Build progress

[lbridges]

So, the PB is digging in the back yard now. They hit ground water at about 5 feet. I'm being asked how important is it to me to keep to the 6 ft depth in the contract (which means digging to 7 or 8 ft?). The contract does contain a provision for additional cost if the well point effort has to go on for over a certain time period so I'm sensitive as is he to blowing the budget (times are tough everywhere).

Any and all advice appreciated.

edited for title change to reflect I thought I'd stick to one thread.

 

[geekgranny]

Re: Just getting started - pool depth question

Is six feet your "deep" end? In my opinion..... having dived into a not deep enough area of a pool as a kid, and cracking my front teeth, six feet is not deep enough for any diving but deep enough that some people will want to do some dives no matter how well you try to enforce "no diving". I would either have it more shallow or much deeper than six feet in the deep area. So you might seriously consider making it shallower and nip the problem in the bud. Plenty of people have "play pool" depths and are just as happy with them as one with diving well. My pool was constructed primarily as a diving pool. There is very little shallow end; almost too little for younger kids to play in without getting over their heads pretty quickly at the slope down to deep end. I'm between 5' 7"-8" (depending on the day and who measures), a life long "fish", and I sometimes startle myself when I put my feet down and expect to touch the bottom.

gg=alice

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Re: Just getting started - pool depth question

Either way, you need well point/drywell. Water tables rise and fall.

Scott

 

[lbridges]

Re: Just getting started - pool depth question

Thanks for the reply folks. I spoke with a couple of guys on the crew and they don't see an issue other than it will be a wet and messy job (which they were expecting yesterday when they showed up to pull off the sod and mark the layout. I guess the company owner was trying to establish a contingency plan if things got worse.

Going for a diving depth of 10' just isn't practical (although my parents pool in the mid-west was at that depth). My house survey shows the first floor of the house at 8.57' above sea level, and I live on a barrier island type isthmus only 4 blocks wide.

And yes a PVC well point line will be in a valve box on the far side of the deck for future use (replaster/repair, etc.).

 

[lbridges]

Re: Just getting started - pool depth question

Short follow up. They did make depth. Dumped in 11 yards of gravel covering the whole bottom, 4 of those in the deep end to help with a basin for the well points. They are leaving two well-point lines, but only one is currently hooked up and is able to keep ahead of the ground water influx.

I'm happy the depth was reached since I don't have to try and mediate something between the family and the contractor.

Now I'm just making my neighbors hate me - flooding the street for the next week or so while they keep the ground water pump running. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is forming day, Thursday is rebar and the underpool plumbing (two drains, three floor returns, skimmer), then hopefully a city inspection on Friday. Then, assuming inspection goes well, shotcrete next week followed by the usual suspects.

 

[Brentr]

Re: Just getting started

Please post some pics We all love pics

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Re: Just getting started

Lee, I am glad they are doing it the right way. You might want to consider running the deep end point to the pump suction and be able to valve off. Then you can dump the water underneath when needed to waste rather than having another pump for the occasional use it will get. I find it convenient as a tech, in situations such as your. You will too.

Scott

 

[lbridges]

Re: Just getting started

...You might want to consider running the deep end point to the pump suction and be able to valve off...

Thanks for the input, I will ask. Could you hazard a guess as to it's worth (it will be about 65' to the equipment pad)?

I ask because I think I may have already used up all my freebie tokens.

 

[lbridges]

Re: Just getting started

Please post some pics ...

This will be my first attempt at posting a pic on this forum, so it may take a couple of tries.

Not much to offer since they dug the hole and shortly thereafter we started getting rain. The image is of the hole with the outer portion for forming in place. Steel was to have gone in today and city inspection tomorrow, but with the lightning and tornado warnings I was willing to cut the work crew some slack.

Edit: Pipes at far end are drain, vent and wellpoint/deadman lines. Single pipe on the right side is for the floor returns - they will be commercial, flush surface type, not the cleaner pop ups. Plastic is to keep run-off from the house collapsing the sand wall next to the house into the new hole. Still to go are the other through the wall sorts of plumbing, e.g. skimmer and light niches, then inspection, shotcrete, inspection, plumbing, inspection, electrical, inspection, etc. My town is very good at making sure we get full value for their permitting fees .

 

[lbridges]

Re: Just getting started

Shotcrete went it today - forms out tomorrow or next depending.

 

[lbridges]

Outer forms removed. Pump lowering ground water off. This is the natural ground water level.

Check for 50% delivered to PB. They used to ask for 10% up front, and 40% after the tank was shot. However, they found they were misusing the 10% money and so they shifted it into after the shell to make sure the money was more closely tied to the work.

 

[Butterfly]

Things seem to be progressing along very nicely!

Nice job with the pics - keep 'em coming :-D

 

[lbridges]

Things have slowed somewhat so I haven't been posting, but they came out and back-filled around the shell with the excavated sand. They have made three trips out here with a compactor and we have gone through a couple of strong rain storms, so I'm happy with that process.

Waterline tile went in today, hopefully plumbing will get done this week.

 

[Brentr]

You will be swimming soon.

 

[n8huntsman]

Not an expert but I really don't think you want to tie the deck to the shell with that rebar that you have bent over. The shell will not move but the deck will. Don't try to stop it or you will get cracks. Can anyone second that?

 

[lbridges]

Not an expert but I really don't think you want to tie the deck to the shell with that rebar that you have bent over. The shell will not move but the deck will. Don't try to stop it or you will get cracks. Can anyone second that?

To be honest, I haven't asked what they intend to do with the rebar. As it is, its only every second or third course of bar is visible anyway; the others terminated just below the top of the shell. Some are several feet long, some maybe only a foot; even then some have been cut even with the top of the wall. Then as if they are deliberately trying to confuse me, tile guys came back out today to grout the waterline tile and straightened them all back up. I'm wondering (and need to ask) if this is just for the coping.

 

[Guest]

Not an expert but I really don't think you want to tie the deck to the shell with that rebar that you have bent over. The shell will not move but the deck will. Don't try to stop it or you will get cracks. Can anyone second that?

I'll second it! I would also suggest that they do not do a single pour cantilever deck either, if that is what you are using for coping. Have them pour the coping first, install the expansion foam (do not let them nail it to the pool!) and then pour the deck. Two different rates of expansion and contraction, so you want them independent.

Is that really shotcrete? It looks like dry gun to me. The work looks great, no matter what it is!

 

[lbridges]

I'll second it! I would also suggest that they do not do a single pour cantilever deck either, if that is what you are using for coping. Have them pour the coping first, install the expansion foam (do not let them nail it to the pool!) and then pour the deck. Two different rates of expansion and contraction, so you want them independent.

Is that really shotcrete? It looks like dry gun to me. The work looks great, no matter what it is!

I will address the deck/shell concerns with one of the company owners (three guys, two of which are construction foremen too).

Yes, its shotcrete. Thanks much for your reinforcing opinion of the work I think these guys do. They have been a top 50 builder in the past, and what with the downturn in Florida - best crews and all that.

 

[lbridges]

In terms of build progress I should relate that the pool plumbing has been accomplished.

Unfortunately I was at work so all I have is a pic of some pipes sticking up out of the ground at the "to be" equipment pad location - with pressure gauges on them to show they're holding pressure. That seems like too boring to post stuff so I'll wait until the next step - which I believe is a deck and equipment pad pour. FYI we're going with an acrylic knock-down type texture on the decking.

In the deck area we left open a geometric shaped area for a rock garden or other such feature (wife hasn't committed yet). Although I failed to have the foresight to put it in the contract (or even to think of it), the plumbing guys ran extra PVC for potential irrigation use and a conduit line in case we would want some lighting in the spot. Rather nice (& thoughtful) of them I think.

 

[Brentr]

Lbridges, are you planning in putting a screen enclosure? If so make sure that you plan for as many outlets as possible, include for future summer kitchen and plumbing for water and sink drainage, you may want to tie water outlets to your sprinkler system as I have a separate meter for recreational use.