New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX upd 08/23 New Pics

gocubs418

Well-known member
May 3, 2016
401
Dallas/TX
All,

We met with 5 PBs in May, Foley/M Christopher/Hauk/Claffey/First Class Pool/Venture.... ultimately, it was a easy decision to go with Hauk! (fingers crossed, looking good so far)

Pool 34'x17' (Play Pool, total gals ~11-12k)
Spa 7'x7' (6 jets with armrest and raised step up to Spa)
Grotto 10'
12" raised wall from Grotto to Spa
~450sq ft of QDI Noce Versailles Travertine
Heater: Jandy JXI 400k BTU (w/ VersaFlo Bypass)
Pump: Jandy ePump 2.0 HP
Filter: Jandy Cartridge
Sanitation: Jandy AquaPure SWG PLC700
Automation: Jandy RS4
Lights: 4 Jandy Savi Lights
Cleaner: Polaris 280 (Blue)
Plaster: Pebblesheen Blue Granite
Coping: OK Flagstone
Tanning Ledge: Yes with bubbler
Chemical injections: Included (really he just threw them in)
Fence take down and put back
3 pallets of Sod
3 zones of Sprinkler fix


Here is the design my wife and I really liked and ultimately went with.


Pre-excavation backyard:




June 26th: They got the big rig back here to start churning up the grass.... The bobcat they had could not easily go through my backyard so they needed to quit for the day and come back.




June 30th: Excavation crew is back and boom! I have a hole in my ground.






July 4th: Crazy lightning storms in the morning and a little bit of rain happened. Piece of wall crumbled in.


July 5th: Chemical Injection/Steel scheduled to tomorrow, July 6th. Then inspection, then Gunite on Thursday or Friday.

My wife and I are so excited... the Spa and Grotto are HUGE! We wanted it to feel like a cave and I really think they will do a great job. The grading on the pool look to be perfect so far. It quickly goes from 3.5 to 5 then slowly to 4.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Looking forward to watching your progress. You have similar landscaping along your back fence that I do. I'm curious if you think they'll leave it there or it will have to go once they start doing the other construction with plumbing and electrical, etc.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Either of you using Peter Jackson with Hauk? We liked him, good guy.

Heard great things about him. We are using Tim Ryan.

Using Nick Hauk, owner's son. Nick was really transparent through the bid, when it came time to negotiate, we worked out a good deal. I don't think it could have went better. Really good match for us.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

What fun! That is a nice looking shape! That cave in is nothing and will be easy for them to fix.

Have you picked out tile and plaster yet?

Kim:cat:
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

What fun! That is a nice looking shape! That cave in is nothing and will be easy for them to fix.

Have you picked out tile and plaster yet?

Kim:cat:

Good to know about the collapse.

We have picked out tile and plaster. Plaster will be Pebblesheen - Blue Granite. I don't have the tile picture on me right now, but I will post it.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Good to know about the collapse.

We have picked out tile and plaster. Plaster will be Pebblesheen - Blue Granite. I don't have the tile picture on me right now, but I will post it.
Following along. We are starting ours this week and just a few mins away from you. We are considering Blue granite pebbletec too, so can't wait to see pics of that going in!
 

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Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Nothing was done on Tuesday, chemical injector came today 07/06, but Steel was also supposed to show up today and haven't come yet. Hopefully they show up tomorrow so I can get this hole turned into concrete before the weekend.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Nice looking yard even before the pool is in. And GORGEOUS dogs!!!! Will they enjoy swimming? I love your roses. It looks like the workers are trying to keep them safe. Let me know if you have to move them. I moved an antique China rose in late July a few years ago. We can't contain it - it's huge.

I like your pool and deck design. You've got something for everyone! I never imagined enjoying our pool as much as I do. (just waiting for a bit more shade in 30 minutes to hop in!) We have some things in common with our pools. I have all Jandy with the SWG and the remote. Also have Blue Granite PebbleSheen and Travertine decking. The deck is keeping much cooler than I expected. It gets warm/hot in the sun, but doesn't burn your feet. It takes no time at all to cool off once the shade hits it.

Another member, Marla, also has the Jandy remote, and we're both thinking we should have gone with the iAquaLink for automation. She's planning to post a discussion about that under "Everything Else", so you might want to see what others have to say. I'm not sure I'm willing to upgrade now a year later. It seemed a little easier to spend money during the build rather than now. But the PDA remote has a screen which is difficult to read unless the light is perfect (I'm older which may have something to do with needing more light to read things. Lol!!!). There is a lighting option on the remote, but when I tried using it, the battery died within a week. It's very slow, and even though I didn't grow up with the current technology, I find the slow speed to connect and move around with the menus and functions is frustrating. I have to be very patient. I didn't realize how spoiled I am by the speed of TV remotes, computers, and cell phones. I can't imagine how younger people who enjoy technology can bear using the remotes. Something to think about. The remote is like heating everything up in a pot on the stove or the oven. The iAqualink is like a microwave. I couldn't imagine spending money for a microwave. Now I can't live without one! Ha Ha!

Funny - three of you guys are using the same builder but with 3 different supervisors (I guess those guys will be running the show). Ya'll are going to have fun comparing notes, right?!! I did that with someone I met on another pool forum before I found TFP. We had the same builder, used many of the same materials, but we had all different crews. I didn't want to take advantage and use it as leverage with my PB. I did drop hints that I knew so-and-so on the forum. I just wanted him to be aware. Then it came time for the tile installation. I could tell my forum buddy had the Varsity for tile work, and I had third string. When a certain small area became critical, I told my builder I wanted the Varsity tile guy. What a difference! But overall, the work still looked good. Oh, and we used private messages to share complaints or compare notes (not meaning questions) through private messages. That keeps it within the forum guidelines. Also, we both loved our PB, so didn't want to offend him.

Can't wait to see pictures of your tile!

- - - Updated - - -

One more thing..... Will your PB do the install of the mountains in the rendering background??? :laughblue: :laughblue: :laughblue:
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Suz, the mountains are an upgrade.

And, yes, go with the iAquaLink and not the PDA. And no, I haven't started a discussion about that in "Everything Else" yet!
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Thanks for all the feedback so far..... as promised... we chose this tile




July 6th: Chemical Injection happened (made everything sloppy) and Steel came to begin

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Today, steel has arrived to finish the job. Spoke with my PM, plumbing this afternoon, inspection tomorrow, small chance of Gunite on Saturday, most likely Monday or Tuesday.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Nice! We used the same waterline tile, also with OK Flagstone coping. Pics are in my build thread if you're interested. I really like it. So far it looks really nice with plaster also(done today, acid washing tomorrow).
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

You should be able to add the iaqualink pda upgrade for around $650 as a DIY install. The web based interface is very fast and suffers none of the lagging response of the pda or one touch controller. Its nice to be able to turn on the pool or spa while at work so its ready when i get home.

was in texas for a couple of years with my college aged kids managing the house while i was gone. Saw that the pool, lights, spa, waterfall, and lanscape lights were on late one night and turned them off on my phone ?. Kids called me a few minutes late sheepishly saying they think they broke the pool and admitting they were having a party. Finally let em off the hook and told them what I did and that I can see whats happening with the pool anywhere in the world.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

July 7th: Steel came back and finished the job. Took em all day.





July 9th: Plumbing came bright and early at 9AM... however, that afternoon we took a big flash storm so I took a lot of water.







Gunite is scheduled for tomorrow.... however, I didn't want to chance any delay so I threw a sub pump in the water around 4PM.... it should be fully drained by 6-6:30PM. Fingers crossed I am concrete tomorrow.
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

was in texas for a couple of years with my college aged kids managing the house while i was gone. Saw that the pool, lights, spa, waterfall, and lanscape lights were on late one night and turned them off on my phone ��. Kids called me a few minutes late sheepishly saying they think they broke the pool and admitting they were having a party. Finally let em off the hook and told them what I did and that I can see whats happening with the pool anywhere in the world.

Oh to have been there when it happened.......at least they called you instead of trying to "fix" it and doing more damage. Dad of the year award for that one!

Kim:cat:

- - - Updated - - -

Have you measured everything? Add about 6" for the gunite and plaster. Is it big,long, wide, etc enough. Is it THERE? We had one early in the summer where they "forgot" to a bench :(

Kim:cat:
 
Re: New Build - IG Pool/Spa/Grotto - Little Elm,TX (w lots of pics!)

Oh to have been there when it happened.......at least they called you instead of trying to "fix" it and doing more damage. Dad of the year award for that one!

Kim:cat:

- - - Updated - - -

Have you measured everything? Add about 6" for the gunite and plaster. Is it big,long, wide, etc enough. Is it THERE? We had one early in the summer where they "forgot" to a bench :(

Kim:cat:

All the benches are there, the pool is supposed to be 36 x 17, and I measured 37x18 makes sense 6 inches of gunite on each side. Grotto is 10 feet long. Only thing is the step from the tanning ledge only has one step down and its pretty dramatic, however,I might just be the way the steel is.
 

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