The start of a big headache.

[Hayseed]

Was going to start pictures of my pool install, with the first pictures being of ground work, I started to do by hand. Stopped its non progress fast, getting bobcat Thursday. But cannot figure out how to post pics. Oh well! Look the pictures showed up! Great! Hope I can repeat this Thursday.

 

[Jamison04]

Very exciting!! Looking forward to more progress pics.

 

[Hayseed]

Jamison? I have asked in another thread about your lights. The LED rope lights, and how you put it together, especially the part about the special heavy duty shrink wrap that is totally water proof. Can you remember where you purchased all the stuff for these lights? I assume they are on a gfci, have you ever had any accidents with shorting. Thanks hate to change the subject here but just gotta know.

 

[Dirk]

Congrats on the start of your build! You made it farther than I would have before "caving" for the 'cat!

Mind if I ask? Why so close to the fences? Kids like to run around a pool. And maintenance (dosing, brushing, vacuuming, repairing, etc) is challenged when you can't walk all the way around a pool...

 

[Hayseed]

Small yard. No kids. Pool will be 3 feet away from the concrete wall. Deck will be at right. And narrow walk way 2 1/2 foot wide down the front, all the way to white fence, deck on right will be width of pool and 10 feet deep. I am going to try to dig the hole down a couple of feet. So deck and fencing will not seem to be so dominating, in such a small area. I started because I had a big rear tine tiller I was going to use but it would not stay running. It was only twelve inches out of level. But with just a shovel, no way.

 

[Hayseed]

Small yard pics. Well now I can't load pictures, the ones up above loaded now it say my pics are to big to load. This is why I hate computers, you can do something once, but that doesn't mean you can do it again. Going to try to figure out how to resize so I can post them. That was excruciating. Is there a sticky explaining how to post pictures! Seem I went the long way around to get this picture up.

 

[Teald024]

Nice area for the pool. I would agree for the need for the bobcat, LOL.

You are limited by the total size limit of all the pics. Not by each pic size. You can either become a supporting member to get more file storage space or you can post the pictures on a hosting site and link to them.

I would agree that you need to leave yourself enough space around the pool to be able to do maintenance. Is that concrete wall a retaining wall? Your yard looks a lot higher than the other side of that concrete wall.

I would recommend a 5ft-3in space between your pool and concrete wall. There is a part of the NEC electric code that requires any metal objects within 5 feet of the pool to be bonded, meaning you will need to connect that fence to your bonding system. Do you own that metal fence?

When I put my pool in, I was worried about how much it would impose on the yard as well. If you have to sink 12 inches of it in the ground, that will help it not stand out as much. After it’s up, you won’t care.

 

[Jamison04]

Jamison? I have asked in another thread about your lights. The LED rope lights, and how you put it together, especially the part about the special heavy duty shrink wrap that is totally water proof. Can you remember where you purchased all the stuff for these lights? I assume they are on a gfci, have you ever had any accidents with shorting. Thanks hate to change the subject here but just gotta know.

Replied in the light post.

 

[Dirk]

In addition to the electrical bonding issues, there is the structural. I, too, thought I noticed that the lawn is above grade of that beyond the back wall. I'm guessing there are some vectors that have to be considered, how the weight of the pool will be pushing against that retaining wall, and how close the pool can actually be to it. Something for an engineer to work out, probably.

Not to belabor (but I will!), your idea of a small yard, and how to place a pool in it, are definitely different than mine! That is a huge expanse, and what looks to be a smallish pool stuffed way over in the corner. And maybe that suits your goals for the use of the rest of the yard. That's the great thing about designing your pool, and installing it yourself. You can have it exactly the way you want it! (Well, as long as it meets code, that is!!)

 

[Hayseed]

I agree I need room between fence and pool, but if there is something I need to do to the pool that requires over 5 feet to do it. I can't imagine what that would be, can you tell me, I need incentive. The fence is between two properties so it is mine as much as it is McDonald's, the business 15 feet below the concrete retainer wall. The fence is mutual property here. I could easily attach a grounding lead to the fence. I was thinking of that fence as my pool fence,msame as the white one, which I put up. If I move the pool out 5 feet I then would have to put up a safety fence, no? I know what you mean after its there it's there, just prethinking gets in the way. What kind of maintenance are you talking about? You are scaring me, more than a little. Thanks for the light headsup I'll go check it out

 

[Dirk]

What kind of maintenance are you talking about?

Well, picture yourself with a very long pole. Maybe with a brush at the end. Or a leaf rake. Or a vacuum head. If you have only a narrow path to walk on on any one side, how are you going to effectively brush that wall? From the other side? Or even if you have enough to stand on, check out the angles. You have your pole vertical and start your brush at the top of the pool wall. You push down, then the brush hits the bottom so you angle the pole and start pushing the brush across the bottom. At what point is that pole going to bang into the fence? Catching leaves would be worse. The pole is mostly horizontal, all above the water, and you're trying to swing it around to grab leaves from the other side and then the two floating a few inches away from the side you're on. Etc. Sometimes you lay on your deck to reach over to scrub the tile (or whatever you'll have at the water's edge).

But it's not just about maintenance. Sometimes people are laying on towels around the pool's edge. Or sitting on chairs. Throw in a couple of large floaties on the deck... You'll have a real traffic jam.

My deck width varies. Anywhere from 5' in some areas, to 10', up to 25'. But there's no fence just on the outside of that. It's landscaping. It's nice. 10' sounds like a lot, but I think you said that's only on one side? Ever measure what an average size outdoor table, plus six chairs, some pulled out away from the table, does to a 10' space? Chaises are at least 6' long. Couple of those, that's about an 8'x6' block of real estate. How about a nice cantilevered umbrella and it's stand. Couple of end tables for drinks. Maybe a couple of nice potted plants.

Just spit-ballin' with ya. You might plot it all out with string and stakes, pool and deck. Load up the area with some chairs, a table, couple of chaises. Some pool toys, some towels on the ground. Then add 50-100% for the things you might want someday that you're not thinking of. Then picture you and your family and some friends and their three kids all runnin' around all that stuff. You'll see what I'm gettin' at...

 

[Hayseed]

In addition to the electrical bonding issues, there is the structural. I, too, thought I noticed that the lawn is above grade of that beyond the back wall. I'm guessing there are some vectors that have to be considered, how the weight of the pool will be pushing against that retaining wall, and how close the pool can actually be to it. Something for an engineer to work out, probably.

Not to belabor (but I will!), your idea of a small yard, and how to place a pool in it, are definitely different than mine! That is a huge expanse, and what looks to be a smallish pool stuffed way over in the corner. And maybe that suits your goals for the use of the rest of the yard. That's the great thing about designing your pool, and installing it yourself. You can have it exactly the way you want it! (Well, as long as it meets code, that is!!)[/QUOTE

I don't have the knowledge you have of what you have to do to take care of a pool. Or what spaces are needed to do it. I have seen a lot of pools with the fence attached directly to the pool uprights most of the way around. I looked at this as being a lot less room than the two foot I allowed myself around this pool. I can push it out with no problems, just trying to be neat in a space that is somewhat small. My lot is a quarter acre with the front yard and the house and two good sized building does not leave too much room in back. This is literally the only place for a pool. If I had thought I needed so much more room I would have gotten something smaller or nothing. I am retired and don't have the money for a ton of wood for a huge deck, and again I have a problem with land shortage. I will give my boss the news, thanks for the information. You have given me lots to think about

 

[Dirk]

In addition to the electrical bonding issues, there is the structural. I, too, thought I noticed that the lawn is above grade of that beyond the back wall. I'm guessing there are some vectors that have to be considered, how the weight of the pool will be pushing against that retaining wall, and how close the pool can actually be to it. Something for an engineer to work out, probably.

Not to belabor (but I will!), your idea of a small yard, and how to place a pool in it, are definitely different than mine! That is a huge expanse, and what looks to be a smallish pool stuffed way over in the corner. And maybe that suits your goals for the use of the rest of the yard. That's the great thing about designing your pool, and installing it yourself. You can have it exactly the way you want it! (Well, as long as it meets code, that is!!)[/QUOTE

Its starting sound like the "r" should be a "c"

? Ya lost me...

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, my name. So sorry, didn't mean to offend. I'll leave you to it.

 

[Hayseed]

You come off more than a little brusque, but I am sure you know this. We are the person we have become, it's not something anyone could change, if they could I would choose to be a much better person.