Cost data · Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach permits more pools than almost any other project type: 245 pool permits from 49 contractors between 2020 and 2024, the second-largest class in the city's data. The median declared value was $39,000, and half of all pool permits fell between $23,000 and $54,000.
An in-ground pool is the one project where the permit value and the final bill diverge most, because decking, fencing, screens and landscaping are permitted separately or not at all. The page says what is and is not in the number.
BidBro Editorial Team·Published ·Updated
As of . Cite as: BidBro, “How much does an in-ground pool cost in Virginia Beach? 245 permits say $39,000,” https://www.bidbro.com/guides/virginia-beach-pool-cost.
| City | Permits | Contractors who filed them | Middle 50% of declared values | Median | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 245 | 49 | $23,000 – $54,000 | $39,000 | January 2020 – August 2024 |
| Chesapeake | 173 | 37 | $16,000 – $47,000 | $34,000 | May 2020 – August 2024 |
“Middle 50%” is the range the central half of permits fell inside. These are the permits linked to contractors in BidBro’s directory, as collected from public permit records by a third-party aggregator that keeps roughly the 20 most recent per contractor — not every permit the city issued.
Counted from the same Virginia Beach permit records as the table, per contractor, and listed only where the contractor’s own trade categories name that work. The source keeps roughly the 20 most recent permits per contractor, so a busy firm’s count here understates its full record. A count of permits filed is not a rating or a recommendation — each profile lists the permits themselves.
Virginia DPOR lists 21 contractor licences carrying the Swimming pool construction contracting specialty held by businesses based in Virginia Beach as of September 29, 2026, out of 2,242 Board for Contractors licences based in the city.
That is DPOR’s count of licences based in Virginia Beach — not every pro who works here, and not a claim that the businesses listed on this page hold one. Before you hire, check the licence at DPOR’s licence lookup. Source: BidBro’s Hampton Roads licensed-contractor census of the DPOR regulant lists; licence classes explained in Virginia contractor licence classes.
Across 245 Virginia Beach pool permits from 2020 to 2024, the median declared value was $39,000 and the middle half ran $23,000 to $54,000. That is the pool and its equipment; decking, fencing, a screen enclosure and landscaping are usually separate and push the total well above the permit number. Gunite pools with a spa sit above $54,000.
Yes. Virginia Beach requires a building permit for any in-ground pool and for above-ground pools over a set depth, with inspections for the electrical bonding, the barrier (fence, gates or alarm) and, in flood zones, the foundation. Most pool builders hold a Virginia DPOR licence with the POL (swimming pool construction) specialty; the count of those based in Virginia Beach is on this page.
The permit covers the permitted construction of the pool. Decks, fences, pavers, lighting, a heater added later, a screen room and landscaping are separate scopes, and some builders declare only the shell. A full backyard package can run to two or three times the $39,000 median; compare the pool line of your quote to this number, not the total.
All three appear in the permits. Fibreglass and vinyl-liner pools cluster around and below the median and go in fastest; gunite pools cluster above the top of the middle half and take longest. The sandy soil and high water table favour builders who dewater properly whichever shell you choose.
Virginia Beach pool permits linked to the contractors in BidBro’s directory, collected from public permit records by a third-party aggregator that keeps roughly the 20 most recent per contractor, counted once per permit number and classified by their own descriptions. The class is published only at 30 or more permits.
The permit median is a reference point, not a quote. Post your project once and request bids from Virginia Beach contractors, or start from the pages below:
Cost data and market snapshots from the BidBro editorial team.
