New in-ground pool - Boston, MA. Lots of pics

[spool]

Hello all, our pool build has officially started. This forum has been such a tremendous help I don’t know how I ever would have done this without it!

This is our first “REAL” pool. I’ve put up a few smaller above ground pools over the years to get my feet wet (pun intended) and learn pool maintenance basics. With that little exposure I’ve discovered an SWG equipped pool is a requirement. Kids (we have 3) love jumping/diving so pool has to be at least 8’ deep. I like my toys and gadgets so everything needs to be fully automated.

Stay tuned for plenty of pictures throughout the process.

We are roughly 30 minutes north of Boston, MA. We’ve been contemplating installing a pool for close to 2 years. Finally found the right pool builder after interviewing/obtaining quotes from 5 local builders. I’ll start by listing our timeline and pool specs then I’ll need a few minutes to upload pics to photobucket and link them here. Will be sure to put up a bunch of PICTURES!!!

There is a tremendous amount of knowledge on this forum, so please feel free to comment!

Timeline of events:

May 18 2015 – Pool Application submitted to town
May 21 2015 – Gas Company marks gas lines
May 22 2015 – Tour paver company coping and paver options
May 28 2015 – Town approved Pool Permit
Jun 11 2015 – Begin clearing grass from pool area
Jun 12 2015 – Day 1 of dig. Encountered buried stumps in shallow end of pool. Required us digging lower to find virgin ground and backfill with stone.
June 13 2015 – Day 2 of dig. Complete shallow end and finish deep end.
June 24 2015 – Plumbing of in-floor cleaning system
June 25 2015 – Start rebar
June 26 2015 – Rebar and plumbing crew show up. They really get moving and get almost all of it complete.
July 1 2015 - Rebar completed
July 2 2015 - Plumbing completed
July 6 2015 - Electrical bonding complete.
July 7 2015 - pre-gunite inspection (bonding and rebar) - pass
July 8 2015 - Gunite 6:30 am to 3 pm.
July 16-17,20 2015 - extend plumbing to equipment pad and grade areas around pool
July 25 2015 - trench conduit for electrical and add crushed gravel around pool for paver deck
July 26 - Installation of coping and waterline tile
July 30 - Plumb over flows. Install bonding wire that runs under the deck, connected to 4 points on the pool
July 31 - Pass Electrical Inspection. Paver Deck installation day 1
Aug 3 - Paver Deck installation day 2 - complete deck and equipment pad
Aug 5 - Apply polymeric sand to paver joints
Aug 6 - Repair drainage pipe that got damaged during pool dig. Pool equipment arrives. Start dry fitting components.
Aug 7 - Late start on pool equipment. Made some progress but not yet complete.

Pool details:

19’ x 47’ Rectangle gunite swimming pool w/inside pool spa
∗ Spa and sun shelf consume 8’x19’ of pool. Leaving swimmable area to 19’x39’
∗ 8’x11’ Sun shelf (includes steps)
∗ Depth profile 3’ to 8’
∗ WetEdge Prism Matrix Deep Sea Blue pebble finish
∗ (2) Intellibrite 5G Color LED Lights
∗ (1) Globrite Color LED Light in sun deck
∗ (2) Automatic Recessed Skimmers
∗ AVSC Drain (Anti Vortex Single Channel Drain), certified to meet VGB Safety act
∗ 2 Flush mounted rope rings w/ rope & floats

7’x7’ in-pool spa
∗ 4 Hydro Therapy Jets
∗ 2 Microssage Therapy Jets
∗ Reverse Negative Edge Spillway
∗ WetEdge Pebble finish (same as pool)
∗ (1) Intellibrige 5G Color LED Spa Light
∗ Dual Anti-Vortex Main Drain
∗ 1 H.P. Air Blower

Equipment specs:

∗ Pentair Clean and Clear Plus 520 Cartridge Filter
∗ Pentair Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump
∗ Intellichlor IC60 Salt System
∗ Intellitouch Automation System w/Screen Logic 2 Interface
∗ IntelliPH Chemical Controller
∗ Deluxe Cleaning Package: 18” brush, skimmer net, 16’ pole, thermometer, deluxe vacuum and test kit
∗ A&A G4V in-floor cleaning system
∗ Mastertemp 400,000 BTU pool heater

Tile and deck materials:

∗ Classic Pool Tile and Stone water line tile, CT-624 Gres
∗ Spa reverse negative edge tile, 1x1 Lightstreams Gold Iridescent Collection glasstile in Steel Blue
∗ Pool deck running bond Techo Bloc Aberdeen pavers 20×30 in Rock Garden Brown, border tile 10x30 Aberdeen Rock Garden Brown.
∗ Pool Coping is Techo Bloc Piedmonte in Rock Garden Brown

 

[spool]

Pictures of our yard... We have an acre lot. I cut down a bunch of trees to make way for the pool. Also didn't want a bunch of pine needles finding their way into my pool.

This past winter! It was a HORRIBLE winter. I'll leave it at that...

 

[spool]

I spent close to 2 years planning for this pool so I went to my Pool Builders equipped with exactly what I wanted. This is what I supplied so there were very little questions as to the design requirements...

I have a cousin who's an Architect with some serious skills. He looked at my trace paper design and in literally 20 minutes whipped this up using Google Sketch Up:

 

[spool]

I cut down some more trees and took the liberty of measuring out/spraying the pool and deck to make sure all was good.

 

[spool]

Day 1 - Let the digging begin. You can imagine how excited our boys were when they saw the excavation equipment pull up to the house.

 

[Casey]

Nice pool design. But that snow n the pit, that was so cool!

 

[Mr. Wolfe]

Snow fire pit was pretty sweet. Look forward to watching the progress on this MONSTER pool.

Mr. Wolfe

 

[Texas Splash]

Nice pics!

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Wow oh wow!! This is going to be so much fun to watch - already is!

You have truly gone about this the right way - you've watched and learned before you began the pool. I so wish I had known to do the same.

I'm enjoying your narration, and of course, your pictures are great! I especially like the back view of your sons watching the dig. We can still see their excitement.

I love all your dimensions - and jealous! That's just what you need with a house full of boys. (that includes the man-boy! Ha ha!)

You already know I love that you're using the Steel Blue. The cleaner mine gets, the more it sparkles like diamonds! Ya'll are going to love it!

You are so lucky to have your cousin to do the artist drawing. It is beautiful! Personally, I like it better than the regular ones I had through my PB.

Congratulations! I know you guys are excited! You're certainly well prepared. Now enjoy!! Suz

 

[spool]

Thank you all for the kind comments.

Suz, the 2 year planning wasn't intentional. We got sticker shocked by the first proposal some years ago and decided to go back to the drawing board and figure out what we really needed -vs- wanted. We did splurge on a few options, but think they are worth it. The kids are unbelievably excited, everyday they ask me what work is being performed.

 

[spool]

Day 2 of dig - Set up forms and started digging. As they began digging out the shallow end they discovered a tree stump pit buried right below where the sun ledge is going. Had to dig all of that up till they hit virgin ground then back fill with crushed stone.

The best part of the day... They asked my 11 year old boy if he wanted to work the excavator! You should have seen the expression on his face. He has been fascinated with heavy machinery since he was old enough to walk. He can operate pretty much any piece of equipment that has an engine. He knows more about excavation equipment than I do.

I thought they were going to sit him on their lap. The operator literally got out of the seat and let my son man the thing completely. After about a 15min training session he was digging and dumping the dirt in the piles off to the side! He will never forget this moment! It's the first thing he tells everyone that comes by the house to see our hole!

Here he is working the excavator...

 

[SuzfromTexas]

What a thrill for your son - and dad, too! I know that just reading about it gave me a smile from ear to ear.

I can barely make out his green shirt - he's so focused!

You guys have a beautiful setting for your pool. Suz.

 

[spool]

Day 3 and final day of dig. I was surprised they came out, rain in the forecast for the entire day. Regardless, they pushed through it even with the rain. The rain cleared late evening.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Beautiful shot of the sunset behind the dig. That's nice to have the dig finished on Father's Day! Suz.

 

[santacruzpool]

That is cool - my Son was trying to drive one of the small excavators, but being only 6 he couldn't sit and hit the various pedals. He did enjoy pretending - he would have been over the moon as well to actually help - that is so awesome.

Pool looks like it will be awesome - good luck!

 

[spool]

Lots of activity this week. Been keeping track of my timeline. Here's the progress:

May 18 2015 – Pool Application submitted to town
May 21 2015 – Gas Company marks gas lines
May 22 2015 – Tour paver company coping and paver options
May 28 2015 – Town approved Pool Permit
Jun 11 2015 – Begin clearing grass from pool area
Jun 12 2015 – Day 1 of dig. Encountered buried stumps in shallow end of pool. Required us digging lower to find virgin ground and backfill with stone.
June 13 2015 – Day 2 of dig. Complete shallow end and finish deep end.
June 24 2015 – Plumbing of in-floor cleaning system
June 25 2015 – Start rebar
June 26 2015 – Rebar and plumbing crew show up. They really get moving and get almost all of it complete.

And for the important part... More PICS!!!

In-floor cleaning system (A&A Quickclean) plumbing complete and tested...

Rebar started...

Today, huge crew shows up and really get things moving...

 

[spool]

Some plumbing and equipment questions for the TFP experts...

Pool dimensions are in my signature. Main water features run by a pump are:
- in-pool negative edge spa that spills over into pool
- in-floor cleaning heads (I believe 25 heads)
- (4) returns in pool wall
- (2) skimmer venturi returns
- (3) deck jets

I only see one variable speed pump listed in my contract.

Is one pump sufficient to run all this?

I realize they might not all be running at the same time, but combinations that could be are: spa overflow, deck jets, pool returns.

I don't have any returns in my spa. Only see in-floor cleaning heads, dual drains, and wall jets.
- Should there be a return in the spa?
- I don't want to run the jets to heat the spa water.
- What should plumbing look like so the spa overflows into the pool?
- Should I be asking for a separate pump to run the spa overflow?

Thanks,

 

[spool]

Plumber was out to complete some final touches before gunite.

Got some questions answered.

1-pump is Pentair Intelliflo XF. Any ideas of this is appropriate for my configuration?

2- he added 2 return lines to the spa for heat and overflow.

Th

 

[Casey]

That's a pretty decent size pool.

 

[kimkats]

I just found this! I am loving all of the pics! That they let your son work the digger!!!!! WOW! That is SO awesome!

What will you do with all of the dirt they dug out?

I don't have any answers to your questions

Kim