Greetings, fellow TFPers.
My husband and I decided to put in a pool. Actually, we thought we'd be swimming in it by now. (Cue maniacal laughter.)
We started out by looking at fiberglass last fall. The price point (upper 20s to low 30s) was really appealing, as was the low maintenance, SWG-compatibility, and the quick install. However, we soon realized that the models we were looking at were probably not going to cut it in terms of some of our must-haves (depth, ability to have planting beds near pool) and some of our wish list items (contractor's unwillingness to install certain current generators and/or pavers). We haven't ruled out fiberglass, but we started looking at gunite, too. I prefer the appearance of the gunite and really like the ability to maximize the small space that we do have with the features that we really want. We've gotten bids from a couple of reputable companies - and the sticker shock that comes along with it. We were looking at a really basic, rectangular pool (12 x 28 range) without many bells and whistles (no spa, no raised walls or water features), so I was a bit surprised when the quotes came back in the mid to upper 40s. The costs quickly go into the 50s and 60s with with add-ons.
We haven't ruled out going with a PB. Heaven knows it would make things easier. But I am researching the owner/builder/DIY route, too. If we're going to make the investment, the idea of investing some of the savings into features that we wouldn't otherwise have a budget for, is appealing. We don't have experience doing this for a pool, but we have handled the design work, some of the construction, and relationships with GCs and subs on two house projects. I've been reading up on several owner/builder jobs as well as posts on the pros/cons. I'm interested in specific bits of info, especially from those who have or may be attempting this in Houston, though I'm open to getting feedback from anyone who's willing to provide it!
-Houstonians/Texans: how did you handle liability with your subs? Did you take out a policy to cover the build, or did your subs carry their own?
-Regarding the design, how much detail did you include (for subs and for permit application) with respect to electric, plumbing, rebar, and grading?
-Did you hire a consultant to inspect certain parts of the job, or did you rely on yourself/city inspector to handle it?
-Did you find that your actual savings was in line with what you expected to save?
-And if there are any Houstonians who had a good experience with subs, can I private message you about them?
Much thanks!
My husband and I decided to put in a pool. Actually, we thought we'd be swimming in it by now. (Cue maniacal laughter.)
We started out by looking at fiberglass last fall. The price point (upper 20s to low 30s) was really appealing, as was the low maintenance, SWG-compatibility, and the quick install. However, we soon realized that the models we were looking at were probably not going to cut it in terms of some of our must-haves (depth, ability to have planting beds near pool) and some of our wish list items (contractor's unwillingness to install certain current generators and/or pavers). We haven't ruled out fiberglass, but we started looking at gunite, too. I prefer the appearance of the gunite and really like the ability to maximize the small space that we do have with the features that we really want. We've gotten bids from a couple of reputable companies - and the sticker shock that comes along with it. We were looking at a really basic, rectangular pool (12 x 28 range) without many bells and whistles (no spa, no raised walls or water features), so I was a bit surprised when the quotes came back in the mid to upper 40s. The costs quickly go into the 50s and 60s with with add-ons.
We haven't ruled out going with a PB. Heaven knows it would make things easier. But I am researching the owner/builder/DIY route, too. If we're going to make the investment, the idea of investing some of the savings into features that we wouldn't otherwise have a budget for, is appealing. We don't have experience doing this for a pool, but we have handled the design work, some of the construction, and relationships with GCs and subs on two house projects. I've been reading up on several owner/builder jobs as well as posts on the pros/cons. I'm interested in specific bits of info, especially from those who have or may be attempting this in Houston, though I'm open to getting feedback from anyone who's willing to provide it!
-Houstonians/Texans: how did you handle liability with your subs? Did you take out a policy to cover the build, or did your subs carry their own?
-Regarding the design, how much detail did you include (for subs and for permit application) with respect to electric, plumbing, rebar, and grading?
-Did you hire a consultant to inspect certain parts of the job, or did you rely on yourself/city inspector to handle it?
-Did you find that your actual savings was in line with what you expected to save?
-And if there are any Houstonians who had a good experience with subs, can I private message you about them?
Much thanks!