Hey all - --
I have been lurking for quite a while - on here and Garden web. What a blessing a site like this is!! I have wanted a pool my entire life and hope my home equity line comes thru so we can do this!! LOL

We met with 3 builders so far - and I have 2 that I can copy and paste into this for scrutinizing if you will!! Thanks in advance for your help!

I have considered having "just" the pool built, and handle the pavers and screen myself to save about 5k possibly...

Here are the two I have in print form...

Builder E (They are the best price so far - will add depth to 8 ft. kids want to jump in!) Its a rectangle, but I think we will change to free form.
Pool Size:11X32X15
Spa Size:6X6
Depth: 3 TO 6

 Engineered plans and necessary permits
 Normal grading and removal of sod from pool site and deck area
 Steel reinforcing, engineered for pool requirements with two (2) steel bars in bond beam
 Light niches with two 300w/12v white lights (pool)
 Light niche with 75w/12 with light (spa)
 X10 receiver to operate lights remotely
 Unblockable channel drain
 High strength bond beam gunite shell
 Automatic wide mouth skimmer in beam

 SALT CELL
 Hayward D.E. Filter
 Hayward h.p. Tristar Pump
 Formed and poured equipment pads
 Electrical hook-up
 Plumb for pool vacuum, line only
 Hand formed entry steps
 Sunshelf with Bubbler
 5’ x 18” deep end swimout
 Tile accents on Sunshelf, steps and benches
 Standard color Quartz interior finish (10 year warranty)
 6’ I.D., 28 sq. ft., spa, 4 therapy jets, 1 hp blower, raised 12”
 X10 receiver to operate blower remotely
 450000 BTU gas heater
 Paver decking (includes sealer)
 Top existing lanai with pavers (includes sealer)
 Two paver door pads (includes sealer)
 Child safety alarms by customer
 30X50screen enclosure with two doors and footers
 Deluxe maintenance kit
 Initial start-up service and instructions
 Lifetime pool shell structural guarantee

Builder T More expensive (8k more), builders daughter goes to my daughters school so proximity "could" mean closer attention??


POOL SIZE- 15’ X 30’, DEPTH – 3’ to 8’


Engineered Plans and Necessary Permits
Normal grading and removal of sod from pool site and deck area.
Steel reinforcing, engineered for pool requirements with two (2) steel bars in bond beam.
High strength bond beam gunite shell
Six inch band of ceramic waterline tile
One set of hand formed shallow end steps
Dual Main Drains
Automatic Wide-Mouth Skimmer in Beam
Automatic Over Flow Protection
Dedicated Vacuum Line
Light Niche with 300 Watt Light
Interior Finish Krsytalkrete exposed aggregate
Accent Tile in Every Step, Bench and Swim out
Electrical hook up
Jandy Pump Variable speed Plus hp
Diatomaceous Earth Filter (DE Filter)
Jandy Salt Generator
Paver Decking –around pool area and covered area
Deluxe Maintenance Kit
Initial Start-Up Service and Instructions
Life Time Structural Guarantee
22. We use 2.5” plumbing
23. Screen enclosure with 2 doors
23. Replace 800 sq ft of sod
24. Cap Sprinklers
25. Spa with 8 jets and 400,000 btu gas he\ater
26. Jandy Wireless Remote control system
27. Child fence included (adds $800)
28. 8’ depth (adds $1500)
29. 2 Deck jets
30. Add 5 chase lines for future electric

- Vanessa

It's good that the 2nd bidder specified the pipe sizes and 2.5" is fine.....you'll want more details on what DE filter and its size....just a single 300W light? Dual main drains good...although you'll want to make sure you can switch entirely to skimmer when adding chemicals manually...don't know what krsytalkrete exposed aggregate is.....overflow protection and dedcated vacuum line good....likely a lot more details you'd still want to see.

The first bid has a two speed pump and the 2nd has a variable speed? How expensive are electric rates where you are? The variable might save you lots of money long term although somewhat more expensive up front.
Will the second bidder be sealing your decking?

If you're trying to save $, I'm not sure you need two lights in the pool for first bid --- unless you'll be doing a lot of swimming in the evening. Not sure where you are located...but both quotes seem to assume a weekend only swimmer because no solar, and gas heating is best for infrequent occasional quick heating. At the very least, you might want a cover of some kind to keep heat in.

I'm sure others way more experienced than me will have other and better comments.

Thanks, Matt - I just don't know whats good or bad not these comparisons so I am hopeful someone will tell me which on they would go with.

I believe we have decided to have just the pool built by the builder and contract our pavers and screen. It will save about $4k or $5K and that can go towards irrigation re-routing, sod, landscaping and patio furniture!!! I have to have an oak tree removed as well, which makes me sad, but there is no way to save it and get the pool/deck we want.

Would love it if someone else would chime in!
Thanks

Also, we plan to do solar in a year - does that affect which pump I get? Does one have more power for solar panels over another?

Variable pump is more flexible to handle multiple needs: 1 speed for solar, 1 for cleaner, 1 for general filtration, etc....almost as many speeds as you want if accompanied by automation (4-8 speeds if manually programmed). two speed pumps gives you just that... all your equipment will need to deal with those two speeds. Note that there many different two speed pumps with different high/low speeds so even if you are ok with just two speeds, you'll need to ensure that the right 2-speed pump is put in - there is not only speed but power/head loss to take account of. Also, Solar panels have an optimal speed for heating, it's ok to be modestly under...but the speed is also designed to ensure longest life for the panels - if you have a 2 speed pump, the high speed of the pump has to match the optimal of the panels.

As far as selecting a pool builder goes, it can be a pain but I'm glad that I waited until I found a builder that made me feel relatively comfortable and that I was reasonably sure would pay attention to the millions of tiny requests I've had and provide some support after the pool was finished. We likely paid $5K more waited a few more years until we found a builder we were happy with. I think there were three separate occasions where we solicited bids...but the pricing or our comfort level on the first two rounds kept us from going ahead. Feel free to take your time -- waiting does pay off, and for the price of a pool you shouldn't go ahead until you're entirely comfortable with the project and who is doing it.

I would ask the contractor if you could contact/visit a few of the installs they completed and actually follow up, talk with the owners. Get comments first hand. You may also get some ideas what's could of/should of been done differently.