I’m going to do something that drives other pool dealers crazy, because I don’t price by zip code.
I’m going to tell you what a semi-inground pool actually costs. Not “call for pricing.” Not “$7,000 to $25,000 depending on factors.” Real numbers from semi-inground pools I’ve sold and installed, including three real jobs from this year with the invoices to back them up.
Every semi inground pool cost article you’ll find gives you the same useless range. Angi says $7K–$25K. HomeAdvisor says $4K–$25K. HomeGuide says $7K–$25K. They’re copying each other, and none of them have ever buried a pool wall.
I’ve been in the pool business for over 30 years. I sell two semi-inground pools, the Aquasport 52 and the Fox Ultimate, and I install them in backyards across New England every season. Here’s what things actually cost.
First: What Counts as a Semi-Inground Pool?
A semi-inground pool is engineered to be partially buried in the ground. It’s not a regular above ground pool someone decided to dig a hole for. That’s a recipe for a collapsed wall and a very expensive mistake.
Real semi-inground pools have reinforced walls, either thick interlocking aluminum panels or heavy-gauge steel panels, built to handle the earth pushing against them from the outside. A regular above ground pool relies on the water pushing out to hold the wall up. Bury one, and the dirt pushes in harder than the water pushes out. The wall caves in. I’ve seen it happen.
The two semi-inground pools I sell and install:
Aquasport 52: interlocking 4-inch extruded aluminum panels. Goes semi-inground with no cement collar, which is huge, and I’ll show you exactly what that saves. The 24′ round, 15×30 and 17×32 must be buried at least 1 foot.
Fox Ultimate: 14-gauge ZAM-coated galvanized steel panels in round, oval, grecian, modified rectangle and modified kidney shapes, with a built-in inground step option. Every size and shape requires a cement collar and must be buried at least 18 inches, except the 15, 18, 21 and 24 rounds.
Both are American-made and both will last decades. Their prices and installation costs are very different, mainly because of that cement collar and the inground step.
Build Your Own Aquasport 52 Semi-Inground Estimate
Pick your size, how high the pool will sit, your pump and filter, steps, patio, what happens to the dirt, and fencing. The estimator shows the kit-only price and the professionally installed price side by side.
The Complete Cost Breakdown
Here’s the part everyone wants: every line item, so you can see exactly where your money goes.
Part 1: The Pool Kit
This is the pool itself: walls, top rails, bottom track, hardware, skimmer, return fitting and liner.
Aquasport 52 kit prices (liner included, free shipping to most of the US):
| Size | Kit price | Semi-inground notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12′ Round | $4,732 | Small yards |
| 15′ Round | $5,459 | |
| 18′ Round | $6,031 | |
| 21′ Round | $6,860 | Most popular |
| 24′ Round | $8,061 | Must be buried at least 1 foot |
| 10×18 Oval | $6,247 | |
| 12×18 Oval | $6,733 | |
| 12×20 Oval | $7,104 | |
| 12×24 Oval | $7,734 | |
| 15×24 Oval | $8,691 | |
| 15×27 Oval | $9,320 | |
| 15×30 Oval | $9,920 | Must be buried at least 1 foot |
| 17×32 Oval | $11,819 | Must be buried at least 1 foot |
Fox Ultimate kit prices (20/20 mil Loop Loc Luxury or Merlin liner included):
| Size and shape | Kit price |
|---|---|
| 18′ Round | $9,019 |
| 21′ Round | $9,689 |
| 24′ Round | $10,668 |
| 15×30 Oval | $13,531 |
| 16×32 Grecian | $14,015 |
| 16×32 Rectangle | $14,959 |
| 20×40 Rectangle | $17,780 |
Key difference: the Aquasport 52 never needs a cement collar. The Fox Ultimate needs a collar and at least 18 inches of burial on every size except the 15, 18, 21 and 24 rounds. The Fox is salt compatible and offers a built-in inground step for $3,400. The Aquasport 52 is not salt water compatible (salt voids its warranty) and uses a drop-in step instead.
Part 2: Semi-Inground Installation
Aquasport 52 professional installation, by size (my averages):
| Size | Excavation, installation, plumbing & equipment setup | Crushed stone backfill |
|---|---|---|
| 12′ Round | $5,300 | $800 |
| 15′ Round | $5,400 | $900 |
| 18′ Round | $5,600 | $1,000 |
| 21′ Round | $6,000 | $1,200 |
| 24′ Round | $6,400 | $1,400 |
| 10×18 Oval | $5,800 | $2,000 |
| 12×18 Oval | $6,000 | $2,200 |
| 12×20 Oval | $6,200 | $2,500 |
| 12×24 Oval | $6,500 | $3,000 |
| 15×24 Oval | $7,000 | $3,200 |
| 15×27 Oval | $7,400 | $3,400 |
| 15×30 Oval | $7,800 | $3,600 |
| 17×32 Oval | $8,500 | $3,800 |
Backfill depends on what’s going around the pool. A cement or paver patio needs 3/8″ washed crushed stone, because dirt settles and your patio sinks with it. Planning a wood deck? I set the sonotubes before backfill. Nothing going around the pool for now? We can reuse your clean excavated dirt and skip the stone. Some customers have me backfill; others do it themselves or have their landscaper do it.
Why is the Aquasport 52 cheaper to install? One word: no cement collar. Its thick aluminum bottom track locks the wall in place without concrete. That saves you about $2,000–$2,500 in materials and labor that every other semi-inground pool requires.
Fox Ultimate professional installation:
| Service | Cost range |
|---|---|
| Excavation | $2,800–$5,000 |
| Installation, assembly, plumbing | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Concrete collar (required) | ~$2,000 |
| Backfill | $2,000–$6,000 |
| Inground step: extra labor, cement and installation | $1,200 |
| Total installation | $8,800–$20,000 |
The $20K top is for the biggest pools (20×40 rectangle) with a vermiculite hard bottom and the inground step. Most Fox installations land in the $10K–$15K range.
Part 3: Pump, Filter and Skimmer
Neither pool kit includes a pump and filter. Here’s what I put on a semi-inground pool:
| Setup | My pick | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pump sits below the water line (most semi-inground pools) | Hayward EC50 DE filter + Speck E71 variable speed pump. My favorite cartridge option is the Hayward XStream 150 + Speck E71 ($1,035). | $1,135 |
| Pump sits above the water line (it has to self-prime) | Pentair CC200 cartridge + Pentair variable speed pump. On a 17×32, the Pentair Quad 60 DE + Pentair VS ($2,523). | $2,220 |
| Inground skimmer upgrade for the Aquasport 52 | Required when the top of the pool is 17 inches or less above ground; I recommend it on any buried install. | $279 |
| Heater (optional, installed) | 200K BTU propane heater ($3,400), or a Nirvana heat pump: FC80 ($4,400) for most sizes, FC120 ($5,100) for 24′ round, 15×27, 15×30 and 17×32. The gas line to a propane heater (licensed plumber) is extra. | $3,400–$5,100 |
| Salt chlorine generator | Fox Ultimate only | $1,029–$2,500 |
PRO TIP: Run a variable speed pump on low speed 22–24 hours a day instead of high speed for 6–8 hours. Cutting the speed in half saves about 87% on electricity. That’s the whole point of variable speed.
Part 4: Stuff Nobody Tells You About
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hauling away the excavated dirt (or keep it on your property for $0) | $1,500–$2,500 |
| Fence around the pool (required by code once the pool goes in the ground; see below) | $5,500–$8,000 |
| Electrical service (electrician) | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Bonding kit (NEC code requirement), materials only: mine, vs. an electrician’s materials | $219–$895 (vs. $1,200–$3,500) |
| Bonding labor (not included with the kit) | Ask your electrician or me |
| Building permit | $100–$600 |
| Water to fill the pool | $300–$1,500 |
| Winter cover | $100–$3,500 |
| Startup chemicals | $150–$300 |
| Steps (drop-in steps up to the King step) | $239–$775 |
The fence: code requires a 48-inch barrier to entry. A 52-inch pool wall loses that once it goes about 5 inches into the ground, so a semi-inground pool needs a code-compliant fence around it. Budget at least $5,500 for the pool area.
The dirt: a semi-inground dig produces a lot of dirt and rock. If you can use it on your property, it costs you nothing. If it has to go, trucking and disposal for an Aquasport 52 dig runs about $1,500–$2,500.
The bonding kit: every pool must be electrically bonded per NEC 680.26, and your pool will fail inspection without it. Electricians charge $1,200+ for above ground pool bonding and $2,000–$3,500 for inground pool bonding. My kits are $219 and $895, materials only: bonding labor is not included. A semi-inground pool can go either way, so call me to talk it through. Learn how to do it yourself here.
Part 5: The Finishing Touches
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Patio: pavers about $28 a sq ft, concrete about $18 a sq ft, plus about $2,000 for prep | $4,000–$20,000 |
| Stone veneer on the exposed pool wall | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Landscaping | $1,200–$5,000 |
| Color LED pool lighting (1–2 lights) | $925–$1,575 |
Real Semi-Inground Jobs From 2026
These are actual invoices from this year. Every yard is different, and that’s exactly why I do a site visit before I give you a final number.
1. Dudley, MA: Aquasport 52, 21′ Round
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Aquasport 52 21′ round kit with liner | $7,139 |
| Speck E71 pump + 120 sq ft cartridge filter | $825 |
| King step | $705 |
| Excavation and installation | $5,000 |
| Bonding kit and inground skimmer | included in total |
| Invoice total | $14,443.50 |
Watch the build on TikTok: Dudley Aquasport 52 build
2. Upton, MA: Aquasport 52, 12×20 Oval
Kit with the inground skimmer and Outlook liner, 120 sq ft cartridge filter with a Speck E71 pump, excavation, installation and backfill. The homeowner kept the excavated dirt on the property, so there was no trucking cost, and he went without steps.
| Total | $16,548.81 |
Watch the build on TikTok: Upton Aquasport 52 build
3. Leominster, MA: Aquasport 52, 15×24 Oval
Bought in 2025 and installed in 2026, once the permit came through. The homeowner did her own backfill and hired her own landscaper and patio installer, so my part was the installation only:
| What I did | Cost |
|---|---|
| Excavation, stone dust base, sand pool bottom, patio block under the pool and the equipment pad, setup and plumbing | $6,400 |
Watch the build on TikTok: Leominster Aquasport 52 build
Look at the spread: the installed pool, equipment and labor on the first two came in between about $14,000 and $17,000, and a homeowner who handled her own backfill and patio paid $6,400 for the installation. That’s why a single “average cost” number is useless.
Sample Project Totals
Scenario 1: Aquasport 52 21′ Round, Professionally Installed, with a Paver Patio
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Aquasport 52 21′ round kit (with liner) | $6,860 |
| Excavation, installation, plumbing, equipment setup | $6,000 |
| Crushed stone backfill (for the patio) | $1,200 |
| Hayward EC50 + Speck E71 | $1,135 |
| Inground skimmer | $279 |
| King step | $775 |
| Inground bonding kit | $895 |
| Fence around the pool | $5,500 |
| Electrician | $1,800 |
| Permit | $200 |
| Water (trucked in) | $700 |
| Startup chemicals | $200 |
| 400 sq ft paver patio | $13,200 |
| Total | ~$38,744 |
Without the patio, this project is about $25,500. This is the project where your neighbors say “Wait, that’s not an inground pool?”
Scenario 2: Fox Ultimate 16×32 Grecian, The Works
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fox Ultimate 16×32 Grecian kit | $14,015 |
| Professional installation | $12,000 |
| Concrete collar | $2,000 |
| Backfill | $3,000 |
| Inground step ($3,400) + install ($1,200) | $4,600 |
| Pump, filter, plumbing | $2,500 |
| Bonding kit | $1,200 |
| Electrician | $2,500 |
| Permit | $300 |
| Water | $800 |
| Cement patio with coping | $8,000 |
| Fence | $6,500 |
| Total | ~$57,415 |
Grecian shape, built-in step, professional finish. It looks like an $80K–$100K inground pool, and nobody knows it started as a panel pool kit.
Scenario 3: DIY Aquasport 52 21′ Round (I Ship It, You Install, I Coach You)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Aquasport 52 21′ round kit (with liner) | $6,860 |
| Shipping (free to most of the US) | $0 |
| Mini excavator rental (1 day) | $550 |
| Your labor and helpers | $0 |
| Hayward EC50 + Speck E71 | $1,135 |
| Inground skimmer | $279 |
| Inground bonding kit | $895 |
| Electrician | $1,800 |
| Backfill material (you haul) | $1,200 |
| Total before the fence | ~$12,719 |
Add the code-required fence: $5,500 or more if you hire it out, less if you build it yourself. This is the project for the handy homeowner who watches my installation videos, rents a mini excavator, and saves thousands in labor. I ship the Aquasport 52 nationwide with free shipping (West Coast surcharge applies) and give you phone support for the whole install.
How This Compares to an Inground Pool
A semi-inground Aquasport 52 gives you the look of an inground pool for a fraction of the cost. A Fox Ultimate with the built-in step is about as close as you can get to a traditional inground without paying for one. For the full side-by-side, read Semi-Inground Pool vs. Inground Pool.
Why Online Cost Estimates Are Useless
They don’t tell you what’s included. Is that $7K just the pool kit? Excavation? The cement collar? Backfill? The fence the code requires? When it’s “just the kit,” the number is meaningless for budgeting a real project.
They average across everything. A “semi-inground pool” can mean a regular above ground pool buried 12 inches (which I don’t recommend) or a Fox Ultimate 20×40 rectangle with a patio and professional landscaping. Averaging those tells you nothing.
They ignore the cement collar. It’s the single biggest variable in semi-inground installation, and most cost articles never mention it. Every semi-inground pool on the market, Radiant, Stealth, Optimum, Doughboy and Fox Ultimate, requires a concrete collar when buried more than about 2 feet. That collar costs about $2,000–$2,500. The Aquasport 52 is the exception: no collar, and that changes the whole cost equation.
Which Semi-Inground Pool Should You Budget For?
Choose the Aquasport 52 if:
- You want the best value for a quality semi-inground pool
- You want a round or oval shape
- You’re thinking about installing it yourself (no collar makes it far more DIY-friendly)
- You don’t want a salt system (salt voids the Aquasport warranty)
Choose the Fox Ultimate if:
- You want a grecian or rectangle shape
- You want the built-in inground step for a true inground look
- You want to run a salt chlorine system
- You want the closest thing to an inground pool without buying one. Honestly, I think the Fox Ultimate wall is better than any inground wall.
I install 10 to 15 Aquasport 52 pools for every Fox Ultimate. The Aquasport is the better value for most people, but if you need the shapes, the salt system or the in-wall step, the Fox Ultimate is worth every penny.
Compare them side by side in my Semi-Inground Pool Buyer’s Guide.
Semi-Inground Pool Cost FAQ
How much does a semi-inground pool cost all in?
An Aquasport 52 21′ round, installed with pump, filter, steps, bonding, fence, electrician, permit and water, comes to about $25,500. Add a 400 sq ft paver patio and it’s about $38,700. A Fox Ultimate 16×32 Grecian with everything runs about $57,400. These are averages; a site visit is required to firm up your price.
How much is just the Aquasport 52 pool kit?
From $4,732 for a 12′ round to $11,819 for a 17×32 oval. The most popular size, the 21′ round, is $6,860. The liner is included, and shipping is free to most of the US. The pump and filter are not included.
Why is the Aquasport 52 cheaper to install than other semi-inground pools?
It never needs a cement collar. Its thick aluminum bottom track locks the wall in place without concrete. Every other semi-inground pool needs a collar when buried, and that costs about $2,000–$2,500.
Do I need a fence around a semi-inground pool?
Yes. Code requires a 48-inch barrier to entry. A 52-inch pool wall loses that once it goes about 5 inches into the ground. Budget at least $5,500 for a fence around the pool area.
What hidden costs should I budget for?
- Hauling away the dirt: $1,500–$2,500 (free if you keep it)
- Electrician: $1,500–$3,000
- Bonding kit: $219–$895 (materials only)
- Permit: $100–$600
- Water: $300–$1,500
- Startup chemicals: $150–$300
Can I install a semi-inground pool myself?
Yes, with the Aquasport 52, because it needs no cement collar. A DIY 21′ round runs about $12,700 before the fence, including a one-day mini excavator rental. I ship it free to most of the US and coach you by phone through the whole install.
Get an Actual Quote (Not a Range)
If you’re serious about a semi-inground pool, I’ll give you a real number based on the pool you want and your yard.
Local customers (MA, NH, CT, RI, southern ME): I handle everything: pool, excavation, installation and plumbing. Call or text (978) 710-8667 for a site visit.
National customers: I ship the Aquasport 52 nationwide with free shipping. You hire local excavation, and I walk you through the install by phone. Same number: (978) 710-8667.
No salespeople. No phone trees. Just me, Mike, 30 years in the pool business.
Related Reading
- Semi-Inground Pool vs. Inground Pool: Save $30K
- Semi-Inground Pool Buyer’s Guide
- Semi-Inground Pool on a Sloped Yard
- Small Backyard Semi-Inground Pools
- DIY Semi-Inground Install Guide
