18x36 Inground pool build in Maryland

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Mr47930

Well-known member
May 23, 2021
134
Southern Maryland
Hello all! My wife and I signed a contract a few months ago for an 18x36 inground gunite pool. Only issue is they can’t even start until February 2022 due to being completely booked for the year. They’re a very reputable builder, family business for over 40 years and we have friends who had theirs built and they had nothing but good things to say about the process so we’re willing to wait. Plus I’m in a region where there are only a few other options. Below is what we were quoted, anything I should add/remove based on experience?

- Auto cover
- 18x36ft w/ 6ft tanning ledge (12in depth). Shallow end is 3.5ft going to 7ft in the deep end.
- Custom steps w/ bench and 2 hydro jets
- Lifetime structural guarantee
- 48 sq/ft Jandy DEV filter
- 1 HP Jandy stealth energy efficient high performance pump
- Auto chlorinator
- 2 skimmers & 3 floor returns
- 2 8” main drains
- Flagstone coping with custom waterline tile
- Hydrostatic relief valves
- 500 watt light
- White marbelite plaster, hand troweled
- Polaris TR35P pressure cleaner
- Approximately ~2,000 sq/ft of concrete decking, broom finished

It also comes with manual vacuum, hoses, leaf skimmer and pump for the auto cover. Anything stand out as needing an upgrade or unnecessary?

We’re currently in the process of having 1/2 acre of trees removed from the property to make space for the pool, pavilion and eventual detached garage. Now it’s just a waiting game until February, but want to make sure I have everything nailed down before our final design meeting.
 
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Welcome to the forum!
I would suggest you look around the site, read through Pool School - Trouble Free Pool and see how TFPC works.
In the list above, my suggestion is to look at how you plan to chlorinate the pool water. You show a 'Auto Chlorinator'. That will use trichlor. Read How to Chlorinate Your Pool - Trouble Free Pool
Check the motor and pump. It shows a SS motor. On July 19 of this year, the Federal regulation takes effect that requires Variable Speed motors on all primary pool pumps with a 1.1THP motor and above. We strongly recommend a variable speed pump.
The light is an old incandescent type. Might want to research that.
Will you have automation to control the water features, lights, etc?
You also show a pressure cleaner. Great if you are in the 1970's, but very old tech for today. Research pool robots. Start with the Maytronics S200.
Luckily you have lots of time to consider these things.
I am sure others will have some input.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
 
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mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
I would suggest you look around the site, read through Pool School - Trouble Free Pool and see how TFPC works.
In the list above, my suggestion is to look at how you plan to chlorinate the pool water. You show a 'Auto Chlorinator'. That will use trichlor. Read How to Chlorinate Your Pool - Trouble Free Pool
Check the motor and pump. It shows a SS motor. On July 19 of this year, the Federal regulation takes effect that requires Variable Speed motors on all primary pool pumps with a 1.1THP motor and above. We strongly recommend a variable speed pump.
The light is an old incandescent type. Might want to research that.
Will you have automation to control the water features, lights, etc?
You also show a pressure cleaner. Great if you are in the 1970's, but very old tech for today. Research pool robots. Start with the Maytronics S200.
Luckily you have lots of time to consider these things.
I am sure others will have some input.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I’ve been lurking for a while and reading up on the ABC’s of pool chemistry over the last few months. I’m aware of the CYA issues that can be had with pucks and plan to use the auto chlorinator only when I’m out of town. Other than that it’ll be liquid chlorine only (hoping next year the shortages are through). When you say “SS motor” is that “single stage”or “single speed””? I’ll research variable speed, and I’ve also seen many recommend to get a bigger filter than needed, does 48sq/ft seem small for my application?

I’ll also look into robot cleaners vs the pressure cleaners and see if the builder will give a credit for not installing that. I assume LED lights are the way to go now? Not sure why they’d even still be installing incandescent lights in 2021.
 
SS is single speed. They run at 3450 rpm. A 1 THP SS motor will use right at 1Kwh of energy for each hour run. A VS pump will be at about 200 w or less.
DE filters are being used less and less. Backwashing, handling DE, etc is less desirable than a properly sized cartridge filter that you clean once a season. With a cover and a volume of ~30k gallons I would recommend a 400+SF cartridge filter.

LED lights have their pluses and minuses. Life span of some is very short. So you need to look into the lighting you want (color, white only, etc) and how to achieve that.
 
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You'll want to get clarification on the flagstone coping. In the region, I presume that would mean PA bluestone. If so, there are a few things go consider so you get what you want. Different surface finishes and thicknesses.

Regarding the autocover, what brand is it? What type of lid will cover the pit? The lids can vary by several thousands from an aluminum one that is not meant to be stood on to long, heavy duty stainless steel brackets that hold stone coping on top. That is what we have. You can see an example of your future pool in our build thread (link in my signature)! Except we don't have a shelf. Similar dimension, bluestone coping and autocover.
 
Stevenson built my parents pool in the 80s. Nice quality work. I see them around building several pools in the County but the company has different owners now. I haven't seen their recent work so I cannot comment on their quality now a days.

My pool was just completed last winter and is similar to yours. You will love the autocover!

I'd listen to the recommendations Marty made. Cartridge filter, Variable speed pump, LED lighting and a robot cleaner.

I seems that many builders around here are not up on the latest and greatest equipment. Do your own research and tell the builder what you want!
 
PA bluestone will be grey/blue and consistent. NY bluestone will be multicolored with blue and grey and brown. Those are the two options in my neck of the woods.
 
ImpalaSS said:
Stevenson built my parents pool in the 80s. Nice quality work. I see them around building several pools in the County but the company has different owners now. I haven't seen their recent work so I cannot comment on their quality now a days.

My pool was just completed last winter and is similar to yours. You will love the autocover!

I'd listen to the recommendations Marty made. Cartridge filter, Variable speed pump, LED lighting and a robot cleaner.

I seems that many builders around here are not up on the latest and greatest equipment. Do your own research and tell the builder what you want!
Click to expand...
Small world! Who did you have build yours? I think it’s still the same owner only that his son-in-law has recently taken over the day to day operations.
 
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bmoreswim said:
You'll want to get clarification on the flagstone coping. In the region, I presume that would mean PA bluestone. If so, there are a few things go consider so you get what you want. Different surface finishes and thicknesses.

Regarding the autocover, what brand is it? What type of lid will cover the pit? The lids can vary by several thousands from an aluminum one that is not meant to be stood on to long, heavy duty stainless steel brackets that hold stone coping on top. That is what we have. You can see an example of your future pool in our build thread (link in my signature)! Except we don't have a shelf. Similar dimension, bluestone coping and autocover.
Click to expand...
I have a note written down on the coping and wanting to see what other options we have.
im not entirely sure what brand the auto cover is, it just says auto cover. I’m sure at our final design meeting we’ll go over all the details. I read through your thread, beautiful setup you have! I saw you’re from Carroll County, I get up there pretty often to Westminster, beautiful area.
 
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Stover built mine. Pool Cover Services in Fredrick installed my cover. I believe Stevenson uses the same company. I have the aluminum lid, my friend got the travertine lid. Pros and cons with each. The travertine cover is a bit more clean looking. If its not stated in your contract you probably are getting the aluminum cover.

From what I'm hearing bluestone is in short supply. Hopefully it will be back in supply by the time your pool is ready to be built.
If you happen to be in Calvert you better apply for your permits now because it takes forever!
 
ImpalaSS said:
Stover built mine. Pool Cover Services in Fredrick installed my cover. I believe Stevenson uses the same company. I have the aluminum lid, my friend got the travertine lid. Pros and cons with each. The travertine cover is a bit more clean looking. If its not stated in your contract you probably are getting the aluminum cover.

From what I'm hearing bluestone is in short supply. Hopefully it will be back in supply by the time your pool is ready to be built.
If you happen to be in Calvert you better apply for your permits now because it takes forever!
Click to expand...
Yea I’ll have to look at the other options for a lid. I didn’t know the aluminum one wasn’t supposed to be stood on. Plan on having friends over regularly and we all have small kids so I’m sure they’ll want to run and jump off the edge, and I don’t want to constantly be worried about a stupid lid.
They’ve already started the permitting process a few weeks ago so id imagine it’ll all be taken care of by February.
 
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It is no problem at all to stand on the stone of a lid. If you were to dance on the leading edge, which extends slightly past the bracket, I suppose it could start to tip. I would not dive off of them. That puts a lot of pressure on the edge. That said, I would go with the stone lid again in a heartbeat for appearance and durability. Only negative I see is weight to remove them to clean the cover. 24” x 12” x 2”. Meh. I’ve taken mine off like twice in 9 seasons.
 
So I looked closer at the pamphlet that we received and it looks like the brand of automatic cover is from Cover Pools. Whoever named the company was a pretty literal thinker I suppose.
Anyway, the first step to this entire build is having approximately 1/2 acre of scrub pines removed from our property which is 1.5 acres total. I just heard from the owner/operator of the excavation company that he’s coming the 2nd week of July. That’s great news as it’ll allow me to put some compost and seed down this fall.
 
Edited to hopefully show up in the right orientation.

Family friend showed up with his excavator today to remove the 1/2-3/4 acre of trees where the future detached garage will go. He’s also going to remove the 5 trees in the back yard where the pool will go. Hoping to get some topsoil and seed down this fall.
 

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To get pics to show up correctly from mobile you sometimes need to edit them even if they appear correctly in your phone and save the edit.
 
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