So happy to have found this site!
I'm a former pool owner who moved his family away from their perfect pool in 2005 and have not heard the end of it. My wife made moving conditional on a new pool within 5 years, and I'm finally making good on my promise.
After a few modestly frustrating meetings with local builders, we decided to strike out on our own and owner build our own design. We started out with a 800 sq ft IGP w/8' round spa and 600 sq ft of decking...but by he time we broke ground in fall of 2008 we had a 1000 sq ft pool and 10' spa and 1000 sq ft of deck, plus a 450 sq ft patio. We had no idea how to budget, so we just took a stab at one and hoped for the best...in hindsight not the greatest way to do it, but in the long run I think we'll look back with no regrets.
We opted to hire a guy to help with layout and consult...and his knowledge of elevations, code and the names of the best subcons was very valuable. He did go ahead and set some stuff up for us that we eventually realized were not the best way to do things (spa is plumbed with drains feeding therapy jets with no seperate filter circuit and jets are too low, no floor returns on the pool), but this was the risk we knew we'd be taking on. As the project progressed and we had caught up on our research, we started putting him in the backseat. As a matter of fact, I've already started helping others build their own pools as a side job. Maybe someday I can drop the desk job and get out and get dirty full time...
So, now 7 months into the project, we are awaiting our final shipment of equipment from California, a good week of plumbing, electrical, testing, patio completion and finally plaster. We're a little scared, but we think we did pretty well for beginners. Our 'budget' is totally blown, tho.
Here is our spec:
Some pics...
...just before getting decking...
...and post decking, still wet! The triple casement window over the 14'x31' patio area is coming out and being replaced by french doors coming out onto bonded cut flagstone and covered by a 14'x18' awning (as long as we still have a dime left after all is said and done...we already had to hold off on the bar/cook station).
I look forward to participating here in the coming years...hopefully as a helper rather than a helpee. Thanks!
I'm a former pool owner who moved his family away from their perfect pool in 2005 and have not heard the end of it. My wife made moving conditional on a new pool within 5 years, and I'm finally making good on my promise.
After a few modestly frustrating meetings with local builders, we decided to strike out on our own and owner build our own design. We started out with a 800 sq ft IGP w/8' round spa and 600 sq ft of decking...but by he time we broke ground in fall of 2008 we had a 1000 sq ft pool and 10' spa and 1000 sq ft of deck, plus a 450 sq ft patio. We had no idea how to budget, so we just took a stab at one and hoped for the best...in hindsight not the greatest way to do it, but in the long run I think we'll look back with no regrets.
We opted to hire a guy to help with layout and consult...and his knowledge of elevations, code and the names of the best subcons was very valuable. He did go ahead and set some stuff up for us that we eventually realized were not the best way to do things (spa is plumbed with drains feeding therapy jets with no seperate filter circuit and jets are too low, no floor returns on the pool), but this was the risk we knew we'd be taking on. As the project progressed and we had caught up on our research, we started putting him in the backseat. As a matter of fact, I've already started helping others build their own pools as a side job. Maybe someday I can drop the desk job and get out and get dirty full time...
So, now 7 months into the project, we are awaiting our final shipment of equipment from California, a good week of plumbing, electrical, testing, patio completion and finally plaster. We're a little scared, but we think we did pretty well for beginners. Our 'budget' is totally blown, tho.
Here is our spec:
- 1000 sq ft IGP and 10' spa w/ Oyster Quartz DB interior and 1000 sq ft of brushed, cantilevered deck[/*:m:4krpcglq]
- Jandy ePump feeding DEV60 filter and LXi 400k NG heater controlled by PS8[/*:m:4krpcglq]
- Jandy WaterColors spa and pool lighting[/*:m:4krpcglq]
- Hoping to use a Liquidator if I can find out how to get one shipped to me[/*:m:4krpcglq]
Some pics...
...just before getting decking...
...and post decking, still wet! The triple casement window over the 14'x31' patio area is coming out and being replaced by french doors coming out onto bonded cut flagstone and covered by a 14'x18' awning (as long as we still have a dime left after all is said and done...we already had to hold off on the bar/cook station).
I look forward to participating here in the coming years...hopefully as a helper rather than a helpee. Thanks!
I love it! Let me know when it'd done, I'm coming over! 
