15 Awesome Pool House Ideas on a Budget for the 2024 Summer

If you are looking for some great pool house ideas on a budget, you have landed on the right page. With an Autonomous prefabricated ADU, you can add that final touch to your outdoor décor to compliment your sparkling swimming pool.

Who says you have to break the bank before you can have a great-looking tiny shed in your backyard? Simply read this article and get some ideas on how you can get your dream pool house in 2024.

What Is a Pool House?

A pool house is usually a small structure that is built very close to the swimming pool to serve various purposes, such as being a guest house or a place for swimmers to relax during the day. Depending on the space available and the design you prefer, a pool house can be free-standing or attached to the main building.

There are many different pool shed ideas that can be used when designing and planning the structure, which means there are so many types of pool houses that you can construct. However, some of the more ambitious and extravagant ideas may be out of reach of ordinary homeowners. In such cases, having a good budget, and sticking to it, is essential.

15 Great Pool House Ideas to Fit a Tight Budget

If you are looking for some cheap pool house ideas to get your backyard renovation project started, consider the following:

1. Umbrella and Lounge Chairs - Simple and Neat

An umbrella and lounge chairs side by side have become a universal symbol for relaxing by the beach or pool on a warm afternoon. Although it is not a unique design by any means, you can incorporate this simple idea and create a cute little pool house for your family and guests.

If you want it to look a bit different, you can play around with different colors and textures for your chairs and umbrellas. Just make sure that you choose good quality material that can withstand being left outdoors in any kind of weather.

2. Try a Little Pool House Landscaping

You will be surprised at how great you can make your backyard by implementing some simple and affordable pool house ideas such as doing a little landscaping. There is nothing like some well-designed shrubs, flower beds, and stone structures to bring your pool area to life. With a bit of practice, you may not even need to bring in a professional landscaper.

3. Keep It Tiny

The great thing about a pool house is that you can get away with making it as tiny as possible. No one expects it to be large anyway, so if you are thinking of implementing some small pool house ideas on a budget, go for it. As long as it is enough to meet the most basic requirements in terms of space, a small shed is the way to go.

4. Repurpose a Shipping Container

Repurposing shipping containers is quite popular these days. Many people are using them to make some of the most beautiful custom houses ever designed. Why not take a leaf from that book and get a shipping container to use as a backyard guest house? If it is an old one, you can even use that to your advantage and add a rustic appeal to your home.

5. Go Modern, But with Affordable Materials

The temptation to design and build a modern-looking structure will be strong, but you may find it difficult to do when working on a budget. This is because the cost of materials and labor can be quite high with some of these latest designs.

However, if you take the time to research well and find an affordable place to source your materials, you may be able to pull it off. Modern does not always have to mean expensive.

6. Get a Prefab Shed Kit

The easiest way to set up your pool house is to go for the prefab option. As soon as you settle on the shed pool house ideas on a budget that you want, let someone else worry about the construction and delivery.

At places such as Autonomous, all you will need to do is pick one of your favorite prefab sheds from its awesome catalog and it will be delivered to your doorstep. The process is easy and the pool house will be very affordable.

7. Pool House Barn Doors

One of the most inexpensive pool house ideas you can try is to add some barn doors to the front of the building. This works very well if you already have a farmhouse look that will be complemented by the barn doors.

In summer, they can be opened wide to let in a cool breeze. When it comes to moving furniture and other things in and out of your pool house, your set of barn doors will also make it a lot easier.

8. Install an Elegant Deck

A wooden deck can be expensive at times, which is why you would not normally find it on a list of pool room ideas on a budget. However, the bulk of the cost comes from the purchase of materials and the price of labor.

These are areas you can cut back on if you buy your items from an affordable local supplier and you either find a cheap contractor or construct the deck yourself. In either case, a wooden deck connecting your shed to the swimming pool would look great.

9. Try a Portable Pop-up Gazebo

If you are running out of small pool house ideas on a budget, trying something portable may be a great solution. On properties where space is limited, this can be a temporary structure that you can easily take down when you need to create some extra space.

Just be prepared for a bit of a reduction in terms of quality and design when compared to permanent pool house structures. Installing and taking down the pop-up gazebo can also require a lot of work which is something you have to consider carefully before buying.

10. Combined Patio and Pool House Style

Again, if space is an issue, you need to get creative regarding how you use it. There is often no luxury of building a separate pool house, so you may need to attach it to your main building. This is not always a bad thing, considering how the home is oriented.

If there is a patio overlooking the swimming pool, this may be a great place to start. You can add a bit of outdoor furniture items and you will have the start of a small combined home and pool house structure.

11. Build an Open-air Pergola Pool House

Depending on the weather conditions in your area, an open-air pergola pool house may be the best option for those looking for affordable options. In states such as California where the weather is mostly warm, this could give you a nice shaded area to relax by the pool. If you are worried about the rain, make sure the roof of the pergola is waterproof. Some weatherproof curtains would be great as well.

12. Cottage-style Guest Pool House

Other inexpensive pool house ideas to consider involve building a cottage-style guest house right next to your pool. While the initial cost of constructing a cottage may be a little high, think of the returns you could enjoy I you decide to rent out the guest house.

13. From Storage Shed to Pool Cabana

Do you already have a storage shed on your property? Then perhaps you do not need to build a separate structure for your swimming pool. With a little bit of creativity, shed pool house ideas on a budget can produce amazing results.

All you will need to do is come up with a few ideas regarding how you will convert the existing shed structure into the kind of pool house you have in mind.

14. Add a Dash of Color

Sometimes, cheap pool house ideas do not require you to do anything except add a fresh coat of paint to your shed. When done correctly, the right color choices can completely transform your entire backyard.

If, for example, you have a drab-looking pool house standing in the middle of your backyard, adding a bit of pink and some neutral colors can convert it into an elegant she shed just like that. After some time, you can switch the colors around again to give the pool house a fresh look.

15. Outdoor Entertaining Bar

One of the most exciting pool room ideas on a budget, and one that many guys would love, is creating a prefab pool house with bar facilities. Imagine spending the day swimming and having some cold beers or cocktails with your friends. Creating such a structure is not as difficult as you might think. You can go online and start by looking at some great ideas.

Need a Pool House? No Need to Break the Bank

Affordable pool house ideas are the key to having your own backyard shed or tiny ADU without having to pay an astronomical amount of money. You can order your prefab pool house directly from the Autonomous webpage and have it delivered to your home in no time at all.

Rather than spend a lot of time and money trying to find a nice building to be placed next to your swimming pool, simply hand everything over to Autonomous and let the experts take it from there. Your dream pool house is waiting for you just a few clicks away.