Not home, but I did check in with them before I left for the day. I didn't verify anything myself as far as the bags, but I did ask them specifically / confirmed the color and the shimmering sea add-in. They also asked me about the colors and placement of the small diamond accent tiles on the steps. I glanced at the few bags on the truck that I could see as I walked out, but they did not say "Blue Surf" or "Shimmering Sea" - maybe something like "diamond white" - or I could be remembering it wrong. So either those bags were for another job (they finished here by ~1pm or so), or maybe they create the specific colors by recipes / mixing stuff together? I'd definitely recommend being there to confirm / double check everything, but then again my wife always gives me a hard time for being too much in their business while they're working .... but I can't help myself..... It's funny, some of the guys don't seem to mind at all / are chatty, and some of them you can tell are thinking "ok, here we go, another home owner who thinks they know my job better than me...".
Pool Renovation Project - MA (pics and video)
- Thread starter chinatti
- Start date
Not home, but I did check in with them before I left for the day. I didn't verify anything myself as far as the bags, but I did ask them specifically / confirmed the color and the shimmering sea add-in. They also asked me about the colors and placement of the small diamond accent tiles on the steps. I glanced at the few bags on the truck that I could see as I walked out, but they did not say "Blue Surf" or "Shimmering Sea" - maybe something like "diamond white" - or I could be remembering it wrong. So either those bags were for another job (they finished here by ~1pm or so), or maybe they create the specific colors by recipes / mixing stuff together? I'd definitely recommend being there to confirm / double check everything, but then again my wife always gives me a hard time for being too much in their business while they're working .... but I can't help myself..... It's funny, some of the guys don't seem to mind at all / are chatty, and some of them you can tell are thinking "ok, here we go, another home owner who thinks they know my job better than me...".
Getting a bit behind, but the pool finish was polished yesterday, and filled. Was a little murky at first, but after the alkalinty and pH got in line it looks a lot better. Some pics below, and a quick video of the days events...
Stair accent tiles are a lot brighter after the polish:
Right after the fill the color was definitely a little murky / green tints:
But after some TA and pH balancing, looking a lot more blue:
Polishing and Filling video:
Stair accent tiles are a lot brighter after the polish:
Right after the fill the color was definitely a little murky / green tints:
But after some TA and pH balancing, looking a lot more blue:
Polishing and Filling video:
Asked, and unfortunately our PB doesn't know the specifics - the PebbleTec applicator handles it all. I don't have a contact there so I'm afraid I'm not able to be much help. Sorry!
Thanks for asking! That was sweet of you. I will pass on a link to your thread and have her do some asking around in her area. Her PB is almost worthless so...........
Kim
Kim
Thanks for your response. That is what I was afraid of is that they take a bunch of different stuff and mix it together to make "blue surf". I'll probably just have to ask the foreman on the crew to make sure it is the right stuff.
I totally understand what you are saying about being in their business. I do that with everyone! I figure I am paying them so they can't complain too much. I try to be as friendly as possible about it. I know unless the person is a jerk then most of the time they don't mind me and we have good conversations. I know I built a bond with my paver guys because they would come up on the deck and talk to me about home life and stuff. I did buy them lunch and a bunch of gatorade/water (thanks Suz! for the idea) on several days.
PLUS I manage to get stuff done around the house for cheap by getting to know people. For example if I pay the electrician to come install a fan then I'll say (hey do you mind doing this for 20 bucks cash real quick?) I am pretty handy but there is some stuff I just don't like messing with. They make some cash for lunch for 20 minutes of their time AND I get something done that would have cost $200 if I would have called and paid a trip fee etc... I just got 4 sprinkler heads moved and a bunch repaired for $100 cash and I got quoted $1k by an actual sprinkler company so I just decided to do it myself until I had the guys out doing the landscaping for my pool and I saw the opportunity.
So yeah my wife complains about me in their business but then she likes when we get stuff done around the house.
I am SO right there asking questions and making sure. It is MY money and I am the one that has to live with what they do once they leave.
It has paid off more than one time to be there and to be nice BUT to also let them know I am watching and WILL question the what and whys.
All my neighbors know I am off in the summer so they all save big jobs for that time so I can help "babysit" the job. In return I do not need to buy my own horse! I get to ride and play with their horses! WIN-WIN!
Kim
It has paid off more than one time to be there and to be nice BUT to also let them know I am watching and WILL question the what and whys.
All my neighbors know I am off in the summer so they all save big jobs for that time so I can help "babysit" the job. In return I do not need to buy my own horse! I get to ride and play with their horses! WIN-WIN!
Kim
It looks beautiful! How did you survive the rains this week? I had to pump some water out. Crazy rains. I am thinking we are done swimming for the year but it still looks pretty. Just cold. I am in NH tonight and it is in the 40's. They will be blowing snow up here in no time.
Made out fine - most of the heavy rain was the night after they plastered, and then the next morning when they polished (they just pumped the pool empty and did their thing in the pouring rain). The biggest thing I was worried about was we had several inches of water pooling over near the house because the landscape grading was all messed up from the work and it wasn't pitched away from the house. Was a little worried we might get some water in the basement, but we didn't. Whew. They're fixing up the yard now, so we should have grass within a week or two now. Definitely in the home stretch now.
We obviously haven't been in, and since it's not a "new" pool our kids aren't incredibly motivated / excited about jumping in - they're happy to wait until the spring. On the other hand, since we're going to keep the pool open until the 1st week in Nov (to give us 30 days of chem balancing / etc) my wife is now threatening to crank up the heater and have a "day after halloween pool party" .... have to see how the weather looks but I'm not holding my breath.
Do you have to wait a certain amount of time before turning on your heater after plaster?
Check around on the 2 week wait for the heater. My PB said to wait 30 days for the heater, and so far he's been relatively lenient about wait times regarding the plaster. I have to say, though, I didn't research it. Also, I've noticed as the pebble finishes are so much more widely used that their "in the early days" instructions have become more lenient - I guess as time has proven they didn't need to be so cautious.
Double check to be sure - I'd hate to see anything happen to that gorgeous finish.
Suz.
Ps..... could you add your Pebble finish and color to your signature? I can't keep up with each build's choice. Every time I see a filled pool, I'm asking myself what color is that. Thanks.
Done, and updated a bunch of other stuff too ... although the "5 line" limit seems to limit you to much less than 5 lines ... maybe the URL/link counts too?
Thanks from an old lady too lazy to go back over threads to find specs! Lol!!!
I haven't quite figured out the signature limits. When I made updates, I just played around with the spacing and punctuation until the signature was accepted. On my monitor, I see your signature is in 4 lines whereas mine and Ummgood's show up as one continuous line that wraps to the next line. I'm not sure how that happens. It's a mystery!
I also have been meaning to say how much I love the Gemz (sp?) step tiles you used. They are perfect - I absolutely love them. I especially like how you used the different colors. That's now on my list of things to do for my next pool in my next life!
Take care,
Suz.
Thanks! Again can't take credit for the mixed colors ... that's the only way they come!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Probably because I typed it that way. Kinda "Waiting for Godot" style.
Very well done! The granite pavers are a perfect transition into the Pebble finish. I think that's the first time I've seen that done. You've got me thinking about this as an option for us.....
plat
Thanks - we're happy with the look. We're almost done with landscaping. I haven't been posting pics/videos because it's not nearly as exciting at the pool stuff (at least for people on this forum!). But we're getting sod tomorrow, fence Thursday, and then final landscaping cleanup on Friday. Then the only thing left will be the firepit.
Here are a few pictures of the landscaping before the sod goes in.
The landscaper suggested using granite for stepping stones near the deck. We have a few in now, and will add some more in later for a path through the front gate (once the fence gets installed):
Here's where the front gate will be:
Some Arbor Vitae for a privacy buffer. They weren't our favorite planting, but the landscaper talked us into them since we have a rather narrow bed to work with, and they are pretty thick:
Plantings on the other side (all reused from the old beds we removed):
Some plantings behind the raised wall (some new, some old - these will fill in more later):
And a wider shot on the main entrance side:
And because I can't bring myself to post pictures without a video, here's a video of one of the landscaping days, including the diving board install:
Planting and sod ARE so fun to watch! THANKS for sharing.
Now for the stepping stones by the door. I would suggest making the step right in front of the door wider and deeper. I would have it at least 2 wide and have it two deep as well. That will give you room to put a mat down for feet wiping and such.
I like the trees on the side. I bet they will do their job well AND they could be fun to put lights in!
Kim
Now for the stepping stones by the door. I would suggest making the step right in front of the door wider and deeper. I would have it at least 2 wide and have it two deep as well. That will give you room to put a mat down for feet wiping and such.
I like the trees on the side. I bet they will do their job well AND they could be fun to put lights in!
Kim
Fortunately that door goes to the garage, so no need for a mat...
Sod is in! Actually fence is in and almost all the landscape cleanup is done now too. At this point we're just waiting for the firepit (will be a few more weeks to get that all done and final plumbing for the gas), but our yard actually looks like a yard again. Here are some update pics:
13 pallets of sod delivered:
After sod install:
Fence installation (granite posts for the main gate):
Here's the "back gate" on the other side, mainly for the lawn guy to get in:
And the main gate after they finished:
Video of the sod installation:
Sod is in! Actually fence is in and almost all the landscape cleanup is done now too. At this point we're just waiting for the firepit (will be a few more weeks to get that all done and final plumbing for the gas), but our yard actually looks like a yard again. Here are some update pics:
13 pallets of sod delivered:
After sod install:
Fence installation (granite posts for the main gate):
Here's the "back gate" on the other side, mainly for the lawn guy to get in:
And the main gate after they finished:
Video of the sod installation:
THAT made it look like a yard again! LOVE the gate with the stone!
I see the "ramp". Is it made of composite boards? Does it go to the main door to the house from the pool? I like how it is laid at an angle. Nice touch!
Kim
I see the "ramp". Is it made of composite boards? Does it go to the main door to the house from the pool? I like how it is laid at an angle. Nice touch!
Kim