Need Help with 18' x 28 ' Pool Plan in San Antonio, TX

[Mmuniz1]

Hi All,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday morning. My wife and I have been kicking around the idea of building an inground pool for a couple of years and now we are getting serious. It's our first pool and I'm nervous about the size and cost of the project. I'm hoping the forum can help me make good decisions. We think we've settled on the design and we have three quotes that are all in the same neighborhood cost wise.

We're on the fence about having a saltwater pool. Some friends of mine and some of the builders have advised against this for various reasons. Our quotes are for clorine. Here's the info I received from front-runner.

Pool Specifications

• Construct a Custom Shotcrete Rectangular pool approximately 18x28 with and reverse infinity edge .
  
• Swimming Pool with a 3’6”to 5’ depth.
• Shotcrete will have a minimum of 4500 psi with 8” walls and floors, and 10” in stress areas.
• Provide with COPING: Preformed concrete coping
• Provide with level 2 Tile. Customer will select the specific tile color .(10.00)
• 6 ft water feature with(2) sheer descents and fire feature on top with glass inside
• 6 ft spa Raised 18” with tile all around pool with 6 jets
• QuartzScape plaster ( color to be chosen)
• Provide with Overflow line to allow for excess pool water.
• Provide with Four (4) Directional Return Jets and Two (2) Main Drains as per code.
• Two (2) Skimmers to include collection baskets.
• Provide with Two (1)Led Low voltage Pool lights. (1)Led Low voltage Spa light
• Construction Materials:
  • #4 (1/2“) Rebar Steel
  • Schedule 40 PVC Plumbing throughout

Other Specifications

• All rock and dirt excavation will be spread where customers allows and the rest will be hauled off.
• Provide with Concrete Pad 3x3 Feet, 4 inches deep to support the equipment.
• Rails and installation provided by customer

Pool Equipment (Pentair)

• Provide with 1Pentair Pump 2 HP whisperflow
• One (1) Sand Filter
• One (1) Booster Pump
• One (1) 320 inline Chlorinator.
• Pentair Easy Touch
  
  

The design we like is captured in the renderings below.



Can you please provide guidance on the specs, equipment, design and any other areas? Any input on the benefits or drawbacks of saltwater systems would also be appreciated. I tried searching the forums and I have not located any dialog on this.

Thanks!

Mario

 

[kimkats]

HI and welcome to TFP! Thanks for letting us help you with your pool build! Now lets get this party started!

-equipment-MUST get model numbers. Cannot go any further on this part without on them.

-equipment pad-that is kind of small. You want room so you don't have to play twister to do any work on the equipment.

-infinity spa-you might want to re-think doing it all the way around. While it is very pretty right after being built you will quickly learn how hard it is to keep clean. Just think about how hard it is going to be to get in and out of. You will have to step on the wet, sloped area of the spa to get in and out. The small "channel" for the water to flow into will be a nightmare to keep clean unless you make sure to brush it out each day. The decking around the spa will get lots of water splashed on it from the spill over. This could cause water spots and such. Just some food for thought.

-valves-Make sure they use only "good" valves such as pentair never lube. You will also want to make sure they use "home runs" for both of the skimmers as well as for the main drain.

-main drain-did you know you do not have to use a main drain? With a pool like this a main drain could also be called a "toe getter" again some food for thought.

I think I hit most of the high spots. Let me know what your thoughts are after reading through this.

Kim

 

[CRACK-SEALER]

First Texas is an interesting market and soil conditions (mostly adobe) are a major factor in the integrity of the structure. In order to compensate for this and keep soil and moisture from impacting the structure, some builders have gone to a foam injection into soil around the pool for stabilizing the ground movement (All outside water drainage should be away from the pool structure defined as 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot).

Also Texas does or at least did not require an engineered plan for permitting or a licensed contractor for pool construction (exceptions are electrical, grounding, bonding and underground gas) must licensed contractors. This is a "Buyer Beware State". There are many fine builders there with strong "Industry Affiliations" however.

Energy has been relatively inexpensive in Texas compared to the rest of the country but you may want to opt for a Variable Speed Drive Pump anyway. Your pool is relatively small and has minimal gallons to heat and chlorinate because of shallow depth. The most obvious advantage is to run your pump twice as long for the same money which is the key to a cleaner pool and reduced maintenance (the old saying is that dirt blows into the pool 24-7). Also Filters are designed to clean better at lower flow rates to avoiding channeling.

Dual skimmers could be problematic for two reasons. First you are reducing flow to both and second: one may be mostly inoperative due to location. Also you have four direction flow inlets which is good. Skimmers are not as structurally sound as the rest of the bond beam and are potential areas for corner cracking. Shotcrete strength is predicated on virgin material placement. Make sure the rebound (which is defined as loose material trimmed off when the walls and floor during shaping) is thrown out of the pool, chopped up and hauled away. Make sure NO rebound is thrown into any seating (spa), skimmer well or step areas and shot over. These are areas that can break off or crack later. It is important to be home the day the shotcrete is applied to observe.

Take pictures of plumbing, electrical and gas runs for future troubleshooting or underground digging.

Lastly the "salt water pool" connotation is incorrect. These are fresh water pools with chlorine generators activated by salt. Be aware that these are non-opt at 50 degree or below water temperatures.

The previous comment about negative edge trough being to small is worthy of a redesign. Eliminate intermediate steps in spa for greater seating capacity because you have a seating wall you can slide in and out on simple by rotating yourself and no one should be standing on a wet wall for safety reasons. Of course these are only suggestions.

I would include my e-mail for additional comment but I am not sure if that is allowable. Good Luck!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Heater racks are available to reduce footprint of equipment area.

 

[kimkats]

I would include my e-mail for additional comment but I am not sure if that is allowable. Good Luck!!!

.

We prefer that the posts stay on the board so everyone can follow along and enjoy. THANKS!

Kim TFP MOD

 

[Mmuniz1]

Thanks Kim and Crack-Sealer! I appreciate all of the input. Compared to California, San Antonio is the wild west. No engineer review that I know of and three city inspections through out the build process. I have requested the specific equipment models from the PB.

- First and foremost, so you guys don't see any issues with going saltwater? My concerns are with corrosion of the metal framed deck that will be integrated into the design. Also the metal in the firepit and on my house sliding doors. We are planning concrete coping and decking.

- Good idea on expanding the size of the equipment pad.

- Can you please tell me more about the issues with the spa design and keeping everything clean? I have no prior experience with ownership of a pool/spa. We want low maintenance if possible but my wife and I are absolutely in love with the design. Are we talking about leaves and bugs or sediment build-up? The spa will be partially under a roofed second story deck. Our PB said he would integrate a return on the longest run of the channel to increase water flow, but that we would have to brush it regularly. It said it's the price of the design unless we want to pay for some kind of additional system. Any ideas on how we can resolve this through design without losing the look? I'm thinking that we can bump of the trough from 4" to 6".

- I'll ask the builder about the drains including possibly eliminating the main drain. I'll let you know what he says. We're going with a variable speed pump.

- Crack-Sealer, are you recommending one skimmer versus two or do you think I need them in different locations?

All this is very helpful. Many thanks for the assistance!

Mario

 

[kimkats]

Salt water pool=SWG=EASY! The "causes rust to everything around it" is not a real life problem. Put SWG causes rust in the search box at the top of this page and you will find thread after thread about it NOT causing problems.

Two skimmers-IF they are plumbed together then one may be "weaker" than the other. BUT if you plumb them both on "home" runs (each with their own pipe) back to the pad with separate valves you can control them just like you want.

Spa trough-I like that he will be putting a return in it. That will help. The trouble will come if you get lazy about brushing. Even with the return the circulation will not be purrfect and can leave some dead spots. Make sure to get a "round" brush as that will be much easier in that area.

Spa-I still want to address the "how do you get in and out" problem. The top will be sloped and slippery.

The infinity spa WILL be very pretty and BLINGY. I just want you to be ready for the extra care it will entail. Fore warned is fore armed LOL

Kim

 

[Qwijib0]

I've got a 360 overflow with a small trough, and it hasn't really been a hassle at all, because the trough is fully tiled (as a consequence of being too small to plaster). I've got an in-floor head in the trough to move water through, but if you're getting a return on the back side shooting the direction of the pool to get some current I think you'll be fine, especially if you choose a tile with a very smooth surface. The consequence of neglect will likely be needing to spend 30 sec with a rag or something to wipe it once in a while.


re: stepping in and out-- also no issues (for me). If i'm getting in, the water is warm so the tiled wet top is too-- and I want to be wet anyway