Inground pool cost in Fort Collins, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $36,200 – $113,000
- Per sq ft
- $80 – $250
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #135
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an inground pool in the Fort Collins area: $36,200 to $113,000 for 450 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $22.86 an hour in the Fort Collins area, 1% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Fort Collins, CO, standard level
$59,200 to $89,900
About $131 to $199 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,100 | $41,200 |
| Labor | $32,000 | $48,400 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $59,200 | $89,900 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Fort Collins, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,400 | $34,100 | $51,900 | 46% |
| Labor | $19,600 | $40,200 | $60,800 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $300 | 0% |
| Total | $36,200 | $74,500 | $113,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Fort Collins number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $22.86 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Fort Collins is 1.04 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 54% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fort Collins is at 96.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $34,100 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 101.1: $100 to $300.
Who does the work: Fort Collins trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Fort Collins the blend is 1.04.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $22.86 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.83 and $27.15 an hour. BLS counts 930 of them working in the area, 54.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $31.08 an hour, 8% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.33 and $35.64 an hour. About 600 work in the metro. That is 35.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 20%) the local median is $32.27 an hour, which is 8% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $30.96 and $35.85 an hour. BLS counts 70 of them working in the area, 4.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.14 an hour, 5% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.26 and $36.75 an hour. About 800 work in the metro. That is 47.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,950 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,400. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 3.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fort Collins-Loveland has 169,430 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 138th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $20.83 | $22.86 | $27.15 | $22.66 | 1.01 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.33 | $31.08 | $35.64 | $28.78 | 1.08 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $30.96 | $32.27 | $35.85 | $29.87 | 1.08 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $23.26 | $29.14 | $36.75 | $30.67 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: inground pool pricing in Fort Collins
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fort Collins. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$36,200 to $66,900
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$59,200 to $89,900
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$82,200 to $113,000
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $32,100 – $59,500 | $52,600 – $79,900 | $73,100 – $100,500 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $41,100 – $76,100 | $67,300 – $102,000 | $93,500 – $128,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $64,200 – $118,500 | $105,000 – $159,500 | $146,000 – $200,500 |
Inground pool: what moves the price in Fort Collins
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
The best months for inground pool in Fort Collins
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Ft Collins (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Fort Collins are May through September: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Fort Collins gets about 16 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (2.7 inches in May). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 1.4 and 1.4 inches. The station averages about 29 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | 18 | 0.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 47 | 21 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 56 | 29 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Apr | 63 | 35 | 2.1 | Cold |
| May | 71 | 44 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 53 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 59 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 57 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 48 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 36 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Nov | 53 | 26 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 44 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Fort Collins?
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fort Collins wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+2%) and aluminum fence lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,650 – $11,000 | −4% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,550 | +2% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,000 | level |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,300 – $14,600 | −3% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $610 – $2,150 | +2% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,200 – $13,500 | +1% |
Is Fort Collins cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (450 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Denver is the priciest of the group at $77,800. Cheyenne is the cheapest at $71,700.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins, COthis page | $36,200 – $113,000 | $74,500 | |
| Boulder, CO40 miles | $36,800 – $115,000 | $76,000 | +2% |
| Greeley, CO60 miles | $35,300 – $110,000 | $72,700 | −2% |
| Cheyenne, WY60 miles | $34,800 – $108,500 | $71,700 | −4% |
| Denver, CO90 miles | $37,700 – $118,000 | $77,800 | +4% |
| Colorado Springs, CO135 miles | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −2% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $36,400 – $114,000 | $75,100 | +1% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fort Collins ranks #135 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fort Collins is 1% below the Colorado figure.
Elsewhere in Colorado
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $37,700 – $118,000 | $77,800 | +4% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −2% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $36,800 – $115,000 | $76,000 | +2% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $35,300 – $110,000 | $72,700 | −2% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $35,000 – $109,000 | $72,100 | −3% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $35,500 – $111,000 | $73,200 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fort Collins against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 170,820 jobs | $32,800 – $102,500 | $67,600 | −9% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | 168,700 jobs | $39,800 – $124,500 | $82,100 | +10% |
| Visalia, CA | 171,140 jobs | $37,500 – $117,000 | $77,300 | +4% |
| Lubbock, TX | 166,780 jobs | $30,900 – $96,700 | $63,800 | −14% |
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Inground pool in Fort Collins: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Fort Collins?
For 450 sq ft, expect $36,200 to $113,000 in the Fort Collins area. A standard-spec job lands at $59,200 to $89,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Fort Collins?
About $80 to $250 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $100 to $300 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Fort Collins or Boulder?
Boulder is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $76,000, which is 2% more than Fort Collins ($74,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fort Collins?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $40,200 out of $74,500. Materials are 46% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Fort Collins?
$41,100 to $128,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Fort Collins?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $100 to $300 for fees in the Fort Collins area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fort Collins expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Colorado?
Fort Collins is 1% below the Colorado statewide estimate ($75,100 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Fort Collins?
The BLS median is $22.86 an hour in the Fort Collins area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.83 to $27.15.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Fort Collins?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $36,200 to $66,900 and premium work $82,200 to $113,000. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Fort Collins?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. August and September are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Fort Collins
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does An Inground Pool Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.