New Pool Build, Yet Another in DFW

[kimkats]

Will you make it an auto or manual gate? That is a long time of wanting! Glad you are getting it now!!

Kim

 

[Snikwah]

Will you make it an auto or manual gate? That is a long time of wanting! Glad you are getting it now!!

Kim

Oh it will be automatic for sure.

 

[kimkats]

Smart idea!! Our gate is auto also! LOVE it on a rainy day especially! Do you park inside the garage?

 

[Snikwah]

Smart idea!! Our gate is auto also! LOVE it on a rainy day especially! Do you park inside the garage?

We do park in the garage, but we have a 3rd car that we park back there sometimes. So it will be nice to have it behind the gate. The PB we have spoken to all have minimum decking requirements, and if we don't need a ton of decking...we can do an extra parking spot on the side of the driveway for the extra car. We'll just have to see how the prices come back. =)

 

[Snikwah]

Just wanted to share some observations I've had about the different PB we have requested designs from. I called 4 local PB. All on the same day. We have had in home meetings with 3 of them last week. All 3 of them we have yet to hear back from regarding a second meeting to show us some designs or see their showroom, etc.

Now, the other one does things a little differently apparently. The meeting with them, they scheduled out later, for Wednesday this week. However...they called to have utilities located already and sent a guy out today just to take elevations, notes about the site, took tons of photos, etc. I went out and spoke with him and he said that they would show some designs in the office and we could make changes on the spot because everything would be rendered on the CAD program.

I just thought it was interesting...I thought their designs were going to be the last one we would see. Just because the appointment to meet formally with them was so much later than the others...but it turns out it will be the opposite of that. Theirs will be the first one we will see...and also none of the other builders called to locate utilities. It just strikes me as that they're more efficient and more professional for lack of a better word. It's not like I'm in a big hurry or anything, but still.

 

[kimkats]

VERY interesting! They will be able to give you a solid price with all of the front loading they are doing!

 

[Snikwah]

Ok, so we just got back from our initial meeting.. Here is the design that they came up with. I have to say, I like it a lot. Please feel free to comment on any changes you think would be good. Honestly, I am really getting a good vibe from these guys. They use all Pentair equipment and were less resistant to the SWG request.

 

[kimkats]

Will the walls of the pool be raised out of the ground at all or will it be flush with the ground? The reason I ask is how little coping and decking there will be between the back and far right side of the pool. If you have grass it will be next to impossible to keep the mower mess out of the pool

How deep is this pool?

Also share the equipment with model numbers so we can look that over as well.

I LOVE the pool design!!! I like how you will have the spa bi-level. That will be nice for different people and times of year.

Kim

 

[Snikwah]

Will the walls of the pool be raised out of the ground at all or will it be flush with the ground? The reason I ask is how little coping and decking there will be between the back and far right side of the pool. If you have grass it will be next to impossible to keep the mower mess out of the pool

How deep is this pool?

Also share the equipment with model numbers so we can look that over as well.

I LOVE the pool design!!! I like how you will have the spa bi-level. That will be nice for different people and times of year.

Kim

Yes, the existing patio is at the bottom of the drawing next to the house as 0 elevation. there will be an immediate step down off that existing patio, going down 1 foot from the patio level. The backside of the pool at the top of the drawing will still be out of the ground close to a foot. Also has a 18" sheer descent waterfall there at the back side with a bench underneath. Spa is raised with a 9" deep tanning ledge next to it. Depth is 3.5' at the bottom by the house past the tanning ledge, going to 6.5' at the far side at the top of the drawing. Equipment specifics I don't have yet.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Have you ever been in a gunite spa??? If not I suggest that you try one before you buy one... Spas are the most oversold and underused items in a pool build.. A lot of people love their spas, but just as many end up not using them at all.. A pretty expensive option if it is never used.

I have three saltwater pools and have seen zero problems with rust or other mythical saltwater issues... If I built another 100 pools, they would all be saltwater pools..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Snikwah]

S,

Have you ever been in a gunite spa??? If not I suggest that you try one before you buy one... Spas are the most oversold and underused items in a pool build.. A lot of people love their spas, but just as many end up not using them at all.. A pretty expensive option if it is never used.

I have three saltwater pools and have seen zero problems with rust or other mythical saltwater issues... If I built another 100 pools, they would all be saltwater pools..

Thanks,

Jim R.

I have been in one. I feel like we will use it quite a bit.

 

[Snikwah]

@kimkats forgot he did include brochures for the equipment. The only specific model he mentioned was IC40 for the SWG. But here's the rest of it.

 

[kimkats]

Okay we NEED model numbers. Those are some good products but they come in many different sizes and such. @Jimrahbe I am turning this part over to you sir!

Kim

 

[Snikwah]

Okay we NEED model numbers. Those are some good products but they come in many different sizes and such. @Jimrahbe I am turning this part over to you sir!

Kim

Right on.. yeah, didn't get into specific model numbers, as this was just the initial design meeting with them. Only one he said specifically was IC40 on the SWG because we were talking about going SWG. I will share the specific model numbers when I get them from him.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Do NOT buy an IntelliFlo with the SVRS option.. It is not required, or needed, and will be the worse decision of your pool buy.. I can say that because my pool builder talked me into one.. I have had nothing but problems with it.. I have two other standard IntelliFlo pumps (011018) and they are great. The SVRS will go into the entrapment mode at any slight surge in the pressure. Just shutting off the air relief valve too quickly will do it.. I love IntelliFlo pumps, but do NOT buy the SVRS version no matter what your pool builder says.

Pump wise, I suggest that you get the 011028 which is the replacement for the 011018, which is the Gold Standard of pool pumps. The 011028 also has a rotatable control head.

The CCP filter is great... I suggest getting the 520.. the bigger the filter the less often you have to clean it.

The IC40 is only good for pools less than 20K gallons... My pool is a 17K pool and I have the IC40 and it works fine.. If much larger than 20K you will need the IC60..

Your EasyTouch needs to have the internal Salt cell power supply and transformer.. I suggest that you get ScreenLogic instead of the Pentair remotes.. With ScreenLogic you can control your pool with your PC, Tablet, or Phone...

Ping me if you have any questions @Jimrahbe

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Snikwah]

S,

Do NOT buy an IntelliFlo with the SVRS option.. It is not required, or needed, and will be the worse decision of your pool buy.. I can say that because my pool builder talked me into one.. I have had nothing but problems with it.. I have two other standard IntelliFlo pumps (011018) and they are great. The SVRS will go into the entrapment mode at any slight surge in the pressure. Just shutting off the air relief valve too quickly will do it.. I love IntelliFlo pumps, but do NOT buy the SVRS version no matter what your pool builder says.

Pump wise, I suggest that you get the 011028 which is the replacement for the 011018, which is the Gold Standard of pool pumps. The 011028 also has a rotatable control head.

The CCP filter is great... I suggest getting the 520.. the bigger the filter the less often you have to clean it.

The IC40 is only good for pools less than 20K gallons... My pool is a 17K pool and I have the IC40 and it works fine.. If much larger than 20K you will need the IC60..

Your EasyTouch needs to have the internal Salt cell power supply and transformer.. I suggest that you get ScreenLogic instead of the Pentair remotes.. With ScreenLogic you can control your pool with your PC, Tablet, or Phone...

Ping me if you have any questions @Jimrahbe

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thank you for the suggestions! I will keep these in mind. The pool will only be roughly 15k gallons, so it looks like the IC40 should suffice.

 

[kimkats]

@Snikwah I would print out what Jim said. He is my go to guy for this. Follow his suggestions and you cannot go wrong!

 

[Snikwah]

Here's the second builder's design. They use Jandy equipment as opposed to Pentair. Also, the filter will not be DE, it will be equivalent cartridge. This company is definitely more "flashy" for lack of a better word. Their showroom is huge and has lots of props, and production value. I do however get a better vibe from the first guys. They are completely different in their approaches. The first place uses shotcrete and second uses gunite with "super structure". Second place also heat bends their plumbing...I thought that was a no-no?

 

[cubsguy81]

Ok, so we just got back from our initial meeting with Foley Pools. Here is the design that they came up with. I have to say, I like it a lot. Please feel free to comment on any changes you think would be good. Honestly, I am really getting a good vibe from these guys. They use all Pentair equipment and were less resistant to the SWG request.

Like the design. Have you considered Mike Farley since you are in DFW? I know nothing about them other than the amazing YouTube videos of their work. I'm in SC but if I were in Dallas I'd invite them for a bid.

 

[Snikwah]

Like the design. Have you considered Mike Farley since you are in DFW? I know nothing about them other than the amazing YouTube videos of their work. I'm in SC but if I were in Dallas I'd invite them for a bid.

lol that's so funny.. I have watched his videos as well. He actually works with one of the builder's we chose to get designs from. We did not get him as a designer though. Haven't seen their design yet.