Project Spotlight: Compact Plunge Pool in Salt Lake City Avenues
Project Spotlight: Compact Plunge Pool in Salt Lake City Avenues
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah (The Avenues) Pool type: Fiberglass plunge pool Size: 9 by 18 feet, 4.5 foot uniform depth Project budget: $76,000 turnkey Timeline: 5 weeks signed-to-swim
The Challenge
An Avenues homeowner with a tight historic lot (35-foot deep backyard) wanted a real in-ground pool but most builders had said it couldn’t fit. Three constraints:
Narrow side-yard access for crane and equipment
Strict SLC setback requirements in older neighborhoods
Mature trees on neighboring properties limited equipment paths
Historic neighborhood aesthetics — modern pool needed to coexist with 1920s craftsman home
The Design
9 by 18 foot fiberglass plunge pool against the rear property line, with a 6-foot vertical privacy wall doubling as a water-feature backdrop with a linear sheer descent into the pool. The pool runs perpendicular to the home, maximizing the usable yard depth.
Finish: light blue gel coat for visual brightness. 350 sq ft of modern paver decking in coordinating tones. Custom narrow-format paver pathway from the side gate.
Equipment: Pentair compact package — IntelliFlo VSF (right-sized), MasterTemp 200 BTU (smaller pool needs less BTU), IntelliChlor salt, IntelliBrite single LED light. Manual safety cover.
The Crane Set
Standard fiberglass shell delivery via flatbed wasn’t possible — driveway access too narrow. We arranged crane delivery from the front of the property, lifting the shell over the 1920s home’s roofline. Coordinated with utility marking, neighbor notification, and SLC traffic permits.
Week 2: Excavation by mini-excavator (full-size couldn’t fit), tree protection
Week 3: Crane day — shell set in 4 hours, plumbing rough-in
Week 4: Backfill, bond beam, paver decking install
Week 5: Equipment install, fill, balance, pool school
The Privacy Wall
The 6-foot wall doubles as a privacy barrier from neighboring 2-story homes AND the pool’s water-feature backdrop. Constructed of stacked stone matching the home’s foundation. Linear sheer descent water blade creates white-noise sound that masks city ambient noise.
The Result
The pool turned an unusable narrow backyard into the home’s most-used outdoor space. The owner reports they use it daily May through September — and the privacy wall design makes it feel like a private oasis despite being in the densest part of SLC.
What This Proves
Tight Avenues, Sugar House, and Federal Heights lots CAN accommodate beautiful in-ground pools. Most builders avoid these projects because they’re harder. We’ve made tight-lot pools a specialty.
Cost Breakdown
Fiberglass plunge shell: $11K
Mini-excavation + crane day: $18K
Plumbing, backfill, bond beam: $9K
Stacked-stone privacy wall + sheer descent: $14K
350 sq ft paver decking: $9K
Equipment package (Pentair compact): $9K
Permits, design, crane permits: $4K
Fill, fence (matched to home aesthetic), restoration: $2K