Pool type · Gunite / shotcrete
Custom Gunite Pools and Spas
A gunite pool is a reinforced concrete shell sprayed in place over a steel cage, so it can take any shape, depth or feature the site allows. It is the default for spas, sun shelves, vanishing edges and hillside pools. Angi's San Francisco data puts concrete pools at $65,000–$120,000+; with a spa and features, Golden Yards' range is $80,000–$130,000+.
Design freedom
Geometric
Clean rectangles that suit modern homes; sun shelf at one end, spa at a corner.
Freeform
Curves that follow the yard and trees, with a round spa tucked into a lobe.
Lap
Long and narrow for real swimming; fits along a side of the lot.
Vanishing edge
Water spills over a weir into a catch basin. Usually a hillside design. Hillside pools
Adding a spa
An attached gunite spa shares the pool's equipment and usually sits raised, spilling into the pool. Angi lists a spa add-on at $5,000–$20,000+. Decide early whether you'll use it year-round: that choice drives heater size, cover and controls.
| Choice | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Heat pump heater | Efficient for keeping a pool warm through the long warm season; slower to heat a spa from cold. |
| Gas heater | Heats a spa quickly; needs a gas line sized for it (Danville asks for the gas-line plan on the permit drawings). |
| Variable-speed pump | Runs slower for longer and uses much less energy than single-speed pumps; California efficiency rules apply to pool pump motors. |
| Automation | Phone or panel control of spa mode, heat, lights and schedules. |
| Automatic cover | Cuts heat loss and evaporation; a compliant safety cover can count as one of the two required safety features. |
Engineering and steel
The shell is a structure. Jurisdictions here ask for structural details and calculations stamped and signed by an engineer (Contra Costa County handout; Danville submittal list). The steel schedule, shell thickness and any piers come from those calcs, and on slopes from a soils report.
- Ask who the engineer is and whether the plan is site-specific
- Steel and plumbing are inspected before gunite is sprayed
- Gunite (dry mix) and shotcrete (wet mix) are both sprayed concrete; ask which the crew uses and why
- The shell needs time to cure before tile and plaster; ask for the cure schedule
Build sequence
- 01DesignLayout, size, spa and decking on a scaled plan; equipment list.
- 02Engineering & permitsStructural calcs, soils report if the site needs one, plan check, HOA review.
- 03ExcavationDig, haul-off, layout check. Soil surprises show up here.
- 04Steel & plumbingRebar cage, suction and return lines, electrical bonding; inspections.
- 05GuniteConcrete shell sprayed in place, then left to cure.
- 06Tile & copingWaterline tile, coping stones, then decking around the pool.
- 07PlasterInterior finish (plaster, quartz or pebble) applied over the shell.
- 08StartupFill, balance water chemistry, commission equipment, final inspection.
Finishes, tile and coping
Interior finishes range from white plaster to quartz and pebble aggregates; they change water color, feel and how long until resurfacing. Waterline tile and coping (often travertine or precast stone around here) frame the whole pool and should match the decking plan. Ask for finish samples wet, in daylight.
Have a shape in mind? Get it priced.Request a QuoteCall (925) 492-7114
Cost
Concrete pools: $65,000–$120,000+ (Angi SF). A 16×32 gunite pool: $70,000–$105,000+; with spa and features: $80,000–$130,000+; custom and vanishing-edge: $130,000–$200,000+ (Golden Yards editorial ranges). Full cost guide
Sources
- Angi: in-ground pool cost in San Francisco, CA
- Golden Yards: pool cost in California (editorial planning ranges)
- Contra Costa County: Residential Pool and Spa Installation handout (PDF)
- Town of Danville: Swimming Pool/Spa Submittal Requirements (PDF)
- California Health & Safety Code §115922 (Justia)
Read October 2026. Rules and prices change; confirm current requirements with the agency and your builder.
Next step
Get a custom pool quoted
Share a few details about the yard and the pool you have in mind. A local pool builder will call to talk through design, site access and budget, then quote it.
Prefer to talk it through?
Call (925) 492-7114