My 10K build.... Let me first say how grateful I am for this site and how much great info I got from here.... Secondly, I did get a lot of grief from people for wanting to diy this whole thing... I got many "just hire that part out" answers to my questions... But many understood what I was trying to do.... A good, cheap, pool... I budgeted everything down to the cent... And actually went over budget by $500 because i had to get a pumper truck for the cement... It rained... A lot!! Bottom line, I couldn't afford to hire anything but the dig... So every aspect to this build was done by me... Mostly alone.... Except on 2 days when I poured cement (the bond beam and the decking)... I had friends over for 2 hrs each time... (so grateful for them)....
I could have waited to do the pool when I saved up more money... But if I waited I would have had to wait until next year.... So it was kinda now or never...
Timeline.... I started Jan 5th finished everything but the cement decking (because of rain!) by Jan 28th... Jan 8th we got more rain in 1 day then we got in the last 10 months... Filled up the hole... (see pics)... I am a paramedic and worked 10, 24 hour shifts in this time period... It rained 5 days that I was off... 2 of those 5 I just worked in the mud and rain.. I had to get it done by the 28th... We had an engagement party at my house for my little brother in that day... So that was my goal.. So you figure out how many days I actually worked on it if you want to know.. Lol... I had many late nights in that hole!!!
I did 2 "controversial" things that I know of.... Here's what and why
1.... Poured cement for the shallow end when I poured the bond beam....
Main reason... To save time
Second reason... I called the liner manufacturer and they said it was acceptable to use regular cement as long as it was smooth... So I got it super smooth and never looked back...
2... Backfilled with dirt....
Main reason... $$$$$$$
I packed it in foot by foot... I know it will still settle... But I poured such a small decking i think it will be ok... I only wanted a 30 inch deck all the way around to keep the heat down and allow for more landscaping...
So here it is!!! If you see anything "not right" other than the 2 things already mentioned... I'd love to hear it... I'm cool with criticism....
The dream...
The beginning....
The hole!
I could have waited to do the pool when I saved up more money... But if I waited I would have had to wait until next year.... So it was kinda now or never...
Timeline.... I started Jan 5th finished everything but the cement decking (because of rain!) by Jan 28th... Jan 8th we got more rain in 1 day then we got in the last 10 months... Filled up the hole... (see pics)... I am a paramedic and worked 10, 24 hour shifts in this time period... It rained 5 days that I was off... 2 of those 5 I just worked in the mud and rain.. I had to get it done by the 28th... We had an engagement party at my house for my little brother in that day... So that was my goal.. So you figure out how many days I actually worked on it if you want to know.. Lol... I had many late nights in that hole!!!
I did 2 "controversial" things that I know of.... Here's what and why
1.... Poured cement for the shallow end when I poured the bond beam....
Main reason... To save time
Second reason... I called the liner manufacturer and they said it was acceptable to use regular cement as long as it was smooth... So I got it super smooth and never looked back...
2... Backfilled with dirt....
Main reason... $$$$$$$
I packed it in foot by foot... I know it will still settle... But I poured such a small decking i think it will be ok... I only wanted a 30 inch deck all the way around to keep the heat down and allow for more landscaping...
So here it is!!! If you see anything "not right" other than the 2 things already mentioned... I'd love to hear it... I'm cool with criticism....
The dream...
The beginning....
The hole!