I was researching how much a backyard pool costs and found that prices explode depending on the material. For those wanting something simpler, fiberglass costs between 18,000 and 45,000 reais, but if you consider reinforced concrete, the price per square meter ranges from 3,500 to 5,500 reais. Quite different, right?

Vinyl is kind of the middle ground—between 20,000 and 35,000 reais, good cost-benefit, but you need to replace the lining from time to time. Now, a real masonry pool, the one made with reinforced concrete, is the most prestigious but also the most expensive. It starts at 50,000 reais easily.

What no one talks about is that there are MANY hidden costs. Excavation, if your land is complicated, gets expensive. Then there's the machinery house, motor pump, filter—these cost between 2,000 and 5,000 reais. If the water table is high or the land is sloped, you also need drainage and retaining walls. This can easily increase the project cost by 40%.

Finishing is where the budget really gets out of control. Wooden decks, thermal stones, LED lighting, waterfalls... All of these cost quite a bit. My advice: focus on functionality first, leave the accessories for later.

And there's more—monthly maintenance costs between 150 and 400 reais just for chemicals and energy. If you hire a pool technician, add another 250 to 500 reais per month. Fiberglass and vinyl pools spend less on chemicals because the surface is smoother. Reinforced concrete with tiles requires more cleaning.