What cold tubs, ponds, more pool alternatives cost on Long Island
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Backyard pools tend to be bigger on Long Island than in the rest of the country, said Michael Dominici, president of Long Island Pool and Patio in Coram. This is due to the parts of Long Island that boast property sizes that are a quarter-acre and up, he said.
"The average pool on Long Island is fairly large," he said. "Like 16-by-32, to 18-by-36."
Dominici, who has been in this business for more than 40 years, said he has always done large pool installations in this region. But he and other local experts have started to notice an uptick in interest for smaller backyard setups. Factors such as cost savings, a shorter installation process, maintenance and safety have led many Long Islanders to opt for plunge pools and swim spas over traditional in-ground pools in their backyards, some experts said.
For those who want to turn their backyard into an oasis and use their space, in-ground pools are still worth it, Dominici said.
But some new homeowners might feel differently. "With this young generation purchasing homes on Long Island, they don't like traditional pools, and they'll drift away from a house that has an in-ground pool," said Dylan Lucia, sales manager of Suntek Pools & Spas in Farmingdale.
What a traditional in-ground pool costs on Long Island
Dominici connects the growing demand for smaller pool setups back to the early days of the pandemic, when people were stuck at home and wanted to add something fun to their backyards quickly. In his client base, he has seen a decrease in demand for smaller pool setups since then, and feels that Long Islanders are still in favor of big in-ground pools.
"People want more of a backyard experience, so having that pool, and then they can put in a kitchen or a pavilion" Dominici said. "Our customers tend to want to fill up their backyard to make it another living area."
The smallest in-ground pool in their showroom is 14-by-28 feet, said Krista Healy, owner of Long Island Pool and Patio.
"Plunge pools and smaller pools, yes we do them, but not nearly as many as the big pools," she said.
One in-ground pool trend that has started to go by the wayside is having an 8-foot-deep end with a diving board, Healy and Dominici agreed.
"People want to use more of the pool," he said. "They want to play volleyball and just be able to have more pool that they can stand in."
An in-ground pool "can be finished within a couple weeks," said Dominici. But in terms of completing the electrical elements, patio and inspections, the timeline is more like four to six weeks. All in, the cost totals between $60,000 and $80,000, he added.
It's better to finance the pool than to try cutting costs along the way, Dominici advised. For example, taking the heater out of the equation might save $6,000, he said, but with the weather on Long Island, it may be worth installing at the beginning.
"It doesn't pay to skimp," he said. "Taking things out that you're going to want eventually just winds up costing you more money in long run."
And there are options beyond in-ground pools that Long Islanders are dipping into, of varying prices, sizes and functions.
Option #1: Ponds
DesignScapes of Long Island specializes in koi ponds and splash pools. Credit: Doug Steigerwald
Some might prefer a water feature like a pond instead of something meant for taking a dip, said Daniel Steigerwald, founder and owner of DesignScapes of Long Island in Patchogue.
"People want the effect of water," he said. "It only has to be 10, 12 or 14 inches deep, and it can recirculate water and give you a nice, tranquil effect."
Steigerwald's company offers a water feature where "you get the effect of water spilling over and it goes into a gravel pond," he said. Setups like this can range from $5,000 to $15,000 on average, he said.
Pond owners must also winterize their pumps by pulling them out during the colder months, Steigerwald said. From there, some of the maintenance can be handled on its own: "No leaves are forming at the bottom of an open pond," he said. "It's on gravel, and it just gets blown away when you're doing your fall cleanups."
That's for ponds that are more "decorative than functional," he added — some Long Islanders still like to put koi ponds on their properties, although it's a "speciality item," Steigerwald said.
There is a lot to consider when building this habitat. Koi fish need room to grow and equipment to prevent the pond from freezing around them when they swim down to the depths to lay dormant for the winter, along with spots to hide from predators, Steigerwald said.
"I try to recommend to people to determine how many fish you want to have, and that'll determine the size of your pond," he said.
Option #2: Cold tubs and plunge pools
Cold tubs have started trending, particularly for athletes, Lucia said, who use them to help with muscle relaxation. Basic cold tubs run from $6,000 to $8,000, he said.
"They're self-contained," he said. "You just need a 20-amp outlet, and they can be placed right outside."
For this kind of pool experience, sizes can vary. Suntek offers cold tubs (which have a hybrid system, with a chiller as well as a heat pump to adjust the water's temperature) that are 7-by-3½ feet.
DesignScapes has 9-by-13-foot and 10-by-12-foot plunge pools. "We can also do custom sizing, to a certain extent," said Steigerwald.
He has noticed plunge pools are "gaining popularity" on Long Island. The pricing depends on the kind of liner his clients want, but projects can start at $40,000, Steigerwald said. As far as size, a plunge pool would be "20% less than a standard gunite pool would be," he said, and the setup process is shorter.

DesignScapes offers 9-by-13-foot and 10-by-12-foot plunge pools. Credit: PlungePool.com
"This thing can be done within a week or two," Steigerwald said. "There's a lot less time on your property, a lot less disturbance to your property. We're still going to dig a hole and dig trenches, but they're smaller and much easier to clean up and restore the property."
Another selling point for both cold tubs and plunge pools is the amount of upkeep required.
"People don't want to do as much maintenance," said Steigerwald. "You'll have less maintenance with a smaller pool, and it's convenient for the yard, to not consume the whole space."
Option #3: Swim spas
Swim spas are a bit larger than plunge pools and can have a hot tub attached. Credit: Passion Spa
Swim spas are a bit larger than plunge pools — Lucia's company offers them starting at 11 feet long, and they go up to 21 feet long. The larger size has a swim area and a separate hot tub attached.
The pumps and equipment are built into the spas internally, "unlike a pool where you have underground plumbing lines being run," he said. These can cost between $25,000 and $60,000 in total.
"These are more cost effective because in the swim spa installation process itself, it's generally quicker and less invasive than building a traditional pool," said Lucia. "Which would be appealing to homeowners because it's more convenient. You're not digging up the ground for plumbing lines or anything like that, and it's really a big difference price wise."
Additionally, more families with children are opting for small pools due to safety concerns, Lucia said.
"I think young homeowners with young children are drifting away from installing traditional pools and going to the swim spas," he said. "Just based on the safety factor. The cover locks and you have a key. A lot of people look at a backyard and look at an in-ground pool as a hazard or a headache."
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