How Long Does It Really Take to Build a Pool in Winter Garden?

So when can I swim?”

That number sounds precise. Confident. Reassuring.

It’s also sort of like the GPS estimate when you’re driving to Miami during tourist
season—technically accurate under perfect conditions that don’t exist in the real world.

After reviewing timeline data from numerous pool projects across the Winter Garden area and speaking with homeowners in Windermere, Oakland, and surrounding communities, a pattern emerges: the quoted timeline and the actual timeline rarely match. Not because contractors are lying—though some certainly over-promise—but because every project has a story that doesn’t fit neatly into a marketing brochure.

The reality? Most completed projects run 16-20 weeks from contract signing to first swim, even when contractors quote 8-12 weeks of construction time.

Let me explain what nobody tells you about building a pool in Winter Garden—and why understanding the real timeline matters more than believing the promised one.

What the Brochures Say (And Why They're Not Lying, Exactly)

Most pool builders in Orlando will quote 8-12 weeks for construction. Industry data shows this is achievable for straightforward projects. Notice that word: construction. That clock doesn’t start ticking when you shake hands and sign papers. It starts when the permit gets approved and the excavator shows up.

Before that? You’re in what I call the invisible phase—where your pool exists only in blueprints and email threads and the increasingly anxious part of your brain that wonders if you made the right decision spending the cost of a decent car on a hole in your backyard.

The permitting phase in Orange County typically takes 10-15 business days for straightforward residential pool projects, according to county building department statistics. Seminole County reports similar timeframes. But “typical” is a dangerous word when you’re talking about something that involves topographic surveys, engineering stamps, and HOA architectural review boards that meet once a month.

Add two to four weeks for permits. Sometimes six if your property has special considerations—lakefront setbacks, floodplain restrictions, or that one HOA board member who has opinions about everything.

So we’re already at 10-16 weeks before we even talk about actual construction. And most people don’t budget for that in their heads.

The Week-by-Week Reality (When Things Go Right)

Let me walk you through what actually happens, week by week, when you build a pool in Orlando and the stars align in your favor.

Weeks 1-3: The Paper Chase

Your contractor submits permit applications. The city reviews them. You wait. Your contractor revises something small. The city reviews again. You keep waiting.

During this time, you’ll obsessively check your backyard like it might spontaneously transform into a pool while you’re not looking. It won’t. This phase requires patience you didn’t know you’d need.

Week 4-5: Ground Zero

The excavation crew arrives early—and I mean early, like “your neighbors will hate you” early—and transforms your lawn into what looks like an archaeological dig. In Central Florida, we deal with sandy soil and high water tables, which means this phase sometimes reveals surprises. Underground boulders (yes, really). Unexpected rock layers. Old septic systems nobody remembered. Tree roots that go deeper than anyone predicted.

When excavation goes smoothly, it takes 2-3 days. When it doesn’t, add a week.

Week 6-7: Steel and Plumbing

The skeleton of your pool takes shape. Steel rebar gets laid in precise grids. Plumbing lines snake through what will become your pool floor. This is when your project starts looking like it might actually become a pool instead of just an expensive mud pit.

Multiple inspections happen during this phase. The steel inspection. The plumbing inspection. Each one requires scheduling, waiting, passing, and occasionally rescheduling when something needs adjustment.

Week 8-9: The Gunite Miracle

This is the day you’ll actually want to take off work to watch. A gunite crew sprays concrete mixture at high pressure to form your pool shell. The whole process takes 4-8 hours and looks like controlled chaos. By evening, you have something that undeniably resembles a pool.

Then it needs to cure for at least a week. Florida heat accelerates this, but it’s still a waiting game.

Week 10-12: The Details That Matter

Tile work begins. Coping stones get installed. Your pool starts looking less like a construction project and more like something from a magazine. This phase requires patience because precision matters—a skilled tile setter won’t be rushed, and you don’t want them to be.

Deck work runs parallel if your contractor has their act together. Pavers get laid, concrete gets poured, and your backyard starts connecting to your pool instead of looking like two separate projects.

Week 13-14: Equipment and Systems

Pool equipment gets installed, plumbed, and wired. Pumps, filters, heaters, automation systems. The electrical inspection happens. Everything gets tested, adjusted, and retested.

This is also when many Orlando homeowners add those finishing touches they “forgot” to include in the original plan. Lighting upgrades. Additional water features. That built-in cooler that seemed excessive until you saw how nice the neighbor’s looked.

Week 15-16: Water and Balance

Your pool gets filled—a process that takes 24-48 hours depending on your water pressure. Chemistry gets balanced. The startup procedure happens, which sounds simple but involves multiple chemical adjustments over several days.

Final inspections occur. You get your official sign-off from the city.

And then—finally—you can swim.

The Truth About Faster Timelines

Contractors who consistently deliver shorter timelines have several things in common: they order materials before permits are approved (taking the financial risk of holding inventory), they maintain dedicated crews rather than juggling subcontractors across multiple projects, and they build weather contingencies into their schedules rather than pretending Orlando doesn’t get afternoon thunderstorms from June through September.

What Slows Everything Down (The Variables Nobody Advertises)

Weather is the obvious culprit. Industry professionals note that Central Florida’s rainy season can add 2-4 weeks to construction timelines, particularly for deck work that requires dry conditions for proper curing.

But weather is just one variable. Here are the others:

Change orders. Every time you decide to upgrade the tile, add a water feature, or extend the deck, the timeline shifts. Not because contractors are being difficult, but because these changes require new materials, different subcontractors, and sometimes additional permits.

Material delays. Even in 2025, supply chain issues persist for specialty items. That specific mosaic tile from Italy? Eight-week lead time. Custom LED lighting fixtures? Six weeks. Specialized pumps for larger pools? Four to six weeks.

Inspection backlog. Winter Garden falls under Orange County jurisdiction, and the area’s construction boom means city inspectors are busy. When you need three different inspections during your build, each potential delay multiplies.

Hidden conditions. No matter how thorough the pre-construction site assessment, Central Florida soil sometimes hides surprises. Unexpected rock formations. Higher water tables than anticipated. Old construction debris from previous projects.

Your own decisions. The timeline assumes you’ll respond promptly to questions about tile selection, deck materials, and finishing details. Many homeowners underestimate how many decisions require their input. Each delayed response adds days to the schedule.

Seasonal Considerations (Winter Garden's Year-Round Construction Season Is a Myth)

Central Florida allows year-round pool construction, but that doesn’t mean every season is created equal for Winter Garden homeowners

Winter (December-February) offers the most predictable weather and the least humidity. Concrete cures reliably. Crews work comfortably. This is peak season for starting projects, which means longer wait times to get on contractor schedules.

Spring (March-May) provides the sweet spot—good weather, motivated contractors trying to finish before summer heat, and the social pressure of wanting your pool ready for summer entertaining.

Summer (June-September) brings afternoon thunderstorms that can halt work for hours or days. Humidity affects drying times for deck work and plaster curing. But labor availability is often better because many contractors have more crew capacity.

Fall (October-November) offers another weather sweet spot, though hurricane season introduces unpredictability through November.

Planning your project start date around these seasonal patterns can shave weeks off your timeline simply by avoiding weather-related delays.

How to Prepare Your Property (And Your Expectations)

The contractors who consistently deliver on timeline promises share one observation: prepared homeowners have shorter builds.

Clear access to your backyard before construction starts. That includes removing or relocating anything you don’t want destroyed—patio furniture, grills, plants you’re attached to, children’s play equipment.

Make all material selections before excavation begins. Every day you delay choosing between two tile options is a day your project sits waiting.

Prepare your neighbors. Construction noise starts early and ends late. A heads-up conversation and maybe some cookies buy goodwill that matters when your project runs into day 89 instead of day 60.

Set up a dedicated communication channel with your contractor. Daily photo updates. Weekly check-in calls. Clear expectations about response times for questions that require your input.

Budget for the unexpected. Not just financially—though that too—but temporally. Assume your project will take 20% longer than quoted. If it doesn’t, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If it does, you won’t be devastated.

The Question Nobody Asks (But Everyone Should)

“What’s your average timeline from contract signing to final inspection?”

Most homeowners ask about construction time. Smart homeowners ask about total time—from handshake to swimming.

According to pool industry professionals in the Winter Garden and Orange County market, the realistic average for mid-range custom pools runs 18-24 weeks total, with luxury projects extending to 26-32 weeks when they include complex features.

That’s not a failure of the industry. It’s the reality of building something permanent, beautiful, and functional in a climate where weather is a partner in every construction project.

The contractors who are honest about this timeline get fewer impulsive sales but happier long-term customers. The ones who promise 8-10 weeks get more initial contracts and more frustrated phone calls when week 12 arrives and they’re just starting tile work.

What Actually Matters (The Timeline You Don't Measure in Weeks)

The question that matters isn’t really “how long does it take?”

It’s “what am I actually waiting for?

Consider what pool owners in Winter Garden and surrounding communities report about their experience three months after completion: they’re not thinking about whether construction took 12 weeks or 18. They’re thinking about the first family barbecue by the water, the kids who now prefer staying home on weekends, the evening routine that shifted from Netflix on the couch to quiet conversations poolside while the sun sets.

The timeline that actually matters isn’t measured in weeks from contract to completion. It’s measured in the years—decades, really—that families spend making memories in and around that pool.

Every Saturday morning swim. Every Fourth of July party. Every evening when work feels crushing and there’s now a private oasis waiting in the backyard.

Those are the timelines that matter

The 12 weeks or 16 weeks or 20 weeks to get there? That’s just the entrance fee to paradise.

Your Move (Making Timeline Anxiety Work for You)

Your Move

Start conversations with contractors in fall or winter for a spring start

Ask for total timeline projections (including permits, construction and buffer for unexpected issues)

Build in a 30% time buffer for your mental planning

Choose contractors based on portfolio, not marketing promises

Remember faster isn’t always better

If you’re seriously considering a pool in Winter Garden, here’s the timeline strategy that leads to the least amount of stress and the most realistic expectations:

Start the conversation with contractors in fall or winter for a spring start. This gives you time for the permit phase without rushing and increases your chances of hitting summer swim season.

Ask for total timeline projections, not just construction time. Get it in writing: permits, construction, and buffer for unexpected issues.

Build in a 30% time buffer for your mental planning. If they say 15 weeks, plan for 20. You’ll either be delighted to swim early or prepared when reality matches your expectations.

Choose contractors based on portfolio completion times, not marketing promises. Ask to speak with recent customers about actual timelines. Past performance beats future promises every single time.

Remember that faster isn’t always better. The cheapest and fastest contractors often correlate with the most warranty claims and the least satisfied customers. Industry data supports this: customer satisfaction ratings drop significantly for projects completed 40% or more under quoted timelines—usually indicating rushed work or cut corners.

Understanding realistic pool construction timelines in Winter Garden means setting expectations based on what actually happens, not what marketing materials promise. Industry data consistently shows that homeowners who budget for 18-24 weeks total time (including permits) report significantly higher satisfaction than those who expect the advertised 8-10 weeks of construction.

The timeline anxiety that many homeowners experience during the build process tends to fade completely within a few months of completion. Ask any pool owner two years after installation how long their pool took to build, and most can’t remember the exact timeline—they just remember it felt longer than promised.

What they do remember is every summer evening afterward when the pool became exactly what they imagined: not just a backyard feature, but a fundamental shift in how their family experiences home.

The wait is real. The paperwork is real. The anxiety about timelines is real.

But so is every summer evening for the next twenty years when floating in that pool thinking about absolutely nothing except how good the water feels after a long day.

And in those moments, the construction timeline that felt endless becomes just a footnote in a much longer story about the life you built.

About the Author:

Thiago Machado is the co-owner of Aqua Elite Pools, trusted in Central Florida for delivering custom pools that blend precision engineering with exceptional service. With over a decade of experience across Florida’s construction and home-improvement sectors, Thiago has built his reputation on operational excellence and client-focused execution—bringing clarity, accountability, and craftsmanship to every project phase.

He believes outstanding pools should perform flawlessly for decades: visually stunning, structurally sound, and remarkably easy to maintain. His method combines transparent communication with disciplined project management, ensuring families enjoy both the journey and the finished result.

Outside of work, Thiago prioritizes family, faith, and the outdoors—whether hiking, fishing, or carving down snow-covered slopes when travel permits.