From the historic blocks along Main Street to the new neighborhoods filling in north of town and the farm acreage that still surrounds it, Universal Pools has been building gunite pools for Middleton families for decades. Licensed RCE-35911, family-owned, and on site for every build.
Middleton was the first town settled in Canyon County, and for most of its history it stayed a small farming community on the road between Boise and the Oregon line. That changed quickly. Over the past decade the population has roughly doubled as families looked west of Star for larger lots, newer homes, and a small-town school district, while keeping the interstate within an easy drive. The result is a town full of new backyards that haven't been landscaped yet — the single best moment to build a pool.
Building here means respecting the water. The Boise River runs along the south edge of town, and a century of irrigation has left laterals and ditches crossing nearly every property. In the low ground the seasonal water table sits just a few feet down, and the soils swing from deep farm loam to river cobble to clay pockets within a mile. Where the shell goes, how deep it digs, and how it's protected from hydrostatic pressure all depend on reading those conditions correctly.
Universal Pools has been reading exactly these conditions since 1979. We check groundwater, pull the easement maps, and confirm jurisdiction — City of Middleton or Canyon County — before we quote, so the number you get is the number the project actually costs. Curious what that number looks like? Our pool cost guide breaks down real Treasure Valley pricing.
And like every project we take on, a Middleton build is run personally by Scott and Cary Pahl. The people who design your pool are the ones on site when it's dug, shot, and plastered — no layers of project managers in between. Start with a free quote, or read about our gunite construction and remodeling work.
Scott's knowledge of hydraulics and construction is unmatched. Our pool has been running perfectly for five years with almost no maintenance issues.
— Mike R., Meridian HomeownerA pool behind a new home off Middleton Road is a different project than one on five acres of irrigated pasture. Here's how the area breaks down from a builder's point of view.
The original townsite along Highway 44, with established lots, mature trees, and city utilities close at hand. Access is tighter than in the new developments, so we stage equipment carefully and design shells that fit yards that have had generations to settle in.
Middleton's main growth front, where new subdivisions run north from town toward the open country around Purple Sage Road. Blank-slate backyards are the least expensive moment to build a pool — before fences, sod, and sprinklers go in — and we coordinate with home builders and HOAs to hit that window.
The low ground between town and the Boise River: pretty lots, big cottonwoods, and the highest water table in the area. We measure groundwater before quoting and design dewatering and hydrostatic relief into the plan from day one, so the pool is never at risk when the river runs high in spring.
The corridor where Middleton meets Star at the Ada–Canyon county line. Projects here often involve lots that read as one town and permit through another jurisdiction. We confirm which building department reviews the project on the first visit, not at plan review.
Farm ground and country lots stretching west along Highway 44 toward Notus and northwest Caldwell. Generous setbacks, open equipment access, and irrigation laterals along nearly every road make easement mapping the first step of every design.
Acreage properties on every side of town, where wells, septic systems, and canal easements come into play. Projects here often pair a large pool with a spa and outdoor kitchen, and open access makes excavation efficient — provided the water table cooperates.
One licensed contractor from the first site visit to the final inspection — and for every swim season after.
Middleton pricing tracks the rest of the Treasure Valley — most gunite builds start in the low six figures and scale with size and features. The one local variable is groundwater: a high water table can add dewatering cost, which is exactly why we check it before quoting. See our full pool cost guide or request a quote for your property.
Depends on your address. Inside city limits, the City of Middleton Building Department reviews the project; outside — including most of the acreage north toward Purple Sage and south toward the river — it's Canyon County Development Services. We confirm jurisdiction on the first visit and file everything for you.
On low ground near the river or along the canals, possibly. The water table rises each spring and early summer, which affects how we dig and how the shell is built. We measure it up front, plan dewatering for excavation, and install hydrostatic relief so the finished pool is never at risk.
Middleton's canal and lateral system crosses a large share of properties in and around town, and pools can't be placed over their easements. We pull the easement maps during design so the layout is right before anything is submitted.
Typically 3 to 5 months from contract to first swim, driven by permit review, weather, and the scope of features. New-construction lots with open access often move faster; we'll give you a realistic schedule up front.
Downtown lot, new subdivision, or farm acreage — tell us what you're working with and we'll tell you exactly what's possible. Free quotes and a response within one business day.