Roswell, GA
Atlanta Landscaping, Pools & Outdoor Living
Landscape Studio Group works Northside Atlanta properties with a refined hand, with garden structure, poolside settings, outdoor rooms, privacy, lighting, and ongoing care.
Pool Builder · Atlanta, GA
Custom pool design and build in Atlanta
Landscape Studio Group designs and builds custom pools across Atlanta, GA, from Buckhead estates to intown neighborhoods, planned as part of the whole backyard and shaped by a landscape-architecture-led team. Building a pool in the City of Atlanta is not the same as building in the suburbs: tighter lots, one of the strictest tree ordinances in the country, historic districts, and difficult access all change how a pool is designed and approved.
That is the reason to start with a firm that reads the site and the ordinance before it draws the pool. Atlanta's tree canopy is among the highest of any major American city, and a pool triggers a tree review as part of the permit, so the surveyed tree plan, root-zone protection, and replacement planting are part of the design rather than a scramble at the permit counter.
This page is the complete guide to building a pool in Atlanta: the terrain, the neighborhoods, the City of Atlanta permit and tree ordinance, cost planning, and the full poolside range. For specific areas, see Buckhead and Brookhaven. The pool design and build, in-ground pools, and integrated spa pages carry the deeper mechanics.
Designed For The Property
Building a pool inside the city, not the suburbs
Atlanta's intown lots are hilly, wooded, and often tight, with mature specimen hardwoods and established landscape that a pool has to work around. Access is frequently the hardest part: narrow lots, alleys, power lines, and slate roofs mean excavation, gunite, and equipment staging are planned as carefully as the finished design.
Historic districts, varied grade, and creek corridors add their own constraints, and every neighborhood carries a different tree canopy and lot character. The through-line is that placement, grade, drainage, and tree protection are settled before the pool is shaped.
This is where a landscape-architecture-led approach separates a clean Atlanta build from a stalled one. Reading the site, the canopy, and the ordinance first is what keeps a pool approvable, buildable, and finished as one coordinated backyard.
What Shapes A Atlanta Pool
Site conditions that decide a Atlanta pool before finishes
No two Atlanta lots build the same, and tight intown lots and mature tree canopy is where it starts. These are the conditions that shape placement, structure, and budget on the way to a finished backyard.
City of Atlanta tree ordinance
A pool is a tree-affecting project, so an arborist meeting and Tree Protection Plan are part of the permit, with recompense for protected-tree impacts.
Tight intown access
Narrow lots, alleys, and power lines mean excavation, gunite, and equipment access are staged to protect trees, hardscape, and neighbors.
Mature and specimen trees
Large native oaks and specimen hardwoods carry extra protection that shapes pool placement and replacement planting.
Historic districts
Some neighborhoods carry historic overlays and design expectations that the pool plan is built to respect.
Varied grade and creek corridors
Hilly lots and intown creek corridors make retaining and drainage central to the pool footprint.
Neighborhood design review
Some communities add their own tree or design review on top of the city permit.
Poolside Services
Pool and outdoor living services in Atlanta
In Atlanta, where projects center on tight intown lots and mature tree canopy, Landscape Studio Group handles the full backyard, from the pool shell to the finish around it, so the yard reads as one design.
Custom pool design and build
The pool, spa, deck, stonework, lighting, and planting drawn as one backyard plan rather than separate jobs.
In-ground pools
Gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl liner pools, matched to the yard, the shape you want, and how long you plan to own it.
Integrated spas
Flush, raised, and spillover spas built into the pool structure and equipment plan, planned before the shell is poured.
Water features
Waterfalls, scuppers, bubblers, and sheet spillways planned for plumbing, sound, and sightlines from the start.
Pool decking
Deck surface, drainage, and transitions chosen for heat, slip resistance, and barefoot comfort around the water.
Pool coping
The edge that frames the shell and sets the grip at the waterline, priced apart from the deck for a clear quote.
Pool stonework
Veneer, raised walls, and stone detail that tie the pool to the terrace and the house.
Pool cabanas
Shade, seating, and poolside rooms that make the water usable well beyond the swim season.
Outdoor lighting
Underwater, step, and path lighting that makes the pool and spillway usable after dark.
Drainage and irrigation
Grade and water-flow planning that keeps runoff off the house and away from the pool structure.
Retaining walls
Engineered walls and terracing that hold a level pool and usable deck on sloped lots.
Design renderings
3D renderings and material samples so shape, deck, coping, and features are settled before construction.
Cost Planning
Pool cost in Atlanta
Atlanta pools are permitted by the City of Atlanta through its electronic system, with a tree review that must be completed before the permit application and a Tree Protection Plan as part of it. Historic and neighborhood overlays can add review. Confirm current rules for the specific property. The bands below help set early expectations; the figure on your proposal comes from the site walk, pool type, scope, selections, and local approvals, not a chart.
What a pool costs in Atlanta
Pool type sets the starting number, and the scope around the water moves it from there. The bands below are national planning figures from public cost guides, not a fixed Landscape Studio Group quote. A full breakdown by scope, finishes, site work, and permits lives in the custom pool cost guide.
Vinyl liner pool
$25,000-$65,000The lowest common entry point for an in-ground pool, with liner replacement of roughly $2,000 to $7,500 every 7 to 10 years.1
Fiberglass pool
$45,000-$100,000Faster install and lower yearly upkeep on a fiberglass shell, within the limits of fixed shapes and sizes.2
Concrete and gunite pool
$50,000-$120,000+The widest range because it carries the widest design freedom, from shaped shells to integrated spas and water features.3
What moves an Atlanta number. Intown access, the tree ordinance and possible recompense, and historic-district review are the real swing factors, and estate work runs well above the base. A spa adds roughly $5,000 to $15,000, and a full design-build backyard is common in the city.
Approvals And Safety
Pool permits and approvals in Atlanta
Atlanta pools are permitted by the City of Atlanta through its electronic system, with a tree review that must be completed before the permit application and a Tree Protection Plan as part of it. Historic and neighborhood overlays can add review. Confirm current rules for the specific property.
| Planning item | What applies | Why it affects the pool |
|---|---|---|
| City of Atlanta pool permit | Residential pool permits are submitted electronically through the Office of Buildings with stamped and sealed architectural-pool, structural, and site plans. | Sealed plans and the electronic process should be built into the schedule. |
| Pre-application arborist meeting | Under an ordinance effective June 25, 2025, projects that may affect trees must complete an arborist meeting before submitting a permit application. | The tree review happens first, so it belongs at the start of design. |
| Tree Protection Plan | A pool permit triggers a surveyed plan marking trees over 6 inches to save or remove, with protective fencing, root-zone protection, and replacements. | This is the same survey-and-protection work a landscape architect already does to place the pool. |
| Recompense and specimen trees | Removing protected trees beyond replacements carries recompense fees, and specimen trees can require Tree Conservation Commission review. | Tree count and placement are budget and design decisions on wooded intown lots. |
| Historic and neighborhood review | Historic districts and some communities add design or tree review on top of the city permit. | These can shape placement, materials, and timeline. |
| Pool barriers | Pool Safely recommends a barrier at least four feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. | Barriers affect sightlines, planting, and access on tight lots. |
| Utility marking | Georgia 811 says to submit a dig ticket at least three business days before digging. | Excavation and equipment lines depend on known utility locations. |
Sources: City of Atlanta swimming pool permits, Georgia 811, Pool Safely, CDC. Confirm current requirements with the local authority for the specific property before final scope.
Trees And The Permit
Building a pool under the City of Atlanta tree ordinance
This is the step that catches Atlanta homeowners off guard. The City of Atlanta runs one of the strictest tree protection ordinances in the country, and a pool is a tree-affecting project, so the tree review is part of the pool permit, not a side errand. A landscape-architecture-led team plans the pool around the canopy from the first sketch, which is exactly what the city now asks for.
Arborist meeting first
As of an ordinance effective June 25, 2025, projects that may affect trees must complete an arborist meeting with the Office of Buildings before a permit application is even submitted.1
Tree Protection Plan
A pool permit triggers a Tree Protection Plan: a surveyed site plan marking every tree over 6 inches, protective fencing, root-zone protection, and proposed replacements.
Recompense fees
Removing or impacting protected trees beyond what is replaced carries recompense fees, so tree count and placement are budget decisions that belong in the pool design.
Specimen and heritage trees
Larger native oaks, hickories, and specimen trees carry extra protection and can require Tree Conservation Commission review before approval, which is best identified in design, not at the permit counter.
Tight intown access
Narrow lots, alleys, and mature canopy mean excavation, gunite, and equipment access have to be staged carefully to protect trees, hardscape, and neighbors.
The landscape-architect advantage
The surveyed tree plan, root-zone protection, and replacement planting the city wants are the same work a landscape-architecture-led team already does to place the pool well.
Sources: City of Atlanta swimming pool permits and the City of Atlanta Arborist Division. Tree requirements and recompense change over time; confirm current rules for the property before final design.
Where We Build
Atlanta neighborhoods and areas we build in
Landscape Studio Group designs and builds pools throughout Atlanta. Each area brings different lots, grade, tree cover, and approvals, so the plan follows the property rather than a template.
Buckhead
Estate lots with mature canopy and neighborhood design review. Buckhead pools.
Morningside and Virginia-Highland
Established intown lots with mature trees where compact, detailed backyards work best.
Druid Hills
Historic, landscaped estates where design review and canopy shape the plan.
Ansley Park
Historic in-town lots with grade and mature landscape to work around.
Inman Park and Candler Park
Historic east-side neighborhoods where access and tree protection lead the build.
Grant Park and Kirkwood
Established lots where compact-yard design and drainage guide the pool.
Chastain Park area
Park-adjacent lots with mature trees and established landscape.
Midtown and West Midtown
Denser lots where tight access and precise placement matter most.
Brookhaven and Sandy Springs edges
Adjacent in-town areas covered on their own pages: Brookhaven, Sandy Springs.
A Clear Path
How a Atlanta pool goes from plan to water
A custom pool is a real construction project, and on a Atlanta lot shaped by tight intown lots and mature tree canopy it works best when the design, approvals, shell, finishes, and landscape are sequenced together.
Site walk and goals
We study grade, sun, trees, access, drainage, and views, and talk through how the pool and backyard should actually be used.
Design, renderings, and proposal
The pool, spa, deck, coping, walls, lighting, and planting are developed into a visual plan with clear scope before construction.
Approvals and pre-construction
Engineering, local permits, HOA submittals, utility locates, barrier planning, and construction sequencing are prepared.
Construction and finishes
Excavation, shell, plumbing, electrical, tile, coping, decking, equipment, walls, and lighting are managed as one build.
Startup and walkthrough
We complete startup, review equipment and water care, and hand off a finished, working pool.
Landscape restoration and support
Disturbed lawn, beds, and grade are restored where in scope, then ongoing landscape support continues where needed.
Beyond The Water
Landscape and upkeep around the Atlanta pool
The pool is the anchor, but around it the Atlanta yard, with its tight intown lots and mature tree canopy, decides how finished the property feels and how easily it is maintained. Landscape Studio Group carries that work too, at a lighter touch than the pool itself.
Drainage and irrigation
Grade and water flow that protect the pool and keep new planting healthy through a Georgia summer.
Landscape lighting
Path, step, and feature lighting that extends the pool and terrace into the evening.
Retaining walls and grade
Walls and terracing that hold slope and shape a usable, level backyard around the water.
Irrigation maintenance
Repair and expansion for new turf, planting, and privacy screening added with the pool.
Design and renderings
3D renderings and material direction so the whole yard is settled before construction.
Poolside services
The full range of poolside stonework, coping, decking, and planting handled as one plan.
Proof Before Persuasion
How to check a Atlanta pool builder
A homeowner should be able to identify the company, review real work, understand who is involved, and know the next step before filling out a form.
People Behind The Build
The team shaping your Atlanta pool
A custom pool changes how a property is graded, used, planted, and maintained. Homeowners deserve to know who is shaping those decisions before design work begins.
Finished Work
Finished pool projects near Atlanta
Finished projects show how the pool, edge, stone, and planting come together on a real North Atlanta property. Each note describes what is visible in the project imagery.
Reeder
Custom pool, attached spa, fountain, stonework, and a fire area are visible in the project imagery.
View project
Fallen Leaf
Pool, retaining wall, flagstone coping, paths, and layered planting are visible in the project imagery.
View projectMonroe
Pool, stone slab coping, a seating terrace, and layered poolside planting are visible in the project imagery.
View projectAnswered Simply
Atlanta pool questions homeowners ask
How much does a pool cost in Atlanta, GA?
In the city, the base ranges are only a starting point. Gunite runs about $50,000 to $120,000 nationally, but intown Atlanta lots add access, tree-protection, and site-work cost, and estate projects run well above the base. The City of Atlanta tree ordinance and lot access are the real swing factors, so a site walk, not a chart, sets your number.
Do I need a tree permit to build a pool in Atlanta?
Effectively yes. The City of Atlanta requires an arborist meeting before the permit application for any project that may affect trees, and a pool permit triggers a Tree Protection Plan. Removing protected trees beyond what is replaced carries recompense fees, and specimen trees can require additional review.
How does the City of Atlanta pool permit work?
Residential pool permits are submitted electronically through the Office of Buildings with stamped and sealed architectural-pool, structural, and site plans, plus the tree review. Historic districts and some neighborhoods add their own review. The process is more involved than most suburbs, which is why it belongs in design from the start.
Can you build a pool on a tight intown Atlanta lot?
Yes, and it is a core part of intown work. Narrow lots, alleys, mature trees, and existing hardscape are planned for with staged equipment access, tree protection, retaining, and drainage before construction, so the build protects the property and the canopy.
What pool type works best in the city?
On tight, wooded, or sloped intown lots, a custom gunite pool gives the most freedom to shape the pool to the site and integrate a spa and stonework. Fiberglass needs delivery and crane access that many intown lots cannot allow. The lot, access, and tree plan guide the choice.
Do historic districts affect building a pool in Atlanta?
They can. Some Atlanta neighborhoods carry historic overlays and design expectations, and the pool plan is built to respect them alongside the city permit and tree review. It is another reason to settle the design and approvals before construction.
Which Atlanta neighborhoods do you build in?
Landscape Studio Group builds across Atlanta, including Buckhead, Morningside, Virginia-Highland, Druid Hills, Ansley Park, Inman Park, Candler Park, Grant Park, Kirkwood, and the Chastain Park area, with dedicated pages for Buckhead and Brookhaven.
Why does a landscape architect matter for an Atlanta pool?
The city's tree review asks for a surveyed tree plan, root-zone protection, and replacement planting, which is the same work a landscape-architecture-led team already does to place the pool well. It keeps the pool, the trees, the grade, and the approvals in one coordinated plan.
How long does a pool take to build in Atlanta?
A typical custom gunite build often runs about 8 to 14 weeks once construction starts, with the arborist meeting, permit, and any historic review adding time before that. Tight access, weather, and inspections can extend the schedule. In the city, the required arborist meeting and any historic review precede the permit.
Do you handle the whole backyard, not just the pool?
Yes. The pool is planned with the decking, coping, stonework, retaining walls, drainage, lighting, and planting as one backyard, which is the heart of the design-build approach and the cleanest way to work within Atlanta's constraints.
Start The Plan
Ready to build a pool in Atlanta?
Start with a consultation. We will study your property, talk through pool type, placement, and approvals, and shape a plan around the site before construction begins.
Landscape Studio Group - Poolside - Info@landscapestudiogroup.com - (470) 669-3965 - Serving Atlanta and North Atlanta. Final permit, code, and safety requirements should be confirmed with the local authority for the property.