases — pool first, then figure out the surroundings later. The better approach: design the full backyard scope from the start so the pool, deck, and surrounding areas are coordinated and finished together.
Synthetic turf installed as part of the new build project is the most efficient way to finish the backyard. The excavation and base work happen while crews are already on site. There's no second mobilization, no re-grading of settled soil months later, and no season of trying to get sod to establish in San Antonio's heat before the new pool is even a year old.
New pool build with full decking scope and synthetic turf surrounding the finished deck. Coordinated design, single mobilization, backyard completely finished when crews leave.
One of the most popular additions to a new pool build. A custom-shaped putting green with nylon bent-blade surface, coordinated with the pool design from the start rather than retrofitted later.
Dedicated synthetic turf areas for pets or children, with antimicrobial backing and shock-absorbing infill. Designed to keep the pool area clean and the surrounding zones usable for the whole family.
Hill Country lots with natural grade change are ideal for turf on slopes and side yards. Turf holds on grade and looks consistent year-round — unlike sod that erodes on slopes during SA's heavy rain events.
Alamo Pool
