Construction has started!

[stormh2oguy]

We have wanted an inground pool for several years and finally pulled the trigger this year. They started digging Monday morning and all is going well so far. The pool will be a 16'x32' with a 6' deep end. We choose a builder who installs polymer walls (by Pacific Pools) so that we won't have to deal with rust issues down the road when doing liner changes. We chose to have a lazy lounge installed on the side in the deep end. Other things we have added are the Pentair Intellibrite 5g LED light with controller and the Autopilot DIG-220 SWG. The pool builder will be installing the Hayward Super Pump, a 300# sand filter and a Polaris 280 with booster pump.

The walls are all in and level, the copper bonding has been installed and inspected and they poured the concrete collar around the bottom of the wall braces this morning. This weekend they will be putting the vermiculite bottom in and beginning to hook up some of the plumbing. The plan is to have the liner installed either Monday or Tuesday depending on weather conditions. I knew my yard would be a mess but WOW, I was not prepared for this big of a mess but it will all be worth it in the end when we are lounging in the pool on a 95 degree South Carolina afternoon.

Below is a picture of what it looked like yesterday afternoon. My kids are so excited. They run out there as soon as they come home from school to see what it looks like.

I'll try to keep updating the photos and I welcome any advice or things to look for during our build. We still haven't nailed down our final deck layout yet but will be doing a mixture of concrete decking and brick pavers. My yard is on a hill so we also have to build about a 24" tall retaining wall above the pool and plan to install some landscape lights in the wall to shine down on the deck. Hopefully it will all come out nice but it's hard to imagine what the final product will look like at this stage.

Anyway, I just wanted to show where we were at and see if anyone has any advice or comments.

Thanks,
StormH2Oguy

 

[carolina pool]

Looks like they are doing a good job and the weather is going to really be nice next week. It will look alot better by next weekend.

 

[dmanb2b]

Good lick with the build

 

[stormh2oguy]

Thanks guys! The weather tomorrow doesn't look good but after that it gets nice. It is supposed to be 76 and sunny by Tuesday. That should be perfect for installing the liner.

 

[257WbyMag]

Looks great so far!

 

[stormh2oguy]

Re: Construction has started! (Update 1/27/13)

They just finished the vermiculite bottom and plumbing the drains and returns and are coming back in the morning to do some final smoothing on it and install the liner. Should have water and most of the backfill replaced by the end of the week. I have a friend who is a landscaper and our plan is to construct a 2 foot tall retaining wall on the backside of the pool next weekend so the pool builder can then pour the concrete deck soon afterwards. I am amazed at how quickly they got to this point.

 

[stormh2oguy]

Installed liner, began to add water and did some plumbing today. Starting to look like a pool now. I've got to get up around 2 AM and check the water level. They want to stop filling once the water level reaches a few inches below the bottom of the steps so that they can cut out for the light and the returns and then finish filling. I'm sure my neighbors will love the sound of the 2 vacuums running all night sucking the air out from between the wall and the backside of the liner. Oh well, I'd rather have tired, irritated neighbors than wrinkles in my pool bottom. They will begin backfilling tomorrow.

 

[stormh2oguy]

This is how it looked this morning. Since then they have cut in the light ring and installed the Intellibrite 5G LED light. The only items left on the pool itself are hooking up the pump to the electrical panel (that the electrician is supposed to install tomorrow), installing the handrails once the deck is poured and installing the Autopilot SWG which should be here in another day or two. The pool company is then going to do a thorough cleaning, balance all chemicals and put the initial salt in the pool. They will be giving me a "pool school" on how to maintain everything.

Tomorrow we start working on the short retaining wall that will go back behind the pool. Hopefully we can be ready for them to form up the deck and pour concrete early next week. I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[stormh2oguy]

Well, this past week we finished the upper and lower retaining walls, installed landscape lighting in the wall and above it, installed the Autopilot DIG-220 SWG, the electrician hooked up the Pentair Intellibrite 5G LED pool light and the concrete crew came by and put up most of the deck forms. They are scheduled to pour the concrete decking on Tuesday if the weather cooperates. Once that is done then we can move on to installing a brick paver walkway from the patio to the pool, sodding the parts of the yard that need it, reinstalling the privacy fence and then we have to wait for the weather to warm up so we can enjoy the pool.

 

[elwood58]

Amazing Pool and layout. Get busy landscaping! before you know it, it will be swim time.

 

[stormh2oguy]

Thanks elwood. They are coming early tomorrow morning to pump the concrete deck around the pool. We have a tree that my landscaper needs to replace then he can put down the brick pavers and resod.

 

[stormh2oguy]

Re: Construction has started! UPDATED 2/16

Here are a few pictures of the pool at night with the concrete decking and the landscape lights. Still have some minor tweaking to do with the landscaping and the lights but we are getting close.