Question for builders - dig starts tomorrow and rain in forecast ***UPDATE- POOL DUG NOW RAIN****

[JC707]

Hi folks. Dig finally starts tomorrow and we have showers in forecast at 0.10".

Will this cause dig to be postponed or any other issues? Thanks!

 

[Toxophilite]

Even a plaster crew would work around a chance of small rain. They will monitor, and unless there's coming a huge gully washer, nothing to worry about. .1" is just a coffee break till it quits. What they don't want is to have hole opened and then have very hard rains, as those can wash or cave walls creating more work for them later to straighten back out.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

First day is typically more demo of the yard before layout and actual excavation of the pool.
Also have an excavation this week and not expecting any delays in the progress from weather.

 

[JC707]

First day is typically more demo of the yard before layout and actual excavation of the pool.
Also have an excavation this week and not expecting any delays in the progress from weather.

Thanks! I am up north from you in bay area...forecast now calls for double what I posted earlier at 0.20".

I checked outside and it's wet, walking in my backyard my boots got mud on them. Can dozers operate in slight mud or in rain showers?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Most excavation crews are using skid steers for moving the dirt from the hole to the street and actually dig the pool with a crawler excavator.
Typically the skid steer will start to make deep ruts in the rout it takes from backyard to street if it’s traveling on grass or any thing other than concrete if the soil starts to get saturated.
One other thing to think about is once things get saturated you don't want crews working in that type of environment for their own safety.

 

[JC707]

Dig done! Didn't even rain lol.

I am worried about fill dirt vs native soil and having to install a pier system. Construction manager took pics to send to the owner to get some feedback but more so on the spa area he didn't seem too concerned overall.

Here in Nor cal where I live is clay soil but we moved to a new construction development where they cut out a hill or made a hill....didn't get to see them do it unfortunately.

Any idea from these pics what might be clay vs native?

 

[JC707]

More photos...

 

[JC707]

We finally have rain here in bay area nor cal. It's not much but I did notice one of our main underground drain pipes that hauls water from gutters out to the street is busted/crushed from the dig.

Construction manager saw it yesterday and said he will send someone to fix before they backfill the trench for the ramp made to dig pool out (this is where drain pipe was hit).

My concern is all the water running off roof runs through this drain pipe so it's not draining to street right now and going straight into pool. Luckily it's not raining a ton but it's enough where water is coming out of busted drain pipe at a steady stream.

Should I have them come fix it sooner rather then later? Or how much water is OK to get inside a fresh dig? It's all going down the slope to deep end and pooling there.

Was thinking of breaking out my electric water pump and pumping water out deep end but again it's not a ton of water down there right now. It's dark out but I will take photos to post later.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Exposing differences in fill dirt is very comm during excavation especially in track homes.
Compaction is your concern, building on undisturbed soil is vital to the pool shell staying stable.
Keeping water away from the pool shell is important for many reasons, it may erode the earth of the walls/edges and deposit this inside the pool and need to be removed to keep proper elevation of the floor.
The dryer the excavation stays the sooner the work can continue.

 

[JC707]

Exposing differences in fill dirt is very comm during excavation especially in track homes.
Compaction is your concern, building on undisturbed soil is vital to the pool shell staying stable.
Keeping water away from the pool shell is important for many reasons, it may erode the earth of the walls/edges and deposit this inside the pool and need to be removed to keep proper elevation of the floor.
The dryer the excavation stays the sooner the work can continue.View attachment 489042

Thank you. I broke out my pump to take out the small amount of water in deep end and got some temporary water tape sealant to fix the busted drain pipe until they come out.

 

[JC707]

Question regarding Gunite. I understand the gunite shell isn't watertight but it seems all of the holes in the pool floor are holding water.

I have a few umbrella sleeve holes on the Baja shelf and one hole in the baja isn't holding water but the other umbrella hole is. When watering shell I sprayed some water inside and it drains down....

Is this any cause for concern? Thanks!

 

[JC707]

Photos...

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

No concern, very typical to see that exact situation.

 

[JC707]

Tile tomorrow! There are some divets/missing chunks of gunite where the precast concrete coping will be placed.

Wonder if the tile guy is going to just fill in with motar and place tile or will he fill in with hydraulic cement first. I have a bag of it here and says 3-5 hour dry time. Wonder if I should just fill it in now ahead of time.

 

[JC707]

Also still watering the shell...tomorrow will be day 7 when tile starts.

Should I avoid the tile areas while watering today to make those areas dry for Tile sub or does it not matter? Thanks!

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Tile before coping?

 

[JC707]

Tile before coping?

Sorry should have added -- coping + tile. Looks like they will do coping first then waterline tile + trim tiles + ledgestone.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

OK that makes sense, then let the coping crew fill the void on top of the bond beam and the tile crew will make good with what needs to be done in order for the tiles to be installed correctly.

 

[JC707]

Tile crew came yesterday and finishing up today. They do both coping and tile....I am really impressed by their work (but then again what do I know lol).

Bad part is the pre cast concrete coping is a little delayed so they will be back next week to install the coping. I specifically asked them about the tile and ledgestone lining up to coping and if any issues and they said they make sure all is level so when they place coping on top it will line up great.

Crossing my fingers this happens.

 

[JC707]

@AQUA~HOLICS

I just noticed our baja shelf doesn't have a return in it....is it pretty standard for at least 1 return in the baja shelf? We have 4 total returns in our build to 1 skimmer.

Rough drawing of locations below....