New build in Fort Worth, TX

[Tepihead]

I'm very excited to be documenting our new build. We are first time pool owners and have really valued all the information found on this site, so I want to share our experience.

We are still waiting for our permit to get approved so haven't started the dig, yet. I'll be posting pics as we progress. Here is the initial design. We've since chosen to extend the bench in the shallow area and add to it a margarita table with an umbrella sleeve (visible in the last pic). The patio design isn't complete yet.

We are still trying to choose a color for the QuartzScapes finish. Love the dark colors, but worried about water temperature. My friends with traditional white plaster experience water temps between 87-90 F in the hottest part of the summer here, but have no water features.

My current questions are:
1) Does anyone have any input on how much the interior color actually affects water temperature? Is it a legitimate concern?
2) Do water features really make a noticeable difference in water temperature? We will have a bubbler on the sun ledge, bubbler and spillover from the spa and a 19' weeping wall.
3) I've scoured the site, but I'd love to see any additional pics of your QuartzScapes finish!

Thanks!

 

[MarianParoo]

Can't answer your questions, but I love the design and all the decking. Where is the nearest bathroom?

- - - Updated - - -

I am wondering because up North here, we chose to install a powder room close to the pool (in the garage) so people wouldn't have to go through an air-conditioned house to go pee. Our chlorine usage went way down after we installed it. Just saying...

 

[kimkats]

That is a fun looking pool! Love the details (guy jumping from rock) added! (check with your insurance company about that sad but true thing in today's world.)

-Plaster color:

-darker colors can make the water warmer. By how much? Not sure...I am not sure it would be easy to tell since all of the pools and areas they are in are SO different.

-IF the installers do not know what they are doing the darker plaster can have more molting than light colors. Some people like the look as it gives the pool character!

-I know in my pool the fountain DOES make quite a difference especially if we run it at night. (shhh I like the pool warmer so often "forget" to run it hehe). I have never checked the temp to know just how much it cools off but can tell you I CAN tell as it is not bath water any more so I enjoy it more. (sorry hubby)

We would love to see where the pool is going so we can see what you are dealing with!

Kim

 

[Mothershipp]

Hello from Florida and welcome to the site! I think your pool looks great and is a fantastic size. My only question is if you have young children will your visual ability to see them be impaired by the pool placement on the side of the house especially the deep end. Besides size, was there a reason to not place it more directly behind the house and patio? Is your heater gas or electric?

We have three kids so it was my first thought...but it's a great design. I love the Texas pools on here...big and beautiful!!! (We just got our county approval today and the permit will be picked up next week. Then we can schedule our dig. Yahoo)

 

[Tepihead]

MarianParoo - That is a concern, as people would need to cross our wood floors to get to the nearest bathroom. Hoping that might be a future addition. Thanks!

Kim - I'll get a pic of the site posted, but it's mostly flat with a slight decline towards the back fence. No landscaping out there yet. And I like the bath water, too!

Mothershipp - Thanks! The placement was due to the size and the easement requirements. Our builder recommended that we put the deep end on the far side because it will get more utilization when our kids are teenagers, and they'll want to hang out as far away from us as possible . They are 7 and 10 right now, excellent swimmers, but mostly hang out in the shallow end. The patio will actually extend farther than what's show in the pics, and we've tested to make sure we can see the whole pool. Congratulations on your approval, hope we get to see some pics of your progress!

 

[Veccster]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing your build.

What is the small cutout to the right of the jumper?

Also, I love how the slide comes out from the rocks!

 

[Tepihead]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing your build.

What is the small cutout to the right of the jumper?

Also, I love how the slide comes out from the rocks!

Veccster, that is what our builder called a swimout. Just a little place to make it easier for people in the deep end to climb out. Also serves as an additional bench.

 

[Tepihead]

Day 1 - Excavation

 

[grumpiebk]

Awesome. Our excavation was today as well. Will be fun to track both projects side by side! Good luck with your project.


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[Tepihead]

Awesome. Our excavation was today as well. Will be fun to track both projects side by side! Good luck with your project.


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Thanks, I'll have to check yours out as well!

 

[Tepihead]

Day 4 - Plumbing, rebar, equipment. They expect to get gunite complete by 11/23.

 

[kimkats]

Now go out and measure. Is it long, wide, deep, etc enough?? Add about 6" for gunite and plaster.

Kin

 

[Tepihead]

Day 6 - Gunite

Tile and coping scheduled for Monday. Before all this I would have said that we don't get much shade in this area, but these pictures are proving me wrong.

 

[kimkats]

Have you been bonding with your pool? aka watering it? This helps slow down the curing. You might still get some small cracks but watering the shell will help minimize them. When you get tired of doing it by hand you can set up the sprinkler and let it do it for you.

This is the part of your where I ask about your test kit. Has your PB told you which one he provides if any? If not find out so we can help you fill in any holes it might have.

I have a set of links to share with you for your pool care when you start to take over. It is a LOT of info. so take your time and read it over quite a few times. It will all start to make sense when you start using it.

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.


Kim

 

[grumpiebk]

Congrats on getting shot just before the holiday! You avoided a almost a week of downtime (since the plaster needs to cure somewhat before doing too much else).


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[Tepihead]

Have you been bonding with your pool? aka watering it? This helps slow down the curing. You might still get some small cracks but watering the shell will help minimize them. When you get tired of doing it by hand you can set up the sprinkler and let it do it for you.

This is the part of your where I ask about your test kit. Has your PB told you which one he provides if any? If not find out so we can help you fill in any holes it might have.

I have a set of links to share with you for your pool care when you start to take over. It is a LOT of info. so take your time and read it over quite a few times. It will all start to make sense when you start using it.

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.


Kim

Yes, we did water daily and had a really nice rain last night as well.

Thanks for the links! I've been postponing the study of this because we've had so much going on and I didn't feel like I would be able to digest it, yet. Great to have it all right there when I'm ready (which will have to be pretty soon!).

We have not had the "Pool School" talk yet, only discussed that we will have it. I'll be sure to post when I find out.

- - - Updated - - -

Congrats on getting shot just before the holiday! You avoided a almost a week of downtime (since the plaster needs to cure somewhat before doing too much else).


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It worked out perfectly! Should be getting tile and coping done tomorrow.

 

[Tepihead]

Day 15 - Tile and coping are mostly done. They will have to complete the stone around the bottom of the slide once the decking is done and the slide is actually set (they just dry fit it to get the basic placement). The stone is Oklahoma, and the tile is NPT Trentino Brown. When we selected it in the PB's office, it looked more brown with blue undertones (as in the last pic), but looks opposite installed. Lesson learned, definitely look at your tile selection in natural light. But I think it still works together.

We also made our final plaster selection, Quartzbrite in Midnight Blue. Pretty, deep blue with gray undertones. Wish I had taken a pic of the pool we looked at, but I'll definitely share after ours is installed.

 

[kimkats]

SO pretty!!! LOVE it all!

Kim

 

[Jimmyj5800]

pool is looking awesome! I am a little late to the question about the plaster. and I see you picked it already. but as a fellow north Texan I felt the need to tell you what I have seen and done my self. I have a few friends with the dark plaster a little bit darker than your pick I think. and they experience some pretty hot water in the middle of a north Texas summer. not to mention a much harder time in fighting algae... now I cant tell you how they maintain there pools I don't think it is the TFP method though. so I ended up going with the whiter pebble tech finish with some blue fleck in it. and I will say even my pool is pretty warm in the summer. I stayed away form the dark color more so from the horror stories of constantly ending up with algae in the summer... of course that was before I found TFP.and I do like the dark colors my self...

 

[Tepihead]

pool is looking awesome! I am a little late to the question about the plaster. and I see you picked it already. but as a fellow north Texan I felt the need to tell you what I have seen and done my self. I have a few friends with the dark plaster a little bit darker than your pick I think. and they experience some pretty hot water in the middle of a north Texas summer. not to mention a much harder time in fighting algae... now I cant tell you how they maintain there pools I don't think it is the TFP method though. so I ended up going with the whiter pebble tech finish with some blue fleck in it. and I will say even my pool is pretty warm in the summer. I stayed away form the dark color more so from the horror stories of constantly ending up with algae in the summer... of course that was before I found TFP.and I do like the dark colors my self...

Thanks for the feedback. I'm hoping the fact that we didn't go too dark and will have multiple water features will help. I've also realized we have a lot more shade in that area than I thought we did (from the house's shadow). I don't mind the "bathwater" feel, but my husband likes it a little cooler, so hoping we end up somewhere in the middle. Your color is very nice!

I didn't even realize it might affect algae growth. I'll have to get my TFP method down cold.