New Build in Houston

[Smelscifi]

Hey All,

I'm in the final stages of selecting a PB (started with ~6 of them and am down to the final 2). The pool is going to be a small 18'x24', 4' to 6' deep geometric design with level corner spa, tanning ledge, and a standing ledge on one wall. The PBs I've narrowed down to seem to favor Jandy equipment- I noticed in my bids that anyone selling Pentair was significantly more expensive. I'm also putting in an in-floor cleaner at the request of the wife- one PB proposing A&A, the other proposing Zodiac caretaker. To save yard space, we're having the PBs replace the existing flagstones instead of adding deck to our yard (the attached rendering is an old one before we decided on this- only the side adjacent to the house will have decking). Also going for 16"x24" coping to allow for the non-deck sides to have some walking room. What do y'all think? Any advice on good coping/decking combos?

 

[kimkats]

What a interesting design! We had one build back a few years ago that did it like that. They used it to practice their canoe moves.

Kim

 

[Smelscifi]

We really just want a nice tub of water in the back to lounge in, so it's perfect. I selected a vendor yesterday so the specs are in:

General Specifications
Area of Pool: 433 sq ft
Perimeter: 84'
Pool Depth: 4' x 6'
Pool Size: 24' x 18'
Mechanical Equipment
Filter: Jandy Cartridge 460
Pump: Jandy 2HP Variable Speed Pump
Skimmer: 2
Pool Light: 2 Jandy color LEDs
Spa Light: 1 Jandy color LED
Main Drain(s): 4
Inlets: 5
Time Clock: Aqualink PDA 4 remote
Air Blower: 1.5HP
Spa Jets: 6
Pool Cleaner: Caretaker In-floor cleaning system 26 heads with leaf-b-gone
Heater: Jandy 400,000 BTU
Chlorinator: inline
Structural Specifications
Steel (Beam) #4 Rebar Continuous
Steel (Walls/Floor) #3 Rebar Continuous Matt
Gunite 6:1 Cement (Sacks)/Sand (Yard) Ratio
Gunite (Beam) 12" Pneumatically Applied @ 4000 P.S.I.
Gunite (Walls/Floor) 6" Pneumatically Applied @ 4000 P.S.I.
Plumbing Specifications
Schedule 40 PVC for all pool plumbing
Schedule 80 PVC for pump connections
Skimmers and main drains plumbed separately to Equipment
Tile, Coping and Interior Finish
Coping: Flagstone or Travertine 16"x24"
Tile: Standard
Interior: White Satin Pebble Sheen 10 yr. warr.
Deck Specifications
Type: Mid Grade Pavers TBD
Area: 300 sq ft
All concrete poured with an 18" matt of #3 rebar
Maintenance Equipment
16' Telescopic pole
Wall brush
Leaf net
Test Kit
Thermometer
Spa Specifications
Size/Shape: 7' x 6' rectangle
Raise: 0"
Remote: Air Button
Miscellaneous
Water Feature: 2 bubblers
Booster Pump: na
Spa Fountain: open spillway
Over Flow: inc.
Fill Line: inc.
Fiber Optic: na
Lense Kit: na
Area Drains: 4" drains in decking to the street
Tanning Ledge: inc.
Umbrella Sockets: inc.
Fence Removal: inc.
Final Clean Up: inc.
Other: City of Houston Permits included - non-flood zone

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Everything looks good to me except the IFCS, which I am not a fan of...

I like the size of the filter and that you are getting a VS pump.

How do you plan on sanitizing your pool?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Bvacchiano]

You’ll be kicking yourself for not putting a SWG in down here in HOUSTON. All of my friends are miserable constantly draining water to keep up with high CYA. I’d rather cut my arm off than not have an SWG here in Sugar Land. Don’t let them give you that Crud about it being corrosive. I haven’t seen a spec of damage anywhere around my pool or at equipment.
Also unless you like swimming in bath water from June-September I’d consider a heat pump/chiller.

 

[Dtkokay]

I'm in Houston as well and in the process of getting bids for our first ever pool. I'm going with salt water, even though the builders I've met with don't recommend it.

 

[Smelscifi]

You’ll be kicking yourself for not putting a SWG in down here in HOUSTON. All of my friends are miserable constantly draining water to keep up with high CYA. I’d rather cut my arm off than not have an SWG here in Sugar Land. Don’t let them give you that Crud about it being corrosive. I haven’t seen a spec of damage anywhere around my pool or at equipment.
Also unless you like swimming in bath water from June-September I’d consider a heat pump/chiller.

Yeah I'm getting the same story that it will be bad for the Travertine we're putting in for coping/decking. It's not too late for me to request to add it to the bid but I'm a novice at running it. What's the maintenance like? Is the high CYA naturally occurring in Houston water leading to constant draining?

I will ask about a chiller quote. I was planning on just running the cleaning cycle dead of night to keep temps low and the pool being so close to the house gives it partial shade throughout the year. Do you have an idea of the electricity usage/cost of a chiller system?

 

[Smelscifi]

I'm in Houston as well and in the process of getting bids for our first ever pool. I'm going with salt water, even though the builders I've met with don't recommend it.

They all seem to reluctantly include it in their quotes but then shake their head as they bring it up. I had considered asking for it but also figured I could convert later if I was struggling. And for whatever reason, my wife prefers chlorine pools to what she thinks are saltwater pools.

 

[Texas Splash]

Is the high CYA naturally occurring in Houston water leading to constant draining?

CYA is not in local water. It is added from stabilized chlorine products (i.e. tablets, bags of shock, etc). So if you don't have a SWG, you will be chlorinating manually with liquid pool chlorine and/or regular bleach - both of which contain no stabilizer.

 

[Smelscifi]

S,

Everything looks good to me except the IFCS, which I am not a fan of...

I like the size of the filter and that you are getting a VS pump.

How do you plan on sanitizing your pool?

Thanks,

Jim R.

It's a small pool so I think an IFCS might be able to do the job. No trees nearby- we get a little fall leaflitter (fall here is usually in NOV/DEC...) that blows in from neighbors yards but nothing too bad.

The pool has an inline chlorinator- was going to use that as my standard. I had considered SWG but every builder seems to hate it and my wife seems to prefer chlorinated pools, not sure why.

 

[Smelscifi]

CYA is not in local water. It is added from stabilized chlorine products (i.e. tablets, bags of shock, etc). So if you don't have a SWG, you will be chlorinating manually with liquid pool chlorine and/or regular bleach - both of which contain no stabilizer.

Can you explain why your friends are constantly draining to keep up with high CYA? Are they caught in a vicious cycle where they need more chlorine but it only comes with CYA so their CYA levels get too high?

 

[Texas Splash]

Can you explain why your friends are constantly draining to keep up with high CYA? Are they caught in a vicious cycle where they need more chlorine but it only comes with CYA so their CYA levels get too high?

9 times out of 10, when you hear that it means someone relied on their inline chlorinator (tabs) and/or utilized a pool service who came by weekly and dumped a bunch of powdered/stabilized chlorine in the water. As long as you use either a SWG or regular bleach/pool chlorine, the CYA will not increase unless you add it on purpose.

 

[Smelscifi]

9 times out of 10, when you hear that it means someone relied on their inline chlorinator (tabs) and/or utilized a pool service who came by weekly and dumped a bunch of powdered/stabilized chlorine in the water. As long as you use either a SWG or regular bleach/pool chlorine, the CYA will not increase unless you add it on purpose.

Oh I see, that makes sense. Seems like it would be possible to buy chlorinator tabs with/without CYA at the buyers option, but I really haven't looked into it. Can you give me a little more advice on why SWG is superior to an inline chlorination system? Or an overview thread that already exists, you don't have to rewrite the book on it for me.

 

[Texas Splash]

Can you give me a little more advice on why SWG is superior to an inline chlorination system? Or an overview thread that already exists, you don't have to rewrite the book on it for me.

Certainly. I would start by looking-over the following items. They should clear-up a lot for you. Let us know if you have more questions.

Alternative sanitizers and "chemical free" pools--The Truth!

Pool owners frequently seek out "Chemical Free" alternatives to pool water sanitization. Many claims in favor of these systems and methods have been made (usually by the manufacturers of such systems) often without adequate scientific proof of their efficacy. Let's take a look at them and see...

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt Water Chlorine Generators

Salt Water Generators are designed to produce small amounts of chlorine continuously. This is perfect for day to day use and reduces work for the homeowner.

www.troublefreepool.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Jimrahbe]

my wife prefers chlorine pools to what she thinks are saltwater pools.

S,

Just so you know... A Saltwater pool is a Chlorine pool.. The only difference is that a saltwater pool just makes its own chlorine from the saltwater.. It is not like the ocean.. it is just slightly salty, just about like your tears.. A saltwater pool has 3,500 ppm of salt, while the ocean has 35,000 ppm of salt.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Smelscifi]

S,

Just so you know... A Saltwater pool is a Chlorine pool.. The only difference is that a saltwater pool just makes its own chlorine from the saltwater.. It is not like the ocean.. it is just slightly salty, just about like your tears.. A saltwater pool has 3,500 ppm of salt, while the ocean has 35,000 ppm of salt.

Thanks,

Jim R.

I've tried to explain this to her, I'm wondering if her only experience in SWG pools were badly maintained or something.

 

[Pv2]

also ALL chlorine pools will end up having salt in them, it is a byproduct of the chlorine. when I put my SWG on I barely had to add any salt, there was already a fair amount in there from the years of chlorine added.

 

[Smelscifi]

also ALL chlorine pools will end up having salt in them, it is a byproduct of the chlorine. when I put my SWG on I barely had to add any salt, there was already a fair amount in there from the years of chlorine added.

It sounds like you upgraded from chlorine to SWG. Do you know if it's cost-prohibitive if I decide to do it later down the road? Or is the same whether you do it upfront or later?

 

[Pv2]

mine is just a simple intex pool and SWG. other than automation, the units for regular pools look pretty simple, just a couple PVC couplings and an electric connection. if adding later plan for a little room in plumbing after pump/heaters at your equipment pad. if you are doing fancy electronic controls with your phone and such that is way out of my skill set. LOL

 

[Smelscifi]

mine is just a simple intex pool and SWG. other than automation, the units for regular pools look pretty simple, just a couple PVC couplings and an electric connection. if adding later plan for a little room in plumbing after pump/heaters at your equipment pad. if you are doing fancy electronic controls with your phone and such that is way out of my skill set. LOL

I don't have anything in the ground yet and am not looking to be super fancy. I mainly am done adding items onto my bid without cutting other stuff and want to know if I can just punt SWG to a future time. Maybe normal chlorination works out just fine for me and I don't need to upgrade.