Looking to get in contract for new pool build

[xxenova]

Hello! First post here. I'm talking to a highly recommended contractor in Sacramento area and provided the line items below on the initial contract draft for their base pool. It should be a simple rectangular 14x30 with cabo ledge and a 7x7 spa on one side and mostly likely going to get an auto pool cover. I'm still debating if we want to go 17x30.

After going thru some of the threads here in TFP, I'm thinking of asking for a SWCG and maybe skipping the pressure side booster for robotic one. But it looks like the Pentair robotic unit (warrior?) is not very well received by several folks here.

Base Swimming Pool Price Includes
- Dig and disposal of soil up to 6' deep
- Installation of rebar per engineering specifications
- Installation of Gunite per engineering specifications
- Stonescape Interior finish
- 6" water line tile
- Pentair Variable speed pump
- Pentair Booster pump for cleaner
- Pentair Pool Cleaner
- Pentair Cartridge Filter
- 1-Pentair Skimmer
- 1 Pentair LED color pool light (can add more for 1,370 each)
- Auto Fill
- Auto Drain
- Pentair Easy Touch 4 with Screen logic Mobil app
- All piping and valves needed for plumbing
- Engineering
- Telescopic Pole, Net, and Brush
In-ground spa with, 7'X7', Includes 6 jets, blower,400,000 BTU heater, benches

Any critical that I need to make sure the pool builder spell out in the contract? Any benefit of upgrading to intellicenter from Easytouch? Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[ajw22]

Simple pool, nope. Not with a pool/spa, booster pump, autocover, automation, etc.

Get model numbers for all equipment - pumps, what model and size filter, model light(s), auto fill, autocover?

Get the modern IntelliCenter and not the 20+ year old EasyTouch system. And definitely do not get the EasyTouch LITE PS4L system. Would you buy a 25 year old car today off the dealers lot?

Specify all diverter valves and no ball valves to be used.

What size plumping pipes will be used?

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Equipment Pad Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Pentair LED Pool Lights - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Covers - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Jaffles]

Go SWC 100%

Get a skip bin supplied from the start. The steel guys leave scarp all over the place, the gunite guys leave piles of gunite, there will be wire, chairs, wood, plastic, soft drink cans, lunches, jumpers, you name it. If the contractors have somewhere to shoot at least half of them will do it.

Make sure you have the spec model detail of ALL items listed, and be VERY sure they are the ones you want. Change you mind or add something and builders see it as time to start smashing you for variations. Until you sign he is your dog, after you sign you are his.

I would, if the budget allows, get the biggest filter possible and possibly a larger VSP. The easier the pool turns over 1.5 times a day the less energy and work it is for you. Its perhaps a bit trivial, but my larger VSP on 50% turns 1/3 more water than the medium at 50%. So though its slightly bigger in compacity it runs for 1.3 hr less each day. The unanswered question is over 5 -7 maybe 10 years will the energy saved be more than the upgrade cost to the bigger VSP.

I have also found if you are happy to leave a suction cleaner in the pool, it does fine around 50% power of a VSP, and the pool turns over enough to stay clean. So effectively 1 pump does 2 jobs. These days I manually vac the pool and turn the pump to 100% for the 30 minute exercise, than back to 50% power for daily turn over. My pool doesn't suit any cleaner really. To me the cost and life span of a robot doesn't match the marketing and thay just are not worth the money. The old suction cleaner seems to be sufficient over couple days especially as the pool is turning over anyway. Just my view though.

Match your equipment to the pools volume by 1.5 times. Then match pipe size to volume and distance. Keep in mind pool builders generally quote "just enough" in equipment compacity to do the job just, not do it efficiently and well.

 

[pjt]

Pentair Variable speed pump

Which model? I'd suggest the IntelliFlo3

Pentair Booster pump for cleaner

Delete. Get a robot.

Pentair Pool Cleaner

Which model? Probably cheaper to buy this yourself from Marina Pool & Spa.

Pentair Cartridge Filter

Get the biggest one you can afford. I'd suggest the CCP520.

1-Pentair Skimmer

Get two skimmers. Main drain is optional.

1 Pentair LED color pool light (can add more for 1,370 each)

Which model? The newest Pentair lights are MicroBrite. Get a few of them, all facing away from the house or main seating area.

Pentair Easy Touch 4 with Screen logic Mobil app

Get IntelliCenter. EasyTouch is the prior generation of technology.

Any critical that I need to make sure the pool builder spell out in the contract?

Get specifics on everything. It's almost impossible to have too much detail.

How are you going to chlorinate?

My build thread (link in my signature) might be helpful to you.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

What depth are you seeking? You mention digging down 6', but that would only give you about a 4' water depth once the rebar and shell added.

Tell the PoolBuilder what *water depth* you want and make sure you're on the same page. Some folks don't and later find the depth wrong or that they made the depth the wall height depth.

Maddie