I think we all feel that way, but this is simple economics.... it is an unregulated industry, there are a lot of dis-honest PBs out there and the good PBs know it and charge for it. To this day, for what I spent for the pool, I STILL FEEL LIKE I GOT RIPPED OFF!! Unless you build yourself, not sure you ever get over the sticker shock!

If you just want basic, have you looked into fiberglass? That seems to run a bit cheaper and there are some nice shapes...

You could probably find a tree service yourself for the tree removal and save some. Gluing PVC pipe is easy so think about rerouting your sprinklers yourself or, again, find your own person. A landscape company may do both for you.

Since it is getting late in the year anyway, and it is less likely you will be swimming this season, you might get more interest from some of these companies once business slows down. You might get a better deal as well during the fall and be ready to swim next spring. Also my highest bidder came down about 10% when I told them they were the highest and I was going to keep getting bids.

There are a lot of factors that go into pricing a pool, maddiesmomma, so you have to be careful you are getting an apples to apples pricing...not apples to oranges. Some builders include more in their basic pricing while others do items as add-ons. Available access to the dig site is one factor that can vary in price. Whether you have an overflow run to the street or not is another. Are they quoting the same equipment? Are they including the same amount of decking around the pool. What material is the decking? Are you wanting a straight line pool or free form? What material do you want for the coping beam? What plaster type? These are just some of the areas that affect the price. It is very hard to get a QUALITY pool built for under $30k, but it can be done if you are willing to go basic and no frills and don't need much walkway or seating area. As to the person who recommended fiberglass to you, that is usually a poor alternative in Houston. Since we fence every yard and homes are situated pretty close together, getting a fiberglass pool in a yard can be something of a nightmare.

I would call Texas Blue Lagoon Pools. They are located in Kingwood. We did a lot of research before settling on a company and had a pool built by them last summer. Everything went very smoothly and I can't say enough about the company. We started out wanting a very basic pool as well, but even with a SWG and Stonescapes finish, and a few other upgrades, we came in just under $30,000. I think my perimeter is around 94'. Of course every build is different, but I would certainly check them out. I will post a pic of my pool when I get a chance. We absolutely love it!

Call Precision Pools.. they built our pool last spring and we LOVE it!!! I feel like we got a good, fair price. Construction was a pleasure and the people at Precision are extremely knowledgeable and helpful! Precision Pools 281-265-2774.

Hi gprecella! Your pool is very pretty! We live in Lufkin and are in the process of building our pool. I am now trying to decide what color of spray deck. What color is yours? Looks really good.

If you can DIY the contracting and pay in cash as each stage is complete, you can do it for $30k in the Houston area. If you need financing, most lenders want a pool contract from a qualified company and you need appraisals and equity which you may not have.

I have done 2 pools myself already and am about to start the 3rd. When I call and get a bid, and tell them I will pay in cash as soon as it is done if the price is right I normally get a good deal and they ALWAYS are free tomorrow at 7:30 am.

Many pool builders who use the same guys pay them weekly or monthly, and many of the subs are not making big money so a bit of extra cash is always appreciated.

It takes some work and know how but there is a lot of info on the web. As mentioned, if you can do even some basic work yourself (landscaping, sprinkler repair, etc) you can save quite a bit.

Good luck.

:( I don't know what the color is... I'll see if I can find out and will let you know.

Did you call Precision??

It is possible to get a nice pool for $30k or less in your part of town