Feature Suggestions for Active Family - LP Icon

Van G

Bronze Supporter
Mar 22, 2016
255
Toronto
Continuing our planning by reading these forums. We're now leaning towards the LP Icon. It has a lot of usable water depth in 40' length for sports, jumping, and shallow dive. Along with the depth it has a nice tanning ledge, benches, and simple spa which makes for a good hang out.

Wondering if I could get feedback on features to add to complete our oasis.

Tanning Ledge- thought we would put 2-3 light bubblers across the width. Assuming these can be added to FG shell bottom?

Spa - should we add a light in the spa. Was planning to use the same system for heat and filter?

Cover - auto cover with rail set under coping reliable or a money pit? Or should we go the manual route and make some DIY solar.

Main Pool - most speak to 2 lights and skimmers.

Pool Deck - undecided on coping & deck material but would like to set inserts for v-ball and b-ball nets. Jumping rock(s) would be great but I wouldn't anything with too much mass or height.

Should we be looking at other ideas for a modest budget ie: no grotto?

be0e7e23e0296baadc6fe5a38f80c9cc.jpg
 
Autocover = $10-15K, plus routine maintenance. But very convenient and the ultimate in piece of mind.
 
I think the auto cover is the most important thing to keep the time you spend maintaining to a minimum. All the threads about pollen/oak things/debris/solar covers, wouldn't even exist if all pools had them. Thats the main reason I went rectangular for the pool, the free forms look really cool but I really wanted low maintenance. The first time you fight a bubble cover that big will be the last time you want to, not to mention looking at the big roll at the end of the pool.
 
I have no problem investing in something that is well designed and built to last if maintained. Cleaning tracks, motors, pulleys - no problem.

But from what I 've read in the past day is the lifespan doesn't warrant the price tag. I'd rather put some extra labour in over time than be frustrated by a big ticket/low performance item.

That being said, I'll continue to read.

Very interested in what info/feedback I can get on the other options to consider.


Van G
 
Van do you have little kids or will you have kids over to play in the pool? They LOVE the bubblers. The bubblers are also pretty to look at and hear BUT after a while once the newness wears out will you use them as much? Maybe as a "party" trick to ohh and awwww over. Just throwing out ideas of why and why not. (I think they are neat so........)

Kim
 
We have a 7 yr old daughter who is sporty. I know she'll use the tanning ledge to play in but wondered how much of the bubbler was function vs. setting up ambiance. I can see them invoking extra trips to the water closet.

Water falls and Deck Jets the same sort of thing?

Had wondered if something like Badu Jet systems is a better spend for our family.

Lighting the pool and landscaping should be all the ambiance we can handle! That plus music, food, and drinks.


Van G
 
Bubblers, water falls and deck jets can help cool a pool SOME but where you are..........you need something that will help warm it up more!

Any thing that aerates the water will cause the PH to go up. That is not a big deal so long you know this and test for it and lower it as needed with muratic acid.

I bet that Badu jet system would be a blast for your family. I can see the kid and friends have swimming contests and such with it. Ozdiver has a swim jet and the kids love to play with it.

Keep asking questions and doing research and you will have the purrfect pool for your family!

Kim
 
Nice call on aeration and cooling effect.

We need to bring up the great temp for most of our months. We'll have a nat gas heater and cover of some sort. Will also do the DIY black solar coils to supplement.


Van G
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
I have no problem investing in something that is well designed and built to last if maintained. Cleaning tracks, motors, pulleys - no problem.

But from what I 've read in the past day is the lifespan doesn't warrant the price tag. I'd rather put some extra labour in over time than be frustrated by a big ticket/low performance item.

That being said, I'll continue to read.

Very interested in what info/feedback I can get on the other options to consider.


Van G

My cover is 5 years old now, prob spent about $150 per year in adjustments / fixing the ropes. The cover looks pretty good still but it will prob be replaced within 5 years, so my guess is it will prob be approx $400 / $500 per year when all is included. I do think they have improved some since 2011. I know that with the swg, pool sweep and cover I spend approx 1 hr per month dealing with the water, and have never had a green pool.

I like the two swim-outs, mine just has one, also I wish I had made several deeper levels on it so you could stand at different depths.
 
If anyone is a competatitve swimmer make sure you read the reviews. I think there is some concern about being able to out swim some of the systems.

Agreed, you need to spend the money on something like endless pool (hydraulic pump) to create a substantial current and speed to get a good swim in - 7400 USD plus install during build.

We'll have to think hard about this fitting into our budget.

I'm now looking at sports and floating toys that don't require elaborate mechanical equip. In addition to volleyball and basketball, I've seen jousting pads, floating pyramids, and rock climbing walls.

We're pretty creative so I could see us just rigging some features for occasional use as well - zip line, rope crawl or bridge....

After all, isn't the pool really the feature. How do you get bored playing in the water. Cool jumping feature needed! 10m board [emoji108]
 
My board gets constant use when we have people over, since paranoia took over years back boards disappeared from all (nearly) public pools, so everyone is glad to use one. The 3" raised bond beam is also good to jump from, but nothing is better than a good spring.

How deep is your target zone? Any pics of your bond beam and board setup?
 
SR Smith cantilever jump stand and 8' frontier III board. The pool is 8' deep and fits the bottom profile for that length board. You can "out dive" the deepest part if you get a running spring, but as long as you don't go deep your fine. Most of the kids are doing flips so they stay in the deep part. I will say that after a couple years there was rust beginning to come through the powder on the stand so they could use a better paint job, I had it re coated and it is pretty good now with just a couple specks.
 
Let me know if my numbers are right when comparing costs of gunite to FG - just for the shell.

Given excavation and plumbing are approx the same, a FG pool like the LP Icon 40' is 23k (CAD) set in the ground. A gunite pool of the same dimensions is 44k for rebar, gunite, and good surface finish.

The rest of the pool costs are similar to completion.

These numbers are for DIY/GC the build.

Am I close?


Van G
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.