Pool Build - California Dreaming - 3 Years Closer

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Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Well it's now been 6 months since we first excavated. I was able to secure a permit extension without too much trouble even though I filed for extension past the initial permit's expiration. I guess the folks at Riverside Cty land management and building safety are not all that bad after all.

Our plan remains to finish by end of April and as long as I can keep all the balls of life in the air we should get there. Unfortunately I will be traveling overseas on business over the next two weeks so I am afraid not much will be done until end of month.

Next up will be the coping and retaining wall and then the paved deck and side courtyard.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Hello. Looks like you've been extremely busy with your build. I also live in Riverside. I am getting ready to start pool construction in April. I am going the owner builder route too. I look forward to reading more about your experience.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Hello Spillmar,

I was finally able to read all 9 pages of the progress. The pool looks amazing. My wife gives me a hard time about over analyzing just about everything we buy that. I think if I tried to build our pool, she would have a nervous breakdown.

My guys shot the Gunite today on our project. I hope to get out to look at some materials this weekend or next week. We are going with a Poured Cantilevered Concrete Coping with areas of colored concrete and pavers around the pool and firepit.

Does the stone supplier in Anaheim have a showroom or yard that is open to the public?
Where did you get the Belgard Pavers?

simicrintz,
Other than the problem with water behind the glass (and the thinset color), do you see any problems with Glass Tile (or other 1" tile) at the water line? We installed glass mozaic in a Kitchen backsplash, holy cow that is a LOT of grout. Do you find problems with the amount of grout or number of lines? With either maintenance or performance over time.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Nightmare said:
simicrintz,
Other than the problem with water behind the glass (and the thinset color), do you see any problems with Glass Tile (or other 1" tile) at the water line? We installed glass mozaic in a Kitchen backsplash, holy cow that is a LOT of grout. Do you find problems with the amount of grout or number of lines? With either maintenance or performance over time.
Click to expand...

No problem if you use quality (and made for swimming pools) glass tile. Take a look at Oceanside Glasstile ot LightStreams; beautiful stuff and made for pools. Just make sure that your installer is qualified to install this and understands the product and secrets to make it right. Definitely not a job for someone who is just starting or has no prior experience :shock:

Here's a link for a great precast outfit also: www.pacificstone.net Great quality product, made in Santa Ana. Brad Sterling is the rep, so see if you can talk directly to him.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Now that I have returned from business trips overseas (glad to be back - btw no money in the world would make me want to live in the Middle East), we are starting back up this weekend with the retaining walls around the pool/raised spa.
I also plan to install the sump pump basin and drains for the sunken patio behind the swim up bar as well as dig the footers for the columns outside the pool which will hold up the cantilevered roof over the swim up bar.

It now looks like the coping will be pushed out until February, after which we will install the paver deck and then on to the stone work on the raised bond beam and the columns.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

I am so impressed with your project. I can't wait to see it finished. It is incredible what you have accomplished so far and great to see how you have gotten a lot of valuable help from this forum.

One question - did you already buy the IC40 cell? If not you may want to consider the IC60 cell since your pool is rather large.

Otherwise all your choices seem great to my (untrained) eye.... :)
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Thanks so much for the complements Friendswood.
I worked this weekend on the raised spa area. I dug a 1' x 1' x 50 ft trench for the retaining wall and set a concrete footer with #4 rebar then put block stacked two high with #4 rebar on the bond beam tied to foundation with #3 rebar every 32". I then filled the rebar cavities with concrete. It should not move at all.

BTW I was wondering if anyone thinks it would be best to finish the edge of the raised spa area with pavers/wall caps or pour an edge around the raised spa with the same poured coping as the pool bond beam. I think economically it may be chearper to pour since I can do it at the same time as the pool coping. Of course, either way the edge will have good separation from the pool so the two structures can move independently.

See some pictures below of my try at some masonry work.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Here is a picture of the raised spa area. My next project is to add steps/landings of 10' x 3.5' at a height of 6'' and 12" on each side creating two nice landings going up on each side of the spa area. The area toward the wall of the property will be an area for seating and a firepit tied into the pool controls which will provide warmth around the spa and a nice focal area for socializing.

I am thinking of adding a four foot planter behind the raised spa area which can hold some vertical tropical plants to provide some privacy. Let me know your thoughts, thanks.
 

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Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Looking great :goodjob: :goodjob:

I'd pour the spa coping the same as the pool. It will be cheaper since they are already there, and it will tie in to the rest of the pool without looking like you ran out of material :shock:

Make sure you have plenty of water and drainage if you plant! Even "safe" plants can come through pool walls!
 

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Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Thanks Simi. Good to see you're following my thread. Good advice as always.

As to plants; none near pool. The planter wall I am considering is at the outside of the raised spa against the wall of the property; nowhere near the pool. I have heard too many stories to not put plants along pool perimeter. Your picture being a perfect illustrative example.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

I'm only following the thread in hopes of being invited to the party :party: :whoot: :cheers:

Okay, just kidding! That is a very aggressive build, and you are doing a great job. It will be a beautiful end product, and I love following along with you. You are doing a great job of chronicling the build, and making us all jealous :goodjob:
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Thanks Simi. You are on the list. :cheers:

I am working on some quotes for the coping. Doing the math it will be cheaper to pour the outer edge of the raised spa then to put caps and steps as originally planned. Also it will be easier to set equal elevation of the outer band with the pool coping so that the paver deck is installed flush and level.

I will be tackling the 300ft wire pull this weekend and the retaining wall of the sunken patio behind the swimup bar. Getting my exercise...
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

What an awesome thread. I really enjoyed reading it from start to finish today. A good friends of mine have a swim up bar in their pool and they really enjoy it. We have spent countless hours in and out of the water around it. Please keep the updates coming as I enjoy seeing the build. Thanks
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Thanks Flippy. I hope it compels readers to pursue their owner build project or at least know that managing your own pool construction is a viable option (not for the weak at heart though). I hope you don't mind my almost OCD obsession with micro-managing every step and reviweing all options. The good thing the TFP community has good sports who do not mind bearing with newbie questions. Best regards.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

Most think that they can't do it based off of time. I think back and KNOW that if I had done an owner build, I would have probably had to take a bunch of time off from work, but resultantly would have saved much more time and headaches. Being integrally involved with the construction makes the construction much more done right.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

XSAOIT - I generally agree with your point. I think alot of it also has to do with one's personality. There are many who opt to let other's who they believe know best to handle things and there are those like me that besides liking the challenge, foolishly think can try their hand at anything.

Either way, I am saving significant monies doing it this way; but of course I have taken on alot more distractions as you stated. The overriding factor at the end of the day is that I could not afford the pool design and features I really wanted any other way.

Thanks for your input.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

This weekend I advanced quite a bit. I also brought in the grader/excavator again who dug out the retaining wall trench, the footers for the exterior columns, the sewer feed line from the pool house pad and the footings for the sunken patio walls behind the swim up bar.
 
Re: Pool Build - California Dreaming

I will try to post some pictures tomorrow of the work over the last two days. We drove about 400 wooden stakes in the ground and attached about 700 ft of bender board which comprise the forms for the coping. Doing this ourselves will save us about $600 and gives me some much needed exercise.

As to the coping, I decided to pour two bands of coping since the price is actually a wash compared to concrete paver borders. One of these "coping bands" will rest on the bond beam with a 1.5 to 2 inch cantilever edge over the water. I have not decided on the design, but it will most likely be a bullnose with some decorative ogee underneath.

The other "coping band" will be on the outside of the paver patio. You can see a picture of what I mean to do earlier in a post deated 5/9 on this thread. The outer band is meant to aestetically tie in with the bond beam coping and serve as a curb to frame/hold the pavers in place. Both will be a peach color with no pattern or stamping so it matches up well with the Belgard pavers we are employing for the deck. I considered acid washing the coping to expose some sand for texture, however, someone told me if you do your wife will definitely ruin her designer bathing suit and then will harangue you into buying replacements.

BTW - I am now looking for a good cheap source for concrete foam forms. This will be attached to the inside of the bond beam of the pool and form the cantilevered edging. Any suggestions from our pool professional friends in SoCal where I can purchase these?
 

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