If you’re considering a custom swimming pool, there’s a good chance you’ve wondered whether all that money going into the backyard will eventually come back when you sell your home.

Does a pool increase home value in Utah?

The short answer is yes, it can. But the relationship between a swimming pool and home value is much more complicated than simply adding the construction cost of the pool to the value of the house.

Location matters. The surrounding neighborhood matters. The quality and condition of the pool matter. Even the way the pool fits into the rest of the backyard can change how buyers perceive it.

For Utah homeowners, the better question isn’t simply, “How much value will a pool add?”

It’s “Will this pool make my particular property more desirable?”

That distinction matters.

TL;DR

• A well-designed inground pool can increase the appeal and marketability of a Utah home, but there is no universal percentage that applies to every property.
• You should not expect a $100,000 pool project to automatically increase your appraisal by $100,000.
• Pools tend to make the most sense when they fit the home, lot, neighborhood, and expectations of likely buyers.
• The entire backyard matters. Patio space, landscaping, shade, privacy, spas, and outdoor living can make the pool feel like part of the property rather than an isolated upgrade.
• If you’re planning to live in your home for years, resale value is only one part of the return. How much your family actually uses and enjoys the pool matters too.

Quick Answer: Does a Pool Add Value to a Home in Utah?

A professionally built inground pool can add value to a Utah home, particularly when the pool is appropriate for the property and similar outdoor amenities are desirable within the surrounding market. However, appraisers do not simply add the construction price of a swimming pool to a home’s value. Pools are evaluated alongside comparable properties, neighborhood expectations, condition, quality, location, and other characteristics of the home.

That means a custom pool can be an excellent investment in both lifestyle and marketability without necessarily producing a dollar-for-dollar financial return when the property is sold.

A Swimming Pool Has Two Different Types of Value

One of the reasons discussions about pool ROI become confusing is that homeowners are really talking about two different things.

The first is financial value.

If you sell your home, does having a pool allow you to command a higher price than a comparable property without one?

The second is lifestyle value.

How much enjoyment does the pool provide during the years you actually own the home?

Those two numbers aren’t necessarily the same.

Imagine a family builds a custom pool and spends the next ten years hosting birthday parties, swimming with their children, entertaining friends, relaxing in the spa, and spending summer evenings outside.

Even if they eventually sell the home without recovering every dollar spent on construction, it would be difficult to argue that the investment provided no return.

That’s why we encourage homeowners to think about a swimming pool differently from something like replacing a roof. You’re improving the property, but you’re also buying years of experiences and outdoor living.

Why There Isn’t One Honest “Pool ROI” Percentage

Search online for “how much value does a pool add to a house” and you’ll find plenty of percentages.

The problem is that those numbers often ignore the property itself.

An appraiser looks at much more than whether a house has a swimming pool. Location, condition, views, recent comparable sales, neighborhood characteristics, and additional property features all play a role in determining value.

In fact, Fannie Mae specifically uses an inground swimming pool as an example of an improvement that may have different contributory value depending on whether pools are typical and desirable within the surrounding neighborhood.

That’s why we would be cautious about anyone promising that installing a pool will automatically increase your Utah home’s value by a specific percentage.

The honest answer requires looking at the property and the market around it.

In Utah, the Neighborhood Matters More Than You Might Think

This becomes especially important along the Wasatch Front because housing varies dramatically from one community to another.

A custom pool behind a larger home on a spacious lot in areas such as Alpine, Highland, Draper, South Jordan, Kaysville, or other established northern Utah communities can feel like a natural extension of the property.

Put the same pool on a much smaller lot where outdoor space is already limited, and buyers may evaluate it differently.

That’s not because one pool is necessarily better than the other. It’s because buyers compare homes to other homes they’re considering in the same general market.

Current Utah listings illustrate just how varied that market can be. Homes marketed with swimming pools can be found throughout Salt Lake County and Utah County, including properties in communities such as Sandy, South Jordan, Highland, Alpine, and beyond.

For homeowners considering a pool primarily because of resale value, looking at comparable homes within your own neighborhood is far more useful than relying on a national ROI statistic.

A $100,000 Pool Doesn’t Automatically Add $100,000 to Your Appraisal

This is probably the most important financial expectation to understand before building.

Construction cost and contributory market value are different things.

You might spend significantly more creating a custom gunite pool, integrated spa, landscaping, decking, lighting, and outdoor kitchen than an appraiser ultimately attributes specifically to those improvements.

That doesn’t mean you made a poor investment.

The same principle applies to many premium home improvements. You choose materials, finishes, and features partly because you want to enjoy them, not because every dollar spent is guaranteed to return another dollar at closing.

If you’re still establishing your overall project budget, our guide to How Much Does a Pool Cost in Utah? explains what actually drives custom pool pricing:

https://palmettopoolsinc.com/pool-cost-utah

Understanding that number before thinking about resale makes it much easier to determine whether the investment makes sense for your family.

The Pool Isn’t the Only Thing Buyers See

Here’s where pool design becomes particularly important.

Imagine two Utah homes with similarly sized swimming pools.

The first has a pool surrounded by a narrow strip of concrete with limited seating, little shade, exposed equipment, and landscaping that feels unfinished.

The second has comfortable patio space, mature landscaping, intentional lighting, an integrated spa, shaded seating, privacy, and an outdoor entertaining area that feels connected to the house.

Technically, both homes have pools.

Emotionally, buyers aren’t experiencing the same property.

The second backyard feels like an extension of the home.

This is one reason we spend so much time encouraging homeowners to think beyond the dimensions of the pool itself. A beautiful pool placed into a poorly planned backyard can feel like an addition. A thoughtfully designed pool can make the entire property feel more complete.

We’ve explored many of those decisions in our guide to Luxury Backyard Pool Design Ideas for Utah Homes:

https://palmettopoolsinc.com/pool-design-ideas-utah

Custom Design Can Matter More Than Simply Having a Pool

This is particularly relevant when you’re building a higher-end home or planning a backyard where the pool will become a major architectural feature.

A custom pool allows the design to respond to the property.

On a sloped northern Utah lot, that might mean using elevation to create a dramatic edge or tiered outdoor living area. On a property with Wasatch Mountain views, it might mean orienting the pool and seating areas toward the scenery. On a family-focused property, it could mean prioritizing a large shallow area, integrated spa, generous patio, and sightlines from the house.

These details are difficult to measure on a spreadsheet, but they’re immediately noticeable when someone walks into the backyard.

That’s where thoughtful pool design can contribute to marketability in ways that simply checking a “swimming pool” box cannot.

Condition Matters When It’s Time to Sell

A pool can be an asset when it’s beautiful, functional, and well maintained.

A neglected pool can have the opposite effect.

If buyers see cracked surfaces, aging equipment, damaged decking, cloudy water, or obvious maintenance problems, they’re no longer looking at the pool as an amenity. They’re calculating what it might cost them to fix.

That makes ongoing care part of protecting your investment.

Fortunately, modern pools can be considerably easier to operate than many first-time pool owners expect. Variable-speed pumps, automation, improved filtration, and modern sanitation systems have simplified routine ownership.

If long-term operating expenses are part of your decision, read our breakdown of How Much Pool Maintenance Costs in Utah.

Could a Pool Ever Make a Utah Home Harder to Sell?

Yes, and this is worth acknowledging.

Not every buyer wants a pool.

Some families may prefer a larger lawn. Others may worry about maintenance or simply know they wouldn’t use it.

But real estate isn’t about making a property perfect for every possible buyer. It’s about understanding what buyers looking for your type of home are likely to value.

That’s why neighborhood context matters so much.

If a pool consumes nearly the entire backyard of a property where buyers typically expect lawn space, it may limit the audience. If you’re selling a larger home where outdoor entertaining, landscaping, and premium amenities are already part of the buyer expectation, a professionally designed pool may become one of the home’s most memorable features.

The goal isn’t simply to add a pool.

It’s to create a pool that belongs on the property.

How Long You Plan to Stay in the Home Should Affect the Decision

This is something homeowners don’t talk about enough.

Someone expecting to sell their home in two years should probably evaluate a pool differently from someone planning to stay for the next fifteen.

If you’re preparing to sell soon and your only goal is maximizing financial return, talk with a local real estate professional who understands comparable sales in your specific neighborhood before making a major investment.

If you’re building your long-term home, the equation changes.

You might get ten or fifteen summers of use before resale value ever becomes relevant.

That means the return includes Saturday afternoons in the pool, evenings in the spa, neighborhood get-togethers, family parties, and simply having somewhere you enjoy spending time without leaving home.

For many homeowners, that’s the real reason to build.

When Does Building a Pool Make the Most Sense in Utah?

From our perspective, a pool makes the most sense when three things line up.

First, you genuinely want the lifestyle that comes with owning one.

Second, the property has enough room to create a complete backyard rather than forcing a pool into a space that doesn’t support it.

Third, you’re willing to design the project around the home instead of treating the pool as an isolated feature.

When those things come together, the result usually feels intentional.

This is particularly important in northern Utah, where properties can vary considerably in lot size, grade, views, soil conditions, and neighborhood design. The right pool for a Kaysville property may look completely different from the right design for a hillside home closer to the mountains.

That’s exactly how custom design should work.

Think About Marketability, Not Just Appraisal Value

There is another form of value that’s difficult to capture with a simple percentage: marketability.

Imagine a buyer touring six comparable homes.

They like several of them.

Then they walk through one house, step into the backyard, and see a beautifully designed pool, integrated spa, covered patio, outdoor kitchen, landscaping, and mountain views.

That’s memorable.

It doesn’t mean they’ll automatically pay whatever the seller asks. But emotional connection absolutely matters when people choose homes.

Outdoor remodeling research from the National Association of Realtors has also found that homeowners report significant enjoyment from improving outdoor spaces, reinforcing the idea that these projects provide value beyond their eventual resale calculation.

Don’t Build for the Next Owner Before You Build for Yourself

This might sound strange in an article about home value, but it’s probably the most important advice we can give.

Unless you’re planning to sell very soon, don’t design your entire backyard around a hypothetical future buyer.

Build something your family will actually use.

Choose the spa because you’ll use it on cool Utah evenings.

Build the larger patio because you love entertaining.

Add the tanning ledge because that’s where you want to spend Saturday afternoons.

Orient the backyard toward the mountains because that’s the view you fell in love with when you bought the property.

Good design and resale appeal aren’t mutually exclusive. In many cases, the features that make a backyard enjoyable for you are exactly what make it attractive to someone else later.

Utah Homeowner Takeaway

So, does a pool increase home value in Utah?

It certainly can.

But a pool should never be viewed as a guaranteed dollar-for-dollar investment.

Its financial contribution depends on the property, neighborhood, quality of construction, condition, design, and what buyers in that particular market value. Appraisal standards themselves recognize that an inground pool’s contributory value depends on the surrounding market rather than simply what it cost to build.

The better approach is to build thoughtfully.

Create a pool that fits the architecture of the home, preserves enough room for outdoor living, works with the Utah landscape, and gives your family a backyard they’ll actually use.

If it eventually makes your property more desirable when it’s time to sell, that’s an additional return on an investment you’ve already been enjoying for years.

Frequently Asked Questions