Do you currently have a pool? Thinking of getting a pool soon?  No pool is complete without a pool house. When you think of a pool house what images come to your mind? There are plenty of glitzy and  glamorous photos online that are fun to look at, but do not represent an achievable reality for most people. 

The good news is that for most people a prefab pool house, or a pool house shed can be a highly approachable and attractive option. There are three basic reasons why we think getting a a prefab pool house from a local builder is a fantastic idea.   First, prefab pool houses are significantly more cost effective than traditional stick-built pool houses. Secondly, they can be customized with a wide array of features and uses in mind. Lastly, the look and feel can be designed to match your existing home landscape, outbuildings and neighborhood theme.

At the end of this post, we will share an awesome story of a real customer of ours who did a fantastic pool house project, but first here is why you should consider a prefab pool house.

A Prefab Pool House Can Be Affordable

So what will my new pool house cost? This is an elusive figure that will depend on many factors. Homeadvisor, for example, reports that an average prefab pool house of 300 square feet would cost a little over $26,000. This works out to an average of $87 per square foot. Compare this to Homeadvisor’s reported average of $114,000 for a 300 square foot traditional stick-built pool house!

It is not really super clear what all Homeadvisor is including in the estimates of the buildings that it is referring to, but these prices would likely reflect many upgrades and features. The good news is that a company like Beachy Barns can get you a super high quality pool house for much better pricing than what Homeadvisor estimates. To give you an idea of what the “base cost” would be for a prefab pool house by Beachy Barns, here are just a few of the costs at the time of this writing. 

14×24 (336 Sq Foot) Quaker $8760 ($26 per square foot)

14×24 (336 Sq Foot) Cabin $10710 ($32 per square foot)

14×24 (336 Sq Foot) Retreat $11,325 ($34 per square foot)

Of course, these are not the only expenses that you will have when finishing your pool house shed.   You will also need to pay to install a shed base, acquire needed permits, as well as any interior upgrades that you plan on installing in your prefab pool house.  But the bottom line remains, that a prefab pool house can be an extremely affordable option with plenty of room for customization. 

 A Prefab Pool House Is Easy To Customize

Don’t think that a prefab pool house will be limited in its usage. There are many unique usage ideas and features that can be included in your prefab pool house.  Before you select the prefab shed style that you will use, you will want to decide what features that you want to include.

Any storage shed or prefab building can technically be used as a pool house, but there are certain styles that will work better than others.  If all you intend to do is have a place to store your pool toys, cleaning supplies, and chemicals, then pretty much any storage shed model will work for you.  

But many people are looking for a little bit more from their pool house than simple storage of their things. Here are a few of the more popular ideas to think about when planning out your pool house project. We hope some of these ideas are useful to you!  

1. Backyard Hangout Spot 

Who doesn’t like hanging out at the waterfront?  If “backyard vacation spot” is what you want from your pool house, we highly recommend that you consider one of our shed models that comes with a porch like a retreat or cabin style.  For our customers who are looking for a backyard retreat spot, we will often design sheds with extended covered porch areas to create more lounging space in the shade. 

2. Snack Bar

Who doesn’t like snacks at the pool party?

If a snack bar is a feature you would like to include on your prefab pool house, then we recommend the Shed Bar Package. This is a really good option because the roof overhang on the front keeps your refreshments shaded and protected from inclement weather.  The rest of the shed can easily be split between storage and food prep space.  We have done a lot of prefab sheds and pool houses in this style.  

3. Pool House With A Bathroom

A bathroom is a super practical feature to consider with a pool house. This is one feature that will take a bit more planning and add a bit more cost to the project, but the convenience of guests not having to enter the house to use your main restroom is worth the consideration. 

A bathroom can be installed in just about any shed model. The main thing that you will need to consider is the space that it will take.  For reference, a 40 square foot bathroom is considered small by residential standards. So you will want to plan on ordering a shed with a large enough footprint if you intend to install a bathroom. Don’t forget that you will also have to think through how you will make your electrical, water, and sewer connections if you plan to add a bathroom. 

4. Pool House With An Outdoor Shower

This could also be an expensive upgrade if you go with a heated indoor shower, but a simple outdoor cold water shower could be installed for a few hundred dollars.  For more great ideas on how to do an outdoor shower on your prefab pool house, check out this blog.

5. Pool House With A Changing Room

Even if you do not want to go to all the cost of adding a full-scale bathroom, a changing room is a highly affordable feature that you could easily add to your prefab pool house. Before you order your pool house shed, you will just need to think about the possibility of adding an extra door to your shed, and where you want to partition your shed to keep the storage area and changing room separate. 

These are just 5 simple features and ideas to get you thinking.  Now that you know what you want to do with your prefab pool house, here are a few tips for making it look great!

Prefab Pool Houses Can Look Outstanding!

Sometimes people get scared away by the idea of the “prefab” word, because it evokes images of something flimsy that came from a big box store.  This is a valid concern, but the reality is you don’t have to buy a prefab pool house from a big box store.  

The good news is that it is totally possible, and reasonable to find a local builder who builds according to high standards.  If you want the option of finishing your pool house for multiple uses, like lounge area, snack bar, bathroom etc… it is essential to get your pool house from a builder who uses basic common residential construction methods that allows for simple installation of plumbing, electrical, insulation etc…  Also you want to ensure that you are working with a builder who is giving you options. Getting your prefab pool house from a local reputable builder also ensures that your pool house will last a long time and add serious value to your home.  

The other reason to find a good local builder is that a local prefab builder will be able to customize your pool house to look just the way you need it.  A prefab pool house can fit in perfectly to the style of your home and neighborhood if you take the time to carefully match it with that of your home.  You can start with a free 3D shed builder for inspiration. If you can’t get exactly what you need using a builder like this, your local builder should be able to take the time to custom match your building to your needs.

Customer Story

We have installed quite a few nice prefab pool house sheds over the years and we are excited to share this awesome customer story with you! We recently reached out to Kevin and Tracy Winans, who graciously shared their experiences with us on how they made their decision in getting a pool house shed from planing to completion.

Planning The Design

For Kevin and Tracy, constructing the pool and constructing the prefab pool house shed went hand-in-hand.  They had the benefit of deciding from the very beginning of construction that they wanted both a pool as well as a pool house shed.

Tracy said that she settled on the idea of a swim up bar when she was researching different pool designs.  The “swim up bar” was a concept that she kept seeing in resort style pools, and then the thought hit her, “Why can’t we do this too, make a resort pool in our own backyard?”  And thus, they started to turn this dream into a reality.  

Tracy stated that the most important thing that they were trying to achieve was maximizing quality and style at an affordable price. This is what attracted them to the idea of getting a prefab pool house from Beachy Barns. Since they were able to settle on this idea from the beginning, they got the architect to work it into plans for the entire pool project.*

*The pool portion of the project was completed by Buckeye Pools who provided many of the photos for this blog.  For more pool content, check out their website here!

How Do They Use The Pool House?

Tracy stated “Our pool shed is truly the heart of the pool.”   The pool house’s main usage is for entertainment.  Currently, they have a television where they play music videos during pool parties.  They keep a refrigerator in the pool house that they use for snacks and drinks at the pool.  When guests arrive for a pool party, the pool house serves as the hub where guests can drop off their towels and any snacks they brought.  

On the more practical side, Tracy stated that they also use the pool house for storing pool toys, supplies, and chemicals.  When winter arrives, they have adequate space to store all of their patio furniture and lawn chairs inside the pool house.

One of the features they are really pleased with is the garage-style roller door which makes closing up at night really simple.  They also really like the overhang at the bar which allows for some shade if it is a really hot day. 

Advice For Folks Considering a Pool Shed? 

I asked Tracy For some advice to anyone who is considering a pool shed.  “Do it!” she stated, “Go bigger than you think you need, you will use it!”  Tracy said that they have received so many compliments on their design and that they love when their friends also reach out to Beachy Barns to get a shed or pool house of their own.  

I asked Tracy if she had any advice to those planning to get a pool house shed.  Tracy said if they would be able to do it over again, that they would install a door that has more than 6 foot clearance. Since their pool house is a hub for many guests, an occasional friend who is over 6 foot bumps their head from time to time.  

Tracy said that one of the most valuable things for her was being able to come to the Beachy Barns main office to talk through all of the sizes and options that were available. In spite of this being a “prefab” job, Beachy Barns was able to customize from the original design to fit their exact needs.  

Finally, Tracy left us a wonderful review of our installation crew.

“They did a great job to ensure everything was perfect and left the job site clean and in great shape.  I am very impressed with their work!”  

We are honored by Tracy’s words.  It is our goal that every customer would have an experience like hers.

We hope that this has been helpful information for you as you think about getting a prefab pool house of your own.  If you are in the Central Ohio region, we would be honored to help you turn your pool house dreams into a reality!