Pool deck work in Scottsdale is mostly remodel work. Central Scottsdale has a lot of pool homes from the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, and their original concrete decks are cracked, sunken or worn out. Up north, decks are bigger and often travertine or porcelain, on lots where protected desert sets the limits. Either way, the deck has to send its water somewhere other than the pool or the house.
What a paver pool deck costs in Scottsdale
These installed totals assume 90 to 95 linear feet of new coping around a deck of 600 to 1,000 square feet:
- Concrete pavers: $7,000 to $13,400
- Natural stone or travertine: $11,000 to $21,000
- Porcelain: $15,700 to $27,000
Tearing out old concrete decking adds about $1,500 to $3,000. A freeform pool adds about $270 to $285 in coping compared to a straight-edged pool.
Here's a worked example. An 800 square foot deck around a freeform pool in McCormick Ranch, replacing the cracked original concrete. In concrete pavers, the deck lands around the middle of the range, roughly $10,000. Add $1,500 to $3,000 for tear-out and about $270 to $285 for freeform coping, and you're at about $11,800 to $13,300. The same deck in travertine starts closer to $16,000 before tear-out, or about $17,800 to $19,300 all in. Your real number comes from measuring the deck. See the pricing guide or try the estimator.
Remodeling a 1970s to 1990s pool deck
McCormick Ranch got its start in the early 1970s, and Scottsdale Ranch was built out mostly in the 1980s and early 1990s. Many of the pool decks in those neighborhoods are 30 to 50 years old now. Cracks run out from the coping, sections settle, and patches never match the rest.
The pool stays. The old deck and coping come out, and we regrade so water runs off toward the yard instead of back at the pool or the house. Then we build a compacted base, set new coping, lay the deck, compact it and sweep in the joint sand. Unlike a poured deck, a paver deck is made of individual pieces, so ground movement shows up as a slight shift instead of a crack, and a stained or chipped paver can be swapped out. We also leave the right joint between pavers, which is part of what lets the deck flex. The reasoning behind those joints is here.
Extras worth building in now
A remodel is the one time the deck is open, so it's the time to add what you've been missing: umbrella sleeves where the shade should go, hide lids over the equipment and drains, and room for furniture where the afternoon shade falls. Hidden features that make a pool deck safer and easier to live with. Steps into the pool and between deck levels get a clean finished edge. Bullnose or 45-degree cut corners.
North Scottsdale decks and NAOS
Up north, decks tend to be larger and lean toward travertine, natural stone and porcelain, and lighter colors stay cooler underfoot. The limit is usually the lot itself. Pools appear by name on the list of structures that can't go inside a Natural Area Open Space (NAOS) easement, and no grading or excavation is allowed in one either. If you want to widen a deck toward the desert, the NAOS line on your title report or plat decides how far it can go.
Desert lots also send monsoon runoff toward the pool. We grade the deck so splash and storm water both leave at a planned outlet instead of collecting by the pool or running at the house. If your community has its own design review on top of the city's NAOS rules, that approval gets settled before we start.
Paver Pool Decks in Scottsdale: Frequently Asked Questions
What does a paver pool deck typically cost in Scottsdale?
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 travertine or natural stone, and $15,700 to $27,000 in porcelain. Removing old concrete decking adds about $1,500 to $3,000.
Can you replace the deck without redoing the pool?
Yes. The pool stays where it is. We remove the old concrete and coping, correct the grade, and set new coping and pavers around it.
Concrete pavers or travertine around my pool?
Concrete pavers cost less and come in a lot of colors and finishes. Travertine has a softer, natural look and runs about $11,000 to $21,000 for a typical deck. Lighter colors in either one stay cooler underfoot.
Can I expand my pool deck into the desert behind my north Scottsdale home?
Only up to the NAOS line. Pools, walls and grading aren't allowed inside a Natural Area Open Space easement, so we find that line on your title report or plat before we design.
Why do you leave gaps between the pavers?
The joints let the pavers flex with the ground and give the joint sand room to lock them together. A deck laid tight with no joints can't move, and that's when edges chip.