New Build in Southern California

[SoCal2018]

We just signed with a PB. We'd appreciate an initial equipment check and any suggestions. Here are the specs:
16'x40' IG shotcrete rectangular pool. 3.5'-6' depth for pool.
4.5'x10' spa within the pool with 6 jets. 3.5' depth for spa.
4.5'x15' shelf
2' stucco or tile wall with 6' cascade

Auto-cover with coping lids
2x IntelliFlo XF for pool/spa and water feature
Pentair Quad 100 Filter
Mastertemp 400k Heater
IntelliChlor IC-40
IntelliChem
3x IntelliBrite color lights
Easytouch 8 with screen logic
Auto-fill
Travertine coping
Waterline tile
Pebble Fina or Stonescapes mini-pebble (TBD -- any pros/cons?)
Hayward Navigator cleaner (we are considering replacing with a robot, but it could be nice to just leave the cleaner in the pool 24/7)

Thanks in advance! This forum has been very helpful to us.

 

[KDpoolguy]

Auto-cover with coping lids
2x IntelliFlo XF for pool/spa and water feature
Pentair Quad 100 Filter
Mastertemp 400k Heater
IntelliChlor IC-40
IntelliChem
3x IntelliBrite color lights
Easytouch 8 with screen logic
Auto-fill
Travertine coping
Waterline tile
Pebble Fina or Stonescapes mini-pebble (TBD -- any pros/cons?)
Hayward Navigator cleaner (we are considering replacing with a robot, but it could be nice to just leave the cleaner in the pool 24/7).

Congrats on the pool and welcome to TFP! It is a fantastic resource, consider becoming a member of what you find is useful. I did, and I never usually consider donations like that but TFP is like a family.

I can’t speak to everything about new equipment, but it appears you’re using Pentair’s suite of automation and equipment and it’s quality stuff with an excellent warranty & support. I’m jealous of your kit!

POOL FINISH: I had NPT Stonescapes mini pebble put in last year after considering Quartz. Lots of Pebble sheen and fina fans out here, but it’s all preference & budget. Pebble Fina is the smallest/smoothest exposed aggregate product available and smoother finish compared to the big brother pebbles, and judging from my experience on bids, it’s a $3000 premium above what we paid for mini pebble—though NPT and PebbleTec are different companies with equally quality products. My mini pebble is gorgeous but will rough up your skin, and skin of little ones, so we considered quartz for its smoothness but it was too spendy, and mini-pebble has a higher durability and lifespan in my research. Mini pebble isn’t as rough compared to original pebbletec. I find it therapeutic actually.

CLEANER: Invest in a robot. The Navigator will be fine, ugh but I dislike the ‘clap clap’ sound it makes, & suction cleaners are old tech, as robot technology is exquisite now. The robot is easy to leave in and pull for swimming. Swimming around a big suction tube ain’t where it’s at anymore and doesn’t have to be with a robot around. Saves A LOT OF electricity, and is a more effective clean. When you’re at the electrician stage, have them run a dedicated 15-20 amp GFI outlet to an area convenient to the pool for a robot. Check out Marina Pools in Colorado & pickup a Dolphin S200, S300 or S300+ for $699-$999. Free shipping, no tax sent to CA—-many of us have done the research. Excellent cost compared to one dealer in Riverside that wanted $1300 for what Marina sold for a flat $699!

CHEM MGMT: I had an Intellichem system in a commercial community pool I managed, but it was required for health code reasons. You may find some blowback on here, as chem management is going to require more than the expectations that you may feel intellichem/intelliph systems provide. It’s difficult to dial in to a pool, and pool chemistry is so unique to each pool and changes. The salt system (SWCG) will help lower the burden on its own. If others chime in, they can help more in this point if you’d like.

-Send is some pics of the project. Helps to upload them to Google Drive and provide the links!

-Kevin

 

[SoCal2018]

Thanks for your reply and comments. I just became a TFP member!

Yes, I am seriously considering a robot. Thanks for the pointer to Marina. I'm considering the S300 or S300i from them if we get a robot.

We're in the permitting/plan submission stage right now.

I have more details and pictures of the project area that I'll put in a post below. Would appreciate any advice!

 

[SoCal2018]

Pool plan:



I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments -- especially on the steel, plumbing, and shotcrete specs.

Excavation
Access: along side of house - also utility run
All necessary demo
Trench for pool eq wall footing
Form for Auto cover with 0 trim
Elevation: finish 2" above existing hard scape
+24 RBB as plan
Rough grade for new hardscape

Steel
Std beam: see eng r.b.b.: +24 as plan - notch for water feature
Extend wall as lan beyond pool
Note: eng for auto cover
Spa: finish exterior at 4.5ft by 10ft
Hold spa and pool cover down min 3"

Plumbing
Bond all metal within 5ft of water - equipotential
Color inlets white
Pool suction: 2" from split main drains to skimmer 3" to equip.
Pool return: 3" to (4) 1.5" Set up for max circulation
Spa: suction 3" from split main drains to equip. return to 6 jets as plan. Note: top step in spa for jet placement
Air size: 2" to eq
Valve location: eq
Pool cleaner: tie to skimmer suction -- location as plan
# of lights and size: 2 intellibrite pool 1 intellibrite spa
J box location: eq
Auto cover switch on patio post as plan or as per owner
Type fill: auto to nearest water
Water feature: 1-72" as plan. Suc split 21/2" Ret to w/f - intelliflo xf
Direction/location of eq: as plan
Gas: meter to heater
Cover: (2) 3/4" stubs for elect. 3" drain - others to connect

Electrical
Run panel to equipment.
Note cover switch.
"J" box at equipment
e-touch with screen logic - intellichor, intellichem. intelliflo xf pool/jets. intelliflo xf for w/f.
(3) intellibrite lights. auto cover

Shotcrete
Strip and finish all raised surfaces. +24 along rear with notch for waterfeature - extend wall beyond pool as plan
Notch for encap track - automatic cover. finish bottom of cover vault to drain to motor area
Notch bb at 10" Place plastic behind RBB
Pool to finish 3.5 to 6ft depth
Spa bench as plan
Complete clean up - haul all drywall and forms. cover wall <2"> Spa wall <2.5">

Tile
Type to be selected.
Tile at water line
Pool cover wall - spa wall - below cascade - design as per owner
Grout: gray
Auto cover wall finish <1.5"> Spa wall to finish <2">
Bal of RBB - stucco to match house

Coping
Travertine 12" wide Grout: matching
Travertine top of RBB Travertine on top of cover single lid

Raised Bond Beam: +24 as plan - stucco with travertine cap. tile below cascade per owner
Deck/drains: Others. Automatic cover system drain to be connected by hardscape contractor
Pool equipment wall. 5ft high as plan 6'x10' inside. Stucco to match house. Gate by others.
Bottom surface: choice of standard Stonescapes mini-pebble or standard pebble fina


Thanks again!

 

[bmoreswim]

Consider how the outside corners of the spa will affect the autocover repeatedly being dragged over it. I would suggest something less than a square outside 90 degree corner for that reason. Our autocover pit has a 4" PVC pipe draining it. I would recommend the same. Smaller pipes are much more likely to get clogged with leave debris and other buildup that ends up in there between pit cleanings. Ours also drains at the opposite end of the motor which seems a good option if possible, though certainly not a requirement.

Our cover pit was rough on the bottom. When the cover comes off the pool it is wet and can sag from the middle of the roller. It quickly began to create scratch marks on the cover towards the middle. Since it was too late, obviously, to make the pit deeper, I lined the bottom with this... https://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Tools-Industrial-Rubber-Mat/dp/B0009P67IK cut into strips 1' wide, which also allows for small pebbles to drop through so the cover doesn't drag on them either.

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

Just to throw my 2 cents in on the Navigator. I wanted a robot, but it was out of budget range so I got the Hayward Navigator and we had a dedicated suction line installed on the side of the pool for vacuuming and use with Navigator. As suction cleaners go, the Navigator is good. But as previously mentioned, you'll find you will NOT want to leave it in there all the time. That huge suction line is extremely annoying when swimming. Also, that same line totally messes up the skimming process - in our pool leaving the vac in resulted in all the floating debris getting skimmed against the vacuum line and never making it to the skimmer. And one last issue is that using the wall returns when vacuuming has a negative impact on the vacuum as the force of the return water pushes the vacuum line which affects the vacuum itself.

So, to deal with all this, I just hook the vacuum up once a week (now in the off season) or when necessary and run it for an hour or so, then remove it all. (Pretty much the same thing you'd do with a robot.) And since we have floor returns for the heater, I use those when running the Navigator instead of the wall returns.

But my Birthday is in July and I've already decided I'm asking for a robot for my Birthday! The Navigator does a good job and in one hour gets all the debris off the floor, but it doesn't clean as well as a robot would and it's no less work since really it can't be just left in there and set to run once a day the way I originally thought it could.

 

[SoCal2018]

Thanks so much bmoreswim and hollywoodfrodo for your comments.

bmoreswim: I will ask my builder about softening the corners of the spa and improving the autocover pit drain and depth.
hollywoodfrodo: Very enlightening info about the Navigator and your usage -- it's pushing me more towards a robot. This will be our first pool; so I also have no sense of how much better a robot will clean versus the Navigator -- especially with the autocover which should almost always be on.

Unfortunately, I'm still in the HOA approval stage so no significant updates.

 

[kimkats]

Here is hoping you get the HOA stuff done soon! That way we can get things rolling!

Kim

 

[SoCal2018]

Quick update: we finally received HOA approval and completed excavation. It's been raining quite a bit in our area recently, but we're excited to finally get started on the pool build.

Picture pre-excavation:


Post-excavation:


We're thinking of using the following travertine for coping:


And this for waterline tile:

 

[kimkats]

Let the MUD begin!! Good job on them doing the flash so there are not cave ins!

For the coping make sure to go through the boxes. Some of them will have bigger holes in them that you will not want used unless they are cut and the bigger holes not uses.

What is the name of the waterline tile? I have not see that one before with a mix for the BLING and rough.

Kim

 

[SoCal2018]

Thanks Kim. The waterline tile is NPT Opal Pearl White: Tile Series: Opal

 

[kimkats]

Thanks for that link! I had not seen that series before.........I can't wait to see it installed!

Kim

 

[SoCal2018]

Most of our equipment and plumbing is now done. Please let us know if you see any issues or have any suggestions:

 

[kimkats]

Will you be able to get to the filter to open it and work on it? Looks like you may have room behind it so longs as the bushes are kept trimmed. Did they put a bypass on the heater? That will allow you to keep the water from flowing through it if you ever need to. This can come in handy during the start up phase due to the plaster dust or if you ever need to SLAM your pool. Hoping you will never need to use it though!

Kim

 

[ajw22]

To me that equipment pad is too small. Equipment jammed too close together to move around and service it. Heater access panels blocked by plumbing and hedges. Hardly enough room to work around the filter when it needs to be cleaned.

Not enough space to step between the pumps. How much space between the pumps and hedges for when you need to replace the pump motor? What will you need to crawl over to check and clean the pump basket?

SWG cell jammed against side of heater. Going to be fun reaching those unions.

I would spread it out now or whoever works on your equipment will be cursing you for the next 30 years.

 

[Timujin]

Any updates to your pool @SoCal2018 ?

 

[SoCal2018]

Any updates to your pool @SoCal2018 ?

Hi Timujin,

Thanks for asking, and sorry for not posting a final update earlier. The rest of the build went fine, and we had a great time with the pool last year. I can't wait for it to warm up a little more so that we can use it again regularly.

Here's a picture of the completed pool:

 

[kimkats]

PRETTY!! How is the water care going?

Kim

 

[SoCal2018]

PRETTY!! How is the water care going?

Kim

It's been great! No issues following the guidance from this site, and it's been a "Trouble Free Pool". Thanks for all your help.
We had an issue with the IC60 salinity/temperature sensor reading low salt, but it has been fine after it was replaced.

 

[kimkats]

SWEET! So glad it is going so good!!!

Kim