New Build in Phoenix Az. - NoFear!
- Thread starter NoFear95
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looks pretty sweet! You might want to think about getting more umrella sleeves installed. I've seen quite a few people around here that wish they had more to block the brutal sun we get. I wish I had one every 4 - 6 feet around my pool especially on the south side of the pool. Good luck with your build and keep the pics coming.
In the drawing it looks like they have the floor drains plumbed into the skimmer. It would be better to have the floor drains plumbed separately to the equipment pad with a valve to adjust between them and the skimmer.
It also would not hurt to then add an equalizer line on the skimmer where the floor would have been attached.
In fact, is that skimmer placement on the downwind side? I would consider a 2nd skimmer on the opposite end of the pool as well.
I would also consider shifting the light to the right a little (is it a color light?) and adding a 2nd on the far left. Although this is less important if you are just going to have white lights, the reds just do not travel far in the water.
It also would not hurt to then add an equalizer line on the skimmer where the floor would have been attached.
In fact, is that skimmer placement on the downwind side? I would consider a 2nd skimmer on the opposite end of the pool as well.
I would also consider shifting the light to the right a little (is it a color light?) and adding a 2nd on the far left. Although this is less important if you are just going to have white lights, the reds just do not travel far in the water.
Shane1 said:
We have a sleeve in the baja step. We have a over hang umbrella that we use in addition. Alittle bit of az sun is a good thing!
Maybe so...but if you dig way back to late last summer, you'll find threads where people are looking for ways to cool their pools, because a dip in 97° water in 110° heat isn't really all that refreshing.NoFear95 said:
Nobody says you have to use all the sleeves at once, but it's a whole lot easier to install them now. That's what sharing information here is about - nobody has time to make every possible mistake personally.
Skimmer location above steps seems unusual. Make sure that if umbrella is in the baja step, that you can still walk down the steps without it being in the way. Just coping with no deck? Plumbing lines could be bigger to reduce load on pump. I would rather point light across the length than the width as light will go farther than it spreads even if they set the lens properly. Just my opinions...
Response from the Builder, "The skimmer is placed in a convenient location for visibility, and tucked behind the boulders. It is also close to your pump for maximum efficiency, but also to save you money from running it farther.
I tend to find that placing a skimmer solely on the most common wind direction isnt all that helpful. You can see at this link just how much it changes month to month in AZ. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/westw ... ml#ARIZONA
If you'd like to change the skimmer location, let me know where and I can price it out for you. Keep in most base pools have 3 returns, on yours however I did 5 and placed accordingly."
I tend to find that placing a skimmer solely on the most common wind direction isnt all that helpful. You can see at this link just how much it changes month to month in AZ. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/westw ... ml#ARIZONA
If you'd like to change the skimmer location, let me know where and I can price it out for you. Keep in most base pools have 3 returns, on yours however I did 5 and placed accordingly."
jblizzle said:
Builder said, "We do "separate suction" on pools with infloor cleaning. With a Vac cleaner and dedicated line for it, we usually do not split the skimmer/MD suction lines.
We can if you'd like, but it's an additional $280.00. " Worth the extra costs?
As for the skimmer placement, "Our break point for adding a second skimmer is usually 650sf water surface area. You're at 565.... again, let me know if you want to add a secondary skimmer. Depending on location you'd be looking at roughly $390.00." Worth the extra costs?
The LED light is color, one of them being white. You can pause it on any color, or let it scroll through the colors on what they call a "light show".
There are advantages to the separate pipes ... reduced suction headloss because you have 2 full pipes. And the ability to isolate the floor to drain some water if required.
Having 2 skimmers would eliminate the problem of shifting winds ... do you have trees nearby?
From what I have seen, the "white" light for the LED is when all the colored LED are on ... There may not be actual white LEDs which are brighter. I have not seen a thread where someone regretted getting 2 lights, but a few (mine included) that wished I had 2. My light shines along the length and red, orange, pink leave a very dark shallow end.
Of course all options are up to you, we can only offer our wish lists.
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Having 2 skimmers would eliminate the problem of shifting winds ... do you have trees nearby?
From what I have seen, the "white" light for the LED is when all the colored LED are on ... There may not be actual white LEDs which are brighter. I have not seen a thread where someone regretted getting 2 lights, but a few (mine included) that wished I had 2. My light shines along the length and red, orange, pink leave a very dark shallow end.
Of course all options are up to you, we can only offer our wish lists.
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No trees nearby at all. I plan on putting some in at a later date, but they are going to be of the desert variety so debris will be minimal to non-existent.
I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I do have a budget, so I'm trying to get as much as I can given it.
We had a pool in our prior house so I tried (within my budget) to get as much as we liked and lessen what we didn't.
I know someone asked about the decking. Pool guy is not doing that (wanted $11-12sqft), my trusted landscaper is willing to do it for $7sqft. That savings over 1000sqft adds up...
I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I do have a budget, so I'm trying to get as much as I can given it.
We had a pool in our prior house so I tried (within my budget) to get as much as we liked and lessen what we didn't.
I know someone asked about the decking. Pool guy is not doing that (wanted $11-12sqft), my trusted landscaper is willing to do it for $7sqft. That savings over 1000sqft adds up...
Lol ... desert variety trees ... I hope you avoid mesquite and palo verde trees as they are a MESS. Most palm trees are not much better, especially when they get to be 30 feet tall and you have to pay someone to cut the dead stuff off or enjoy fronds falling in the pool when the wind blows.
When we moved in to this house there was a huge mesquite between the house and pool ... constant mess. Cut it down. There is another huge one behind the fence past the pool. Just cut half of it nearest the pool down last weekend before all the stuff starts falling.
Hard to find good non-messy trees and plants.
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short
When we moved in to this house there was a huge mesquite between the house and pool ... constant mess. Cut it down. There is another huge one behind the fence past the pool. Just cut half of it nearest the pool down last weekend before all the stuff starts falling.
Hard to find good non-messy trees and plants.
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short
jblizzle said:
Roger that!
We went round and round, searched every website and talked to lots and lots of people. We could not find a tree that fit the bill. So we have a treeless back yard. With the exception of a newly planted multi trunk Mediteranian Fan Plam. There is no perfect tree when you have a pool NoFear95 said:
Here is a site I found from the AZ Municipal Water Users Assoc that lists low water use trees that are pool friendly (low debris and thornless). http://www.amwua.org/plants_for-pools.html Alos other shrubs, plants, and flowers.
A good tree would be a shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla)...there is leaf drop, but the leaves are big and thick and stringy, so easy to clean up. None of the tiny leaflets common with mesquites and palo verdes
Just got done with my pool and would recommend at least one more light. I have 3 (one Intellibrite and 2 smaller Globrites) and wish I had done one more Intellibrite in the main body. We used the Globrites to light up the baja step/entry area and cove sitting area/table and they are awesome. Little suckers put out a lot of light. Overall the lighting is ok but a 2nd light in the main body would just have added a bit more "pop". I think you will have some dim areas with just the one light. I feel your pain on trying to stay in budget! We made a few changes along the way that put us over by about $2500 but well worth it for things we couldn't go back and do later.
On your decking, I'd suggest mixing up the colors so it's not all solid white. A neighbor just did all white travertive and it's uncomfortably bright (to me anyway) in the middle of the day. Our PB clued us into this when we were looking at decking and after seeing in person, he was dead on. We used a mixed blend of colors that's not nearly as bright.
Enjoy it, already looks like it's going to be a long hot Phoenix summer... LOL.
On your decking, I'd suggest mixing up the colors so it's not all solid white. A neighbor just did all white travertive and it's uncomfortably bright (to me anyway) in the middle of the day. Our PB clued us into this when we were looking at decking and after seeing in person, he was dead on. We used a mixed blend of colors that's not nearly as bright.
Enjoy it, already looks like it's going to be a long hot Phoenix summer... LOL.
I recommend 2 lights as well. I put in a 500w and 60W standard light for now with the expectation to change them out in a year or so with color LED. I cut out over $1000 from my build cost going this way.
You may also want to consider putting a step out on the far left bench
You may also want to consider putting a step out on the far left bench
NoFear95 said:
I think we have exact same selections in tile, the noche travertine, and a similar gray pebble.
