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Facts and Sources
Each figure on this site is listed here with where it came from and when we read it.
Rules
| Fact | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| A new residential pool needs at least one of five safety features (enclosure, safety cover, exit alarms, self-closing self-latching doors, pool alarm). | Florida Statutes s. 515.27(1) | November 5, 2026 |
| Exit alarm sound level at least 85 dB A at 10 feet. Door release no lower than 54 inches. Pool alarm certified to ASTM F2208. | Florida Statutes s. 515.27(1) | November 5, 2026 |
| A barrier must be at least 4 feet high on the outside. | Florida Statutes s. 515.29(1)(a) | November 5, 2026 |
| Certified contractors may work statewide; registered contractors only in the jurisdictions where registered. Residential pool/spa contractor is defined in (3)(k). | Florida Statutes s. 489.105 | November 5, 2026 |
| A residential pool permit is required to construct or renovate in-ground pools in Lee County, and for above-ground pools with water 24 inches or deeper. The application must detail barrier requirements. | Lee County Pool Application and Permitting Guide (excerpt; direct download was blocked) | November 5, 2026 |
Prices (national)
| Fact | Source | Date of source |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl $20,000 to $40,000 (10 years); fiberglass $20,000 to $85,000 (25 years); concrete or gunite $35,000 to $120,000 (50 to 100 years). | NerdWallet, citing HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide and Angi | Updated Aug 26, 2025 |
| Average in-ground pool about $66,000; $14,000 to $135,000 for materials alone; $50 to $125 per square foot. | NerdWallet, citing Angi | Updated Aug 26, 2025 |
| Permits $100 to $1,800; site prep $500 to $3,000; deck $3,000 to $20,000; fencing $1,500 to $10,000; heater $2,000 to $4,000; filter $250 to $2,000; lighting $450 to $1,800. | NerdWallet | Updated Aug 26, 2025 |
Timing
| Fact | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Planning and permitting about 1 to 8 weeks; installation 7 to 21 days. | Pool Research | November 5, 2026 |
| Permit approval about 2 weeks in some municipalities, several months in complex cases; shell and finish 1 to 3 weeks; deck and features 1 to 4 weeks. | swimmingpool.com | November 5, 2026 |
Businesses
Names, addresses, phone numbers, ratings and review counts come from public Google Maps listings collected on November 5, 2026. Statements about services, history and license numbers come from each company's own website, read the same day, and are the company's own claims. Ratings and review counts:
| Business | Google rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Bahama Pools of Florida Inc | 4.8 | 35 |
| Colonial Pool & Spa, Inc. | 4.7 | 309 |
| Catalina Pools & Outdoor Living | None shown | None shown |
| Custom Pools by Design | 4.8 | 84 |
Limits
- We did not find a trustworthy Fort Myers or Florida pool price study, so all price figures are national.
- Two company websites blocked our automated reader, so we list only Google Maps facts for them.
- The Lee County guide could not be downloaded by our script. We used an excerpt and link to the PDF so you can read the current version.