Close to choosing a builder... final questions

[msujohn]

I plan to make my final decision over the next 2 weeks but have a couple of other questions. I'm probably making this more complicated than it should be.

• Boulder/moss rock as coping, should it be in the beam or not? One builder is telling me not to put in the beam the other is saying you have to.
• With a salt cell, should I seal the coping and decking? I’m getting flagstone and boulder/moss rock as my coping and aggregate as my decking? What’s the best sealant to use?
• If I have a handheld (Jandy PS4) will I have the ability to also control landscape lighting if I add the lighting after the project? How do I hook this up to work?
• Volleyball sleeves – PVC vs. Brass. Will the PVC sleeves hold up? Builders want quite a bit more for the brass sleeves?
• For the deck expansion joints is PVC or mastic the best option?
• For the spa is there better type jets that I need to know about? All that is listed is hydrotherapy jets? One builder is telling me only 6 jets and the other is saying 8 jets. (Spa is 40 to 45 surface area)
• How are Savi Melody LED lights compared to Jandy LED lights?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

The beam gets mudded with mortar and the moss rock set on it. If you build a waterfall or raised wall or use big rocks, the beam should be beefed up to accommodate the added weight and a footing pad for supporting the weight beyond the shell. This will help keep compression pressures off the wall.

Moss rock does not need to be sealed.

Not all flag stone is equal to the task of being coping. Harder is better. Sealants are regionally distributed. Sealants in the NE may not be suitable in the SW. Check your local masonry suppliers. They will have better info and service than HD or Lowes would.

Between the pool and the deck is mastic. The two will expand and contract at different rates. The mastic stretches and compresses while maintaining it's seal. PVC expansion joints are strictly for the deck.

WRT the lighting, it depends on the size of the controller you buy. IIRC, with Jandy, you can expand to control up to 32 circuits, 8 relays per panel. If the device only need On/Off control and everything else is automatic, like landscape lights,

Lookup Waterway Plastics. They have a great selection of jet bodies, many of which have interchangeable inserts for different massage patterns.

I'd take the Jandy LEDs over the Savi every time.

WRT the sleeves, the brass will out last the PVC, especially with heavy use, i.e. insert the pole, remove the pole cycles. If its a once in a while usage pattern that is expected, PVC is fine.


Scott