After 2 months of planning and permits, our pool build started yesterday. Our yard had a severe slope in the rear, so we had to have an 80' long x 4' high retaining wall added first. The dig was completed by noon yesterday, and they are already to go with gunite on Thursday. It is going so fast right now, so I have some pressure to make some decisions:

1. Should I have deck jets added? My wife doesn't like them much, but I tell her they aren't for her, they are for the kids. Is it worth it for the kids? Do they really play in them?

2. My builder has told me that we could add a 2nd variable speed pump and divert the primary and secondary pumps to swim jets if we want them. That would give us about 260 GPM through the swim jets, and it would also give me the ability to really crank the water over my spa spillway. He tells me the swim jets are what his kids enjoyed more than anything else in his pool of goodies. Does anybody have any experience with them to tell me if they are worth it for the kids to play in?

3. We are leading toward travertine pavers, but my wife is concerned about the look of them when they are sand set as opposed to grouted. She has seen some sand set decks that looked a bit sloppy with the cracks between travertine pavers. Does anybody have any input? The alternative is concrete pavers.

Here are the specs on my pool so far:

Pool

18' x 36' Free Form
21,000 Gallons
2 LED Lights
Sta-Rite IntelliPro Variable Speed Pump (possible 2nd one to be added for deck jets, swim jets)
Sta-Rite S8M 450 SQ. FT. Cartridge Filter
IntelliChlor SWG
AquaCal SQ120 Heat Pump
PebbleTec Tahoe Blue
Easy Touch Controls w/ iPhone/iPad App

Spa

7' Round
Raised 15" from Deck (30" from Water Line)
8' Wide Spillway w/ 30" Drop to Water Line (cascading)
2 HP Sta-Rite Max Pro Pump
8 Jets
LED Light

Deck

2000 S.F.
Raised 12" on Back Side
Tumbled Travertine
16" x 16" Diagonal Pattern

yes on the deck jets, help cool the pool down at night, also make sure they are wired in with remote control valves

you mentioned a slope, don't know what you have for a view but if they are putting in retaining wall, did you consider an infinity edge?

Also did you consider a fire feature or a fire/water feature? plumbing them now depending on what you are doing is much easier

Personally, I prefer sand set travertine because the stones are set closer together. When it's done right, I think it looks really sharp.

Swim jets? Like a fastlane or riverflow? Or something else?

Yes, swim jets are equivalent to a Fast Lane. Thoughts on that?

What do you mead by a "fire feature"?

Welcome to TFP! We really don't have many members who have a swim jet system, so I don't know what kind of pump/plumbing is required for them (I bet it's a lot more than 2 Intelliflo pumps though).

I think sand-set pavers are the way to go. You can pull them up and relevel them if they move with very little difficulty. With cemented pavers, they will eventually move and the grout will crack, and then you'll never be able to match the grout exactly.