- What is a good brand of equipment? (Jandy, Hewyard or Pentrair)
I like Pentair, though I've never used any other. They offer an IntelliChlor (SWG) and IntellipH (acid dispenser) combo that work in tandem and do a great job at reducing my weekly maintenance. There are other solutions and brands for these functions, but none that work together as well as Pentair's.
- How many lights do you suggest?
That depends on the shape and size of the pool, but if I had more than one, I'd insist each be wired separately back to the equipment pad. That way, I could wire them together if I wanted to, or to separate switches to allow me to adjust the ambiance of the lighting. Maybe I'd want to light just the spa, or just the main pool, or just the lights going one way but not the other, etc. You many never want any of that, but it's pretty inexpensive to leave the options open. And I'd insist on low-voltage. With low-voltage LEDs, there is no longer any reason to put 120V into your water.
- Are there any automations we should be looking into?
I wouldn't own a pool without automation (but I'm an automation nut, so I'm biased). Your main filter pump, your salt water generator and your automation controller should all be of the same brand. Those items "talk" to each other and give each other feedback that you won't get if you mix and match brands.
- Should we add a built-in pool cleaner? Or just buy a pool robot?
People here love their robots, but I wouldn't use one if you gave it to me. They currently don't have a great longevity record (3-5 years), and they are expensive and not particularly repairable. Worse, for me, is the cord running across the deck. Plus, you have to haul them out to clean the small dirt receptacle, which means probably getting wet, and they are heavy. It is said they sweep your pool the best, and can clean the walls and even the edge tile, but there is some debate here about how well they actually do that. Plus, it's 120V in your water. No thanks.
I love my suction-side vac. Yes, it connects to the wall with a hose, but it's not on the deck. The crud collects in the filter pump basket, which is easy to clean out. No lifting! It can stay in the pool 24-365 without any fuss, but if I want to pull it out for a large group of swimmers, it's very light, so easy to do. I wouldn't call them cheap, but they are way less expensive than a robot and can be easily DIY repaired when needed.
1. Home run each return and each skimmer back to the pad (each on their own pipe) so that you can have full control over each, or be able to shut one down should it develop a problem.
2. Just about every builder in the US will design in floor drains. Ditch them. They are not needed, at all. (I heard they've been outlawed in Australia.) They are a throwback to old pool technology that have long since outlived their purpose. They were once used for cleaning, which is moot with a vac. And you wouldn't use them to drain your pool, on the rare chance you'd ever need to. They are just a hazard (entrapment, though they are much safer now), an eyesore, and an obstacle for cleaners and brushing. Two thumbs down.
3. Personally, I would have a stand-alone spa before an in-pool one. In-pools are basically an uncomfortable concrete box, with a hard, flat, rough concrete bench, and a handful of jets to dig holes in your lower back. A stand-alone is a true spa, with comfy, form-fitted smooth fiberglass lounges and jets everywhere: feet, neck, back, etc. Huge price difference, too. I know people love the look of an in-pool, with the spillover, but, IMO, they are all form-over-function.
4. Same for sun decks. I lounge
near my pool, and swim
in it. I don't like to mix the two. I want to lay on a dry towel, with a little pillow, next to a side table with my drink and a snack and a book or a tablet and my phone, none of which works well, or at all, over 6" of water. Again, I know people love their sundecks, I just would never have a use for one. Plus, depending on the depth and the type of cleaner, the cleaner won't get up on the deck to clean it, which means you'll have to.
5. As much as possible, be sure your lights face away from your house, and/or where you'll most often be sitting at night by the pool. You don't want lights on the other side, pointing at your eyeballs. But if you have to have lights on both sides of your pool, that's another reason to wire them separately. When you have swimmers in the water, you want to light it up. But if you're just enjoying the pool from the house, or from a lounge chair, it'd be nice to turn on only the bank of lights that face away from you, for a little ambiance without the glare.
6. Get a saltwater generator. You'll thank me later. No UV gizmos. No ultraviolet gizmos. Just a simple, easy-to-maintain saltwater pool is all you need.
Pardon the criticism of your design choices, just my 2¢.
Edit: Ha, ha, I read others' posts after I wrote mine. You can see we share some opinions! But hey, you're looking for consensus, right?
