New Build Ontario Canada

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supercanadian

supercanadian

0
Aug 19, 2012
162
London Ontario Canada
New Build Thorndale Ontario Canada - Inground Pool

Hello! I bought a new house and moving next month!

I am just about to sign a contract with a builder I feel pretty confident in. He has done several of my friends pools, I've called random references and feel pretty confident after getting a few quotes. I am hoping to start this thread for people to offer advice insights and anything that could help me during this process!

Equipment List:
16x32 Kidney Crescent
Hayward Aqua Rite Chlorine Generator
Hayward Pro Logic Control Center
Hayward Tristar Vari Flo
Hayward 24in Sand Filter 2in head
Hayward Colour Logic LED
Hayward 250,000 BTU Millivolt
8’ft stairs (colour TBD)
Coping Concrete Cantilever

Here is a rough sketch of the layout of the pool, and a few pictures of my yard which as you can see slopes pretty significantly which requires a retaining wall.
 

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Just an update....

Builder was out yesterday to show me on the ground where the pool would sit so I can determine my decking. Also I am undecided if I will do a retaining wall or slope it off the back. The builder said he can do either as I have such a sloped yard I need it either way. Any ideas what is the better option? I think the retaining wall would look better and let me lose less yard to the hill that will be needed to grade it down.

IMG_2485.jpg
 
I'd recommend that if you are going to have a sidewalk/decking on the far side, that you go with a retaining wall. Reason being that it will be easier/more effective to properly compact the subsurface for decking between the pool shell and wall versus the pool shell and nothing. It can be done but is more likely to settle. And if your goal is to retain maximum usable yard space below, the wall is your friend. Though not that of your wallet/budget.
 
Our pool is our retaining wall, it is about 18" out of the ground, faced with flagstone with 12" wide coping and no deck on the part out of the ground. We love it and it has worked out great. Pics in my build thread, link in sig.
 
Swap out the sand filter for a 425 sq ft cartridge filter. Ensure the SWG is a t-cell 15

Reasoning for swapping out sand filter is a lot of communities in Ontario now make it illegal to dump salt water into municipal. The cartridge can be cleaned easier and with less waste. It will also filter better.

I think the P4 controller is overkill.
 
Pooldoctor said:
Swap out the sand filter for a 425 sq ft cartridge filter. Ensure the SWG is a t-cell 15

Reasoning for swapping out sand filter is a lot of communities in Ontario now make it illegal to dump salt water into municipal. The cartridge can be cleaned easier and with less waste. It will also filter better.

I think the P4 controller is overkill.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the insights! I will read into the cartridge vs sand filter to see. I don't know much about the p4 controller or setup but I know I don't need much to control it. Your correct in my area you can't dump pool water unless it is a below a certain chlorine limit.
 
A few thoughts...

1. Completely agree with the recommendation regarding switching to a cartridge filter. Although they are indeed notably more expensive, they negate the need for backwashing and the continuous replacement of salt. Not to mention they are offer far greater flow restriction and filter cleaning is a fairly simply process.

2. You mentioned that you will be receiving an AquaRite and a Prologic board. The AquaRite generator is unnecessary in this application considering you can plug the TurboCell directly into the ProLogic (P4) board and control it from there. I also highly recommend the installation of a sacrificial anode (zinc) in the pool plumbing and a check valve between the heater and salt cell. Also ensure the install the cell with 12" of straight pipe before the flow switch.

3. While this is strictly my own opinion, consider replacing the Universal Millivolt heater with a Universal H-Series FD. The Millivolt version is a reliable model, however it utilizes a standing pilot light (which can and will be extinguished in windy areas) and cannot be controlled off of your ProLogic panel. If you are spending the money on a relatively expensive automation board, you want to control as much as possible as easily as possible. Also, consider downgrading the size to a 200 btu. The heat loss of a swimming pool is based off the surface area of the pool and considering the size of your pool, a 200 btu will suffice more than adequately.
 

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I am getting close to signing my final contact and have already put down a deposit to hold my build for late april and early may. What is a typical payment schedule? My builder said 40 at signing, 50 at the first dig and 10 once complete. Is that fair? I was thinking 40/40/20. He said if i wanted to do 20 at the completion he is fine with that.
 
I would check around and see if builders wanting a large down payment when you sign the contract is normal in y our area. Personally I would not give any money until the work has started and then pay amounts that are proportionate to the labor and materials completed.
 
40/40/20 is SO much better if you can do it. His willingness to do that speaks well for more than one reason. If you can do that always do it without fail. I would drop any builder who insisted on less than 10 like a hot potato. The more you have on the back end, the better off you are.
 
supercanadian said:
Just an update....

Builder was out yesterday to show me on the ground where the pool would sit so I can determine my decking. Also I am undecided if I will do a retaining wall or slope it off the back. The builder said he can do either as I have such a sloped yard I need it either way. Any ideas what is the better option? I think the retaining wall would look better and let me lose less yard to the hill that will be needed to grade it down.

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Click to expand...



So i sold all this rock and now it looks like this. I sign my contact tomorrow. I feel broke!


- - - Updated - - -

Also had to convert to sewer system this week which involved breaking up my basement floor in my cold room and then draining my septic tank to get ready to be pulled out of the ground. You can see the outline of where the tank is the weeping bed in the grass.
 
Quoted a few builders in ontario myself this year and 40% down seems pretty steep. Most quotes i got were 20% deposit.

See if you can get ecostar pump, compared to tristar it was only 100 more and i believe it is a better pump.

Also check pricing on stone coping. Most of the builders i quoted did concrete cantilever coping at a fairly high price so upgrading to stone coping was actually not a big price jump and it will hold up better over time.

With concrete decking that goes past the 3 foot xframe support of the pool i was told that it is an area that will develop a crack as it will be spanning two different foundations that move independently. See if your builder has ideas on mitigating that.
 

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