From the old downtown along State Street to the riverside lots on the Boise River and the estate acreage climbing toward the foothills, Universal Pools has been building gunite pools for Star families for decades. Licensed RCE-35911, family-owned, and on site for every build.
Star has grown faster than almost anywhere in Idaho over the past decade, from a quiet river town on Highway 44 into a city of new neighborhoods, estate lots, and a Highway 16 connection that puts the interstate minutes away. Families keep choosing it for the same reasons: larger lots than Eagle or Meridian, newer homes, the Boise River and the Star Riverwalk out the back door, and foothill views to the north. The result is a city full of new backyards waiting for a pool.
Building here means paying attention to two things most builders miss. First, Star straddles the Ada–Canyon county line, so the city limits and the county line don't match, and the building department that reviews your pool depends on your exact address. Second, the ground changes fast as you move away from the river: cobble and a high water table in the bottoms, sandier loam over gravel on the bench, and irrigation laterals and floodplain boundaries that decide where a shell can and can't go.
Universal Pools has been reading exactly these conditions since 1979. We check groundwater, pull the easement and floodplain maps, and confirm jurisdiction — City of Star, Ada County, 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 Star 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 on a riverside lot off State Street is a different project than one on two acres under the foothills. Here's how Star breaks down from a builder's point of view.
The historic core along Highway 44, with established lots, mature trees, and city utilities close at hand. Access is tighter than in the new subdivisions, so we stage equipment carefully and design shells that fit yards that have had decades to settle in.
The lots between State Street and the Boise River are the prettiest ground in town and the most demanding to build on. Seasonal groundwater, river cobble, and FEMA floodplain lines all come into play. We check water table depth before quoting and design dewatering and hydrostatic relief into the plan from day one.
Estate lots and acreage climbing north toward the foothills, sharing ground with west Eagle. Sandier soils over gravel make for clean excavation, and the open sites suit large pools with raised spas, outdoor kitchens, and covers that hold heat on windy evenings.
Star's newest growth front, where subdivisions fill in along the Highway 16 corridor and the Chinden connection toward Meridian. A blank-slate backyard is 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.
West of Can-Ada Road the address may read Star but the permit goes through Canyon County, and farm-ground soils and irrigation laterals start to resemble our Middleton projects. We confirm jurisdiction on the first visit so plan review never stalls on a boundary question.
One licensed contractor from the first site visit to the final inspection — and for every swim season after.
Star pricing tracks the rest of the Treasure Valley — most gunite builds start in the low six figures and scale with size and features. The local variables are groundwater and cobble near the river, which can add dewatering and excavation cost, so we check them 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 Star Building Department reviews the project. Outside, it's Ada County east of Can-Ada Road and Canyon County west of it. We confirm jurisdiction on the first visit and file everything for you.
Near the Boise River, 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 when the river runs high.
Parts of Star along the river sit in the mapped FEMA floodplain, and irrigation laterals cross many properties on both sides of Highway 44. Both affect where a pool can go and what the permit requires. We pull the 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.
Riverside lot, new subdivision, or acreage under the foothills — 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.