New NE Houston Pool - Picasso Pools

[mrtallpaul]

Hello everyone. Just recently found out about this blog and have enjoyed reading everyone's comments. At an urging of a coworker also going through a build, I thought I'd post. Moving from the North, owning a pool is something with which I am unfamiliar. Looking forward to everyone's constructive comments!

I contracted with Picasso Pools (out of Atascocita/Humble area) to build the following:
Free-form 24' x 31'; 3 1/2' to 6' depth; Blue Granite Pebble Sheen; flagstone coping; 3-ton moss rock waterfall and 3 (2 ton total) moss rock weeping walls; large tanning shelf & 7' round spa w/ stacked stone 6' spillway. We also are adding 1174 sqft of peagravel decking with Oklahoma Wister flagstone.

Equipment includes: 420 sqft Pentair cartridge filter; 4x160 high performance pump; 11 returns; 6 drains; 2 skimmers; basic 100 watt light in both pool and spa; Sta-rite Maxi Therm 400K BTU heater; Pentair 320 rainbow; 1HP silencer; 1HP pentair whisperflow water pump and Eazytouch 8 button wireless controller.

Not sure if that's enough/too much information, but it was what was easily accessible. I will post shortly with pictures and where we are as far as progress.

 

[mynewpool]

Nice to see another houston area person in here. What part of town are you in?

 

[mikespoolfl]

Sounds like a really nice pool with a lot of attention to detail. I guess I have one question why the basic 100 watt light? So many options with led lighting. Sounds like with some nice lighting you could have that blown away effect when people see your pool.

 

[mrtallpaul]

@mynewpool - I'm near Atascocita just off the West side of Lake Houston.

Mike - I previously had a hot tub with the fancy leds. 8 or so color, Changing ccolors, strobe, etc. I never used them. I always just turned the lights on one color and left it. I also figured (right or wrong) that changing the light to something else would not be so difficult down the road. Hope I didn't make a big mistake...

 

[dmanb2b]

Welcome to TFP Check out pool school (button on upper right of this page), especially this section

category.php?c=construction_and_upgrade_choices

 

[mynewpool]

@mynewpool - I'm near Atascocita just off the West side of Lake Houston.

Mike - I previously had a hot tub with the fancy leds. 8 or so color, Changing ccolors, strobe, etc. I never used them. I always just turned the lights on one color and left it. I also figured (right or wrong) that changing the light to something else would not be so difficult down the road. Hope I didn't make a big mistake...

Cool. My parents live in humble around Humble High School.

 

[mrtallpaul]

Here are a few pics of the construction. Note the data line that was almost ruined. It was three feet out of the easement. We were able to flex it out of the way. There was one mess up during the gunite process. The tanning shelf was shrunk in size. The location where the stairs were placed was supposed to be part of the tanning shelf. Picasso pools noted the mistake and (as any good pool builder should) had the gunite folks come out and fix the issue. What happens when there are issues shows the true character of a PB. Picasso Pools did a great job and made me feel good about the resolution.

 

[Stevereno]

@mynewpool - I'm near Atascocita just off the West side of Lake Houston.

Mike - I previously had a hot tub with the fancy leds. 8 or so color, Changing ccolors, strobe, etc. I never used them. I always just turned the lights on one color and left it. I also figured (right or wrong) that changing the light to something else would not be so difficult down the road. Hope I didn't make a big mistake...

We lived in The Oaks of Atascocita in the 90's, our girls graduated from Humble HS. We're in Northcrest Ranch on Hwy 242 about 2 mi from Hwy 59N now.

Regarding the pool light, we stayed with the basic light for the spa. But for the pool, we opted for the Jandy WaterColors LED lights. I was not that big on getting them but my wife just had to have them after seeing the same in another pool. I have to admit, it's a pretty nice feature and provides a lot of ambience that the basic white lights do not. I would say they were worth the extra cost and everyone that sees them at night just rants and raves about how beautiful the effects are. Just food for thought.

The wireless controller (we have Jandy PDA) is also a rather pricey item but the convenience of remotely turning things on/off, making SWG output adjustments, programming pump cycles, etc. without having to go to the control box is very, very nice.

 

[257WbyMag]

Beautiful!

 

[mynewpool]

@mynewpool - I'm near Atascocita just off the West side of Lake Houston.

Mike - I previously had a hot tub with the fancy leds. 8 or so color, Changing ccolors, strobe, etc. I never used them. I always just turned the lights on one color and left it. I also figured (right or wrong) that changing the light to something else would not be so difficult down the road. Hope I didn't make a big mistake...

We lived in The Oaks of Atascocita in the 90's, our girls graduated from Humble HS. We're in Northcrest Ranch on Hwy 242 about 2 mi from Hwy 59N now.

Regarding the pool light, we stayed with the basic light for the spa. But for the pool, we opted for the Jandy WaterColors LED lights. I was not that big on getting them but my wife just had to have them after seeing the same in another pool. I have to admit, it's a pretty nice feature and provides a lot of ambience that the basic white lights do not. I would say they were worth the extra cost and everyone that sees them at night just rants and raves about how beautiful the effects are. Just food for thought.

The wireless controller (we have Jandy PDA) is also a rather pricey item but the convenience of remotely turning things on/off, making SWG output adjustments, programming pump cycles, etc. without having to go to the control box is very, very nice.

What year did they graudate as I graudate in 98.

 

[Stevereno]

We lived in The Oaks of Atascocita in the 90's, our girls graduated from Humble HS. We're in Northcrest Ranch on Hwy 242 about 2 mi from Hwy 59N now.

Regarding the pool light, we stayed with the basic light for the spa. But for the pool, we opted for the Jandy WaterColors LED lights. I was not that big on getting them but my wife just had to have them after seeing the same in another pool. I have to admit, it's a pretty nice feature and provides a lot of ambience that the basic white lights do not. I would say they were worth the extra cost and everyone that sees them at night just rants and raves about how beautiful the effects are. Just food for thought.

The wireless controller (we have Jandy PDA) is also a rather pricey item but the convenience of remotely turning things on/off, making SWG output adjustments, programming pump cycles, etc. without having to go to the control box is very, very nice.

What year did they graudate as I graudate in 98.

'95 and '99. Oldest daughter's husband also graduated HHS in '95 (they've been "sweethearts" from age 15).

 

[mrtallpaul]

Well...this pool building thing went pretty well. The pool dig started on 3/22 and today, 4/12, the pool has started to be filled! By my count that makes 22 days. They still need to acid wash the decking and clean up the mess (concrete chunks, boxes, etc.), but most everything is done but the filling, learning how to keep up with everything, and most importantly, the SWIMMING. Let me know if you have any questions - I'd be happy to reply and/or post pictures. Can't say enough good things about Randy Jenkins, his dad Curtis, and PICASSO POOLS!