Help with pool design

[JamieP]

After interviewing and getting bids from six builders, and getting some invaluable help from another member on this site, we have begun to seriously consider going the Owner/Builder route. I have a design in mind that we would submit to an engineer to draw up plans, but I wanted to get it as close to perfect as possible before I do. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions that anyone would like to offer. Just FYI, each square represents and foot and north is almost directly "up" in the picture.

These were the goals I was trying to satisfy with my design, but I think the pool has ended up pretty big, which isn't necessarily a bad thing! We have 6 kids, aged from 13 to 1, so it should bet a lot of use:

-A long enough deep end so the transition happens before the shallow end. We want to transition to the deep end from 4.5' in the shallow end instead of 5' since at 5' the water is already over my husband's and my head and not useful for a shallow depth. The length doesn't have to be 40', I just need to have enough transition space.

-diving board... Probably 6' since I want my transition to be as steep as possible. Any particular models suggested?

-A big enough shallow end, sloped from 3.5' to 4.5' (with the majority at 4', ideally) for games such as volleyball.

-I would like the sun shelf to be ~15" deep but I still want bubblers, so I put a transition step to get to the shelf where one or more bubblers could be. Then a bench off the shelf on the left and a step on the right. Other benches are around the pool, and steps by the slide but those are just ideas. Thoughts?

-Slide... Typhoon (cheaper, more tame) or TurboTwister (little more, taller, aimed at older kids.) I'm thinking it might be best to get one all the kids will grow into, although I've heard all ages are still happy with the Typhoon.

-I'm not sure how much decking I've drawn in there, but it looks like a lot! Any suggestions on where to add or subtract?

With my drawing, my rough estimate of the pool perimeter is 134' but I don't know the area. The small circles with concentric rings around the pool are my trees and their drip-lines that I'm trying to be conscious of to avoid damage. The tree straight out the back will have to go, and the one to the far right may have to as well. They are all red oaks, and although they may make a mess in the fall, I think we'd like the shade.

Anything else I am needing to think about?

 

[DFWguy]

I think you have a great plan Jamie. Keep in mind 15" may be a bit deep for bubblers - mine are about 9" deep. How deep is your deep end going to be? More deck is usually better and easier to envision once your hole is dug so you can definitely modify plans after the dig to accommodate more deck. Lots of benches is a great idea I think. Your engineer will take what you have and calculate total area and turnover rate.

 

[pooldv]

Nice pool plan! I would skip 3.5', it is too shallow for us. Go straight to 4'. Get a tape measure and hold it up to everyone to see where 3.5' and 4' is.

 

[amandahein3]

We did 3.5-5-4. I was in a pool the other day and those depths were perfect for us. I suggest getting in a pool if you can to see what yall like

 

[JamieP]

Thanks, DFWguy. I was thinking that 15" would be too deep for the bubblers, so that's why I have added the first curved step to raise the bubblers a little bit.

Good point on pulling out the tape measure, pooldv. I know kids will grow, but there will always be new little ones around our place, so at least some 3.5' depth would be helpful. I just need to decide how much.

Glad you like your depth profile with the 3.5', Amanda. We aren't tall people around here, so it's reassuring that some people like that depth too. We've been checking out depths at the local YMCA. That is a really helpful gauge.

Thanks everyone! Keep the tips coming!

 

[pooldv]

The kids swimming in our pool spend a lot of their time standing on the benches around the pool. They use them as home base for projectiles, resting, launching projectiles at other kids on other benches, jumping off to catch projectiles.

 

[JamieP]

Updated: Help with pool design

It turns out that my original pool drawing didn't look that good when plugged into Pool Studio so I've gone back and made the curves simpler. The original was also bigger than it needed to be, so instead of the dimensions being 42' for the long leg and 36' for the short, it is now 40x33' with a 20' wide deep end. The depth will be 8.5' in the deep end and from 3.5' to 4.5' in the shallow.

Here is my new design, although it will be angled to fit in our space better. Does anyone have any thoughts in the placement/sizes of my benches and ledge?

 

[pooldv]

Looks good. I would add a bench in the upper left corner. It looks like a nice place to sit and sip tasty beverages or for kids to throw stuff from or jump off to catch stuff thrown at them.

 

[JamieP]

Thanks, pooldv. I had originally put a bench there for the reason you mentioned, but then I thought it might get in the way if we wanted to put a (moveable) basketball hoop somewhere over in that corner. I'll have to think more about that.