—Enjoy superb beauty, performance, and durability

Used in a variety of residential and commercial applications, concrete pavers are a great material to add beauty and durability to your backyard deck and pool area. 

Visualize your entire new backyard resort—before it’s built

Imagine seeing your fully completed swimming pool, deck, and landscaping in your backyard—without turning over a single shovel of dirt.

You can. Powerful 3-D technology makes it easier than ever to envision your new outdoor space and to more effectively plan out this rewarding, but complex home improvement project.

—Check out great options for your spa façade and water overflow into your pool

With its rather unappealing name and highly utilitarian purpose, you might be surprised that the dam wall on a spa can serve as a beautiful focal point of your new inground swimming pool.

—Understanding which popular shape best suits your overall pool design goals

—Part 2 in a 2-part series

In Part 1, we listed key factors to consider before zeroing in on your preferred pool shapes, including how elements of some can factor into construction costs. 

Now, let’s take a look at some common pool shapes; one by one, we outline some of the advantages that certain ones have over others. 

—Key design and function goals to consider when choosing a shape

—Part 1 in a 2-part series

Building a swimming pool is an exciting outdoor addition for which you will make many design choices. From the pool’s position in your backyard to the color of the interior finish, a number of aesthetic and function-related options await your review. Among the most important ones will be the shape.

You're probably wondering: does building a bigger pool automatically mean a bigger bill? The short answer is no. Your pool's price depends on multiple factors, and understanding them can help you make a smarter investment. Here's what pool builders know about sizing and cost.

You can already picture it: kids in the water, weekends in your own backyard instead of a crowded community pool. The only thing standing between you and that pool is the price tag.

Here's the good news: most pool owners don't pay cash. Below are seven ways to finance a swimming pool, plus what lenders look for, so you can choose the option that fits your budget and start building.