- Oct 18, 2009
- 3,637
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
A Small Pool is a Good Pool.....The Woodlands, TX
- Thread starter Needsdecaf
- Start date
Great Looking pool in a small space. Well Done!
Im curious thouh to see the end result of where that tall column got taken out. I wanna seeeeeeeee !!
Im curious thouh to see the end result of where that tall column got taken out. I wanna seeeeeeeee !!
Thanks! It took a lot of thought and planning not to completely bombard the space.
What specifically do you want to see?
What a great use of space. How difficult was it for the tile guys to do the decking in the back of your house? Did they just tile over the cement? We are looking at the same issue with our house, just wondering how hard (and costly) it would be. Also would be interested in what trees and bushes were used in your backyard landscaping. I recognize the magnolias, not sure about the others. It looks really good!
Thanks! It was very easy for them to put the travertine over the existing concrete. The newer areas they built up with what they called "stabilized sand", which was sand mixed with cement. So concrete without the aggregate as it were, but dry packed. It was held up on the outer edge with travertine buried vertically and now is backed up by landscaping dirt. They raised that up to a level so they could put about 2" of stabilized sand over top of the old concrete patio. The patio was in good shape and properly sloped since the house is relatively new.
The big magnolia is a Southern Magnolia. I forget the name of the small plants on either side with the yellow flowers. Either side of that is a little gem magnolia, then two bottle brushes, then tulip magnolias. The rest of the large shrubs are bottle brushes and wax myrtles, which grow quickly, if a bit unruly. The tree at the far end is a Bradford Pear. I don't remember some of the smaller shrubs as we changed quite a few around from the original plan based on availability, size and price.
Thanks for sharing about your landscaping. Would you mind sharing who you used? We will need to get a bid while the pool is going in. Enjoy your yard and pool!
Lovely. And congratulations on NOT saving the removed dirt to create a raised bed behind the pool. So often that is done and then all the irrigation water runs downhill into the neighbor's yard, drowning their landscaping. Super to begin with a real plan from someone who knows their plants, not someone working with the cheapest stuff they can find at the moment.
LOL, thanks for the appreciation. Believe me, my yard takes water from at least three others, and doesn't leave. About 10% of all of this work was aimed at improving my drainage and that was part of my past career, so I am very sensitive to it!
Yes, having a real plan not designed by PB's or landscaping contractors was a godsend. We changed a lot of plants but it still worked out very well. It helps I am in the industry too.
So since Casey commented in my other thread that he remembered my pool build, I got to thinking about what I'd do differently. While there isn't much, there are some things I definitely would have changed.
1. Add a heater. Yes, that's right, a heater. Here I was thinking that this is Houston, the pool will be hot and I won't need a heater. Well, bullocks to that. There's so much time in the early winter and spring where the air temp is conducive to swimming but the water temp is in the high 60's, low 70's that you just don't want to go in. If we had installed a heater, we could have extended our pool season to a full 9-10 months. Maybe even 11. I am still considering it, especially since we will likely get a generator that needs a gas line in the same location anyway. But I didn't run a gas line or a conduit for a gas line, and so I'll have to tear up the yard to do so. Probably end up tearing up the front yard, since going through the back yard would mean digging up a lot of the bed and irrigation, whereas the front yard is just lawn with less complicated irrigation. But to go through the front I'd have to cross the driveway, and that isn't easy.
2. Add more lights. The PB specc'd two small lights on the side facing the back wall, and there is a lack of coverage. We needed one more light down by the steps (in the steps) to illuminate that corner. I've tried to adjust the light in the housing, and that solved about half the problem, but not all of it.
3. Had waited and applied for an easement encroachment variance. We have two easements off our back property line. A 10' covenant easement for the township, which is meant to insure that drainage has a proper path. And the second is a 7' utility easement...with nothing in it, and nothing likely. I was told the process to get an encroachment into the 10' covenant easement was difficult and time consuming. I would still have preferred to try. An extra 2' or 2.5' of width would have made a huge difference in the feel of our pool. We were behind the 8 ball coming out of the winter and wanted to get our pool build started and done in time for the season, but it would have been worth it. Probably wouldn't have cost us any time since we chewed up so much with the selections process being skewed.
4. Changed the scuppers to sheer descents. The scuppers were problematic and had to be completely re-built after several failed attempts to stop them leaking. They now work well but still occasionally dribble water over the face of the rock. We originally had sheers in the design, but were talked into scuppers because the builder said with our small space, sheers would have been loud. I've seen sheers in action in other pools and doubt they'd be noticeably louder than the scuppers. Oh well, at least we saved a few hundred with the switch. And they do work now, just would have probably preferred the sheers. But that's nit picking.
Other than that, the pool has been awesome. The kids love it, we do laps in it all the time for exercise, and it really just "made" the backyard. I might have changed the wet edge color to something the next shade darker as well, but again, nit-picking. The insanely expensive sealant I found has been working well to keep the travertine and stone from getting attacked. And while it's expensive (like $120 / gallon) I can do two double coats out of a gallon bottle, and that'll last me at least a year if not more like 18 months. So net net, it's not too bad. We've loved the saltwater pool, it's so nice to be able to go away for a few days and not worry about having to add chemicals, while also not worrying about CYA buildup from pucks. The pool has required very little maintenance. I go through a bottle of acid every 4-6 weeks in the summer, but you can get it for about $9 per bottle at Home Depot so that's not anything to worry about. And every now and then I have to add salt because of the rains or having to add so much makeup water if it's brutally hot.
We love our little pool!
1. Add a heater. Yes, that's right, a heater. Here I was thinking that this is Houston, the pool will be hot and I won't need a heater. Well, bullocks to that. There's so much time in the early winter and spring where the air temp is conducive to swimming but the water temp is in the high 60's, low 70's that you just don't want to go in. If we had installed a heater, we could have extended our pool season to a full 9-10 months. Maybe even 11. I am still considering it, especially since we will likely get a generator that needs a gas line in the same location anyway. But I didn't run a gas line or a conduit for a gas line, and so I'll have to tear up the yard to do so. Probably end up tearing up the front yard, since going through the back yard would mean digging up a lot of the bed and irrigation, whereas the front yard is just lawn with less complicated irrigation. But to go through the front I'd have to cross the driveway, and that isn't easy.
2. Add more lights. The PB specc'd two small lights on the side facing the back wall, and there is a lack of coverage. We needed one more light down by the steps (in the steps) to illuminate that corner. I've tried to adjust the light in the housing, and that solved about half the problem, but not all of it.
3. Had waited and applied for an easement encroachment variance. We have two easements off our back property line. A 10' covenant easement for the township, which is meant to insure that drainage has a proper path. And the second is a 7' utility easement...with nothing in it, and nothing likely. I was told the process to get an encroachment into the 10' covenant easement was difficult and time consuming. I would still have preferred to try. An extra 2' or 2.5' of width would have made a huge difference in the feel of our pool. We were behind the 8 ball coming out of the winter and wanted to get our pool build started and done in time for the season, but it would have been worth it. Probably wouldn't have cost us any time since we chewed up so much with the selections process being skewed.
4. Changed the scuppers to sheer descents. The scuppers were problematic and had to be completely re-built after several failed attempts to stop them leaking. They now work well but still occasionally dribble water over the face of the rock. We originally had sheers in the design, but were talked into scuppers because the builder said with our small space, sheers would have been loud. I've seen sheers in action in other pools and doubt they'd be noticeably louder than the scuppers. Oh well, at least we saved a few hundred with the switch. And they do work now, just would have probably preferred the sheers. But that's nit picking.
Other than that, the pool has been awesome. The kids love it, we do laps in it all the time for exercise, and it really just "made" the backyard. I might have changed the wet edge color to something the next shade darker as well, but again, nit-picking. The insanely expensive sealant I found has been working well to keep the travertine and stone from getting attacked. And while it's expensive (like $120 / gallon) I can do two double coats out of a gallon bottle, and that'll last me at least a year if not more like 18 months. So net net, it's not too bad. We've loved the saltwater pool, it's so nice to be able to go away for a few days and not worry about having to add chemicals, while also not worrying about CYA buildup from pucks. The pool has required very little maintenance. I go through a bottle of acid every 4-6 weeks in the summer, but you can get it for about $9 per bottle at Home Depot so that's not anything to worry about. And every now and then I have to add salt because of the rains or having to add so much makeup water if it's brutally hot.
We love our little pool!
Great pool project. Came out great. I'm right there with you -- small pools can be enjoyable too.
I hope to add a heat pump at some time to ensure comfortable temperatures at any time...but perhaps because of your temps this may not be an option and you may need a heater instead.
I've found an acid pump to be be an addition that really minimises handling of the acid bottle...99% auto pilot.
I hope to add a heat pump at some time to ensure comfortable temperatures at any time...but perhaps because of your temps this may not be an option and you may need a heater instead.
I've found an acid pump to be be an addition that really minimises handling of the acid bottle...99% auto pilot.
Glad to hear that small pools are worth it! Mine will be more squareish. It's still only around 8000 gallons. And we are getting a heater!
I remember your beautiful pool. It inspired us when we designed our own project. Glad you're still enjoying your 'little' pool 
Love your pool! We are having a narrow pool built as well. Do you mind telling me the dimensions of yours? Also which Wet Edge Satin Matrix did you use?
Thanks, Mike
What a neat follow up! This will be a very helpful post for others when they are thinking of building!
Kim
Kim
Thanks!
I remember your beautiful pool. It inspired us when we designed our own project. Glad you're still enjoying your 'little' pool
Awesome, glad to hear it!
It's 6.5' at the small end and 9.5' at the larger, although that is at the waterline. It's really a little smaller due to the bench in the deep end. I would suggest a minimum of 8', 10 if you can get it. The length is 30' which is nice for laps.
I will also say I'm super happy we have a "deep" end. Many pools these days in this area are the "sport" pools with only maybe 5 or 5.5' maximum. Ours is 6.5' and it really makes the pool seem much larger when swimming in it. The kids love diving in it too. Perhaps because our friend's pool that I grew up going in was either 9' or 10' deep (think it was like 20'x45' it was huge!)
The Wet Edge color is "Antigua". Personally, I think it's too bright, and I would have gone with a shade darker if I knew now. It's very pale blue!
Thanks, I love doing stuff like this. As an enginerd by education, I can never leave well enough to learn and I'm always tinkering.
Beautiful pool, thank you for sharing pictures and insight! We are looking at a 30' x 11' and this was super helpful. Thanks again!
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
- 2,946
- Pool Size
- 7500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Very nice, If you are still under contract or warranty, i would highly suggest you ask the PB to add unions to all the pumps, and Filter. If you decide to go with a heater then ask them to leave the unions ready for future install.
Felipe