How Long Does It Take To Build A Swimming Pool In 2026? [Infographic]

“My friend started their project [insert large number] months ago, and it is still not done”. A comment often heard from every contractor, typically followed by: “How long will it take you to complete my project?”. What should be a fairly straightforward question to answer can be hard for pool builders who are not as connected and experienced in the pool industry. After supply chain issues, shortages in skilled labor, and increases in demand affected many builder’s timelines a few years ago during COVID, many are still struggling to establish their new norm for pool construction timelines.

Knowing how important a realistic timeline is for your pool project, the Island Way Pools team decided to step in to provide clarity on how long it takes to build a new pool and how long it takes to build a new pool+screen enclosure. Below are two infographics that break down the steps and timeline for building your pool space.

New Pool Construction Timeline

Once your project's permit is approved, our operations team will be on-site within 1-2 weeks to break ground on your pool project. At the moment, new pool construction projects are ready to swim only 8-10 weeks after your permit is approved. Including the permitting process, a new pool project should be completed in roughly 3 months.

New Pool + Screen Enclosure Construction Timeline

Similar to a new pool construction project, our operations team will be on-site 1-2 weeks after your permit is approved to break ground on your new pool & screen enclosure project. In addition to the standard pool building steps, our team will also need to install a concrete footer and the screen enclosure.

A footer is a steel-enforced concrete form poured underground that the screen enclosure attaches to for structural support. The footer will need 7-10 days to cure after being poured and will then need to be inspected by your municipality. Once the footer’s concrete cures and passes inspection, our team will install your decking, then your screen enclosure.

At the moment, Island Way Pools is finishing new pool & screen enclosure projects in only 10-12 weeks. So, including the permitting process, we expect new pool & screen enclosure projects to be complete in roughly 3-4 months.

What Can Cause Project Delays?

While we expect your pool project to be completed within these timelines, there are factors that can make pool building take longer. Our team will communicate any potential delays in advance and will notify you of any delays that may arise during your pool project.

The most common reasons pool projects face delays in Florida are: bad weather, material shortages, material delays, or change orders. June to November is hurricane season here in Florida, so if you start building during the summer, expect some rain delays!

A big thing to note with these timelines is that we are not including the permit process. Permitting is a whole process of its own, which we will break down in a new blog post in the coming weeks. On average, permitting in most counties takes 4-6 weeks.

So, How Long Will It Take To Build Your Pool?

On average, most pool projects should take 8-12 weeks once your permit is approved. If you are ready to take the next steps towards building the outdoor living space of your dreams, call Island Way Pools today at (727) 488 -2047!

If you have any topics or questions you would like us to cover in future blog posts, send us an email at IslandWayThomas@Gmail.Com.