New Pool Build - 1st Quote In!

[livinwell]

I'm sorry - I know I only come around when I need you!

I used the forum and all of the advice on maintaining my salt water pool in So Cal a few years back and was so glad I found you. Now I am looking to build a pool in AZ. Have first quote and would like to get help and advice regarding what's really needed (good equipment etc) versus nice to have. I'm giving myself a tight budget to force me from going design crazy and really just want a good size pool, with baja shelf, to swim and play. I am less concerned about the pool design add ons (waterfalls, colored lights and trying to make it look like I'm not in the desert). Design is geometric (basic rectangle 15x30 3-6ft depth).
My complication is removal of rocks, requiring fill, leveling of the lot prior to excavation for pool. PB has taken into consideration that pre-work of lot will be done prior to them coming in to do pool dig. Based on the adds below, I will definitely include infloor cleaning. Are there other things within the quote that I need less or more of? Thanks

Quote is as follows:

Engineering & Permit:
*Custom Engineered Plan for Structural Integrity
*Permit Approval Sub-Total $843.60

Excavation: Backhoe
*Backhoe Excavation Equipment
*Forming of Pool/Spa & Pre-Grading for Deck Sub-Total $1,791.25
Plumbing:
58 ft. of Main Plumbing Run
*Vacuum Line & Skimmer/ Main Drain Line for Suction on Filter Pump
*4 Surface Returns
*Automatic Waterleveler and install Vac-Breaker Sub-Total $1,619.56

Steel Reinforcing:
*Steel Reinforcing per Engineering Requirements
*Steel every 6" OC Vertical for Extra Reinforcement Sub-Total $1,394.28

Electrical:
*Total Feet of Electrical Conduit includes, 228 ft of 3/4 in.
*GFCI Breaker for 1-400W Clear Light(s) with 45 ft. of Conduit
*E-Command Control Sub-Panel (Hayward)
*Electrical Connection of Pump(s) & Light(s) Sub-Total $2,768.77

Equipment: Vacuum & Return
*525 sqft Cartridge Filter & Variable Eco-Star Filter Pump (Hayward)
*$200 Variable Speed Pump Rebate from SRP/APS -$200.00
*Navigator Suction Vacuum Cleaner (Hayward)
*Aerator & Floating Chlorinator
*Pool Skimmer (Hayward)
*Heat Pump 108-11 OK BTU's(Hayward) Sub-Total $6,274.05

Shotcrete:
*12" Perimeter Beam with 6-8" Walls and Floor of Shotcrete
*Depths 3 ft. to 6 ft.
*Initial Water-Cure of Shell by BUYER Sub-Total $5,757.79

Tile/Waterfall :
*Waterline Tile for Pool/Spa from Standard Selection
*Tile Face of Back and Side Walls to match Waterline Tile Sub-Total $2,148.13

Decking:
*1 078 sqft of Pavers
*Sleeves Included:
*Umbrella/Volleyball (2) Sub-Total $8,379.75

Interior Finish Mini Pebble Standard
& Start-Up:
*Mini Pebble Standard Material for Pool Interior
*Acid Wash & Clean-Up
*Operator's Orientation
*1 Free Filter Cleaning 6 months -1 year after start-up Sub-Total $4,179.46

Total Before Sales Tax: $34,956.65
Applicable Sales Tax: $ 1,837.78
Total With Sales Tax: $ 36,794.43

Options:
*Upgrade Cleaning System to In-Floor Cleaning with 20 In-Floor Heads (Paramount) Adds $2,785.76
*Upgrade Pool Light to ColorLogic LED Adds $386.48
*Upgrade Control to P-4 Control Sub-Panel with Salt Chlorinating Cell Adds $797.67
*Add Ultra-Violet Sanitation System (Trident) Adds $743.51
*Upgrade Pavers to Travertine or Artistic Pavers Adds $2,460.30
*Add 145' of 5' Wrought Iron Fence and 2 Self-Closing Self-Latching Gates & Door Alarm Adds $4,061.69

 

[davelinde]

We opted for the salt chlorinating cell in ours... the build isn't done but that is an option I'm glad we added.

The paver quote looks high to me... not sure what the umbrella/volleyball is worth but it's more than double what I paid for pavers on ours.

For us we were more concerned about waterfeatures and lighting since I figure I'll be looking at it a lot more than swimming in it... but I surely understand that trade-off. You are doing well to get itemized quotes. We had 4 PB quote us and only one would itemize.

 

[livinwell]

Agree with you on the salt system and the paver quote, especially since they may be very generic pavers. The Artistic pavers are mentioned as an upgrade, but I'm trying to research what is best material for the AZ sun, realizing as many have said when it's 110 degrees, not much you can do but wear your flip flops.

When will your pool be completed? What size did you go with?

Thanks

Thanks

 

[y_not]

Totally off topic, but in your sig it says, paraphrasing, 'you wish you could use your laptop in the pool'.
You actually can. Get a Panasonic Toughbook, or a Gammatech Durabook (From your local custom build shop).

Problem solved. HEHE

Although you can't use it underwater, haha. But it can be doused, splashed, etc.. and won't hurt it, even while running.
Just get a really solid, non Wal-Mart floater, that's made for adults and is really sturdy, not floppy and you're good to go. Even if the kids splash, or it starts pouring down rain, you're golden.

Just about the only difference between the Pany and the Gammatech is price, the latter is more along the lines of a midrange consumer laptop, the former is in the range of thousands of dollars plus. The Pany has rubberized port covers, the latter does not.
So dust/dirt (think middle east sand blowing/storm), water, etc... can get in there and potentially short things out.
But they're both tested to the same military grade specs, drop, splash, spill, vibration, etc..
They're tanks!! Personally, I love the Gammatech notebooks, they're awesome! Almost no one but the troops in the most extreme conditions need the features of the Pany.

About the only thing that'll break it is a direct hit to the screen while it's open, or jumping on the lid while it's closed, LCD side up. But all that'll do is crack the LCD, requiring that one part to be replaced. Not a deal breaker or notebook killer.
You can literally pour a glass of water on it while it's running and it just drains down and out the bottom at the middle of the keyboard. Doesn't even flinch!

Anyway, you may now resume your regularly scheduled topic.

 

[livinwell]

v_not, thanks for pointing out the "old" signature. I'll have to update that since I have been in OR (CA to OR, yes one of those) now for 3 years and the last thing I can use is a pool. Currently vitamin D deficient.
However things are looking up with retirement days closer and our house in AZ getting a pool. I'm off to fix the profile and signature.

Please, can anyone else answer if equipment is good and prices are reflective of what I should expect for Phoenix (east valley).

 

[davelinde]

When will your pool be completed? What size did you go with?

If we don't hit any snags we are in the home stretch now.
Follow at http://www.troublefreepool.com/new-build-in-lake-nona-fl-t54611-20.html

Our pool has a 7x12 sunshelf (which is out of the sun ironically) and a main dunk area 12x22. It's more like a big water feature in our porch where we can swim too. Between this forum and having some friends in the business we've subbed the work our ourselves and done OK. It does take a non-trivial amount of effort doing the scheduling and coordination though - so far, so good.

Good luck on yours.

 

[mybigchevy]

By far the best tile for the Arizona heat you will never need those flip flops on these pavers even on the hottest days we have, Adobe tiles are a feets best friend in the heat[attachment=0:e125b3se]001.JPG[/attachment:e125b3se]

 

[y_not]

By far the best tile for the Arizona heat you will never need those flip flops on these pavers even on the hottest days we have, Adobe tiles are a feets best friend in the heat.

How can stone, of any kind, possibly not get hot? I see everything from silica based rocks, basaltic, cinder (dried lava flows), obsidian glass (liquid dried molten glass), sandstone, slate, you name it. It all gets hot.
Shoot, even a wood deck gets crazy hot in the dead heat of summer, up here in OR, can't imagine how bad it'd be down there in AZ.
The only thing that's cool is the white line down the middle of the road, or the grass. Even the dirt gets too hot to walk on at times.

Not that I'm contesting it, just baffled, curious and intrigued. Wanting to be edu-mah-cated on the subject.

 

[davelinde]

By far the best tile for the Arizona heat you will never need those flip flops on these pavers even on the hottest days we have, Adobe tiles are a feets best friend in the heat.

How can stone, of any kind, possibly not get hot? ... curious and intrigued. Wanting to be edu-mah-cated on the subject.

I cannot comment on the assertion about adobe tile. However there can surely be differences in how easily something is heated by sunlight which impact what temperature it will reach at any time, color matters, other material properties matter too. There are also differences in conductivity and thermal capacitance which will change how much/how fast any given heat gets transferred to you (your feet).

 

[JimboAZ]

We're going with travertine decking. We like the look at it's supposed to be one of the cooler options. If you get a chance to visit one of the many "pool parks" in the Phx area you can try out some of the different surfaces, although the weather is a little cool right now to do a beneficial test. One of the builders we talked to raved about the artistic pavers. If you went the travertine/artistic paver route you'd be paying just over $10 sq ft, which seem a bit high to me. But considering you're getting a few umbrella sleeves those prices are close to what we've been seeing ($9-$10 sq ft).

 

[livinwell]

Thank you all for responding.

I read that AZ is a highly competitive market, so what might be the reason for the lack of responses. Location perhaps? I have received 2 quotes from 8 calls. The quotes came form 2 of 4 who actually came out to our home. I'm feel like I should just pick one now because I want a pool before June.