Welcome neighbor to TFP!!!
This is an amazing site.
Confidentiality clause?? Nope, I've never heard of that. It sounds like they have some stiff competition near enough to worry them. Whom are you not supposed to tell? And since you asked if anyone can guess who the builder is, I can't. I had trouble finding my PB even with his name!!! But.... your question and the mention of the confidentiality clause makes me think of one builder off the Katy Fwy (I think). It was further out than I expected. Anyway, we had a bad experience there. I saw on the web that they had 3 small but real pools with different colors of finish. I couldn't wait to have a look. One pool was visible from the tiny parking lot. It was pitiful, not well kept. The other two were behind a fence. We went in to ask to see them. The saleswoman was extremely rude (we had been outside at a plant nursery, so not immaculately groomed). Anyway, she asked if we had signed a contract with them. I told her no, and she said we weren't allowed to see the pools. So we went back out, and I was going to take a picture of the pool outside the fence. She came out and stopped me, and said that wasn't allowed. She then escorted us to the car. I felt like a criminal. This was not a private residence. Needless to say, I'm glad I met her before calling for an interview. I just wonder if it was the same company. I quickly erased them from my memory to have more room for nicer things! Lol!!!
On TFP, listing the cost of your pool is up to each pool owner, and it seems most do not publish it except sometimes through a Private Message. Naming the builder is not allowed either except through a Private Message. In the past, there have been a battle or two between an unhappy Pool Owner and Pool Builder, because the build went south (in the PO's opinion). This isn't the place for that and not the purpose of TFP - teaching, guiding, and supporting Pool Owners.
I love your design! The left side somewhat follows the angle of the fence line. I've seen that done before, and I always think it looks great! I think you made an excellent decision to drop the three paver stones. To me it looks better and would have created more maintenance work, too. Pool water is beautiful all by itself, and doesn't need to be covered up.
I agree with LDV about the spa. If the infinity part increases the cost a good bit, it wouldn't be worth it for me. I think it might look cool the first couple of times, but I don't think I'd notice it much after that. I think of infinity edges for spaces with a gorgeous back drop where the pool seems to disappear into the scenery.
I will add to Mknauss's reply about the noise of the deck jets. I really wanted them, thinking we'd hear this nice little splat sound of water hitting the pool. Then my PB talked me out of them - he said they are the first water feature to go bad - they get clogged easily. He also said the slightest breeze ruins the graceful water arc. And they usually aren't free.
Have you ever had a wood deck? They can take a good deal of maintenance, and the wood gets very hot. I would go with a raised travertine deck with some elegant step(s) spanning 2 edges of the deck. The travertine will be much cooler so people sitting on the chairs or loungers won't have to wear flip flops due to the hot wood. Using the same material as the rest of the deck will make the entire area look larger. And my #1 reason for not using the wood deck.... if it's raised, snakes and other vile creatures love to hibernate or make their home under wood decks. (this suggestion would be over-ruled by the next if you were to choose the next one. hahaha!)
I love the water and love having a pool, so I would make the pool larger. Where the three paver stones are, I would widen that towards the house at least to the edge of the spa (house side edge of the spa), and push the spa down to almost the far edge of the wood deck going towards the fence. You've got some nice area to extend the travertine deck in the plan further towards the fence. That would add an open area to the patio under the sun and sky. That would be great for shaded times of the day and at night - a nice open feel. You'd still have a majority of deck that is covered. After all, what's a 'few' more dollars, right?! Lol! But consider the source for this suggestion.... I want every pool bigger (well, except for the 60k-90k gallon pools built on here!), and it's not MY money!!!
Your shallow end is 3'6", right? Many people on here have been glad they went with a 4' shallow end. Of course that depends on the height of the adults who will be using the pool the most. And I had a neighbor who never learned to swim, but the rest of the family wanted a pool. So their shallow end was 3.5 deep. Those things become very important when considering pool depth. I only mention it, because many PB's are still assuming 3.5 feet is the norm for shallow ends. I think that's changing.
I think Wet Edge is a great way to go. I have PebbleTec, and it does have a great reputation, but WetEdge seems to have so many more finish options and colors. Also, WetEdge seems to be very pro beads in their finishes which I think are beautiful.
I have a 6" Sun Shelf, and I absolutely love it!!! For me, it is the perfect depth. I can sit in an adirondack chair in my clothes and only cool off my feet without getting my clothes wet. I love that when I don't have time for a swim OR when it's warm here, but the pool is too cool to swim in. (late fall and early spring - even some of our Houston winter days) I think it stretches out the pool season in a way. But everyone loves their particular depths for different and excellent reasons. Thought I would share why I like 6".
I'm not a good source on pool equipment and the mechanics of a pool, but ask someone here about the skimmers. In the diagram, it shows two skimmers on the same wall. That may be the way to do it, I don't know. I'm curious why there isn't a skimmer on the wall across from the other two. (and have only one where there are two). Is it the prevailing wind direction? In my yard, the winds shift around with the seasons and storms. I would want a skimmer on the opposite walls to catch debris for different wind directions.
On the sun shelf: You will definitely want one or two returns for clearing debris off the shelf. I have one for my shelf, and it works great. I think my shelf is quite a bit smaller than yours. Another question for the experts here is lighting placement. I see two in the main part of the pool. (and a 3rd in the spa) I would think you need some sort of light on or pointing to the shelf.
Well, you asked for it, so you got it. I know my opinion is worth just about 2 cents, but maybe there's something you hadn't thought of before. Others will be along, and there will be more feedback to come after you can post the equipment list.
Take care! Hope after this post that you're still glad you came.....
Suz
.. 