Building my own pool in North Jersey

[ksungela]

Plumbers showed up today. They bent the rigid PVC with a torch when needed except the two return lines going from the floor to the wall which was flex. 3" return lines on the skimmer wall to feed the water falls which will be on the opposite wall.
Inspection on Monday, then ready for gunite...finally.
Suffering from paralysis by analysis regarding equipment selection. My plumber referred me to the Pentair rep. for recommendations. Pretty sure I'm using the Pentair control system and lights. Biggest question is which pumps. I want energy efficient, and quiet.

 

[ksungela]

34 and raining yesterday and gunite was finally installed...Yeah... :-D
I was very happy with the overall job New Century Gunite did. Having a track mounted cover required both long walls to be perfectly parallel. They setup guide wires and cut in the slot for the track to make a nice clean look in the end. We added an auto fill last minute which was probably a good thing since the auto cover box will create a drop in water level when there a lot of splashing around. We just used the simple toilet bowl mechanism type which I heard is more reliable than the electronic ones. The cover box wall was sloped to allow the cover to recess under the coping.
The was just thinking the other day how our yard hasn't gotten that chewed up from all the truck...but that changed yesterday. With a steady shower, the ground got real mushy to the point where the compressor truck was stuck in the mud on the way out. They chained it to one of the cement trucks to pull it out. If not, with rain expected for the next three days, it would have been there all week.
Next step, wait for the concrete to cure a week, then put the cover track in.

 

[ksungela]

more pics

 

[ksungela]

more pics

 

[ksungela]

Final result.

 

[ksungela]

Great to have some 40+ degree days here in January to continue work on my pool. Moving the dirt out, doing some site cleanup, moving a tree and filling in for equipment pad.

 

[ksungela]

After getting quotes from many dealers across the country, I settled on Pools Supply Unlimited for my equipment purchase. Here's what I bought:

Product Name: Pentair MagicStream Laminar Color LED Light Grey IMPULSE PURCHASE....THESE THINGS LOOK COOL!!
Deck Lid 580001G
Item#: 69802
Unit Price: $635.94
Quantity: 2

Product Name: Polaris Booster Pump .75HP, 120/240 Volts, 60Hz
PB4-60
Item#: 77645
Unit Price: $0.00
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Polaris 380 Automatic Pool Cleaner - Includes Hose
& Back-up Valve - F3
Item#: 77652
Unit Price: $646.91
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair IntelliFlo XF High Performance Variable
Speed Pump 3.2kW 3HP Max Time Clock Included 022005
Item#: 141370
Unit Price: $969.00
Quantity: 2

Product Name: Pentair IntelliFlo Variable Speed Pump VS+ 3.2kW
3HP Max Time Clock Included 011018
Item#: 136227
Unit Price: $868.00
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair Clean & Clear Plus Cartridge Filter 420
Sq. Ft. 160301
Item#: 68895
Unit Price: $639.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair MasterTemp HD Low NOx Pool & Spa Heater
- Dual Electronic Ignition - Cupro Nickel - Natural Gas - 250000
BTU HD - 460806
Item#: 80384
Unit Price: $1,749.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair IntelliChlor Salt Generator Replacement
Cell 40,000 Gallons IC40 520555
Item#: 70240
Unit Price: $509.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair ScreenLogic2™ Interface for IntelliTouch®
and EasyTouch® Automation Systems 520500
Item#: 19992
Unit Price: $415.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair IntelliTouch Connection Kit ScreenLogic
Wireless 520639
Item#: 20124
Unit Price: $449.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair IntelliTouch i5+3S Personality Kit Single
Body System Filter + 4 Aux 521223
Item#: 19997
Unit Price: $429.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair IntelliTouch Load Center with Sub Panel
Includes Transformer for Intellichlor Salt Cells 521213
Item#: 139252
Unit Price: $554.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair Intellibrite COLOR Pool Light for Inground
Pools LED 12V 100 ft Cord 5G Color 601012
Item#: 135823
Unit Price: $533.94
Quantity: 1

Product Name: Pentair Intellibrite COLOR Pool Light for Inground
Pools LED 12V 50' Cord 5G Color 601011
Item#: 3690
Unit Price: $487.94
Quantity: 1

UPS Ground: $2.75
Grand Total: $10,500.00

 

[ksungela]

Haven't updated in a while, but got lucky with some warm days to get equipment, plumbing and elec. conduit in.

 

[ksungela]

..more

 

[ksungela]

Treated myself to a couple of laminars. PVC conduit for hydraulic lines for Fastlane.

 

[ksungela]

...and now I'm done working for a while obviously...

 

[bigdav160]

I was curious how you've survived the storms.

That is a lot of pipe ale:

 

[ksungela]

We're managing about 1 work day a week with the fickle weather. Everything is back filled ready for the patio. I passed the bonding inspection after potting the light niches and running a #8 bare wire (tied into the tails coming off the rebar on each side) around the perimeter 18-24" from the water's edge and 4-6" below the patio.

 

[ksungela]

Pic after back filled and ready for patio.

 

[ksungela]

coping being installed a few weeks ago. 2" bluestone treads.

 

[ksungela]

Tile installed a few weeks ago. Prism from NPT tile.

 

[ksungela]

Well, after 3 weeks of getting jerked around by my landscaper, he finally decided to show up today. Partly my fault for breaking the cardinal rule for hiring contractors. I let the amount of money I paid him get too far ahead of the value of the work he had done.
They started with putting a rubber liner down on the ground in preparation for building up the boulders for the waterfall. They got a lot of work done today working till past 7 pm when the police knocked on my front door saying they had to shut down for the day. We have a "noise" ordinance in town which stats no commercial work before 7am or after 6pm during the week.
My neighbor is not happy with me as it is over a falling tree on their property they think I'm responsible for. She vowed to make it a very miserable summer for me :blah: ...oh well, can't please everyone.
The guys should be back at it tomorrow to get most of the waterfall done.

Regarding plaster, I'm using Diamond brite. My contractor gave me a price of $6400 or $7200 if I want the aggregate "exposed" meaning they sponge it down at the end to reveal more of the colored specs. He said if I choose not to do this, over time, the aggregate will become exposed anyway, but I didn't ask him how long that takes. Does anyone have any experience they can share regarding this? Did you choose to not have the aggregate expose, and if so, how long did it take to become exposed.

 

[bobby1017]

They got a lot of work done today working till past 7 pm when the police knocked on my front door saying they had to shut down for the day. We have a "noise" ordinance in town which stats no commercial work before 7am or after 6pm during the week.
My neighbor is not happy with me as it is over a falling tree on their property they think I'm responsible for. She vowed to make it a very miserable summer for me :blah: ...oh well, can't please everyone.

Nice neighbor, amazing the police don't have more important thing to deal with... oh yea this is a lot easier than actually dealing with a criminal. I would ask the contractor to be there to dump the rocks at exactly 7 am, hopefully he could make one trip per day all week.

 

[ksungela]

Found this on the forum regarding Diamond Brite and exposing the aggregate. Good info.
diamonbrite-being-installed-today-is-this-right-t6804.html?hilit=diamond%20brite%20exposed

 

[Casey]

Love your tile choice! Can't wait to see it finished! You should invite the neighbor lady over and play Marco Polo and run around the outside of the pool while she tries to find you!