I guess the complaining neighbors don't ever want an invite over, eh? Thank goodness for 6' privacy fences!
New Build - Richmond, TX >>> yee haw!!! <<<
- Thread starter wdavis111
- Start date
I don't get complaining neighbors - yeesh, it's 9pm, what are they doing besides watching sports? relax already! make friends with the guy who is building a pool!
The Gunite crew showed up around 1pm (we were their 2nd shoot of the day), and immediately jumped into action. While one guy got in the pool and started shooting, the others were busily raising tarps around the edge to protect the yard and getting everything ready. Pix as they occur...
Plumbers showed up this morning to dig their trenches and run their lines... and the gunite cleanup crew showed up to, well, clean things up after Friday's gunite-o-rama
After work, the PB took us to see a few of his pools, mainly to finalize our choice of plaster and what size peagravel for the decking. It was nice to see that what we had chosen from online photos was as nice in person, so we're sticking with the 'Negril' Beadcrete/Pebble from Azteca Pebble, which is part of the Azteca Gunite folks who are the main contractors for our pool. It was one of the lighter shades which we're hoping helps keep the pool temp to an acceptable level during our Texas summers, plus it has the hint of grey and blue that the wife was thrilled with. Plain white plaster wasn't appealing to us, and this was something we could both agree on.
PB told us that we got 'jumped ahead', so tile/coping should begin tomorrow!! WOO HOO!!!
PB told us that we got 'jumped ahead', so tile/coping should begin tomorrow!! WOO HOO!!!
Plumbers showed up early this morning again to lay pipe that connects pool to water faucet, finish the gas line runs to pool equip, arbor, and firepit, and basically clean stuff up. Then the tile & coping guys showed up and started cutting flagstone coping. I think the arbor guys are scheduled for this afternoon as well.. it's a parking lot out there!
End of day: By sunset, the tile/coping guys had all the tile set and grouted, and a large part of the flagstone cut and set in place. They tell me they should finish up tomorrow. PB stopped by and said we should be decking next week! Yay!
End of day: By sunset, the tile/coping guys had all the tile set and grouted, and a large part of the flagstone cut and set in place. They tell me they should finish up tomorrow. PB stopped by and said we should be decking next week! Yay!
Looking good! We started our build at about the same time you started yours and all I have is a hole. The hole needs to be cleaned out before the rebar guys can come and they are supposed to be here this week (but rain tomorrow in MD). Then concrete next week...so it looks like I am getting one thing a week. Not as fast as I would have hoped.
Today the tile/coping guys came back to hopefully finish all their work. And the Arbor guys showed up to start theirs.
Yesterday was a long day of painting for the Arbor guys, but they started assembly late in the day and we hope they finish up today...
that arbor looks NICE
btw, do you have a plan for protecting the wood in the arbor? the TX sun is pretty brutal, I have a fancy $10k oil-stained fence around my property, 3rys old, already showing pretty severe weathering. Will have to clean and re-stain this fall, $300 in materials alone! The sun will destroy wood if not very carefully cared for - just wondering what kind of maintenance plan you have.
btw, do you have a plan for protecting the wood in the arbor? the TX sun is pretty brutal, I have a fancy $10k oil-stained fence around my property, 3rys old, already showing pretty severe weathering. Will have to clean and re-stain this fall, $300 in materials alone! The sun will destroy wood if not very carefully cared for - just wondering what kind of maintenance plan you have.
All I had in mind was a couple of hours annually to apply some fresh Thompson's Waterseal, plus check to see if I needed to apply any more Behr Redwood Naturaltone Weatherproofing Wood Stain. To be honest, I was more worried about hurricanes than sunshine.Looks good! I agree, I would worry more about hurricanes than sunshine. The destruction Ike did in my neighborhood was unreal and we were not even in the path of the storm.
Scheduled for today are (a) electricians to run line to pool equip and lights and to arbor, (b) arbor guy to put finishing touches on it and hang outdoor ceiling fan, and maybe (c) plumbers to finish a bit of work before decking starts later in the week.
Decking crew showed up bright and early to set forms, bobcat away the grass, install drainage, fill forms with crushed gravel, and rebar in prep for tomorrow's peagravel pour
Another Richmond Neighbor
Hey great to hear things are going well. We have the same setup (big back yard for dogs and pool). Just getting ready to replaster and are considering Pulliam. Hope they do well for you.
Hey great to hear things are going well. We have the same setup (big back yard for dogs and pool). Just getting ready to replaster and are considering Pulliam. Hope they do well for you.
Only 2 things have been anything but stellar thus far... Arbor guy said we could choose paint color from brochure, and wife is very color-conscious, but when he came by with brochure - he had to know NOW what our decision was cause he was on his way to purchase... and it was the middle of my wife's workday. So I got to make the decision and luckily it was an OK choice for my wife.
Also, salesman said "we'll lay forms for decking and you can check it out and tell us if you want it enlarged"... we thought that meant they'd install the forms and we could look at it after work and let them know if we wanted it bigger. Instead there was a 9am knock at the door with 'forms are in, is it big enough?' and they needed to know if we wanted more NOW. Luckily the wife and I had already chatted a little about it, and once again, I got to make the decision and luckily it was an OK choice for her.
Other than that, they've been just super to work with so far. I mean from excavation to decking in 2 weeks is pretty darned good.
After a couple of days of down-time, the tile & coping crew showed up again this morning to finish all the flagstone work. The spa-spillway, runners in our decking, and a 4 foot firepit.
Just beginning the firepit
Ready for capstones
All finished, with flagstone runners in circle around firepit
Spillway complete
Just beginning the firepit
Ready for capstones
All finished, with flagstone runners in circle around firepit
Spillway complete
Everything looks great and coming along quickly. We got shotcrete done yesterday in MD and a surprise snowstorm today. Can't believe it.
Just put snow clothes on my kids and they are building a snowman...hard to get excited about a pool in the snow!
Just put snow clothes on my kids and they are building a snowman...hard to get excited about a pool in the snow!