Looking good. It only takes a few days of solid work to get from where your'e at to having it all backfilled, graded and ready for concrete. We have a similar drainage issue where a hill runs down against the deck. The PB has graded the area around the deck so it should run off naturally in the right direction. However if we have any issues with heavy rains, all I need to do is put in a french drain.
TheMilkman's Pool Build Journal
- Thread starter themilkman
- Start date
Samantha,
The hill is still where my most heartburn comes from. I hear you loud and clear and here is what we have planned. Let me know what you think. The top of the hill already has drainage pipe to catch everything running under the fence from our neighbors yard to ours. Once our pool builder backfills the pool he is going to level out 6' back from the edge of the pool. (As close to the moved powerline as he can safely get.) We are going to put up an Allan Block retaining wall 4' tall with a drainage pipe behind the wall.Then from the wall to the concrete decking ~2', we will be digging out, install french drain pipe with decorative river rock covering the whole 2' to catch a bunch of water from the pool. Pool builder is also sloping the 2' of concrete on that side away from the pool to really help any run off. The hill will be covered either with decorative river rock or we are leaning to using a heavy vegeation groundcover.
According to my southern neighbor here in NC a hard rain is called a toad stangler but us Yankees just don't understand :-D
The hill is still where my most heartburn comes from. I hear you loud and clear and here is what we have planned. Let me know what you think. The top of the hill already has drainage pipe to catch everything running under the fence from our neighbors yard to ours. Once our pool builder backfills the pool he is going to level out 6' back from the edge of the pool. (As close to the moved powerline as he can safely get.) We are going to put up an Allan Block retaining wall 4' tall with a drainage pipe behind the wall.Then from the wall to the concrete decking ~2', we will be digging out, install french drain pipe with decorative river rock covering the whole 2' to catch a bunch of water from the pool. Pool builder is also sloping the 2' of concrete on that side away from the pool to really help any run off. The hill will be covered either with decorative river rock or we are leaning to using a heavy vegeation groundcover.
According to my southern neighbor here in NC a hard rain is called a toad stangler but us Yankees just don't understand :-D
Wow that makes me excited that we may not be too far behind. Your's looks great, can't wait to see the final steps come together to know what I'm in for.
I've been following your progress, and it's really starting to look good; can't wait to see the finished product. They're starting our dig tomorrow, and we also ordered blue steps, in the shade of Granite Blue. I'm hoping you'll tell me that's what you have, because your steps look great.
Yep that is a blue granite step. We are really happy with it and our neighbor is very jealous of it and the Hayward Colorlogic LED light that we will be installing.
Came home tonight and see the bracing is 100% complete but he got rained out for pouring concrete on the braces. Hopefully tomorrow's weather will be better.
Came home tonight and see the bracing is 100% complete but he got rained out for pouring concrete on the braces. Hopefully tomorrow's weather will be better.
I don't know if I was 100% clear on my drainage idea and if anyone else has a better idea from this picture please let me know. This is what the pool builder and I came up with.
And there was a concrete truck at my house at 7:30am to pour for the braces!
And there was a concrete truck at my house at 7:30am to pour for the braces!
I'm no drainage/landscaping expert but that plan looks good to me.
Glad to hear your concrete guys are there this morning - it's beautifully sunny this a.m. here in Charlotte, hope the weather holds out for you!
Glad to hear your concrete guys are there this morning - it's beautifully sunny this a.m. here in Charlotte, hope the weather holds out for you!
That looks acceptable as far as the drainage goes but I don't think you'll be happy with 2' of deck. I'd narrow that drainage against the outside of retaining wall down and make the deck 3'.
Milkman - before I checked your progress today our steps arrived, and yes, they ARE exactly the color of yours. I'm so pleased we went with this color. Also, I agree with Bama; I think you might want to reconsider the deck size. Good luck on today's progress. Can't wait to see more pics!!!
I agree with Ashbourne and Bama. The drainage plan seems fine, but I think you would really enjoy a wider deck.
Maybe you could talk your PB into throwing that in as your bonus for referring another customer to him. :lol:
Maybe you could talk your PB into throwing that in as your bonus for referring another customer to him. :lol:
Thanks for the recommendations guys....here's the story on the 2' of concrete decking.
Before I put in the pool the powerline had to be moved but they were unable to route it the way I wanted. It is buried approximately 6' from the waters edge. We figured we would not really use the back of the pool like if you put the wall right on the edge of the pool but the best location for the skimmer and piping was on the back. So, we said well let's just put a couple of feet for butt room and to clean out the skimmer. The deck jets were also going to be installed in the river rock so I didn't have to install in the concrete in case we changed our minds or they broke, etc.
Now am wondering if I maybe want the room to walk all the way around for skimming and vacuuming. Anyone out there with access to only 1 side of your pool regret it?
Here is a top view down pic of the concrete and pool for reference.
The skimmer is where the 2' dimension for the concrete on the back of the pool is.
Before I put in the pool the powerline had to be moved but they were unable to route it the way I wanted. It is buried approximately 6' from the waters edge. We figured we would not really use the back of the pool like if you put the wall right on the edge of the pool but the best location for the skimmer and piping was on the back. So, we said well let's just put a couple of feet for butt room and to clean out the skimmer. The deck jets were also going to be installed in the river rock so I didn't have to install in the concrete in case we changed our minds or they broke, etc.
Now am wondering if I maybe want the room to walk all the way around for skimming and vacuuming. Anyone out there with access to only 1 side of your pool regret it?
Here is a top view down pic of the concrete and pool for reference.
The skimmer is where the 2' dimension for the concrete on the back of the pool is.
I have a raised bond beam the entire length of the back of my pool. It is about 12-15 wide and I use it with no problem to brush the pool. I think two feet would be plenty for this.
Another day and more progress....Pool Builder called this morning (a Saturday!) and said he was on his way. They installed coping today and finished bonding the braces to the coping.
We also finalized our electrical plan with the electrician there. We will have four outlet boxes around the pool, pergolas will be wired for ceiling fans, refrigerator and we will be pulling cat 5, speaker and cable tv out. Additional conduit will be layed and plugged for future consideration if needed. The electrical will be a bit more than we originally planned but we will have the flexibility later on.
Also nailed down our pump location so next week will start the piping and pad for the pump and filter. We should see some good progress next week and maybe have it all backfilled and ready for the grid. Electrician will be back in a week from vacation.
We also finalized our electrical plan with the electrician there. We will have four outlet boxes around the pool, pergolas will be wired for ceiling fans, refrigerator and we will be pulling cat 5, speaker and cable tv out. Additional conduit will be layed and plugged for future consideration if needed. The electrical will be a bit more than we originally planned but we will have the flexibility later on.
Also nailed down our pump location so next week will start the piping and pad for the pump and filter. We should see some good progress next week and maybe have it all backfilled and ready for the grid. Electrician will be back in a week from vacation.
Piping on the pool was completed today and backfill half done. Tomorrow they are planning on digging the plumping from pool to pad. Pour pad, finish backfilling and haul the rest of the dirt off. It's beginning to look like something now.
Have to finish designing the Pergola off the back off the house tomorrow and we can lay out the electrical piping that my neighbor will dig this weekend with his trencher.
One question, I have 3 returns, should I add one over or near the pool light?
Have to finish designing the Pergola off the back off the house tomorrow and we can lay out the electrical piping that my neighbor will dig this weekend with his trencher.
One question, I have 3 returns, should I add one over or near the pool light?
ugg red clay YUCK! Bet you"ll be glad when your grass is back and your swimming! Looking good so far.
Milkman! looking real good so far 
I'm a little perplexed that you backfill before you have any water in the pool to even out the pressure form the dirt. have you compact those volumes you backfilled with? Is it the shape of the pool that make the construction so stable that the walls stand for themself even with the ground pressure from the outside?
I saw from the pictures that you have poured concrete around the pool so I guess that together with the shape(?) does the job of holding the walls so they not bend in. I understand that your poolbuilder knows exactly what his doing, just an observation from someone that knows nothing about how to build a liner pool :|
I'm a little perplexed that you backfill before you have any water in the pool to even out the pressure form the dirt. have you compact those volumes you backfilled with? Is it the shape of the pool that make the construction so stable that the walls stand for themself even with the ground pressure from the outside?
I saw from the pictures that you have poured concrete around the pool so I guess that together with the shape(?) does the job of holding the walls so they not bend in. I understand that your poolbuilder knows exactly what his doing, just an observation from someone that knows nothing about how to build a liner pool :|
I'm a Yankee that moved south and the red clay was a little weird at first. Either because that's all my yard has looked like for 2 months or I'm actually beginning to like it like okra and black eyed peas 
I have another few months of looking at it before I can get some grass back.
Henry,
I thought my process has been long but it's really good seeing the pool come to life these last few weeks.
My wife was home today due to my daughter being sick so she got to see them backfill. She said it took all day and a crew of 4 guys to basically backfill half the pool since they would lay in a "little" dirt (PB says 6-8"") and then compact with a flat plate compactor and 2 hand compactors around the struts. He also said the shape of the oval and the concrete ring make this pool very strong and he doesn't have to worry about the walls buckling. A rectangular pool is required to be filled with water and backfilled due to there being little support. Like you said, we all hope our PB knows what he is doing when it comes to building a pool since we don't have the skills you possess.
I have been following your build and just amazed at the quality and attention to detail in your build. There are possibly contractors here in the states that could build like you have in their own profession (i.e. concrete, electrical, plumbing, tile) but to put everything together and have it come out so well is simply amazing to me. If I hit the lottery and ever decide to build my dream home I'll have to fly you over even if it takes a couple of years to get it finished :-D
I have another few months of looking at it before I can get some grass back.Henry,
I thought my process has been long but it's really good seeing the pool come to life these last few weeks.
My wife was home today due to my daughter being sick so she got to see them backfill. She said it took all day and a crew of 4 guys to basically backfill half the pool since they would lay in a "little" dirt (PB says 6-8"") and then compact with a flat plate compactor and 2 hand compactors around the struts. He also said the shape of the oval and the concrete ring make this pool very strong and he doesn't have to worry about the walls buckling. A rectangular pool is required to be filled with water and backfilled due to there being little support. Like you said, we all hope our PB knows what he is doing when it comes to building a pool since we don't have the skills you possess.
I have been following your build and just amazed at the quality and attention to detail in your build. There are possibly contractors here in the states that could build like you have in their own profession (i.e. concrete, electrical, plumbing, tile) but to put everything together and have it come out so well is simply amazing to me. If I hit the lottery and ever decide to build my dream home I'll have to fly you over even if it takes a couple of years to get it finished :-D
More work completed Fi and Sat. My mountain of dirt is almost gone too. Piping is all installed and my neighbor is coming with his trencher tomorrow to trench the lines from the pool to the pad and all my electrical lines.
Tomorrow while they are waiting on that they are going to shape the inside of the pool, set the drains and get the vermiculite started. He thinks if all goes well we will have the liner in it before the end of the week.
Next major project is to have the power line remarked and start the retaining wall that will be behind the pool. Vacation is in two weeks so we working against the clock. Would love to have the pool filled and warming up while we are in Aruba!
Tomorrow while they are waiting on that they are going to shape the inside of the pool, set the drains and get the vermiculite started. He thinks if all goes well we will have the liner in it before the end of the week.
Next major project is to have the power line remarked and start the retaining wall that will be behind the pool. Vacation is in two weeks so we working against the clock. Would love to have the pool filled and warming up while we are in Aruba!
Yesterday I came home to the pool shaped and the main drains installed.
And this morning the PB arrived at 6:30am and completed this in 97 degree temperatures and 100% humidity.
Pump Pad, electrical, concrete and retaining wall left!
And this morning the PB arrived at 6:30am and completed this in 97 degree temperatures and 100% humidity.
Pump Pad, electrical, concrete and retaining wall left!