Seeking the Perfect Pool (For Us)- Florida

[mszporka]

After years of lurking around these forums, we have officially decided to start the pool building process for our home that we built 2 years ago (I was waiting for prices to come down, but have finally accepted the fact that may never happen). The pool will be for my wife, two kids (age 3 and 1) and myself. We will generally use it for fun and entertainment. The plan is to nail down the design and specs, and then reach out to a few pool companies in the area so that they are bidding apples to apples. From looking at these forums, I generally know what we are looking for, but would like everyone's help on reviewing the sketches that I have put together to date so that we can hopefully build the "Perfect Pool".
Specs:

• 15x30 Rectangular Pool with sunshelf
• 3.5' to 6' (Measured from water line)
• 6x6 Spa, but may go bigger depending on input with 6 jets.
• SWG
• Variable Speed Pump
• Filter 2x size
• Natural Gas Heater
• Umbrella Sleeve in Sun Shelf
• Two skimmers with their own return lines to pad
• Four Drains
• Bubblers at Sun Shelf with Lights
• LED Lights in Pool (need input on quantity so it looks good)
• AutoFill and Autodrain
• No cleaning line (will use robot)
• Intellicontrol (Would like the one with integrated breaker box since I have the pool prewire option from building my house.

Questions

• Would like input on the way it is laid out in the yard. I keep on going back and forth between leaving it where it is or pushing it to the back of the property line a little more.
• Is the spa big enough at 6x6 to hold 6 people? I really don't see having more people than that in it at a time.

Thank you in advance for all your input, and I will keep you all informed as we move forward as so many others have done on here. Thank you!

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

• Intellicontrol (Would like the one with integrated breaker box since I have the pool prewire option from building my house.

I think you mean IntelliCenter. You want the IntelliCenter bundle with the Load Center panel, IC40 SWG, and tow IntelliValves.

Questions

• Would like input on the way it is laid out in the yard. I keep on going back and forth between leaving it where it is or pushing it to the back of the property line a little more.

Will your pool be in a cage and the cage connected to the house?

• Is the spa big enough at 6x6 to hold 6 people? I really don't see having more people than that in it at a time.

I like my 8'x8' spa which gives enough room for people over 6 feet to stretch out.

 

[Jimrahbe]

msz,

Why do you want 4 drains??

A 2 x filter in Florida is about the size of a coffee can.. Get a real filter.

You do want the SWCG to be at least 2 x the volume of your pool.. I guess your pool will be about 16K, so you need an IC40 or bigger.

Have you ever been in a gunite spa before? If so great, but if not, you really, really need to try one before you buy one.

The bigger the pump, the slower you can run it and still move a lot of water, I suggest the IntelliFlo pump and not one of the smaller ones.

I am not a fan of 'curvy' steps.

I like to see a pool wall at both ends to the pool so that you can swim laps. You can't do that in your designs.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[kimkats]

You NEED grass space for your kids to play on when they get a bit older so keep as much grass area as you can!

 

[Intex1857]

mszporka​

Im in the process of building rectangular one, just larger, Tuesday is gunite day!
I like your Option 1, not a fan of smaller steps from baja shelf to pool.
I went with Smaller LED lights (Jandy Watercolors Nichless) I had large lights last time, now switching to the smaller, I have 5 in the pool, one in the wall of the baja shelf, Im sure you could get by with 4 total in the pool

 

[mszporka]

Will your pool be in a cage and the cage connected to the house?

We are not planning on a cage at first, but I am going to put the foundations in place just in case. I am afraid we may get too many bugs being in florida.

I like my 8'x8" spa which gives enough room for people over 6 feet to stretch ou

Good to know. I think I will need to make it a little bigger.

 

[mszporka]

Why do you want 4 drains??

I thought I had read that was standard, but I am guessing not.

I like to see a pool wall at both ends to the pool so that you can swim laps. You can't do that in your designs.

Point taken. We may look at shortening up the steps on the deep end. I am not sure if we will ever swim laps though.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

6X6 spa would be considered small by today’s standards, most pool builders start with a basic 7X7 and go up from there. Typically spas will have more than 1 jet per person.
Multiple umbrella sleeves to help chase the sun.
Picture provided is a 40’ pool with 4 lights.
4 return lines with one on the sun shelf.
Will the there be multiple spillways from the spa?
6’ from the house to the water line is close especially when you have over 12’ on the other side to take from.
Consider an exterior auto drain and not relying on the one inside the auto fill.
If you are considering Ledge Loungers on the sun shelf 6’ wide will be tight to be able to walk around them.

 

[Jimrahbe]

ms,

I re-read your post and now think you said "4 Drains", but maybe you meant "4 Return lines".. If so, that is true.. You want a return on each wall of the pool as a minimum.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

4 drains is often two drains each with 2 VGBA compliant inlets. The 2 inlets make the drain VGBA compliant.

Safety Drains VGBA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mszporka]

ms,

I re-read your post and now think you said "4 Drains", but maybe you meant "4 Return lines".. If so, that is true.. You want a return on each wall of the pool as a minimum.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Yes, that is what I meant.

 

[mszporka]

Will the there be multiple spillways from the spa?

I am still trying to figure out the spillway design from the spa.