How We Build Your Pool — From Concept to Cannonball
Every Paragon pool starts with a conversation and ends with a cannonball. In between, owner Mike Henry is on-site for every critical phase. Here's exactly what to expect — no surprises, no guesswork.
Building an inground pool in Minnesota takes 8–12 weeks from initial consultation to first swim, with 2–3 weeks of on-site construction. The build season runs May through October, so the best time to start planning is late winter or early spring. We handle everything — design, permits, construction, and equipment — so you can focus on picking out pool floats.
Free Consultation
We come to you — no showroom pitch, no pressure.
Your project starts with a free, no-obligation home visit from Mike Henry. He'll walk your yard, listen to your ideas, assess the site conditions, and give you an honest assessment of what's realistic for your property and budget. Most consultations take 60–90 minutes, and you'll leave with a clear picture of your options — not a hard sell.
What happens during the visit
Mike comes to your home and walks the yard with you. He'll look at the lot size, grade, access for equipment, setback requirements, underground utilities, and soil conditions. He'll ask about your vision — who's using the pool, what features matter, how you see the space fitting with the rest of your yard. Then he'll sketch out options on the spot and talk through realistic pricing ranges.
What to have ready
Pull up your property survey if you have one (check your closing documents or your city's GIS portal). Know your approximate budget range — even a rough number helps us design something realistic. If you've seen pool designs you like on Pinterest, Houzz, or Instagram, have those ready to share. And think about any future plans for the yard — a patio, outdoor kitchen, or play area — so we can design the pool to work with the full picture.
What you'll walk away with
After the consultation, you'll have a clear understanding of what's feasible for your property, a preliminary design direction, and a ballpark cost range. There's no obligation and no follow-up pressure. If you want to move forward, we'll schedule a design session. If you want to think about it, we'll be here when you're ready.
Custom Design & Permits
Your pool, your property, your way — we handle the paperwork.
Once you decide to move forward, we create a custom pool design tailored to your yard, your family, and your budget. We handle all permit applications, coordinate with your city, and manage the approval timeline. In the Twin Cities metro, permit processing takes 2–8 weeks depending on your municipality — Woodbury and Stillwater are typically fastest at 2–3 weeks.
Design options
We specialize in steel wall vinyl liner pools — the most popular and cost-effective type for Minnesota's climate. Pools can be any rectangular dimension from 14x28 to 20x40+, with custom shapes and freeform designs available. We'll work with you on depth configuration, step placement, lighting, and equipment selection. Every design includes 14-gauge steel walls, concrete footings set below the frost line, and Hayward or Pentair equipment packages.
Permit handling
We prepare and submit all permit applications on your behalf. Requirements vary by city — most east metro municipalities require a building permit, electrical permit, and sometimes a fence or barrier permit. We know the specific requirements for Woodbury, Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake, Hugo, Forest Lake, and every city in our service area. We also handle Wisconsin permits for Hudson, River Falls, New Richmond, Somerset, and Prescott.
Timeline for this phase
Design typically takes 1–2 weeks once you approve the concept. Permit timelines are the biggest variable: Woodbury and Stillwater process in 2–3 weeks, Mahtomedi and Lake Elmo in 3–4 weeks, and some cities take up to 8 weeks. We submit permits as early as possible and keep you updated on the status. This is why starting the process in winter is smart — permits can be processing while the ground is still frozen.
Construction
Mike Henry on-site. Every phase. Every project.
On-site construction takes 2–3 weeks for a standard inground pool. Mike Henry personally supervises every critical phase — excavation, wall setting, plumbing, equipment installation, and final inspection. Our crew has been building pools in Minnesota for decades, and we engineer every pool specifically for our freeze-thaw climate with 60–80 inch frost line depths.
What construction looks like
Week 1 is the big transformation: excavation (1 day), forming and pouring concrete footings on sono tubes set 4 feet on center (1–2 days), setting 14-gauge steel walls with triple bracing (1 day), and roughing in plumbing lines (1 day). Week 2 focuses on the concrete deck collar, equipment pad, backfill with granular material for drainage, and starting the deck or patio. Week 3 is finish work: equipment hookup, electrical, liner installation, filling, and water chemistry startup.
What to expect at your home
There will be a period of controlled chaos — especially during excavation. We'll have heavy equipment in your yard for 1–2 days, and there will be a large dirt pile that gets removed or regraded. We'll talk through access and staging before we start. Most homeowners can continue living normally during construction — you won't lose access to your home or driveway. We clean up daily and respect your property.
Minnesota-specific construction
Building a pool in Minnesota isn't the same as building one in Texas. Our frost line reaches 60–80 inches, so concrete footings must go deep — set on sono tubes 4 feet on center. We use 14-gauge steel walls (not the 16-gauge found in warmer climates) with triple bracing for freeze-thaw resistance. Plumbing is designed to be fully blown out for winterization. Granular backfill ensures proper drainage and prevents frost heaving. These aren't upgrades — they're requirements for a pool that lasts decades in our climate.
Enjoy Your Pool
The best part — and we're still here for you.
Once construction is complete, we don't just hand you the keys and disappear. We provide hands-on maintenance training, walk you through every piece of equipment, balance the water chemistry, and make sure you're completely comfortable operating your new pool. Our service team is available all season for questions, maintenance, and anything else you need.
Maintenance training
Before your first swim, Mike walks you through everything: how to operate the pump, filter, and heater, how to test and balance water chemistry, how to use your automatic cover (if installed), how to run your robotic cleaner, and what a typical weekly maintenance routine looks like. We provide written instructions for everything, and you can call us anytime with questions.
Warranty coverage
Every Paragon pool comes with a lifetime transferable warranty on the steel wall structure. Equipment carries manufacturer warranties — typically 3 years on Hayward and Pentair components. Vinyl liners are warrantied by the manufacturer (Latham) for up to 20 years, prorated. We stand behind our workmanship and will address any installation-related issues that arise.
Ongoing support
We're not a build-it-and-forget-it company. We offer professional opening and closing services ($300–$600 combined), weekly maintenance plans, water testing at our Willernie and Stillwater showrooms, equipment repair, and liner replacement when the time comes. Many of our customers have been with us for 20+ years. When you build with Paragon, you're getting a long-term partner — not just a contractor.
Project Timeline: What to Expect
The full timeline from first consultation to first swim is 8–12 weeks, with 2–3 weeks of on-site construction. The biggest variable is permit processing, which ranges from 2–8 weeks depending on your city. Starting the planning process in late winter — January through March — is the smartest move for a summer pool.
Consultation & Design
1–3 weeksHome visit, design, and contract signing.
Permits
2–8 weeksVaries by city. Woodbury/Stillwater: 2–3 weeks. Some cities: up to 8 weeks.
Construction
2–3 weeksExcavation through final fill and water chemistry startup.
Final Walkthrough
1 dayEquipment training, maintenance walkthrough, first swim.
Minnesota Build Season
Minnesota's build season runs May through October. The ground is frozen from November through April, making excavation impossible. We recommend starting the planning process in January–March so permits are approved and you're in the construction queue for early summer. Customers who contact us in June are often looking at a late August or September start.
8–12
Weeks total
2–3
Weeks on-site
May–Oct
Build season
Process FAQ
Common questions about building a pool with Paragon.
When is the best time to start planning a pool in Minnesota?+
January through March. This gives you time for a consultation, design, and permit approval before the May–October construction season begins. Customers who start planning in winter are typically swimming by mid-summer. Those who wait until spring or summer may face a later start date, depending on our schedule and permit timelines.
How long does construction actually take on-site?+
On-site construction takes 2–3 weeks for a standard inground pool. Week 1 covers excavation, footings, and steel walls. Week 2 is decking, equipment, and backfill. Week 3 is liner installation, filling, equipment hookup, and water chemistry. Weather can add a few days — we don't pour concrete or set liners in rain.
Do I need to be home during construction?+
You don't need to be home every day, but we do ask that you be available during excavation day (to discuss any unexpected site conditions) and the final walkthrough. For the rest of construction, our crew operates independently. We'll give you Mike's cell number — he's on-site and available for questions anytime.
What permits are required for a pool in the Twin Cities?+
Most east metro cities require a building permit, electrical permit, and a fence or barrier permit. Some cities require separate plumbing and mechanical permits. Requirements vary — Woodbury, Stillwater, and Lake Elmo each have slightly different processes. We handle all permit applications and know the specific requirements for every city in our service area, including Western Wisconsin municipalities.
Can you build a pool in any yard?+
Most yards work, but there are limiting factors. We need equipment access (typically an 8-foot opening to the backyard), adequate setback from property lines (usually 5–10 feet, varies by city), and a yard that's not on a steep slope or high water table. Underground utilities, septic systems, and easements can also affect placement. That's why the home consultation is so important — Mike will assess everything on-site.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Schedule your free home consultation with Mike Henry. We'll walk your yard, talk through your vision, and give you an honest assessment — no pressure, no obligation.
A+ BBB Rated · 36+ Years Experience · 2,000+ Pools Built