Pool Under Construction (Random pipes above ground)

[phil29]

TFP,

Hey, this is my first post, so hello and thank you for taking the time to help us common pool folk . As the topic says, my pool is under construction and its been a nightmare (there may be a follow up post explaining why, but I'll keep this one to the point). Our builder has put tons of pipes in loops running out of the ground in very unsightly places in our backyard, and I was wondering if this is common practice, or if this is gross incompetence? There's an above average chance that I'm just plain ignorant, but I'd like to know for sure.

If anyone has seen this before and can offer a technical explanation I'd love to hear from you. I'd ask our builder but... its been a nightmare and I wouldn't trust his answer even if it were the truth. I have a PV3 in floor cleaner, and the rest of my equipment is in my signature.



Thank you in advance for you help!
Phillip

 

[will]

Hello- I have a paramount pcc2000 infloor system and our plumbing looks a lot different than that- not sure why it's so high and that is very close to your pool. We have 2 modules and 2 valves and everything is ground level with valves actually incased and below ground level.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello Phillip and welcome to TFP. Sorry it has to be under these circumstances. I must admit, I'm a bit confused as well as everything appears to be glued. In addition, unless I'm just not seeing it clearly, the first pic seems to show an elbow or two (near the check valve) that are for indoor plumbing applications, and not your standard type 40 PVC rated elbows. I hope I'm wrong, but my screen is a little fuzzy so it's hard to tell for sure. It's inevitable that pipes will be routed to and above the ground a bit at the equipment pad, but I'm not getting the logic of this set-up. I'm sure others will reply shortly with some thoughts as well. Hang in there Phillip. We'll try to give you something to go on. Nice to have you with us.

Benefit of the doubt here .... maybe, just maybe ... some of that stuff is temp-routed for pressure testing?

 

[phil29]

I hope I'm wrong, but my screen is a little fuzzy so it's hard to tell for sure. [...] Benefit of the doubt here .... maybe, just maybe ... some of that stuff is temp-routed for pressure testing?

You two are awesome, thanks for the incredibly quick replies, and I appreciate the support. I have taken a few more close up pictures that will hopefully offer a better view of the setup. I don't have much more room to attach pictures to this post so I uploaded them to my Google Drive, here's a link to the folder so you guys can see them: Pool pictures. One of the pictures shows some piping laying on the ground, and I am assuming this is the piping they are using. The pictures gives the pipe's specs.

As for pressure testing, I hope that's the reason they are protruding so much, but it was my understanding that they already completed all their pressure tests. I will call them tomorrow and see what their explanation is and then bounce it off the forums.

-Phillip

 

[txnole]

If you have voters with this builder, it may not be the worst idea to have a pool inspector cone out and check the work / workmanship. There are a lot of ways to cut corners and many / most are not terribly obvious to the untrained eye.

 

[gwegan]

Where are you in California?

It appears that your pool builder has installed your pool plumbing and set it up for pressure testing. It should have been this way since before the pre gunite inspection. Is that correct?

Somewhere In your backyard there should be a folder with your building permit. There should be a permit set of plans in the folder stamped by an engineer. Those plans probably won't show pipes or pipe or conduit routing but they should show you where the equipment pad will be located. Is this the equipment pad location? Because that is what the pictures look like. And to me from what I see this is an unusual location for a equipment pad. In many cites and counties in California it would not be an approved location.

So can you post a copy of either the permit plan or the plan attached to your contract?

 

[phil29]

gwegan,

First, thanks for the reply. I'm in the Central Valley. My understanding is that we already had the pressure inspection. The contractor said that he was going to move the equipment pad after the pressure inspection, and he's since moved it--leading me to believe the inspection has already been completed. He never mentioned why it wasn't placed in the side yard from the start though, he just kept saying he'd move it after the inspection.

Just some points of clarification, the pictures in the OP are not the equipment pad, the pad itself is in a side yard of the home and I have a link to more pictures (including a picture of the pad) in a subsequent post.

In any event, most of those pipes have been there pre-gunite; however, the tallest pipe that you see in the OP was just added today, so I'm very confused why it was added a mere week before plastering, or why it sits 2 1/2 - 3ft above the ground. As for the stamped plans, I didn't see anything in the backyard and unfortunately, I don't have a copy myself. I will head over and grab one from the city tomorrow and post it up for you.

Further amplifying information, our contractor is insistent that we have a separate pump for the cleaning system and maybe even a 3rd for the play pool (that you can see in the OP), perhaps that is what those pipes are for? Although, again, I'd be confused as to why they couldn't be located at the main equipment pad?

Thanks,
Phillip

 

[phil29]

If you have voters with this builder, it may not be the worst idea to have a pool inspector cone out and check the work / workmanship. There are a lot of ways to cut corners and many / most are not terribly obvious to the untrained eye.

Its my firm belief that he's cut corners as often as he can get away with. For example, when the gunite was shot and it didn't cover parts of the rebar mesh in the play pool his solution was to just cut away the support mesh and then fill in the gaps (pockets if you will) with some rubbery epoxy, and then place our stone floor down on top of the rubber fill. I've had a city inspector over a few times on my own already. The contractor has done amazing things like grade all the concrete to drain the pool water and rain water directly into the foundation of my house. Real fun stuff like that. Seriously, any help I can get will either give me the peace of mind I need to sleep at night, or empower me go out and have things intelligently fixed. I think my next step is to have a rival pool company come over and take a look and tell me what they think.

-Phillip

 

[Meaty]

Its my firm belief that he's cut corners as often as he can get away with. For example, when the gunite was shot and it didn't cover parts of the rebar mesh in the play pool his solution was to just cut away the support mesh and then fill in the gaps (pockets if you will) with some rubbery epoxy, and then place our stone floor down on top of the rubber fill. I've had a city inspector over a few times on my own already. The contractor has done amazing things like grade all the concrete to drain the pool water and rain water directly into the foundation of my house. Real fun stuff like that. Seriously, any help I can get will either give me the peace of mind I need to sleep at night, or empower me go out and have things intelligently fixed. I think my next step is to have a rival pool company come over and take a look and tell me what they think.

-Phillip

i hope you have a draw schedule with this guy. Based on what you've described I'd be dropping him and getting someone new to finish the work

 

[Isaac-1]

One thing that has not been clearly state is that those swept elbow fittings are DWV drain pipe fittings and not pressure rated, the sockets where the glue goes is only half as deep as pressure fittings are, and will fail after time if used in pressure applications, someone used them on my pool and I have had 3 fail over the years under concrete costing over $1,000 each to repair. The sharper elbows on the fitting that is closer to ground level are the correct pressure type, so again perhaps the DWV fittings were just used for pressure testing and they plan to cut them out, although that still leaves the check valve well above ground level.

 

[will]

A separate pump for your infloor is recommended (our pool was installed by previous home owner and had 3 pumps) I re-plumped and went with a 3 hp VSP for everything and it works fine. Most I floors have 3 way valve at module so maybe those will be cut for 3 way

 

[kimkats]

The one thing that REALLY sticks out to me is this.........."He moved the equipment pad AFTER the inspection" That has all kinds of wrong on it. Now I could be wrong as I really do not know code and such but........it sure feels wrong!

Kim

 

[cowboycasey]

Those fitting are all kinds of wrong, they are NOT for pressure applications, they are used in sewer applications under no or very little "gravity" pressure. In no way would they pass inspection...

 

[gwegan]

They would pass inspection if it was just for a pressure test of the installed system. Kim's correct -- one of the few things you can;t do is move the equipment pad after the plans have been approved. Now maybe he moved it to the correct location. Most Cal cities have setback requirements of 3 to 5 feet from property lines. Difficult to tell whats happening here , Id like to see the plans.

 

[phil29]

I haven't forgotten about you guys yet, life has been crazy and there's more "excitement" in my pool build and I've had to table this issue and triage more important ones--like the fact that my builder plastered and filled the pool without installing the pumps or other equipment so I've just got stagnant water sitting in my freshly plastered pool with the pool company telling me they're going to do a traditional cure. Another thread to follow regarding this because I think I'm going to have to take over the curing process myself.