Thanks for the kind complements JackT. LOL Brent, that would be something. Pictures coming soon.

Today we installed the glass tile backsplash in the grill area and poured the serving counter that sits just above the swim up counter. The service counter was a pain to pour but it looks pretty good. We will be setting a custom counter soon and then put dark blue glass tile above it. The custom swim up counter has glass embedded in it which is backed with fiber optic which will light up at night.

Here is a shot of the one part of our pool/backyard build that was a gift to myself for my hardwork - a pitch and put golf hole. It was not actually that costly at the end of the day. Installation from a great local contractor Curbline was reasonable and the liquidation pricing on the putting surface sealed the deal for me. I think I mentioned it, but I am running fiber optic liughts to each golf hole to give it a glow in the dark feel for nightime putting !!

Today, we will finish laying down the pavers for the remainder of the stairs/path to the pool deck connecting the courtyard. We also intend to finish putting in our side gates as well as running all the speaker cabling I failed to finish last week.

Best wishes to the TFP community.

Spillmar - Your backyard just keeps getting better and better. Keep the pics coming.

Thanks Flippy.

Well the swim up counter is in. Not the best fit in the world. Should have done a poured in place but any gaps can be filled in with some colored cement or ledger stone. It was a little difficult convincing my friends to carry the 1200 lb counter into the pool. As a good friend I at least heated the pool for two days. Afraid to see the bill

The five fiber optic cables carrying the fiber attached to glass embedded in the counter was passed through a hole in the raised bar splash wall. I was very pleased with myself because I chiseled a perfect square hole from one side to the other, only knocking out four tiles tiles in a perfect square. I guess I am ready for Alcatraz.

Btw it's true, even a slab of concrete is easier to carry in water and shrinkage is a scientific fact.

About when will you be done with this project? Where making flight reservations and I kind of need a completion date? Seriously this has turned into a EPIC thread! You should be really proud of yourselves when this all done!!

Hey spillmar, I hate to add another project for you but you could add solar and that would keep your bill to a minium. We officially went swimming yesterday, celebration of St Patrick's day and the pool temp was 91 degrees using solar

Now that's wrong!

Thanks Guys.

Hey Brentr, what is the solar setup you have?
I am afraid my gas bill is going to be about $400.

Spillmar - you should also consider a solar blanket, or in your case a set of covers to retain the neat you generate.

Hey Spillmar, I have Aquatherm Ecosun Solar panels and they work great. I also have a bubble solar blanket that I keep over the pool. Look my solar install in the sig bar.

Thanks Brentr.

Yesterday I got my first palm planted. I went with a triple Cuban royale. I placed it in a 8 foot circular planter we built between the paver path and the volley ball court. It looks much better as the area looked quite barren with so much rock. We also added some flowering plants giving the area a bit of color.

After two months we are still finishing the courtyard. The paver circles look great but they are so hard to build around. So many cuts ! Anyway, at the end of the day it is surely worth it.

I also worked on the grill area today and pulled more speaker wire.

Over the last few weeks in between travels to Asia and Middle East, I was able to finish the sunken grill area. I also finished setting in all of the stainless steel cabinets and running all speaker wires between the grill area where the stereo and amps are stored and the 8 Bose 51 speakers around the pool and sport court.

In addition I hooked up an additional fiber illuminator to feed light by fiber optic to the swim up counter and the golf holes of the putting green. I also built a shower structure comprised of column block which I will cover with glass tile that matches that used in the pool.

Lastly, I connected the remote controllable burners I purchased from a Vegas casino. For the fire bowls, I went ahead and ordered hand poured concrete fire bowls which will be delivered Tuesday.

I really feel like I've done some pretty neat things on my pool and haven't yet posted any new additions, but every time I read this thread (and I do get excited when I see an update), I feel like your pool construction is on double steroids. I too am adding a putting green to my area. I will start a new thread shortly to show some of my updates too...

Thanks XSAOI, for the complement.

I finally lit my fire bowls today and can operate them through my remote. They look awesome. Anyone may PM me if interested in any of the extra remote control Grand Effects burners I have. They have custom gas burner rings that give a large high flame.

Unfortunately, after showing-off my ability to remotely light the bowls to the neighbor (too many times), I thnk I blew the plug in transformer. I guess it was faulty or something. I had wired it through one of the intellitouch relays on the low side. I think I need to put it on the high side and most likely use a hard wired transformer with more juice a bit more rugged. So I have yet to see it lit at night.

We received today by mail our custom volleyball net. I built steel post supports with a ratchet set up which makes sure the net is nice and taut. Also the net can be moved to several positions for badmitton, tennis, etc.

Lastly we finished the shower today. The glass tile gives it a clean modern look. I'll try to post pictures soon.

Here are a few pics.


Update to my prior post - I fixed the electrical connection to the firebowls. I did not have the proper 24V transformer. I bought a more rugged transformer after reading some info on line. I then hesitantly rewired everthing (not too experienced with electrical wiring and with a healty fear of electrocution), so that the high-side (120V) to the transformer ran throguht the relay. It works like a charm now - BTW having fire on demand is definitely underrated. I felt like Tom Hanks on the beach in Castaway when the bowls lit up. "I have FIRE, spaulding !!!"

The fire bowls shown are located on columns flanking the raised spa/patio. They are one-piece poured concrete bowls using a darker shade of the same color additive used in the coping, The design was chosen because it has a matching bullnose to the coping. The bowls dimensions are 36" at their widest point with a 12" pedestal. I had the manufacturer put a 4" center hole for drainage and to access the gas pipe and power feed which were cented on each column. I used Grand Effects commercial fire bowl inserts which have a custom burner ring that provides a 1.5 ft x 2 ft flame. At night it looks really inspiring and a little eerie actually.

Here is a picture of the finished swim up bar. I went with a dark blue 1" square iridescent glass tile on the splash wall. I will be hooking up the fiber optic cables connected to the embedded broken glass in the countertop which will light them up at night this week. I am hoping it came out correctly. In the background you can see the putting green. Thanks.

Here is a picture of the completed artificial grass volleyball court. It is not true "regulation" size being off a couple feet in each direction; but that to me in a plus for those of us who are not as fast or quick as we were when we were younger.

For the adjustable netting, I created a ratchet system that allows it to be lowered to men and women's VB net height, badmitton and short tennis. It also has a quick release to take it down without much hassle.

If you're wondering, the piece of turf to the side of the court is for my pitch and putt to the putting green you can see in the background. If I am lucky, my short game will not be too bad come this time next year. Best regards.

Rounding up this update is the golf putting green. I added a small sand trap and some fringe to help me practice my short game. I bought my girls a putter and we all go out now and hit some balls. It really is a good time to talk and catch up on their day - very much worth it.

BTW - on the left in the picture is one of my Fiberstar illuminators. As I indicated previously, I will be pulling fiber optic lines through conduit that runs from the illuminator under the green and to each golf hole. I intend to light up the holes for nightime play. If I can find some nice clear acrylic flag poles the light from the fiber optic should run up the poles. If all works out it should look pretty cool. All the best.

Oh, I almost forgot, the side courtyard is almost done.

I have about 2 - 3 days more of paver work and then we start landscaping the hill behing the retaining wall. The delay on the courtyard has been mostly due to equipment failure and also boredom. After weeks and weeks, laying down pavers gets boring, almost torturing. Cutting hundreds of thick pavers, I have gone through two saws.

Here is a picture of the courtyard so far.