So the big question: how much does it cost to build a stock tank pool?

My answer: it depends on several things.

1. How permanent do you want your pool to be? If you are just plunking the pool in a fairly level part of your yard and treating it like a seasonal feature of the yard, then it will not be very expensive. If you are going to build decking or add a heating element or anything which makes the pool more permanent, there will be more costs associated with it.

2. How flat is the area where you will put your pool? The more work you need to do to level the ground, the more cost there will be.

3. Do you already have a fence in your yard? Do you need to do anything else to make your pool area safe and secure for children and pets?

4. How much work are you willing to do to monitor your pool’s water? If you aren’t ready to do the work yourself, you may need a weekly pool service. As an intermediate step, you could also get a pHin Water Monitor.

We may make the pool a more permanent feature later by building a deck, but for now it is a temporary, seasonal element. Previous owners of our house had installed a hot tub at some point, so we had a flat, level concrete pad perfect for our stock tank pool — so no costs there. We already have a fence, too.

So here are our total costs:

• Stock tank: $325 + $25 delivery fee

• Pump: $80 — we will eventually replace it with a longer-lasting pump, but this was the one we could get at the time.

• Pool Chemicals: $90 total — our local spa store put together a kit of everything we needed to get started.

• Brush, skimmer, and chlorine float: $50

So, all in our investment is $570.

We have since purchased a few other items including the pHin Water Monitor, but these are all very much optional.

This post is part of a series about building our own stock tank pool. Check out the whole series here:

Pin it!