New Pool Build Thread in Cypress TX (NW Houston)

[mikew2069]

Look what I have for you! JetPak Hot Tub Therapy System - Relaxation Relief

Kim

It looks like those have to be used in their bullfrog branded spas. Do you have experience with them working in custom spas?

Also does anyone have a recommendation for brand/model of a linear main drain. I was going to go with the Superflo 360 but my PB is charging $350 each for that upgrade and that seems expensive. I'm wondering if there is a linear option in the $100 range.

 

[kimkats]

I have seen them used on a couple of builds. The PO loved them. I have not used them myself. I say give them a call about using in your spa and see what they say.

Here is my fav main drain. No idea how much it costs: http://www.poolfittings.com/channel-pebble-top/

Kim

 

[mikew2069]

Finally I have a hole in my yard! Super exciting day... also gave time lapse a shot on the GoPro for the first time...

https://youtu.be/iAj5srHeQMg

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Hey Mike, I just popped in and saw Cypress in your title, so I had to skim over your thread! I love your design!!! The lines are great!

I think you may have found the answer to your question regarding draining the pool, but I'll add how it works on my pool.

When Harvey hit, there was no way my overflow drain (the small grated one just under the coping or lip of the pool) could keep up with those rains.

My pool does not drain to the sewers but to the street. Luckily a member from Australia was awake and on TFP at 2:00 in the morning to tell us what to do before the water came into the house. We hooked up garden hoses to the spigots at each pump (3), opened the spigots, and drug the hoses around the garage to drain down the driveway (and not into neighbors' yards). It saved us. I think that probably worked faster than a sump pump would have. Anyway it worked for us for the duration of the hurricane. TFP saved us, because I had no idea I could hook up my hoses at the pumps to drain the pool faster.

So you had the Big Dig!!! I remember how exciting that day was!!! You have many other big construction milestones to look forward to! I jumped around like a little kid with each one!

Enjoy and take care,
Suz

PS. Awesome video! The crew was much neater with your dig than the crew for my did! Fun music, too!

 

[kimkats]

LET THE MUD BEGIN! Nice did there! Loved the video! It was neat to watch them work with the digger and set it all out as it was happening!

Now you have a job...............go out to the hole with the pool plans in hand and a tape measure. Add about 8" for the gunite and plaster..........is it long, wide, deep, etc enough? NOW is the time to tweak or fix as needed/wanted. The depth of the water should be measured at half way up the skimmer face.

Kim

 

[EmmaApp]

Hey Mike, I just popped in and saw Cypress in your title, so I had to skim over your thread! I love your design!!! The lines are great!

I think you may have found the answer to your question regarding draining the pool, but I'll add how it works on my pool.

When Harvey hit, there was no way my overflow drain (the small grated one just under the coping or lip of the pool) could keep up with those rains.

My pool does not drain to the sewers but to the street. Luckily a member from Australia was awake and on TFP at 2:00 in the morning to tell us what to do before the water came into the house. We hooked up garden hoses to the spigots at each pump (3), opened the spigots, and drug the hoses around the garage to drain down the driveway (and not into neighbors' yards). It saved us. I think that probably worked faster than a sump pump would have. Anyway it worked for us for the duration of the hurricane. TFP saved us, because I had no idea I could hook up my hoses at the pumps to drain the pool faster.

So you had the Big Dig!!! I remember how exciting that day was!!! You have many other big construction milestones to look forward to! I jumped around like a little kid with each one!

Enjoy and take care,
Suz

PS. Awesome video! The crew was much neater with your dig than the crew for my did! Fun music, too!

Chiming-in from Stonegate.
We have cartridge filter, overflow drain under coping, and auto-refill (which I doubt works). During Harvey we did exactly what Suz did. We got the water level down about 6 inches before the rain really started.

 

[mikew2069]

Thanks for the comments on the drain issue. I ended up spending the extra money to have them hook a drain line to the sewage. I figured if we get another hurricane (which we will unfortunately as some point), it would be a nice convenience to just be able to start draining the pool if its lightening and poring outside.

 

[mikew2069]

Coping question - PB asked me today if we wanted the coping to be 16x24 or 12x24. Is there a standard? He seemed to be pushing us to the 16 saying it will look more 'grand' but I also don't want it to look silly big.

 

[kimkats]

There is not real standard. It is what you like. What I would do is make some of each size out of cardboard and see which one works the best on your corners and curves. See I think the bigger ones will be harder to make look nice on the curves BUT that is just my gut talking.

Kim

 

[mikew2069]

And then there was gunite!... So I know you're supposed to water twice a day for the first ten days or so. They finished at around 3pm today and I watered at 6pm for a good 15-20min. The cement sucked it right up and most of the surface already looks totally dry. Should I just keep watering when it looks dry?

Also, I'm going to be able to water twice on Friday but then I'm leaving town Friday night. My Dad is going to come water for me Saturday but then he's leaving town. How bad would it be if I didn't water Sunday? I come back Monday at around noon.

Gunite Day - YouTube

 

[kimkats]

Mike...............water timers!!! You can get a couple or three sprinklers and put them on a timer so it can water for you!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way the pool came out! It came out just like your design! SWEET! That video really showed how the formed everything! SO neat!

Kim

 

[kellyfair]

So cool to watch how they do that!

 

[mikew2069]

Mike...............water timers!!! You can get a couple or three sprinklers and put them on a timer so it can water for you!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way the pool came out! It came out just like your design! SWEET! That video really showed how the formed everything! SO neat!

Kim

Yea that's probably a good last resort. I originally didn't like the idea because you can't guarantee an even distribution but its better than nothing.

 

[mikew2069]

Plumbing getting done!

9164AEDD-D530-433F-A239-77C0E153D08E by mikew2069, on Flickr

A6D58269-3552-46A1-BA63-2F9C4CDC7CD3 by mikew2069, on Flickr

 

[mikew2069]

Pics of equipment pad and the tile we picked for the waterline and fire columns. Spa tiles will be darker 1x1 glass tiles.

Recently I've read comments on other's equipment pads complimenting the space and ease of working on equipment, etc. I purposely asked them to push all of the equipment to one side of the pad so I could have room to put an outdoor cabinet to store chemicals, etc. Did I screw myself too bad there?

Untitled by mikew2069, on Flickr

Untitled by mikew2069, on Flickr

Untitled by mikew2069, on Flickr

Untitled by mikew2069, on Flickr

Untitled by mikew2069, on Flickr

 

[SpringPool]

I like the tile. Nice and shiney.

 

[kimkats]

Mike! Dude! Are you going to be able to get to the filter to open it and take it apart to clean? Go out there and see. That is my main worry with that set up.

Chemicals storage-that will work okay but you need to know that Chlorine degrades in high heat over time. The higher the heat the faster it degrades. THEN there is the muriatic acid.........it cannot be stored by the chlorine. They do NOT play well together. Their fumes can make a toxic gas Some people have a small plastic/resin cabinet for it. Make sure it does not have metal hinges as the fumes can also rust metal.

Kim

 

[Gorilla]

The tile looks great! I wanted something like that but of course that would have been an upgrade so we just ended up picking a standard tile.

 

[kimkats]

I forgot to say how much I LOVE your tile! That is one of my favs!! What color of grout will you be using? I say gray to help the tile BLING out!

Kim

 

[mikew2069]

Thanks for all of the tile comments. We're really excited about it! Like everything else, it was an upgrade but we're so far in, we just want to make sure we get what we want. I'd hate to be 10s of thousands in only to see the final product and not be completely satisfied. I think I'm going to have that issue with the led lights we put in the trough surrounding the spa. We put two in to save a few hundred and I think its really going to need three. Ugh, its already eating at me! But its too late now.

I'm not sure what color grout is going in. I told the PB to match the tile as best as possible so hopefully a blueish grey. Definitely nothing too dark or light.

Mike! Dude! Are you going to be able to get to the filter to open it and take it apart to clean? Go out there and see. That is my main worry with that set up.

Chemicals storage-that will work okay but you need to know that Chlorine degrades in high heat over time. The higher the heat the faster it degrades. THEN there is the muriatic acid.........it cannot be stored by the chlorine. They do NOT play well together. Their fumes can make a toxic gas Some people have a small plastic/resin cabinet for it. Make sure it does not have metal hinges as the fumes can also rust metal.
Kim

Yes its going to be tighter than some of the others I've seen but there's definitely room to move. I can git er done. Thanks for the chemical info. I'm not even sure what chemicals are common to keep on hand but I know you have to have some and I don't want them in site and I don't want to have to walk to the garage everytime I need something. Maybe keep the acid in this cabinet and the liquid chlorine in the garage?