Feedback Wanted - New pool build (plans attached)

[ctfortner]

Hello all, new here. I am sure I will be here many more times as this goes.

First, this is kind of a DIY build, however I am doing doing any of it, but subbing it out. I am lucky enough to be related to a pool kit company owner, so everything I will get will be at their cost.

I have found "the man" around these parts to build the pool. He does the excavation, and everything after all the way to filling with water. Through my months of research and prodding, he is the one that builds about 75% of the pools around here for pool companies. Even the pool companies have told me, he is the best around, period. So I feel good with all that.

I then can use his recommended concrete guy and electrician, or provide my own. I have a good friend in commercial concrete who set me up with a pool concrete guy, and that will save me a ton to, as I will have around 1300 sq ft of deck. He told me he would do it "for me" at $4.25/ft for stained and scored. Talking to other PB's they know him to, and said he is one of the best and does a lot of theirs to.

I have had 5 PB's give me a turnkey quote, and should save $7-$10K roughly doing it this way based on their quotes.

I am building a True L, with the size of 18x34x42 (plan below). The reason for the L is mainly because I want a diving pool AND the ability to have a volleyball court, and because we simply have the room to do it. We will also be building a 22x22 ish pavillion that will one day house and outdoor kitchen area and bathroom.

So, here is my plan. Please tell me anything and everything you like, dont like, would do or wouldnt do. This will be my first pool, and I have researched till I am blue, but still want any advice from those who know. This is my list of goods

bullnose coping (although I hate it, I am nervous of cantilever and pavers cost to much)
8' step shallow end
6' step shallow end
8' swimout deep end with jets
stainless ladder deep end
(Debating b/w) Hayward tristar and Jandy Stealth 1.5hp pump
(Debating b/w) Jandy DE and a Hayward 30" sand filter
(Salt system debating b/w) Jandy aquapure EI and hayward aquarite plus
3 skimmers, 2 drains, 3 returns
polaris 280 w/ booster
2 LED color logic 4.0 lights
8' INTER-FAB TECHNI-SPRING board and stand
2 umbrella anchors for deck
volleyball kit with anchors
basketball kit with anchors
4 Jandy Deck Jets

How do things sound here? Do you have any recommendations on the debated parts above, or any other comments on things? I know there HAS to be some things "I wish I had thought of" and want to plan for them.

 

[Richard320]

All I can say is check the prevailing winds and put a skimmer at the extreme downwind spot. Mine was paced for shortest pipe run, and everything just blows on past. Even aiming the returns a certain way doesn't help until the winds die down.

 

[ctfortner]

Good tip. The guy building the pool discussed that with me to, and said the way our winds are we need to here, 1 here and returns here, etc.. He seemed to know, so hopefully he is right.

 

[JasonLion]

I like Hayward better than Jandy. The AquaRite gets better reviews, and the TriStar is more energy efficient. DE vs sand is more of a personal preference, both filters are good filters. DE is significantly more work and gives you slightly better water clarity.

Definitely go with a two speed pump. You will save a significant amount of money on electricity in the long run.

If you are very serious about diving it is good to have a larger deep end. With your current configuration, you have to be aware of the slope and think about not running into it. It just ends up feeling constrained if you do a lot of diving unless there is a larger 8' deep area. For occasional diving that is just fine.

 

[ctfortner]

Thanks Jason. Definitely no serious diving here, mainly just for the kids, they love the diving board (for jumping more than diving), so I just wanted to have a deep end for that.

My builder said Hayward also, so I think I will go with that. I asked him single or 2 speed pump, he said single speed. I dont recall if he elaborated or not on why. I have been trying to read up on it, and still cant decide what is best for my configuration. What is it about mine that will make a two speed better, so I can understand?

Sounds good on the hayward brand, it appears it will save me a little $$ going with hayward equip also.

 

[JasonLion]

For the main pool pump a two speed is always better than a single speed, and if your electric rates are high enough a variable speed is better still. Low speed is just fine for circulating the water and draws dramatically less electricity. You only need high speed for priming the pump, backwashing the filter, coating the grids with DE, and running the deck jets. The rest of the time you can save money by running on a lower speed.

For a typical two speed pump, low speed moves half as much water, and only draws one quarter as much electricity. You have to run the pump twice as long, but still save 50% of your electric bill. Low speed also helps the filter be more efficient and capture finer particles than it would on high speed.

 

[jasonknox]

If you are talking about not liking aluminum coping Stegmeier has a neat selection of coping forms for poured concrete.

 

[ctfortner]

Ok sounds reasonable. Interestingly enough out of the 4 quotes I have on this exact pool, all have listed a 1.5HP single speed pump, most being the Sta-rite. And they all know and quoted there being 4 deck jets and possibly 2-3 "fan sprays" or aerators, whatever they are called. Well, at least none of them mentioned 2 speed, so I assume they are single speed anyway.

Speaking of deck jets, whats the "best way to do these? Should I have each one on their own line with their own on/off valve? Or is this a lot more plumbing work/cost and not worth it? Still learning about all these features and wonder what everyone else does.

Oh, and on the coping. Yes I dont care much for the aluminum coping after seeing what cantilever concrete, bricks, stone etc can look like. I have seen the stegmeier selection and they look good, just from talking to some others it has to be perfect, a lot of labor, and some say over time it cracks, chips, flakes etc.. Then some others (while some disagree) say the salt water is hard on the concrete lip. Scared me away. But I LOVE the cantilever concrete look! So who normally would install the cantilever forms, the PB or the concrete folks? I will ask them to but figured yall knew. The concrete guy is supposed to come by today and I will ask him about it to.

 

[JasonLion]

For the deck jets you normally have a single high quality valve at the equipment pad to turn them on and off and then each jet has a cheap ball valve that you adjust once to get them to all spray to the same height. Depending on the distances involved those individual ball valves might be at the equipment pad or somewhere closer to the jets.

 

[bk406]

With 3 skimmers, i'd look into doing more than 2 returns, especially with an L pool. I dont think you will get good circualtion, or maximize the skimmer action with only 2 returns. I'd do 4 if it were me.
Another vote on the canilever coping. The concrete guys do it. Those Steg forms work really well. Just pour the coping and the deck in 2 separate pours. That way if the ground moves a little under the deck, it wont crack the coping since you have a true "all the way to ground" expansion joint.

 

[mx702]

The best piece of advice that I could offer other than the 2 -speed pump(you don't even have to think about that one) is upgrade to steel stairs and swimout. IMO, and no offense to anyone that has them, but to me the drop-in/plastic stairs look disjointed and...ummm...economical. With the liner over the steel I think it gives the pool a flowing and seamless look.

This:

or that:

 

[bk406]

With the liner over the steel I think it gives the pool a flowing and seamless and look.

+1 there.

 

[ctfortner]

I do think the liner over looks good. I have to admit it looks better, but I also really like not losing the space in the shallow end by using the drop-ins. I did have the thought, if we went cantilever or brick coping, you can get the steps/swimout in a blue color and maybe it wont look "as" bad as the HERE I AM white steps .

 

[mx702]

I do think the liner over looks good. I have to admit it looks better, but I also really like not losing the space in the shallow end by using the drop-ins.

You won't lose any space by going with steel. The 8' stairs bolt right on to the wall panels.

 

[ctfortner]

ahh, ok i see now. Do you have this? I did talk to some PB's about doing that, some said yea, some didnt like it saying it would be the first place to wrinkle and its slippery. Maybe they just didnt want to do it, I dunno. Just to many decisions, I didnt think it would be so hard to figure all this out.

 

[bk406]

some didnt like it saying it would be the first place to wrinkle and its slippery.

My liner over steel stairs has a slight bit of texture to it so it's not slippery at all. No wrinkles either.

 

[mx702]

ahh, ok i see now. Do you have this? I did talk to some PB's about doing that, some said yea, some didnt like it saying it would be the first place to wrinkle and its slippery. Maybe they just didnt want to do it, I dunno. Just to many decisions, I didnt think it would be so hard to figure all this out.

Yes, I have the full-end stairs. I too, was majorly concerned about wrinkles. Believe me when I tell you---I was all over that. PB assured me repeatedly there would be none. Sure enough, after fill-up....smooth as a baby's bottom. Perfect. :-D

 

[aust1648]

Best option I have in my pool is the variable speed pump. Love it and worth the extra money IMHO. Also, agree on the extra returns and such. I shorted myself just a bit on ours and regret it a bit.

 

[RobbieH]

All I can say is check the prevailing winds and put a skimmer at the extreme downwind spot. Mine was paced for shortest pipe run, and everything just blows on past. Even aiming the returns a certain way doesn't help until the winds die down.

Mine has the same problem! All the floating junk gets balled up in one corner, opposite of where the skimmer is.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

A few things:
- Why are you nervous about cantilever coping? I haven't heard anything about it being unreliable.
- I wouldn't get a Polaris and booster; I would either get a pressure cleaner that doesn't require a booster (Polaris 360 or The Pool Cleaner, for example) or a robot. They're just more efficient. With a really big pool like yours I'd recommend a robot.
- Get more umbrella anchors! Try and think of sun positions at the times when you'll be swimming, where you want shade, etc. They're cheap enough that too many is better than too few.