I hate to join a forum and then post with an urgent title, but I'm in a little bit of a pickle. My wife and I are having our pool installed and have zero pool experience. Our original plan was to get a 18 x 36 vinyl pool (Gemini model listed here:https://lathampool.com/literature/Pacific_Steel.pdf) installed with a fiberglass tanning ledge with two water spillovers (the large Picasso shown here Tanning Ledges - Pacific Pools | In Ground Pools) that sits just above the pool. Due to a mixup with the manufacturer or the pool installer, the tanning ledge we were planning to have installed will not fit on our pool which is already dug and the walls are already cemented and back filled. Because this issue cannot be fixed we now have to create a vinyl tanning ledge that will take up a portion of our pool (about an 8 foot radius). I am not thrilled about this because it takes up swim space. Because the manufacture messed up we are going to get the in pool vinyl swim ledge installed at a discounted price.
Another option that was thrown out by our swim company was to install a spa, since we were so furious that we were not able to get what we originally were quoted we wanted to have the vinyl tanning ledge installed in the pool and and receive a spillover spa. The model is the scalloped spillover spa shown here:Spas - Pacific Pools | In Ground Pools
Our pool contractor just got back to us and said the best he could do was to install the vinyl tanning ledge in the pool and to give us the spa for an additional $1500 than what we originally were planning to pay, however that does not include the masonry work that would need to go around it. I like the spa because it adds some functional space and a waterfall effect, but I do not like the fact that I have to pay extra for it and I'm not sure how much I would use it. He also told us that the spa temperature can only get 10 to 15° warmer than the pool water.
I think installing the spa would be more money out of our contractors pocket, because his company would also have to dig out the 2 feet of cement footing that was poured for the original fiberglass tanning ledge. Because of this he seems to be trying to talk us out of this idea of getting the spa. Says they require additional maintenance when winterizing the spa, he doesn't get very warm, if we ever had to fix anything we would have to tear out the concrete etc.
For what it is worth it looks like we have a Hayward summit heat pump and the Hayward super pump.
We live in Michigan and I'm guessing the pool will be open from May until September – October.
We are definitely getting the vinyl tanning ledge because my wife really wants it. The other option we could do is to forgo the spa, save the money and he will throw in some waterfall a effects for free.
The contractor was an answer ASAP so he can get to work. Any advice or feedback would certainly be appreciated. Thank you very much!!!!!
James
Another option that was thrown out by our swim company was to install a spa, since we were so furious that we were not able to get what we originally were quoted we wanted to have the vinyl tanning ledge installed in the pool and and receive a spillover spa. The model is the scalloped spillover spa shown here:Spas - Pacific Pools | In Ground Pools
Our pool contractor just got back to us and said the best he could do was to install the vinyl tanning ledge in the pool and to give us the spa for an additional $1500 than what we originally were planning to pay, however that does not include the masonry work that would need to go around it. I like the spa because it adds some functional space and a waterfall effect, but I do not like the fact that I have to pay extra for it and I'm not sure how much I would use it. He also told us that the spa temperature can only get 10 to 15° warmer than the pool water.
I think installing the spa would be more money out of our contractors pocket, because his company would also have to dig out the 2 feet of cement footing that was poured for the original fiberglass tanning ledge. Because of this he seems to be trying to talk us out of this idea of getting the spa. Says they require additional maintenance when winterizing the spa, he doesn't get very warm, if we ever had to fix anything we would have to tear out the concrete etc.
For what it is worth it looks like we have a Hayward summit heat pump and the Hayward super pump.
We live in Michigan and I'm guessing the pool will be open from May until September – October.
We are definitely getting the vinyl tanning ledge because my wife really wants it. The other option we could do is to forgo the spa, save the money and he will throw in some waterfall a effects for free.
The contractor was an answer ASAP so he can get to work. Any advice or feedback would certainly be appreciated. Thank you very much!!!!!
James