DeLand serves as the county seat of Volusia, an inland city where older established neighborhoods and mature lots shape pool projects more than the newer subdivisions elsewhere in the county.
DeLand has a smaller pool of local builders than most Florida cities, so these top picks are ranked on license standing, permit history, and real reviews to help you narrow it down fast.
Real, recent project photos from DeLand's most-reviewed builders, pulled straight from their own profiles.
DeLand builders draw an above-average amount of customer feedback — here's a real, recent sample, good and bad.
“Recently we hired Exquisite pools a family owned and operated business located in Deland. Our pool was becoming an eyesore with staining and pool tiles falling off due to poor workmanship. I had a lot of anxiety about what it would take to totally redo the pool entirely knowing the amount of work would be…”
“We moved to Palm Coast, FL from MA in August of 2024. We had a new home built, and were very anxious to have a pool installed. We did research on several area pool builders that included reading customer reviews, word of mouth reviews, and even viewing some actual pool installations. Following this research, we…”
“Exquisite did a fabulous job installing our new pool and deck. At first we were overwhelmed by the project and the number of preparation and completion items we need to complete before and after construction. However, we found that the contract provided a great checklist for planning. The final completion and inspection took longer than…”
“Exquisite Pool & Spa exceeded our expectations with our pool and spa build. We love the backyard they have helped us create. From the first contact regarding our interest, they worked timely and communicated thoroughly to make sure our needs were being met. Their design team is great and made it easy to plan our…”
“Called for a proposal on pool and deck remodel without looking at the pool in person or with pictures they denied me a quote. I was upfront about a pool contractor having starting the position and needing someone to quote out the remodel given its current state. Two other premier 5 star companies have already…”
DeLand grew up around Stetson University and a downtown that predates most of central Florida, so the housing runs older here than in Deltona or the coastal cities. Established neighborhoods off Woodland Boulevard carry mature oaks, tight side yards, and decades-old utility runs, and all three change how a pool gets sited. A builder who knows the city reads the lot first, since root systems, existing drainage, and the setback lines on an older platted parcel decide where the shell can go.
Start with the license. Florida requires a state-certified or state-registered pool and spa contractor for any in-ground build, and you can confirm a company's standing through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. DBPR's license lookup shows the license number, its status, and any discipline on record. A residential pool contractor carries a CPC- or RP-prefixed license; a general handyman does not qualify to build an in-ground pool in DeLand.
Collect several written proposals and read the scope line by line rather than skipping to the total. A quote that leaves out the screen enclosure, the safety barrier, or the electrical bonding looks cheaper at first and climbs once the missing work comes back. Screen enclosures are common on DeLand pools for shade and debris control, and each one carries its own permit and inspection.
Confirm the builder pulls the permit under their own license and books every inspection rather than handing that job to you. A contractor who pushes an owner-builder permit onto the homeowner is shifting the liability. Check that general liability and workers' compensation coverage are current, and ask for references from recent DeLand projects, not a job twenty miles east near the beach where the site conditions are nothing alike.
A residential in-ground pool or spa in the City of DeLand needs a building permit before excavation begins. Permits run through the City of DeLand Building Division, and application status is tracked through the city's Accela Citizen Portal. DeLand reviews under the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code, which took effect at the end of December 2023.
The permit package includes a site plan showing the pool against property lines, the home, and any easements, plus engineered structural drawings, the plumbing layout, and the electrical bonding plan. The city reviews the submittal against the Florida Building Code and inspects at set stages, from steel and bonding before the shell is poured, to plumbing pressure tests, the safety barrier, and a final once the deck and any enclosure are finished.
Safety barriers are not optional. Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (Chapter 515) and the Florida Building Code require a barrier at least four feet high around every new residential pool, with no gaps a young child could slip through and gates that self-close and self-latch, opening away from the water with the release on the pool side.
Chapter 515 goes further, asking for at least one added layer on new pools. Accepted options include an approved safety cover meeting the ASTM F1346 standard, exit alarms on doors and windows with direct pool access, or a self-latching device on those doors set out of a small child's reach. A DeLand builder folds the barrier and the second feature into the plan set from the start.
West Volusia sits inland, so DeLand skips the coastal construction rules that govern beachside builds. Low ground toward the St. Johns River and Lake Beresford on the city's western edge does fall inside FEMA flood zones, and a pool on one of those parcels draws added elevation review. On older in-town lots, verifying the location of aging sewer and utility easements before digging saves a costly redesign.
DeLand homeowners tend to open with two questions: who handles my permit, and will a pool fit the lot I have. The permit answer is simple inside the city, since DeLand runs its own Building Division rather than sending residents to the county. The lot question takes more thought on the older parcels near downtown, where mature trees and tight setbacks do the deciding.
The other steady theme is cost, and what pushes the final invoice past the first quote. On DeLand projects the usual drivers are the screen enclosure, the safety barrier, and site work around old trees or utility lines rather than the pool shell itself. The questions below are the ones that come up most often on projects across the city.
The City of DeLand handles it. DeLand runs its own Building Division rather than sending residents to the county, and pool permits move through the city's Accela Citizen Portal, which shows application status. An in-ground pool needs the permit in hand before excavation, and your licensed contractor normally files it under their own license.
Often, with planning. Established neighborhoods near downtown carry mature oaks, tight side-yard setbacks, and decades-old utility easements, and all three limit where the shell can sit. A builder who knows the city walks the yard, locates the easements, and lays out the pool and deck around the trees and setback lines before drawing final plans.
State law sets the floor. Under the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, every new residential pool needs a barrier at least four feet high with gates that self-close and self-latch and open away from the water. New pools need one more safety feature on top of the barrier, such as an approved safety cover, door exit alarms, or a self-latching device on doors with pool access.
Look the company up on the Florida DBPR license portal. A qualified residential pool contractor carries a state license, usually with a CPC or RP prefix, and the record shows whether it is active and clear of discipline. A general contractor's license alone does not cover in-ground pool construction in Florida, so confirm the prefix before you sign.
Yes. Screen enclosures are common on DeLand pools for shade and debris control, and each one takes its own building permit and inspection apart from the shell. The enclosure has to meet the code for self-closing, self-latching screen doors. Build it into the original contract so it is priced with the pool instead of added later.
Possibly, on the west side. DeLand sits inland and skips the coastal construction rules, but low ground toward the St. Johns River and Lake Beresford falls inside FEMA flood zones. A parcel there draws added elevation review on the pool permit and may call for a surveyor's elevation certificate. Your builder can pull the flood map for the address.
Plan for weeks, not days. Review timelines shift with the city's workload and how complete the submittal is, and an older lot with easement questions can add a step. A clean, engineered application clears faster than one the Building Division has to return for corrections. Your contractor should give a current estimate when filing through the Accela portal.
Every pool builder we currently track in DeLand — a shorter, more manageable list than in busier Florida cities.
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