Pool decks in Fountain Hills often sit at the edge of a slope, with the view past the water. That puts the focus on drainage, edges and steps. The ground is rocky, the deck has to steer water clear of the pool and the hillside below it, and any lights built into the deck have to meet the Town's dark sky code.
How much a Fountain Hills paver pool deck costs
Figure on a deck in the 600 to 1,000 square foot range and coping on 90 to 95 linear feet of pool edge. Installed, that runs:
- Concrete pavers: $7,000 to $13,400
- Natural stone or travertine: $11,000 to $21,000
- Porcelain: $15,700 to $27,000
Old concrete decking adds about $1,500 to $3,000 to remove, and a freeform pool adds about $270 to $285 in coping compared to a straight-edged pool.
Here's a worked example. A 700 square foot concrete paver deck around a freeform pool, replacing the original concrete. That sits in the lower part of the concrete paver range, roughly $8,000 to $9,000. Add about $270 to $285 for freeform coping and $1,500 to $3,000 for tear-out, and you're at about $9,800 to $12,300 all in. We pin down the exact number on site. Get a ballpark from the estimator or the pricing guide.
Drainage on a hillside pool lot
On a hillside lot, the pool usually sits on the flattest part of the yard, with the slope falling away past it. The deck has to keep water out of the pool and off the house, then move it off the property without dumping it down the hill in one spot. We plan that path before we set the coping, because the coping height sets the grade for everything around it.
Joint spacing matters around water. Pavers need a consistent gap so they can flex and the joint sand can bind them, and the line along the coping has to stay tight and even. More on why paver joints are left open.
Thinking about a bigger deck? Check the plat first. If your lot has a recorded hillside protection easement, grading, fill and construction inside it take Town Council approval, so the deck stays on your side of that line.
Lighting a deck under the dark sky code
The same Town code that covers the rest of the yard covers the deck: 3000K or warmer, shielding on brighter fixtures, and no light spilling over the wall. Around a pool, the simple way to meet it is to light the walking surface, not the sky. Low lights in the deck steps and a few shielded fixtures at the edge of the deck go a long way, and a darker deck lets the pool itself glow.
Get the fixture locations onto the layout early, along with umbrella sleeves, hide lids over equipment, and where the lounge chairs will sit. Those get built in, not added later. Hidden deck features to plan for.
Edges where the yard drops off
A deck on a hillside lot often ends where the ground falls away. That outside edge is the weak spot, because nothing past it holds the pavers in. We dig to firm ground, which in Fountain Hills often means hitting granite or boulders, build a compacted base, and set solid edge restraint so the border stays put. Pool steps and deck steps get a clean finished edge. Bullnose or a 45-degree cut for step corners.
On a deck that takes full afternoon sun, a lighter color stays cooler underfoot than a dark one. In FireRock, Eagle Mountain and other communities with design review, we get the HOA's approval on the deck before it's scheduled.
Paver Pool Decks in Fountain Hills: Frequently Asked Questions
How much will a Fountain Hills paver pool deck cost me?
About 600 to 1,000 square feet of deck plus coping runs $7,000 to $13,400 in concrete pavers, $11,000 to $21,000 in natural stone or travertine, and $15,700 to $27,000 in porcelain. Removing old concrete decking adds about $1,500 to $3,000.
Can I have lights in my pool deck under the dark sky code?
Yes, with the right fixtures. Keep them at 3000K or warmer and shield the brighter ones, and low step and deck lights will fit the code. Get them on the plan before we lay pavers.
My pool sits above a slope. Where does the water go?
First it drains off the deck, so none of it runs back into the pool or toward the house. Then it leaves the property along a planned path so it doesn't run down the hill in one spot. We work that out before we set the coping.
Can I expand my pool deck toward the hillside?
Only if that ground is outside a hillside protection easement, or the Town Council approves the work. We read the plat, the Town rules and your HOA's guidelines before we design.
Is coping a curved, freeform pool more expensive?
A little. Freeform coping runs about $270 to $285 more than coping on a straight-edged pool.