A Pool That Doesn’t Cost a House
A backyard pool has a way of completely changing how you use your home. It turns the garden into somewhere to cool off, unwind, entertain friends, and spend long summer afternoons outside.
The good thing is there is no longer just one version of a pool. There are now options that range from full-sized in-ground pools through to plunge pools, precast pools, tank pools, outdoor baths, and even the classic blue shell pool.
Plunge pools are a great addition to any back yard
The Classic Backyard Pool
If you have a fairly standard backyard with enough room for a digger to get access, a typical 7x4 metre in-ground pool will usually sit around $100,000 once excavation, installation, equipment, paving, fencing, and finishes are included.
What Adds to the Cost?
The biggest factor is often access. If machinery can easily reach the backyard, construction is straightforward. If a digger cannot get in, allow around $20,000 extra for more complex installation methods. Then there are the upgrades that turn a simple pool into something more resort-like.
Spa: around $20,000
Solar or gas heating: around $10,000
Pools are one of those projects where the surrounding garden matters just as much as the water itself.
Make the Pool Smaller
One of the easiest ways to reduce the cost is simply reducing the size.
A 6x3 metre pool may sit closer to $75,000.
A compact 4x3 metre plunge pool might be around $65,000.
Smaller Pools Can Feel Better
Smaller pools often work surprisingly well in suburban backyards. Instead of dominating the whole garden, they leave room for planting, outdoor dining, lawn, and circulation. Some of the best pools are not the biggest ones. They are the ones that feel connected to the house and integrated into the landscape.
Precast Pools
Precast pools are another really good middle-ground option. These pools are manufactured off-site and delivered as a complete shell before being craned into position. A standard 6x3 metre precast pool might cost around $35,000, but once delivery, crane hire, excavation, and installation are included, the total often lands closer to $60,000.
Why People Like Them
Precast pools feel clean, simple, and contemporary. They also suit compact urban backyards really well and usually involve a faster construction process than traditional pools. For many people, they hit a sweet spot between cost, aesthetics, and simplicity.
Tank Pools
Tank pools are one of the best options if you want the feeling of a pool without the scale, cost, and construction process of a traditional in-ground pool. A tank pool with delivery and installation is often around $15,000, depending on access, plumbing, and decking.
For this option, I’d be looking closely at Terra Tanks, who make ready-to-go tank pools that can become a really strong backyard feature.
A Terra Tanks stock tank pool shows how simple water can become a strong backyard feature.
The Garden Still Matters
What makes tank pools work so well is that they lean into simplicity. Add gravel, timber decking, large pots, and soft planting around them and they can feel less like a budget option and more like a deliberate garden feature.
Outdoor Baths
One of my favourite low-cost ways to bring water into a garden is simply an outdoor bath. Second-hand baths can often be picked up for very little, with plumbing and installation generally sitting around $2,000 to $3,000.
The Best Pool Is the One That Fits
The real question is not whether you can afford a pool. It is what kind of water experience suits your backyard, budget, and lifestyle.
For some people, that is a full-sized in-ground pool. For others, it is a plunge pool, a tank pool, an outdoor bath, or a blue shell pool sitting on the lawn. There is no single right answer. A good pool is simply the one that makes you spend more time outside.
We only take on 4 new clients each month so every garden plan receives proper care and attention.
The full package. Garden Design, Planting Design, Planting list and Build notes for those ready to go.
The Complete Plan is the most comprehensive Gramina Garden Plan. It brings together a fully bespoke garden theme, a site-specific design, and a resolved planting strategy into one clear, build-ready package. The result is a one-of-a-kind garden design that reflects how you want to live outdoors, shaped precisely to your site.
This plan is best for:
People who want a one of a kind garden, are ready to build and want all key design decisions resolved.
How it works
One-on-one video/phone conversation
You share your brief, aspirations, and priorities in a focused call that sets the foundation for the design.Send us your site photos
You send through photos of your garden and surrounding conditions to inform layout, scale, and character.We get to work
We develop a unique garden concept theme, a bespoke concept layout of your garden and create rendered views using your site photos to show how the space can transform.
What’s included in the Complete Plan
One-on-one detailed video/phone conversation
A dedicated conversation to understand your site, priorities, and aspirations before design begins.A fully unique Custom Garden Plan Theme
A one-of-a-kind garden theme created specifically from your brief, lifestyle, and site conditions.Bespoke Concept Layout
A clear, concept layout plan reflective of your custom theme.Up to 7 before and after rendered views
Visualisations showing how your garden can transform, based on site images you provide.A Bespoke Planting Plan
A planting plan designed specifically for your site, climate, and layout, showing plant placement and structure.A Bespoke Planting Palette
A tailored plant Palette aligned with your planting plan, climate zone, and design intent.Build Notes
Clear guidance on installation steps, sequencing, and key considerations to support construction and implementation.Additional Moments (Optional)
Any additional moments you choose are integrated seamlessly into your bespoke concept plan.
We only take on 4 new clients each month so every garden plan receives proper care and attention.
Try a fully personalised garden theme, designed from your brief and shaped to your site.
A Personalised Plan begins with your ideas, priorities, and how you want to live outdoors. It is developed directly from your written brief, phone coversation, site conditions, and lifestyle, allowing the design to respond thoughtfully and precisely to your space.
The result is a garden concept guided by your words and aspirations.
This plan is best for:
People who want a unique new vision for their garden and are happy to make a few decisions on their own.
How it works
One-on-one video/phone conversation
You share your brief, aspirations, and priorities in a focused call that sets the foundation for the design.Send us your site photos
You send through photos of your garden and surrounding conditions to inform layout, scale, and character.We get to work
We develop a unique garden concept theme, a bespoke concept layout of your garden and create rendered views using your site photos to show how the space can transform.
What’s included in the Personalised Plan
One-on-one detailed video/phone conversation
A dedicated conversation to understand your site, priorities, and aspirations before design begins.A fully unique Custom Garden Plan Theme
A one-of-a-kind garden theme created specifically from your brief, lifestyle, and site conditions.Bespoke Concept Layout — a clear, concept layout plan reflective of your custom theme
Up to 7 before and after rendered views
Visualisations showing how your garden can transform, based on site images you provide.Build Notes
Clear guidance on installation steps, sequencing, and key considerations to support construction and implementation.Additional Moments (Optional)
Any additional moments you choose are integrated seamlessly into your bespoke concept plan.
A simple, grounded garden plan inspired by the Australian bush — relaxed, resilient, and deeply connected to place.
Grounded Bush Garden captures the feel of the Aussie bush: informal paths, natural groupings of native shrubs, soft groundcovers, and a palette that feels unmistakably Australian. This plan embraces the textures, tones, and structure of our native landscapes, using hardy species that thrive with minimal care while supporting local wildlife. The layout is intentionally simple and low-intervention, creating a calm, open garden that feels natural rather than overly designed.
What’s included in your Grounded Bush Garden Plan
Bespoke Concept Layout — a relaxed, bush-inspired structure with natural flow and soft transitions.
Planting Palette — hardy natives selected for resilience, local ecology, and gentle bushland character.
Materials, Finishes & Lighting — grounded, natural materials and subtle lighting that complement native landscapes.
Build Notes — guidance for informal pathways, planting groupings, spacing, and long-term native care.
Additional Moments (Optional) — seamlessly integrated based on the Easy Native Living aesthetic.
After purchasing this Gramina Garden Plan, you’ll complete a short form with your site details. We’ll review everything to confirm the plan is a good fit for your property and climate. If anything doesn’t align, we’ll reach out to discuss options and ensure you get the right outcome for your garden.