Cost Projections

What to Know About Project Cost Projections

Designing and constructing a world-class pool or water feature is a major undertaking. One of the first things an owner will want to know is what the project will cost so they can solicit sufficient financing for design and construction. However, a projected cost cannot be developed until the details of the project are hammered out. The owners and/or owner’s representatives may wish to inform the aquatic consultant of their budget so that the project can be designed to fit within those parameters.

Construction Cost Projections

The cost to construct a pool is dependent on many factors, including its size, features, materials used in construction and geographic location. The approximate cost per square foot can vary dramatically from as low as $180/sqft to as high as $900/sqft. Material costs vary dramatically both domestically and internationally as can labor rates, even in different regions in the U.S. Rules governing prevailing wage rates coupled with shifting supply and demand curves account for much of this variation. However, we can produce Rough Order Magnitude (ROM) costing early on in the project, typically in the Schematic Design phase.

Once the baseline is established, the cost of special equipment can be discussed and added to the baseline. Such expenses might include corona discharge ozone generators, medium and low-pressure UV systems, hyper-dissolved oxygen systems, enzyme pre-treatment systems, CO² systems for pH control, play equipment, material finishes, chemistry control devices, et al.

Long-Term Cost Projections

Investing in a pool or water feature is not a one-time expense. Property owners should understand that they will have ongoing expenses, including maintenance, water treatment, repairs as well as gas and electricity costs. Generally speaking, higher up-front costs for the equipment listed above can significantly diminish the projected operational cost and result in as little as a 2-3 year pay-off.

At Aqua Design International, our project managers are experts at developing project cost projections, and our projects typically fall within 10% of our rough-order-of magnitude projections in Schematic Design—an uncommonly accurate range. It’s thanks to our expertise in designing large scale projects and our background in pool construction, which provides us with the unique insights necessary to maintain a responsible budget throughout the process. Call us at our headquarters in Tucson at (520) 219 8929 to discuss your pool project.