Florida Pool - Design Review?

[mkrajews]

So we now have a Florida home (11 miles due north of Cinderella's castle ), and we're thinking about added a pool. We've talked to a couple of pool builders and have them both working on some preliminary designs for us. After a couple of iterations, I'm happy with the overall layout, but then I got to thinking (which is always trouble).

I've never built a pool before so I know that others have good insights on what to build and not build. Is it appropriate to ask other members of this forum to review pool layouts as provided by the pool builders? If so, what other information is need beyond a drawing to let the comments/criticisms/creative ideas begin to flow?

My apologies if this information already is covered in some other post, but I haven't found much when searching for "pool design review" on this forum.


Thanks

Mark K
Winter Garden FL

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

IMO, all that baja shelf area is just wasted space. I just do not understand the allure, but some people like to sit in chairs above or barely in the water. Seems to me you could do the same with a floating lounge chair

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Sure, it is fine to ask for design input, people do it all the time. Check the Under Construction forum for lots of pool builds and design discussion.

Benches are great for adults to sit and sip and kids to play on. Is that a baja/sun all the way across the pool and almost half the width? That is a lot! We have one maybe about 6' sorta round. Wife insisted and I like it better than I thought I would, but I wouldn't make it any bigger. Pics in my build thread in sig.

Face lights away from house and main sitting areas to avoid glare.

 

[Divin Dave]

Build what you want is what I say.

I dont see anything in your sketch that is of any concern.

even if you build the most beautiful pool in the world, if you havent thought out the equipment, it wont be any fun maintaining the pool after its built.

A few thoughts about that

1. Face the lights away from the house so you dont have glare from it in the house at night.
2. locate your skimmer on the downwind side of the pool. Even if it means moving your spa or shelfs.
3. Get either a 2 speed or variable speed pump
4. get the biggest filter you can afford - you will be glad you did
5. Consider a Saltwater generator as your main source of chlorine or liquid chlorine. None of those mineral systems, or trichlor tablets chlorinators.
6. Consider a robot as a cleaner instead of pressure side type cleaners. All pressure sides require an additional wall penetration and most require an additional pump to run the things.

thats enough to start with ...

 

[mkrajews]

Jblizzle & pooldv
The shelf runs the width of the pool. The left side will be 8” deep and the right sidewill be 16” deep. Both will haveumbrella sleeves since the pool faces southwest. The left side is meant for lounges/chairs tokeep feet and backside in the water. Theright side is more for lounging in the water without a lounge and/or forsmaller kid splash area.
Davin Dave
1. Facethe lights away from the house so you don’t have glare from it in the house atnight.
Hadn’t thought about it, but goodidea. Although the drawing doesn’t showit, this pool will be screened in. I’veasked about low voltage/LED lights that could place on the aluminum ribs overthe pool for a little mood lighting, but no feedback from either prospectbuilder.


2. locate your skimmer on the downwind side of the pool.Even if it means moving your spa or shelfs.
The wind travels mostly west to east. Mostly likely the puts the skimmer in the right shelf. And the screen enclosure should keep floatersto a minimum.

3. Get either a 2 speed or variable speed pump
Yep. Both BP said variable speed is the way to go.

4. get the biggest filter you can afford - you will be glad you did
I was reading up on this and the advice isto get an oversized sand filter.

5. Consider a Saltwater generator as your main source of chlorine or liquidchlorine. None of those mineral systems, or trichlor tablets chlorinators.
Both PB’s said saltwater generators are agood idea.

6. Consider a robot as a cleaner instead of pressure side type cleaners. Allpressure sides require an additional wall penetration and most require anadditional pump to run the things.
Will the robots be able to clean the shelves? I like that idea of a cleaning robot, but ifthey can navigate the shelves, does it still make sense to get one?
I appreciate the feedback. I will open a new thread in the Under Construction forum and see whatkind of ideas I can get there.

Thanks

 

[pooldv]

Jblizzle & pooldv
The shelf runs the width of the pool. The left side will be 8” deep and the right sidewill be 16” deep. Both will haveumbrella sleeves since the pool faces southwest. The left side is meant for lounges/chairs tokeep feet and backside in the water. Theright side is more for lounging in the water without a lounge and/or forsmaller kid splash area.

Oh! Very interesting idea. I like it! There are a few folks here with deeper sun shelves and I kinda wish ours were deeper.

Jason or Dave can move this to the Under Construction thread. Don't repost.

 

[jblizzle]

Moved.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

You've got a great 38' swim lane. As long as you don't want much space for floats, etc, then the approximate 9' wide lane should be fine. That is relatively narrow to me, but it may be all you guys need. The sun shelves sound great for how you want to use them. I'm in the build process and have a 6'x10' sun shelf. It isn't rectangular, so I have less space than those figures show. I wish I had more, but I gave up some of the space for spiral steps. For me, there are no little ones except once in a great while for friends' grandkids. I will use my sun shelf mostly for yoga and physical therapy. And of course lounging to keep cool!

Did I miss the depths of your pool? I love the simplicity of your design, and it's so different with the extra sun shelf space. I haven't seen that done before now. Great job! Take care. Suz.

 

[jblizzle]

Just remember that kids grow fast and they will not want to be sitting on a giant bench for long

 

[spool]

You're eating a lot of the pool with sun shelves. I like a pool with a sunshelf but to me it feels like good amount of swimmable area is being sacrificed. Have you considered reducing it a bit?

 

[mkrajews]

Just remember that kids grow fast and they will not want to be sitting on a giant bench for long

What kids? Those shelves are for me! I love to read and the 8" shelf is for keeping the book dry whilst reclining in a lounger or chair. The 16" side is to be immersed in water sans chair.

I agree that kids grow up quickly....my youngest is 21!

- - - Updated - - -

Just remember that kids grow fast and they will not want to be sitting on a giant bench for long

Eack shelf measures 15' by 7'. Maybe shorten to 6'? Is 6' enough to manage a couple of lounges?

 

[SuzfromTexas]

What kids? Those shelves are for me! I love to read and the 8" shelf is for keeping the book dry whilst reclining in a lounger or chair. The 16" side is to be immersed in water sans chair.

I agree that kids grow up quickly....my youngest is 21!

- - - Updated - - -



Eack shelf measures 15' by 7'. Maybe shorten to 6'? Is 6' enough to manage a couple of lounges?

I love it! I've waited decades to build my pool. I'm listening to input from my adult sons, but I retain veto power!

It sounds to me you guys know just what you want, so go for it. I wouldn't make the shelves smaller. In my next life, I'll either rearrange things or push out the pool a little more to keep the full sun shelf space.

If you're undecided about whether or not a couple of lounge chairs will fit, rope it off on the yard and bring the loungers over onto it. That will give you a fairly good idea how it fits. I'm excited for ya'll. Get whatever you want now. Many features of a pool have to be incorporated NOW. It could be too late later. Have fun! Suz.