Gunite Pool Builder Kansas City
We design and build custom gunite pools that combine lasting strength with custom style. Each pool is shaped on-site for a perfect fit, creating a true luxury centerpiece for your backyard.
A gunite pool is a type of concrete pool built by spraying a mixture of sand, cement, and water over a steel rebar frame. The result is a solid, reinforced shell that can be shaped and sized to fit any yard. This method allows for full customization of depth, layout, and features such as tanning ledges, steps, and built-in seating.
We design every feature to match your needs and style. Here are a few popular options we include:
Each detail is planned with you, so your pool feels personal and timeless.
Kansas City’s climate brings heat, heavy rain, and freeze-thaw cycles that can damage weaker pool materials. Gunite holds firm through all seasons. Its thick, reinforced shell prevents cracks and shifting, giving you a pool that keeps its shape and smooth finish for decades.
Many Kansas City homes sit on uneven or sloped lots. Fiberglass pools often need a separate retaining wall to hold the grade, which adds cost and breaks the flow of the design. With gunite, we can build that wall as part of the pool structure. This makes the project more efficient, saves space, and keeps the layout clean and natural.
Beyond strength, gunite also gives you complete freedom in design. Because the material is sprayed and shaped on-site, we can build any size, shape, or depth you want. Popular features include:
Each feature is formed as part of the structure, not attached later. That’s why gunite works well for homeowners who want a luxury pool designed to match their yard, not forced to fit into it.
We finish our luxury gunite pools with PebbleTec plaster, which we believe is the best choice for Kansas City homeowners. It comes with a 20-year warranty and lasts about twice as long as standard quartz or traditional plaster.
PebbleTec resists UV rays, harsh water conditions, and everyday wear. Many pool owners struggle with water chemistry at times, which can damage weaker finishes. PebbleTec is more forgiving and holds up when pH levels fluctuate.
The finish is also beautiful and comfortable underfoot. Small natural pebbles are mixed into the plaster, giving it texture, shimmer, and a wide range of colors to match your backyard style.
Gunite and fiberglass pools both perform well, but they meet different needs.
Gunite pools provide more design options and long-term value. They are built on-site, so the shape, size, and depth can be fully customized. Many luxury Kansas City homes use gunite because it matches the home’s design, adds resale value, and allows for complete creative control.
Fiberglass pools are pre-molded and faster to install, but they come in limited shapes and sizes. On sloped yards, they often need extra retaining walls for support.
For homeowners who want a pool that fits their space and looks like part of the property, gunite is the better choice.
Every gunite pool is custom, but we’d rather give you an honest range than make you guess.
A fully custom gunite pool typically runs $150,000 to $250,000, about 20 to 25 percent more than fiberglass with standard plaster. Where you land depends mostly on finish (standard plaster vs. a longer-lasting PebbleTec finish), size and depth, and site conditions like slope.
For a full breakdown, see our gunite pool cost guide. The most accurate number comes from a free Design Discovery Call.
A gunite pool is impressive on its own, but the best Kansas City backyards don’t stop at the water’s edge. When your pool is planned alongside patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and lighting, the whole space works as one outdoor living space instead of a pool with a few add-ons.
Because gunite is shaped on-site, it’s the ideal foundation for this kind of custom backyard design. We align the pool’s shape, depth, and edges with the surrounding patio and gathering zones, so a premium backyard pool design feels intentional rather than pieced together:
Planned together from the start, the result feels like one complete environment, not a full backyard renovation added one feature at a time.
A complete project usually comes down to five things:
When homeowners compare pool construction services, they’re really comparing who they trust to guide a large, complex investment. The right custom concrete pool builders understand the local market, the expectations of Kansas City homeowners, and how to bring together the full backyard renovation, not just the pool itself.
Before you hire, it’s worth asking:
A premium custom pool installation deserves a premium process. The right builder gives you confidence before construction begins, not just promises during the sales process.
We start by mapping your pool design in your yard and excavating to the right depth and shape.
A steel rebar “cage” forms the skeleton of your pool. We use 12-inch centers for walls and floors, tightening to 6-inch centers where the wall meets the floor for added strength.
We spray the gunite (also called shotcrete) over the framework. While it’s wet, we shape it to exact design lines. Our walls are typically 10 to 12 inches thick, creating a strong, durable structure that’s built to last.
Once the shell cures, we add the PebbleTec finish. This creates a smooth, attractive surface that’s easy on your feet and rich in color.
At Hinkle Outdoor Living, we build pool environments, not just pools. We’ve proudly served Kansas City and the surrounding metro for nearly two decades, and for every custom pool installation, we think beyond the shell and look at how the pool connects to patios, kitchens, fire features, lighting, and the full outdoor living space.
When you work with our team, you get:
Our approach helps homeowners make confident decisions early, reduce surprise costs and design disconnects, and enjoy a calmer, more guided experience from start to finish. Every step follows proven construction methods to deliver a pool that looks great, performs better, and adds lasting value to your home.
If you want a pool that looks permanent and fits your lifestyle, gunite is the right choice. It’s built on-site with a reinforced concrete shell that holds its shape for decades and can be customized to any design. When paired with a PebbleTec finish and planned as part of your full outdoor living space, the result is a backyard that feels intentional, functional, and built for the way you want to entertain.
Call today to start your luxury custom gunite pools Kansas City project. You can also book a Complimentary Design Call to talk through your goals, your property, and what it would take to create a backyard that feels complete.
Yes. The structure is built like a small foundation and stands up to freeze-thaw cycles.
PebbleTec is designed for UV and chemical resistance, making it ideal for Midwest conditions.
Absolutely. Gunite allows total freedom for size, depth, and layout.
Often no. With gunite, we can use the back pool wall as the retaining structure.
Yes. Gunite generally costs more than fiberglass or vinyl, but it lasts longer, allows for custom features, and can improve resale value.
Gunite pools require frequent brushing and precise chemical balance to prevent algae growth and surface damage.
When properly maintained, gunite pools can last for decades without major structural issues.
Yes, and it’s often the best way to do it. Planning the pool, patio, and kitchen together leads to a more functional, more polished result than adding each piece separately.
The best outdoor spaces aren’t built one isolated feature at a time. When the pool, patio, fire features, and lighting are designed together, they work as one complete backyard.
Ask how the builder handles design, scope clarity, allowances, communication, scheduling, and integration with the rest of the backyard. Those answers will tell you a lot about how the experience is likely to go.
Browse our inspiration guides and start picturing what’s possible for your outdoor space. Choose your project type below to download the inspiration guide that’s right for you.
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Delighting customers with the ultimate backyard escape for 15+ years.
