We have been researching for some time- interviewed several PB's ( I was amused at the crassness of some and pleased at the professionalism of others). Anyway came down to two we took head to head and are building :
Freeform In-ground gunite 101' Perimeter
517 Sq Ft Surface Area
32x25 Max L/W 6' deep
730 Travertine Pavers
A Tanning ledge with bubblers
2 benches
He is using a 2hp Hayward Tristar Filter Pump
2hp Hayward Tristar Waterfall pump
425ft Hayward Cartridge filter with some kind of inline chlorinator
400 BTU Heater (Gas)
17' )L) flagstone spillway 18" high with two stone columns at end plumbed for planters.
2 ton Moss rock boulders with 3 falls individually valved
Color LED lights Pool and Spa
7" round Spa with 6 jets, Blower Spa raised 12" above pool finished in flagstone
2 main drains, 2 skimmers, 6 returns with adjustable fittings
separate suction runs on individual valves
5 LED lights in travertine Pavers located around pool
Ozone System ( I didn't want this but wife insisted)
Color Pebble interior
Wireless Hayward control system
Polaris ATV vac
Whole yard will have pcv under landscaped areas and deck to add light or sprinkler lines later.
Price - $60k
He said the Hayward has a ipad type of interface and we would be able to use the iphone or ipad as is seen in the Pentair line... I cannot find this but he gave me a brochure that describes it- just I cant find it anywhere else.
Anyway- He had the best design that appealed to us. We were down to 2 PB's and one just kept hammering away at his original design, which we didn't care for- Very straight boxy. This guy also was confusing as one day he said flagstone was highest cost deck, the next day he said travertine was. Then he kept going back to his original square design which I repeatedly said we had little love for. Then he said freeform was most expensive design, then said the straight rectangular was.... Anyway he was $10k higher so I took the PB my wife liked the best.
I checked him out at the BBB, and D&B all looked good- ( Some $$ wasted I think in buying the D&B report) He gave us 4 very recent pools and I went to see 2 and called all 4. All were happy, said he was prompt, attentive, picky and always listened and fixed anything they didn't like. He was the only PB to note that we need to do some creative drainage modification (we have a gutter draining right across the deck area- and he will either go underground or re-route and we will install a rainwater collection system. He also was only guy to figure out a design around a tree we really wanted to keep which shades the patio. Everyone else wanted it to go. So we will be 7' off with he shallow (tanning ledge) being nearest the tree) Tree ( Red Oak) will be over about 20% of the pool in morning- afternoon sun is from opposite direction- thus the pool will be in full sun. We are removing 11 crape myrtles ( full size) 1 huge huge arizona ash and a monster row of ligustrums.
My only concern is the Hayward pumps. This PB had the Texas Hayward manager call me and he was informative but of course biased. He said the size of pool and design that we had the 2hp (with the returns and drains setup) was "robust" and would work well. Maybe I read too much Pentair propoganda but I was all set on Pentair. He(PB) will switch if I really want to but he said these are fine. So this forum has been and will continue to be a great help. My past pool experience is with a pool my dad had done with a fly by night and it was under pumped with 3 ash trees nearby and it shifted after 5 yrs and cracked. We are in rock so it should be tied in securely, not loam like my Dad's was.
I told my wife I will vacuum and she does the chemicals- We will see how long that works.......
This puppy will encompass most of our usable yard so goodbye lawn mower. I will xeriscape the front ( I have not announced that yet) Even though our yard is fenced, we will fence off the pool from about 1/3 of the back for the dogs to have access. So the damm dogs are costing me more money again !
Freeform In-ground gunite 101' Perimeter
517 Sq Ft Surface Area
32x25 Max L/W 6' deep
730 Travertine Pavers
A Tanning ledge with bubblers
2 benches
He is using a 2hp Hayward Tristar Filter Pump
2hp Hayward Tristar Waterfall pump
425ft Hayward Cartridge filter with some kind of inline chlorinator
400 BTU Heater (Gas)
17' )L) flagstone spillway 18" high with two stone columns at end plumbed for planters.
2 ton Moss rock boulders with 3 falls individually valved
Color LED lights Pool and Spa
7" round Spa with 6 jets, Blower Spa raised 12" above pool finished in flagstone
2 main drains, 2 skimmers, 6 returns with adjustable fittings
separate suction runs on individual valves
5 LED lights in travertine Pavers located around pool
Ozone System ( I didn't want this but wife insisted)
Color Pebble interior
Wireless Hayward control system
Polaris ATV vac
Whole yard will have pcv under landscaped areas and deck to add light or sprinkler lines later.
Price - $60k
He said the Hayward has a ipad type of interface and we would be able to use the iphone or ipad as is seen in the Pentair line... I cannot find this but he gave me a brochure that describes it- just I cant find it anywhere else.
Anyway- He had the best design that appealed to us. We were down to 2 PB's and one just kept hammering away at his original design, which we didn't care for- Very straight boxy. This guy also was confusing as one day he said flagstone was highest cost deck, the next day he said travertine was. Then he kept going back to his original square design which I repeatedly said we had little love for. Then he said freeform was most expensive design, then said the straight rectangular was.... Anyway he was $10k higher so I took the PB my wife liked the best.
I checked him out at the BBB, and D&B all looked good- ( Some $$ wasted I think in buying the D&B report) He gave us 4 very recent pools and I went to see 2 and called all 4. All were happy, said he was prompt, attentive, picky and always listened and fixed anything they didn't like. He was the only PB to note that we need to do some creative drainage modification (we have a gutter draining right across the deck area- and he will either go underground or re-route and we will install a rainwater collection system. He also was only guy to figure out a design around a tree we really wanted to keep which shades the patio. Everyone else wanted it to go. So we will be 7' off with he shallow (tanning ledge) being nearest the tree) Tree ( Red Oak) will be over about 20% of the pool in morning- afternoon sun is from opposite direction- thus the pool will be in full sun. We are removing 11 crape myrtles ( full size) 1 huge huge arizona ash and a monster row of ligustrums.
My only concern is the Hayward pumps. This PB had the Texas Hayward manager call me and he was informative but of course biased. He said the size of pool and design that we had the 2hp (with the returns and drains setup) was "robust" and would work well. Maybe I read too much Pentair propoganda but I was all set on Pentair. He(PB) will switch if I really want to but he said these are fine. So this forum has been and will continue to be a great help. My past pool experience is with a pool my dad had done with a fly by night and it was under pumped with 3 ash trees nearby and it shifted after 5 yrs and cracked. We are in rock so it should be tied in securely, not loam like my Dad's was.
I told my wife I will vacuum and she does the chemicals- We will see how long that works.......
This puppy will encompass most of our usable yard so goodbye lawn mower. I will xeriscape the front ( I have not announced that yet) Even though our yard is fenced, we will fence off the pool from about 1/3 of the back for the dogs to have access. So the damm dogs are costing me more money again !
