Considering DIY IG in Northern Cincinnati, Ohio (Kings Island) area

[wilsjay]

Thanks Mike. I don't think I have enough fall for a footer drain. Is there anything else I should do? FYI- This pool would go between my house (approx. 13 feet off the back) and my septic leech lines. The house has footer and perimeter drains that go to a sump in my basement and just short of the leech lines is a curtain drain. The grade against the house sits ~ 36 feet higher than the grade at the curtain drain. Both sump in the house and the curtain drain (no pump) drain to a drainage ditch that runs down the left side of my property. Hopefully this image will help since I am not good at describing.

 

[balagreta]

The best trick is to put a sump well behind the pool wall in the backfill and to access the pump you just put another skimmer lid in the concrete deck. We have done this many times and I think it beats a sump well in your yard. Remember drainage around the pool is key. Water can be our best friend or worst enemy!

 

[wilsjay]

Thanks! Any links to how to do those and make them look good? The skimmer lid idea is great. Never head that one before. How deep do they need to go? Down to footer or do they have to be as deep/deeper than the deep end of pool? Do you leave the pump in them and turned on at all times? Other than getting everything straight/square/level, this is my biggest concern to the whole project. My yard drains great now, and I would like to keep it and the pool that way!

 

[balagreta]

When you are ready I know the two very best excavators in the Cincinnati area and might be able to get one of them up to your house to look things over. They are both busy at this time, but coming up this fall things will slow down. I would love to help you out along the way and I have a very experienced crew. Like I said before I have installed hundreds of pools in the area over the past 35 years. Do not go with the cheapest pool dig as any savings can be eaten up with more backfill and vermiculite/cement when doing the pool floor.These guys are good and are worth the wait. Fall is a great time to install a pool as it gives you time to get your yard back in shape and your not trying to grow gass in the heat of summer.

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We set the sump well on the footer concrete

 

[balagreta]

Squaring the pool is no big deal as far as keeping things straight remember strings don't lie and when you level the pool rent a rotating laser. I have a Top Con laser that is accurate to 3/32 of an inch at 100 feet so the laser is the tool of choice. When Mark digs a pool his tolerance on the shelf where the panels sit is 1" and he can usually hit it. I have set panels and the pool was basically level in his dig. We go with a 1 foot overdig and they dig the braces for us that way your deck is on alot more solid ground and it also saves money in backfill material and also concrete for your footer. When you order your footer go with a 3000 mix with no air. Ernst Concret has some very good concrete 398 4418 for pricing. If you set your drains in concrete (I don't recommend it) make sure you string the whole floor before you set the drains so they are at the right height. I also recommend when digging the pool any area that will have decking on it remove 2-4 inches of dirt and pour your deck on a gravel base

 

[wilsjay]

Thanks Mike that is seriously awesome info. I am keeping your number for sure. So no concrete in the hopper at all and the vermic. finishers set the main drains? Speaking of vermiculite, should I get it delivered with the pool kit? Here is what they got, not sure if it is the same thing or any good. http://www.poolwarehouse.com/shop/pool-krete-pool-crete/ or if I should just let the finishers get it.

Any info on how/what I need to test my lines before anything gets covered up?

 

[balagreta]

I can get the vermiculite for you, the cement is cheaper at Home Depot. We mix a 47 pound bag of Portland cement to a 20 pound bag of vermic. The distributor that I deal with is off of Crescentville Rd so anything you need is close. If we put your floor in I can have it delivered to your house. We will set your drains when the floor goes in and will come back and help you set the liner. You can build a pressure tester from Lowes they have the best plumbing fitting selection. I would order enough pipe to run all lines individually. I can get 100' rolls of flex for around 125.00. I would shoot for 2 skimmers, 2 drains and at least four or five return lines. It is also a good idea to run an extra line back to the filter if you have a problem in the future the line is already run (just my opinion).

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Sorry the vermic we use is made by THERMOROCK

 

[wilsjay]

Wife can't make up her mind on the pool design now... Would you go hard pipe or flex in my area? I talked to the building department and got all the electrical/bonding requirements, but one simple question I forgot to ask is, does the bonding wire run all the way back to the panel/sub-panel or connect to a grounding rod? For a diving board, do you need to set anything into concrete/how to mount and also do you somehow bond them? Also curious if most people take those in for the winter or leave them out year round.

 

[balagreta]

Bonding is pretty simple, the wire attaches to your pump.The diving board will come with a jig that will attach to the steel wall panel. If you put rebar in the deck it has to attach to the pool in four areas.If you don't use rebar you will need to run a number 8 wire around the pool. Like I said pretty simple. I buy my split bolts,rebar clamps and lugs at Home Depot. Number 8 wire is a much better deal at Batavia Electric.I buy wire 1000 feet at a time so I can always hook you up. My opinion on pipe is go with flex, there are alot less fittings involved especially if you go with a radius pool. When you order your pool kit make sure you get BRASS ladder cups they work much better if you ever go with a salt system. The ladder cups also attach to the steel wall via number 8 wire. If you are getting a hand rail they use the same cups as the ladder. It is also nice to put umbrella and volleyball cups in the deck.

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When you are deciding on a pool design make sure to look at shallow end size. People tend to hang out in the shallow end so bigger is better

 

[balagreta]

Just a thought when you order your pool kit see what kind of credit you can get for deleting your liner. I installed a customer supplied liner a few weeks back,and this liner was so under sized it was incredible. The liner was under sized 7" in the depth. The customer measured the final depth at 8'10" and the pool was 8'5" deep and the liner fit great which shocked me. Look at www.garrettliners.com they make a fantastic liner and don't undersize like that.

 

[wilsjay]

Thanks Mike. I sent them an email to ask for a quote on a liner and mesh safety cover for the pool and a link to the pool dig specs. Do most folks do rebar/wire mesh or nothing in their deck? Does that #8 wire go all the way back to the panel or does it just connect everything around the pool?

Also forgot to ask, should I use liner lock after I install. I don't want it popping out in a couple of years like I tend to see on most pools.

 

[wilsjay]

Well at long last I have ordered my kit, got my permits, and have everything ready finally. Kit should be here week after next. Cannot wait to see this project completed...

 

[jjwalker]

Well at long last I have ordered my kit, got my permits, and have everything ready finally. Kit should be here week after next. Cannot wait to see this project completed...

Awesome!

Why don't you either start a new thread or change the title of this....and as always, pics!

Who'd you order from? What kit did you get? Details, details

Congrats

 

[wilsjay]

Will do. I got my kit from poolwarehouse.com. We went with a 20x40 Mt Loch (also known as Deer Creek). Doing cantilever concrete coping, internal steel steps with liner over them, 2 lights and a diving board. Plumbing wise the plan is to go 1 1/2 flex PVC with 2 skimmers, 5 returns, 2 main drains, an overflow and a footer drain. Equipment wise going with 30" sand filter, 1.5hp Hayward super pump and Hayward swim pure+ salt system rated w/ cell rated for 40K gallons. I have ordered my other stuff separate and so far it is all here (solar cover, winter plugs for returns and skimmers, salt chlorine system, and Dolphin Nautilus auto cleaner). So far the plan is not to do a heat pump, but setting up plumbing and electric so that it could be added at a later date if we want.

I was hoping the kit would have been here this week or last even but the steel steps have been delayed. I have got folks lined up to help me with the project and feel like I have drove them nuts already with the delays from the pool manufacturer shipping this thing out. I am hoping it gets here soon so we can start. Now that I finally have the ship date I think it may happen.