Inground pool cost in Roanoke, VA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $31,900 – $99,700
- Per sq ft
- $70.50 – $221
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #266
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an inground pool in the Roanoke area: $31,900 to $99,700 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 runs 12% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.34 an hour in the Roanoke area, 19% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Roanoke, VA, standard level
$52,200 to $79,400
About $116 to $176 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,300 | $41,500 |
| Labor | $24,800 | $37,600 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $220 |
| Total | $52,200 | $79,400 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Roanoke, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,500 | $34,400 | $52,300 | 52% |
| Labor | $15,200 | $31,200 | $47,200 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $190 | $280 | 0% |
| Total | $31,900 | $65,800 | $99,700 | 100% |
Why Roanoke prices look the way they do
Labor is 47% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (40%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), brickmasons and blockmasons (20%), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Roanoke the blended ratio comes out at 0.81.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Roanoke is at 96.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $34,400 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.6: $95 to $280.
How Roanoke compares
Same job, same size (450 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Charlottesville is the priciest of the group at $71,000.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VAthis page | $31,900 – $99,700 | $65,800 | |
| Blacksburg, VA35 miles | $33,000 – $103,000 | $68,000 | +3% |
| Lynchburg, VA40 miles | $32,400 – $101,500 | $66,900 | +2% |
| Winston, NC85 miles | $32,300 – $101,000 | $66,600 | +1% |
| Charlottesville, VA85 miles | $34,400 – $107,500 | $71,000 | +8% |
| Greensboro, NC90 miles | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,000 | +2% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $34,800 – $108,500 | $71,800 | +9% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Roanoke ranks #266 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Roanoke is 8% below the Virginia figure.
Elsewhere in Virginia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $32,700 – $102,000 | $67,400 | +2% |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $33,700 – $105,000 | $69,400 | +6% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $34,400 – $107,500 | $71,000 | +8% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $32,400 – $101,500 | $66,900 | +2% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $33,000 – $103,000 | $68,000 | +3% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $33,200 – $104,000 | $68,600 | +4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Roanoke against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory, NC | 154,090 jobs | $32,800 – $102,500 | $67,700 | +3% |
| Gainesville, FL | 152,670 jobs | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,100 | +2% |
| Brownsville, TX | 157,450 jobs | $30,400 – $95,000 | $62,700 | −5% |
| Killeen, TX | 150,580 jobs | $31,800 – $99,400 | $65,600 | level |
Who does the work: Roanoke 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 Roanoke the blend is 0.81.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $18.34 an hour, which is 19% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.27 and $21.31 an hour. BLS counts 1,210 of them working in the area, 78.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.56 an hour, 18% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.03 and $27.91 an hour. About 480 work in the metro. That is 31.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.30 an hour, which is 22% below the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $18.61 and $25.57 an hour. BLS counts 70 of them working in the area, 4.5 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 $24.86 an hour, 19% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $21.88 and $29.53 an hour. About 560 work in the metro. That is 36.4 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 $2,050 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $730. That is a swing of roughly 1.1% to 3.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Roanoke has 153,980 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 153rd 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% | $17.27 | $18.34 | $21.31 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.03 | $23.56 | $27.91 | $28.78 | 0.82 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $18.61 | $23.30 | $25.57 | $29.87 | 0.78 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $21.88 | $24.86 | $29.53 | $30.67 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Roanoke
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Roanoke. 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
$31,900 to $59,000
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$52,200 to $79,400
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$72,600 to $99,700
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $28,400 – $52,500 | $46,400 – $70,600 | $64,500 – $88,700 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $36,300 – $67,100 | $59,400 – $90,300 | $82,600 – $113,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $56,600 – $105,000 | $92,700 – $141,000 | $129,000 – $177,000 |
Related projects, priced for Roanoke
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Roanoke wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−9%) and paver patio lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,400 – $10,300 | −10% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,750 | −12% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −10% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,700 – $13,400 | −11% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −9% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,100 – $12,100 | −11% |
The best months for inground pool in Roanoke
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Roanoke Rgnl Ap (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 Roanoke are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, 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.
Roanoke gets about 43 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 15 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, August and October are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 30 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 | 47 | 29 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 51 | 31 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 38 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 70 | 46 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 55 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 63 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 67 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 87 | 66 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 59 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 48 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 38 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 50 | 32 | 3.1 | Cold |
Why two Roanoke quotes can differ
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.
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Inground pool in Roanoke: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Roanoke?
For 450 sq ft, expect $31,900 to $99,700 in the Roanoke area. A standard-spec job lands at $52,200 to $79,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Roanoke?
About $70.50 to $221 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $95 to $280 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Roanoke or Blacksburg?
Blacksburg is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $68,000, which is 3% more than Roanoke ($65,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Roanoke?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $31,200 out of $65,800. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Roanoke?
$36,300 to $113,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Roanoke?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $95 to $280 for fees in the Roanoke area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Roanoke expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Virginia?
Roanoke is 8% below the Virginia statewide estimate ($71,800 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Roanoke?
The BLS median is $18.34 an hour in the Roanoke area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.27 to $21.31.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Roanoke?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $31,900 to $59,000 and premium work $72,600 to $99,700. 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 Roanoke?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. August and October 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 Roanoke
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.