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Inground Pool Builders in Katy, TX

Custom Inground Pools for Katy Backyards

Custom inground pool builders in Katy, TX

Gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl-liner pools designed, poured, and finished by one local crew. Free backyard walk-throughs across the Katy area.

Call (713) 245-6590Book a Walk-Through
  • Free backyard walk-throughs
  • Built to pool safety code
  • Licensed and insured

Poolside Notes

Practical build tips and backyard pool ideas from our Katy crew.

Planning an Inground Pool in Katy: What to Sort Out First

July 1, 2026

Planning an inground pool build in a Katy backyard

A backyard pool is one of the best upgrades a Katy home can get, but the smoothest builds are the ones planned before anyone picks up a shovel. Between the clay soil, the water table, and the safety code, a little homework up front saves headaches later. Here is what we walk through with homeowners before we break ground.

Start With the Build Type

The first fork in the road is gunite, fiberglass, or vinyl-liner, and it shapes everything after it. Gunite gives you a fully custom shape and depth but takes the longest and costs the most. Fiberglass installs fast with no plaster to maintain. Vinyl-liner carries the lowest first cost with a liner swap every 7 to 12 years. If you want a freeform shape with a tanning ledge or vanishing edge, our gunite pool construction is the route that makes it possible.

Respect the Katy Soil

Katy sits on heavy Gulf Coast clay, and the water table can rise fast after a wet spring. That soil expands and contracts with moisture, which is exactly why a proper base matters. We over-excavate, compact a gravel base, and size the shell to the lot so the pool stays true instead of shifting a few seasons in. Skipping that step is where cheap builds go wrong.

Budget for the Whole Yard, Not Just the Pool

The shell is only part of the number. Decking, coping, a spa, water features, and equipment all add to the total, and so does the fence the code requires. Broom-finish concrete deck runs at the low end while travertine and porcelain pavers cost more. Build your budget around the finished backyard you actually want to use, not just the hole in the ground.

Know the Safety Rules Before You Design

Texas pools have to sit behind a barrier at least 48 inches high with a self-closing, self-latching gate that swings away from the water, and every main drain needs an ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7 anti-entrapment cover. We design the fence and gate into the plan from the start so nothing has to be retrofit later, and we pull the permit and handle the inspections at each stage.

Get a Real Walk-Through First

The best first move is a walk-through in your actual backyard. We look at soil, access for equipment, drainage, and where the equipment pad can go, then turn all of it into a clear written plan and price. If you are ready to start, contact us and we will get you on the schedule.

Thinking about a pool for your Katy backyard? Call Johnbrownsbody at (713) 245-6590 for a free backyard walk-through.

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The Pool Builds We Take On Around Katy

One local crew for new pools, attached spas, resurfacing, and the equipment that keeps it all running.

  • Custom Gunite Pools

    Fully custom inground pools shot in gunite over a rebar cage, shaped to any depth, vanishing edge, or tanning ledge and finished in quartz or pebble.

  • Fiberglass Pools

    Factory-molded one-piece fiberglass shells set on a compacted base, plumbed and backfilled. The gelcoat surface needs no plaster and installs in weeks.

  • Vinyl-Liner Pools

    Steel or polymer wall panels with a troweled floor and a custom-fit membrane liner, the lowest first cost of the three build types.

  • Spas and Water Features

    Attached spillover spas, sheer-descent waterfalls, deck jets, and bubblers tied into the pool structure and run from one automation controller.

  • Resurfacing and Remodeling

    Chip out failed plaster, reset waterline tile and coping, and trowel a fresh quartz or pebble finish, plus VGB drain-cover updates.

  • Equipment, Automation, and Saltwater

    Variable-speed pumps, cartridge filters, heaters, salt chlorine generators, and app-controlled automation for pumps, lights, and heat.

Real Numbers on Building a Katy Pool

What a pool costs comes down to the build type, the size, and the finishes and deck you want around it. Vinyl-liner pools carry the lowest first cost, fiberglass packages sit in the popular middle, and fully custom gunite runs highest because you are designing the shape, depth, and interior from scratch. Spas, water features, wider travertine decks, and premium pebble finishes all add to the total. The ranges below are typical for the Katy area, and we put the firm number in writing after a free backyard walk-through.

Vinyl-liner inground pool$35,000 to $65,000 turn-keyCustom gunite pool$60,000 to $150,000 builtFiberglass pool package$45,000 to $85,000 installed
  • Lowest first cost
  • Liner swap every 7 to 12 years
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  • Any shape, depth, or edge
  • Quartz or pebble interior finish
Get estimate
  • No plaster to maintain
  • One of the fastest installs
Get estimate

Johnbrownsbody provides pool builders in Katy, TX, building custom gunite pools, fiberglass shell installations, vinyl-liner pools, attached spas, saltwater chlorination systems, and pool decking, then backing every shell with resurfacing and equipment service for years after the water goes in. Our crew shoots gunite over a steel rebar cage, sets one-piece fiberglass shells on a compacted base, and trowels interiors in quartz or pebble aggregate. We plumb the skimmer, main drain, and return loop, wire the equipotential bonding grid, and start the pool up before we hand you the keys. Families in Cinco Ranch and Grand Lakes off Cinco Ranch Boulevard call us when they are ready to turn a flat backyard into the center of every summer.

Plenty of Katy backyards look like a pool cannot happen there, and that is exactly the kind of job our build crew takes on. Heavy Gulf Coast clay, a high water table after a wet spring, a narrow side yard on Fry Road, or an older gunite shell that has lost its plaster: none of those stop a good build, they just change the plan. We over-excavate and compact a proper gravel base, size the shell to the lot, and route the plumbing around what is already in the ground. When an aging pump runs all day and the electric bill keeps climbing, we drop in a variable-speed pump that meets the 2021 Department of Energy efficiency rule and quiets the whole system down.

We keep the build organized so you always know which stage you are in. Layout and excavation come first, then the steel cage, rough plumbing, and the gunite shell, followed by waterline tile, coping, the deck, the interior finish, and final startup. Every stage passes an inspection, and we pull the permit and handle the barrier requirements so the fence, self-latching gate, and anti-entrapment drain covers all clear before we fill. A typical custom gunite build near the 77494 corridor runs eight to twelve weeks depending on weather and how much deck and hardscape you want around it.

A pool is one of the largest things you will ever add to a home off Mason Road, so it should be built to code and built to last. We follow the ANSI/PHTA/ICC standards for residential inground pools and the NEC Article 680 bonding rules, and we set ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7 certified anti-entrapment covers on every main drain we install. If your current pool leaks at the light, shows rust bleeding through a corroding liner wall, or sits inside a deck that has cracked and heaved, those are honest signs it is time to rebuild rather than keep patching. We will look at what you have and tell you straight which one you are dealing with.

  • Built to safety codeEvery pool meets ANSI/PHTA/ICC standards, NEC 680 bonding, and VGB anti-entrapment drain covers, inspected at each stage.
  • One crew, start to finishThe same Katy build crew handles excavation, gunite, tile, deck, and startup, with no rotating cast of subcontractors.
  • Clear written estimatesWe walk the yard, talk through build type and finish, then put a firm itemized number in writing before we dig.
  • Finishes that outlast plasterQuartz and pebble aggregate interiors hold up 15 to 25 years, far longer than the 5 to 10 you get from standard marcite.

    • Where We Pour and Plumb Across Harris County

    We build pools throughout Katy and the surrounding Harris County and Fort Bend communities, from the master-planned neighborhoods to the nearby towns west of Houston.

    Not sure if we reach your neighborhood? Call (713) 245-6590 and we will let you know.

    • Katy, TX (77449, 77450, 77493)
    • Cinco Ranch, TX
    • Fulshear, TX
    • Cypress, TX
    • Richmond, TX
    • Sugar Land, TX
    • Brookshire, TX

    Homeowner Questions Before Breaking Ground

    How much does it cost to build an inground pool in Katy?
    It depends on the build type and size. Vinyl-liner pools start around $35,000, fiberglass packages run $45,000 to $85,000, and fully custom gunite pools range from $60,000 into six figures. We give a firm written number after a free backyard walk-through.
    What is the difference between gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl-liner pools?
    Gunite is sprayed concrete over rebar, so any shape or depth is possible and it lasts decades. Fiberglass is a molded one-piece shell that installs fast with no plaster. Vinyl-liner uses wall panels and a membrane liner for the lowest first cost, with a liner swap every 7 to 12 years.
    How long does it take to build a pool from start to finish?
    A fiberglass pool can be swimmable in a few weeks. A custom gunite build near the 77494 corridor usually runs eight to twelve weeks through excavation, steel, plumbing, shell, tile, deck, finish, and startup, with weather and deck scope moving the timeline.
    Do I need a permit and a safety fence to build a pool?
    Yes. We pull the permit and build to the barrier code, which calls for a 48-inch minimum fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate that swings away from the water. We handle the inspections so the fence, gate, and drain covers all pass.
    How do I know it is time to rebuild instead of repair my old pool?
    Persistent leaks, rust bleeding through a corroding liner wall, hollow or flaking plaster, and a deck that has cracked and heaved are all signs the shell is past patching. We inspect what you have on Mason Road or wherever you are and tell you honestly which way to go.
    Is a saltwater pool better than a traditional chlorine pool?
    A salt chlorine generator makes chlorine on demand from dissolved salt, so the water feels softer and sanitizer levels stay steadier than hand-dosing. The cell sits inline after the filter and heater. Many Katy families prefer it, and we install and convert both kinds.
    Are variable-speed pumps required, and do they save money?
    New dedicated-purpose pool pumps have to meet the July 2021 Department of Energy efficiency rule, which effectively means variable-speed. They run quieter and use far less electricity than an old single-speed pump, so most homeowners see the difference on the very first summer bill.

    Book Your Backyard Walk-Through

    Ready to talk about a pool? We will walk your backyard, look at the soil, access, and layout, help you compare gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl-liner, and hand you a clear written estimate with no pressure. From the first shovel on Peek Road to the day we start it up, one Katy crew handles the whole build.

    Call (713) 245-6590