New 151' Perimeter 32k Gal Pool Build w/ Below Grade Living Area - Questions/Advice

[Formula27]

Ladies and Gentleman,
I am seeking your experienced guidance on our new build. First, a little about me, I have been a pool owner for several years and our new home does not have a pool. When I sold the previous home, I said that I would NEVER have a pool again, knowing that I was lying to my self. haha. We are building this pool with the understanding that we will be in this home until our kids graduate high school (they are 2 and 5) and we want to do it right from the start. I have never built a pool, always tried to fix what the original builders screw ups and TFP has been an amazing help in that.

Here is a link to our design. Please keep in mind that I drew it and the builder basically transistioned my drawing to pool studio. We interviewed a couple builders and had some issues with them agreeing to do the below grade living area due to our yard being about as flat as you can get.
Dorward - YouTube

The bar will not have the kegerator and countertop as it shows in the video, it will just be a bar top. Our idea is for somone in the living center to have a face to face conversation while on a bar stool with somone in the pool on a bar stool (dry/wet). The living center will be approximately 4' below grade with a sump pump drain, again advice welcomed on drainage). I briefly spoke with MrSquish in a PM about his build seen here: My AZ Oasis project.

The pool its self is approximately 151' perimeter, 32k gallons, sport end will likely trasistion from 3.5' by the bar down to 5' on the opposite end and 7' deep end on the elbow (just enough to jump off the wall and not be a diving pool). Thoughts welcomed as we were inbetween doing that or a 3.5 to 5 back to 4 then transition to the deep end. We are leaning towards the single grade to prevent putting drains in the sport end and only having them on the deep end.

Builder recommends the following:
Quartz finish as there are only 2 Pebble installers in the Dallas area and cost savings.
Pentair equiptment - Intelliflow VSF Pump with Screenlogic computer, either FNS Plus Fiberglass D.E. Filter or Clean & Clear Cartridge Filter (I have used cartridge in the past and felt it worked well) and a Mastertemp Heater for spa. He also wants to run 1 pump for the pool/spa and another stand alone pump for the water features.


The questions that I keep coming back to are the following:
1. Thoughts on drainage for the living area as it will, with out a doubt have significant drainage challenges.
2. Finish- Pebble Sheen, Pebble Fina vs quartz? In my mind, at the price, 3500 extra for pebble seems worth it but my wifes main concerns are tearing up feet and bathing suits.
3. I was planning on running a robotic cleaner but am questioning whether or not to have them go ahead and install lines to a buster pump for a pressure cleaner in-case technology changes in that side of the industry.
4. Suction line size, I am thinking 3"
5. Cartridge vs D.E.
6. Probably most importantly, the sanitizing options. They do not recommend a SWG although I have had good luck with them in the past. SO, whats the best for a pool this size, Ionizer, Ozone, SWG, Standard??

If you see any RED FLAGS, please let me know!

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[sktn77a]

The questions that I keep coming back to are the following:

1. Thoughts on drainage: That will depend entirely on the exact grading of the plot. I would think a french drain between the house and the pool but all that water will need to go somewhere!

2. Finish- Personal choice
3. I was planning on running a robotic cleaner: I like my Polaris 380 but if I were starting from scratch, I'd probably go robotic. You could always plumb a dead line incase you ever change your mind.
4. Suction line size, I am thinking 3": How many suction lines will you have?
5. Cartridge vs D.E. Everyone has their own preference.
6. Probably most importantly, the sanitizing options. They do not recommend a SWG: What is it with Texas pool builders??? Stay away fro Ozone and Ionizers (Nature 2). Go with SWG or bleach. Pucks are the last choice.

 

[ajw22]

Put in the extra return line that can be used as a pressure cleaner line. Having a spare return line can be useful in the future even if you never use it for a cleaner.

Install a SWG and ignore your PB. With Pentair equipment put in an IC60.

I didn't see you mention your automation. Consider the Pentair Intellicenter.

 

[bmoreswim]

What will get damaged when the electricity goes out and the pump won't run during a heavy rain? If it's OK that the area gets temporarily flooded, no worries. Or if you have a backup generator to control the sump pump, then I'd be comfortable myself. Otherwise, it's certainly something to consider. Beautiful in appearance.

Bar stools do present challenges for automatic pool cleaners. I don't have stools myself to give you specifics but I've read about challenges here.

Definitely SWCG and as mentioned, whichever type of filter floats your boat, so long as it's oversized to reduce time between cleanings.

 

[Divin Dave]

Here is my .02

Pay special attention to the drainage. Put in more French Drains than you think you might need. There is no such thing as too much drainage. And I hope it would be obvious to install an overflow in the pool. I cannot think of anything worse than a below grade flood if your pool overflows and the water has no place to go.

You don't need a 3 inch suction line on the pool. If you install that, it will have to be reduced anyhow. 2 Inch should be just fine with 1.5 inch returns.

I really also like the idea of dedicated plumbing. What I mean by that is a single pipe to each return, and water feature with a valve on each at the equipment pad. This gives you a lot of flexibility and control of the water current in the pool. Also, it can be really irritating if the splashing noise from the water features are too loud. You need to be able to control that.

If you have valves at the equipment pad for the water features, you can probably use the single VS pump. Use the valves to turn on/off the water features. Otherwise, opt for the 2nd pump (a smaller VS), for them.

Go with the SWG.

Your design is awesome and happy pool building!

 

[lazygirl1978]

Re: the robotic cleaner and the bar stools --- I have a friend whose bar stools are solid-looking and attractive but are not fixed in place. He wished he had more seating in the pool (only has a small corner step) like a full-length bench, so he added a few of these solid plastic stools. They seem to work great, and you could move 'em around for cleaning purposes. On the other hand, they might migrate around the pool and drive you crazy.

BEAUTIFUL design! Looks like a lot of fun!

 

[jatkinson]

Some people really know how to make PoolStudio sing!? I only got more grey hairs when I screwed with it. :-/

 

[Formula27]

Thank you all for your responses!
Keith - I believe that they are doing 1 suction line in the deep end and individual return lines.
Allen - I like the idea of adding an additional pressure line that can be replumbed at the pump for a future booster pump, if needed. Thanks!
Bmoreswim - I love the idea of adding a generator to the pump area for a backup to the sump pump and it could be tied into the house for emergency power as well! Great Idea!
Divin Dave - Great points! I will discuss running individual lines for each water feature. Are you recommending for each return as well or have the eyelets on their own valve and individuals for everything else?
Jatkinson - I completely agree! I was getting frustrated with PB's not designing what we wanted so I, unsuccessfully, made an attempt at it myself.
Lazygirl - We are changing the bar stool design to 2 benches that should hold 2 - 3 people per bench, the builder is also putting the benches on a curb for lack of a better word, this should assist the cleaner and prevent it from getting stuck.

I am not sure why PB's are so against SWG here in Texas, it saved me a TON of money and made my pool chemistry much easier to keep in balance on my last pool! Are there really no better alternatives?

 

[ajw22]

I am not sure why PB's are so against SWG here in Texas, it saved me a TON of money and made my pool chemistry much easier to keep in balance on my last pool! Are there really no better alternatives?

Simple answer is, no, there is no better alternative. Some folks try automated chlorine injection systems. Others continue to make continuous liquid chlorine runs to stores. And some folks continue to try and manage with pucks that add mode then chlorine to the water.

 

[Flying Tivo]

You can also make the Spa as stand alone instead of spillover since you already have water fall features.
Great looking pool, congrats.

Felipe