May Have Found My Builder - Bid Opinion

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WyattEarp

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Jun 28, 2015
109
Mandeville, LA
Been interviewing lots of builders over the past month or so. Have received bids from 6. Surprisingly the bottom line numbers are all within about 10% of each other. I think I have finally found the builder I am most comfortable with. His bid is about mid pack but from my research his customer service is on top which means a lot.

So here are the specifics. What do you think.

-36x22 custom shaped pool
-Depth 3.5x5x4 Approxiamately 563 sq ft 103 linear ft.
-12x12 travertine coping
-6" ceramic waterline tile
-5 returns
-Benchs/swimouts/tanning shelf as per drawing
-Diamondbrite plaster
-Steps benches
-2 skimmers
-2 bottom drains
-2 bubblers in tanning shelf
-4 deck jets

Equipment
-Jandy P4 salt computer system with remote
-Jandy 2hpVariable speed pump
-Polaris 280 with booster pump
-420 cartridge filter
- 2 small LED and 1 nichless LED light : multicolor

Pool Total $44,300

Deck

660 sq ft Travertine in french pattern
28 liner foot drainage

Deck total $10,360

Grand total $54,660

Thoughts?
 

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Nice bid, good price too. I would only suggest that you drop the Polaris 280 setup, and invest in a nice robot cleaner. I'm a fan of the Dolphins. Oasis Z5, or M5/500. Don't skimp, and if you do this you'll never regret it. Best thing I did on my build.
 
I agree. Get a robot. I would also want more deck around my pool. At least 4-5ft.

You may have these guys build the pool and call some other contractors that specialize in pavers and you would probably save some money on the deck.
 
I'll look into robots but the experience my father in law had with one a few years back has me very leery of them. I've had a Polaris in the past.

That deck quote is from a specialty paver contractor and the deck itself is actually a little more expensive than what I was getting quoted from pool builders. I like the look of just coping to the grass on the three sides. What isn't clear from the photo is that we already have an additional 250 sq ft screen porch that will overlook the pool.
 
Very cool design. I want to jump from bench to bench over the step area right now. Hopefully you can keep the debris out of the pool when mowing.
 
If you truly are going to have grass around your pool like the picture shows, then I'd get more decking around the pool or else grass clippings will fly into the pool.

I'm not a fan of deck jets, but if you want them then go for it.

Those stairs in the middle going into the deep part of the pool look deep and narrow to me. I'm not liking the tight corner and narrow space there for many reasons - stagnant water, hard to clean and brush, entrapment, etc. I'd just lose the stairs and extend the shelf out.

Otherwise, nice design.


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I like the grass look but if you have kids I suspect the grass could become very muddy as the kids splash and all over there. Also when you now you may need to bag th clippings so that don't go into pook

The benches look like they slant downward. Is that correct? I would want them level. The stows do look narrow and it may be better to forgo them and make that part of the sunshelf as was suggested by someone else.
 
I didn't notice that before, but I would agree about liking the coping to grass, but it's very difficult to keep the pool clean when you trim or mow. I have 30" from grass to waterline, and it's tough. I won't hound you further on it. but there are very few complaints about the better Robots. The good ones are pricey.
 

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I know how to solve the grass-to-coping problem....one word.....TURF! Just use artificial turf around the whole pool and you're golden :p And the upside side is you save oodles of money in less irrigation water!

At $6-$8/sq. ft. installed, you might want to up your budget :D

PS - Showed my wife your design, she's jealous!!

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a few thoughts in no particular order.

WHile I agree with the coping only look, I think in practice it will be a challenge. Like was said above there will be challenges cutting the grass. But, if you have kids, they are going to want to run around the pool, mostly likely in teh grass, and then jump in teh pool, bringing the grass clippings in the pool with them.

The one side of the pool with decking seems possibly too small to me. Around the pool, most people will want a couple fo chaise lounges, and maybe some other chairs or tables. I know youhave the screened in porch, but most people like to keep towels, etc close to the pool. Make sure that you have enough room to walk around the decking area once you put chaises, chairs, etc on teh decking.

I feel like you have more surface area coming from steps, benches and sun shelf versus swimming area. Not that they is anything wrong with that, but just make sure that you are happy with that fitting your needs.
 
Thanks a lot for all of the input.

The rendering was a quick one to get my wife a visual of the plan. There are still some interior details that are not quite right. The biggest one is the step area. Bottom of the pool will only be 3.5' deep in there so we will only have three steps. The bottom depth and fourth step kind of throws the look of that whole area off. The bottom contour of the main part of the pool is probably going to adjust some to in order to make it all work and 'flow' correctly.

I think it is just the 3D rendering making the long benches look a bit sloped. My intent is for them to all be straight.

My idea on this plan was that of all the pools we use all of the adults like to sit around in the shallows and talk or have a cocktail. My wife and I really like the shelf area for just sitting and dangling the feet. The step area I have also serves the purpose of a conversation seating area allowing 3-4 people to sit face to face there. Currently there is 3' between the two benches facing each other. I may look to widen that just a bit.

Coping and grass. I get the challenge of keeping clippings out of the pool. I am looking into possibly doing a 2ft wide coping to help somewhat. Much more than that and I just think the look really gets deck heavy.

One other question that relates to the design. This builder is suggestion putting all of the returns on the deck side of the pool with the two skimmers on the back (grass) side. One towards each end to direct down the short walls then the others spaced out. He states he has done this on similar shaped pools with great success. His explanation was it creates a lot of flow across the pool giving great skim and water circulation. Knowing next to nothing about pool circulation does this theory make sense? Or should I have him place differently.

Keep it coming. Y'all have me thinking which is great.
 
Normally you want the skimmers to be down wind. If your wind blows west to east, then putting the skimmer at the east end of the pool will allow the wind to force debris into the skimmer, and not rely on any current created by a pump. If for your pool, your benches/sun shelf/stairs are on the east side of the pool, and the builder puts the skimmers across on the west side, then that is a hard way to have the skimmers work.
 
After some suggestions from people here and seeing a pool that my probable pool builder recently did I am going to spend a bit more money and do 24'x24' travertine coping around the pool. This will give me a bit of a walk around the entire perimeter, help with keeping grass out while mowing and give a bit of a wow! factor. The upgrade cost wasn't a lot and I think it will really make the pool stand out.
 
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