Hi Tony! Love your build... very modern aesthetic, like you said in my thread. Looking forward to seeing your final product!
New Pool Build Los Angeles
- Thread starter Tony411LA
- Start date
It has been a while since I have posted. But I have been checking in on everyone else's builds. There are some amazing builds finishing up and new ones just starting. As for me, I feel like I am in PB purgatory. Things have been pretty much on hold, but not without issues. The "Infinity-Edge"/"Negative-Edge"/"Zero-Edge" or whatever you want to call it was not done correctly. I was expecting that the entire surface of the spa, including the bond beam that spills over into the pool would be covered with water and look like a sheet of glass. However, because they angled the bond beam down into the pool, that is not the effect I got. See pic.
I know most people will say it still looks great, (and I agree) but that is not what I expected. When installing the tile on the bond beam, it should have been angled down toward the spa, so that the water would cover the entire top surface of the bond beam. This would then make the entire surface of the spa, including the bond beam reflective. See this pic I found on the internet. See how the reflective surface is all the way to the exterior side of the bond beam. (Of course, in my case, only on the two sides that cascade into the pool.)
Initially, the PB was somewhat defensive and said he gave me an Infinity-edge spa because that is what I asked for, but what I should have asked for was a Zero-edge Spa. But I told him I was very clear when I described what I wanted to the tiler, and the tiler said he knew exactly what I wanted. I'm not a Pool Builder and they should have explained the differences to me. Honestly, I thought all those terms were interchangeable.
In any event, the PB has agreed to redo the spa so that the bond beam is angled down toward the inside of the spa to give me the look I want.
Some advice to anyone interested in an Infinity-edge, negative-edge or Zero-edge spa, please provide pictures of exactly what you want, so that there is no confusion with the PB as to what you want.
Decking is going in next week, and they expect to have the spa bond beam angle fixed by the end of next week too. Now the million dollar question... Should I really wait another 3 weeks after the spa has been retiled before they plaster and add water? I know the TCA recommendation is to not submerge the tile for at least 21-28 days....but I don't know. I think with the favorable weather in LA, the curing process is faster, so 1 week should be enough.
I know most people will say it still looks great, (and I agree) but that is not what I expected. When installing the tile on the bond beam, it should have been angled down toward the spa, so that the water would cover the entire top surface of the bond beam. This would then make the entire surface of the spa, including the bond beam reflective. See this pic I found on the internet. See how the reflective surface is all the way to the exterior side of the bond beam. (Of course, in my case, only on the two sides that cascade into the pool.)
Initially, the PB was somewhat defensive and said he gave me an Infinity-edge spa because that is what I asked for, but what I should have asked for was a Zero-edge Spa. But I told him I was very clear when I described what I wanted to the tiler, and the tiler said he knew exactly what I wanted. I'm not a Pool Builder and they should have explained the differences to me. Honestly, I thought all those terms were interchangeable.
In any event, the PB has agreed to redo the spa so that the bond beam is angled down toward the inside of the spa to give me the look I want.
Some advice to anyone interested in an Infinity-edge, negative-edge or Zero-edge spa, please provide pictures of exactly what you want, so that there is no confusion with the PB as to what you want.
Decking is going in next week, and they expect to have the spa bond beam angle fixed by the end of next week too. Now the million dollar question... Should I really wait another 3 weeks after the spa has been retiled before they plaster and add water? I know the TCA recommendation is to not submerge the tile for at least 21-28 days....but I don't know. I think with the favorable weather in LA, the curing process is faster, so 1 week should be enough.
Tony I have a sad for you 
It is pretty BUT not what you wanted which will be even prettier! Glad the PB is going to fix it.
Now ..............THE question............I know you do not want to wait but there is a reason they say to wait that long. I am going to leave it up to you to maybe call the Tile maker and see what they have to say. Why do they say to wait? What can/will happen if you do not wait? I am on the better safe than sorry BUT I am not the one waiting to use and enjoy this pretty pool.
I am sorry you are even having to ask this question.
Kim (no cheering on this one)
It is pretty BUT not what you wanted which will be even prettier! Glad the PB is going to fix it.Now ..............THE question............I know you do not want to wait but there is a reason they say to wait that long. I am going to leave it up to you to maybe call the Tile maker and see what they have to say. Why do they say to wait? What can/will happen if you do not wait? I am on the better safe than sorry BUT I am not the one waiting to use and enjoy this pretty pool.
I am sorry you are even having to ask this question.Kim (no cheering on this one)
You are not alone. We had to redo stuff too.
I think it is a 1/4 inch angle. It should not be noticeable.
Are they going to redo all the tile? Or just the tile on the sections they expose to redo the bond beam?
... You should wait before filling the pool. Mesh-backed tile is more susceptible to failure. Give it the full time to cure.
Good for you sticking to your guns. What they provided doesn't match what a thick bond beam like that should provide. I could tell what you wanted without the example picture.
There are always compromises and changes that occur when you are building the pool, as I have also figured out. I do agree though that you have to stick to your guns on the important things that drastically change what your vision of the pool/spa was going to be. I also had a hard time determining the difference between "Negative Edge", "Disappearing Edge", "Vanishing Edge", "Zero Edge" and "Infinity Edge" spas. I finally found a builder and support from the TFP community that helped me determine what the inward slope of my spa bond beam needed to be when they did the shotcrete. The advice I received was that the inward slope (towards the interior of the spa) should be 1.75" per foot to 2" per foot. I ended up doing 2" per foot slope inward toward the interior of the spa.
I thought I had decided on a tile, but now that I see what your raised spa looks like with your tile choice I am second guessing myself. Thanks for making it difficult!
Here is a picture of my "Infinity Edge Spa" after shotcrete.
Keep us posted as your PB fixes your spa.
Hi LDVPool,
I hear you about having to redo stuff. But I my philosophy is to "do it right, not do it over." I appreciate that my PB is willing to make it right, but it still adds a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration to the build, not to mention time. My build was supposed to be completed in 8-10 weeks and we are now going into the 13th week since they started digging.
I spoke with the mason that is going to "fix-it" and he said he only needs to remove the layer of tile on the bond beam, and then he will create the needed slope with a mortar bed. I will be home from work that day overseeing everything.
I think by the time everything else is done; decking, artificial turf, landscaping and final inspection, the minimum curing time will have passed.
- - - Updated - - -
Thanks Goob. I'm glad my PB agreed to fix it.
Thanks MachuMatt. I never thought to ask the TFP members what the angle should be. I made a bad assumption that the PB knew what needed to be done. However, when the gunite guys were shooting the pool, they formed the bond beam flat. They told me the tile guys would create the necessary angle with the mortar bed. Of course at that time, I didn't understand what angle was needed to achieve the look I wanted.
Your pool and spa are going to look amazing. If you are still considering the same tile as Dice7074, you can't go wrong. It is a very beautiful tile choice. I will keep everyone posted on the "fix".
There was a bright-spot a couple of weeks ago that I forgot to mention. I received my TF-100 test kit and a bunch of other goodies.
Here are the test results from my city water service (LADWP).
FC - 3.0
pH - 7.5
TA - 70
CH - 50
Based on what Pool Math is telling me everything is pretty good except CH.
Here are the test results from my city water service (LADWP).
FC - 3.0
pH - 7.5
TA - 70
CH - 50
Based on what Pool Math is telling me everything is pretty good except CH.
- Jun 18, 2015
- 712
- Pool Size
- 11000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Our build took 15 weeks... PB said it would only take seven. We WERE NOT happy. He wanted the final payment of the project and we hadn't even been scheduled for final inspection. We had a lot of issues that needed to be addressed before we were willing to give him his payment. After at least 4 weeks of no communication, PB had his subs come out and reapply a lot of the tile that we weren't satisfied with and then we still failed two inspections.
I'm glad you stood your ground on your spa and I'm glad your PB agreed to redo it for you... The visions that we have for our lifestyles come at pricey investments and no contractor should be allowed to make us fall short of dreams because THEY failed to communicate. Although I love my pool, building another one is not an experience I want to revisit anytime soon. BTW, thank you for the complement on the tile.
I'm glad you stood your ground on your spa and I'm glad your PB agreed to redo it for you... The visions that we have for our lifestyles come at pricey investments and no contractor should be allowed to make us fall short of dreams because THEY failed to communicate. Although I love my pool, building another one is not an experience I want to revisit anytime soon. BTW, thank you for the complement on the tile.
Eh. At least you did not have to chip out all your pebble and re-do it!
This means: "it could be worse" !
Get it the way you want, otherwise it will bug you.
This means: "it could be worse" !
Get it the way you want, otherwise it will bug you.
It's been almost 2 weeks since I last posted. The PB fixed the spa bond beam, and the concrete pads have been poured around the pool. And I've started on the composite deck next to the fire feature. I can see the finish line, but it is still about 3-4 weeks out. Still pending are the side gate repair, artificial turf around the concrete pads, completing the composite deck on the other side of the pool where the outdoor kitchen will be, installing the kitchen, and finally plastering.
So much good in this post! LOVE it all! VERY happy he fixed that! Loving the deck set up so far! That is going to look awesome when it is done!!!
Kim
Kim
- May 3, 2014
- 59,722
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
There was a bright-spot a couple of weeks ago that I forgot to mention. I received my TF-100 test kit and a bunch of other goodies.
Here are the test results from my city water service (LADWP).
FC - 3.0
pH - 7.5
TA - 70
CH - 50
Based on what Pool Math is telling me everything is pretty good except CH.
That really looks odd for LA water. I would suspect much higher TA and CH.
Do you have a water softener?
Take care.
So much good in this post! LOVE it all! VERY happy he fixed that! Loving the deck set up so far! That is going to look awesome when it is done!!!
Kim
Thanks Kim. I am seeing a little more progress each week, so I am happy. The gates were re-installed today and brought up to code, so the next thing is the alarms on the interior doors that exit to the pool, and then I can schedule the inspection. It's getting there.
Hi mknauss,
No, I don't have a water softener. I thought those numbers were off too because I have scale buildup in my shower. So I assumed I had hard water. I even tested TA and CH twice, and came up with the same numbers. I think I will test again this weekend.
Thanks for the comments.
Hi martuned, not too much happening. Deck framing is complete (still waiting for composite decking to arrive from Home Depot). The crew has started on the artificial turf. They've put down the road base foundation, and should finish installing the artificial turf by Wednesday. Plaster is scheduled for Friday. Here are some pics.
Nice progress! That is going to look awesome!
Come on Home Depot! He has work to do!
Kim
Come on Home Depot! He has work to do!
Kim