- Aug 27, 2021
- 56
- Pool Size
- 10500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-30 Plus
I'm planning to install a Saltwater 8000 (or LX) from Pool Factory in the Spring. I have resigned myself to doing it myself because I can't find anyone to do it for me. Well, I got a quote from a Doughboy dealer but they wanted 13K total for the most basic Doughboy non-saltwater pool installed, excluding excavation. For that price I can buy an extra liner or two, or heck, an extra pool or two, in case I screw it up badly.
First -- is there a particular kind of contractor that is the best choice for excavation? My lot is pretty level, I could just use a tiller and a shovel to do a surface install, but I'd like to sink the pool 24 inches into the ground. Maybe a foundation excavator? I assume I should have a 23 foot hole for a 21 foot pool.
Second -- when leveling the pool, is it most critical that the paver stones the legs will be on are level, versus the rest of the ground? It seems like making sure the pavers are level and the rails have support under them is 99% of what's important, and the rest of the ground inside the pool is less important (not unimportant, mind you, but not quite as critical). Have I got this right?
Third -- how much of a deep spot in the middle is reasonable with a 21 foot pool? Can I get 60 inches (total) out of it? More? I assume I need an overlap expandable liner if I want to dish out the middle more than a couple inches. I'd like enough so that as a six foot tall adult I don't feel like I'm in a kiddie pool.
Fourth -- let's just say for a second that I f*ck up the leveling, I know I can't backfill dirt, but can a screw up like that be fixed by filling with some kind of crushed rock and then tamping it down? I'm going to try hard not to screw this up, but I like to know what I'm up against.
Fifth -- in the grand scheme of things, how hard of an install is this? If I get someone else to do most of the leveling with a machine, and I have a few extra hands to help put things together, is this reasonably a DIY job? I have done some home renovation, but never anything like a pool.
Sixth -- is it reasonable to run pipes underground and put all the equipment next to my air conditioner on the side of my garage? Probably be 20 feet of pipe. Sure would make it quieter, and easier to plumb the gas and electric since the meters for both are on the same wall 40 feet away.
Seventh -- would it be a good idea to try and put a main drain in? This seems hard to do in the first place, and especially difficult if I want to dish out the middle of the pool. Will it be fine if I don't have such a thing? Should I put in a return line on the other side of the pool? Is that even advisable with a saltwater pool with only one stainless panel?
Thanks for your help! I really want to make sure I have a good plan going into this so I don't spend too much time trying to work around my misconceptions. And I want to make my equipment purchase soon so I don't get caught up in the summer rush next year. I'm not kidding about buying an extra liner, too, just because it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you....
Dave
First -- is there a particular kind of contractor that is the best choice for excavation? My lot is pretty level, I could just use a tiller and a shovel to do a surface install, but I'd like to sink the pool 24 inches into the ground. Maybe a foundation excavator? I assume I should have a 23 foot hole for a 21 foot pool.
Second -- when leveling the pool, is it most critical that the paver stones the legs will be on are level, versus the rest of the ground? It seems like making sure the pavers are level and the rails have support under them is 99% of what's important, and the rest of the ground inside the pool is less important (not unimportant, mind you, but not quite as critical). Have I got this right?
Third -- how much of a deep spot in the middle is reasonable with a 21 foot pool? Can I get 60 inches (total) out of it? More? I assume I need an overlap expandable liner if I want to dish out the middle more than a couple inches. I'd like enough so that as a six foot tall adult I don't feel like I'm in a kiddie pool.
Fourth -- let's just say for a second that I f*ck up the leveling, I know I can't backfill dirt, but can a screw up like that be fixed by filling with some kind of crushed rock and then tamping it down? I'm going to try hard not to screw this up, but I like to know what I'm up against.
Fifth -- in the grand scheme of things, how hard of an install is this? If I get someone else to do most of the leveling with a machine, and I have a few extra hands to help put things together, is this reasonably a DIY job? I have done some home renovation, but never anything like a pool.
Sixth -- is it reasonable to run pipes underground and put all the equipment next to my air conditioner on the side of my garage? Probably be 20 feet of pipe. Sure would make it quieter, and easier to plumb the gas and electric since the meters for both are on the same wall 40 feet away.
Seventh -- would it be a good idea to try and put a main drain in? This seems hard to do in the first place, and especially difficult if I want to dish out the middle of the pool. Will it be fine if I don't have such a thing? Should I put in a return line on the other side of the pool? Is that even advisable with a saltwater pool with only one stainless panel?
Thanks for your help! I really want to make sure I have a good plan going into this so I don't spend too much time trying to work around my misconceptions. And I want to make my equipment purchase soon so I don't get caught up in the summer rush next year. I'm not kidding about buying an extra liner, too, just because it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you....
Dave