Finally!! My pictures!!!!!!!!!

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WhoDat?

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Dec 16, 2011
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My 10K build.... Let me first say how grateful I am for this site and how much great info I got from here.... Secondly, I did get a lot of grief from people for wanting to diy this whole thing... I got many "just hire that part out" answers to my questions... But many understood what I was trying to do.... A good, cheap, pool... I budgeted everything down to the cent... And actually went over budget by $500 because i had to get a pumper truck for the cement... It rained... A lot!! Bottom line, I couldn't afford to hire anything but the dig... So every aspect to this build was done by me... Mostly alone.... Except on 2 days when I poured cement (the bond beam and the decking)... I had friends over for 2 hrs each time... (so grateful for them)....

I could have waited to do the pool when I saved up more money... But if I waited I would have had to wait until next year.... So it was kinda now or never... :)

Timeline.... I started Jan 5th finished everything but the cement decking (because of rain!) by Jan 28th... Jan 8th we got more rain in 1 day then we got in the last 10 months... Filled up the hole... (see pics)... I am a paramedic and worked 10, 24 hour shifts in this time period... It rained 5 days that I was off... 2 of those 5 I just worked in the mud and rain.. I had to get it done by the 28th... We had an engagement party at my house for my little brother in that day... So that was my goal.. So you figure out how many days I actually worked on it if you want to know.. Lol... I had many late nights in that hole!!!

I did 2 "controversial" things that I know of.... Here's what and why

1.... Poured cement for the shallow end when I poured the bond beam....
Main reason... To save time
Second reason... I called the liner manufacturer and they said it was acceptable to use regular cement as long as it was smooth... So I got it super smooth and never looked back...

2... Backfilled with dirt....
Main reason... $$$$$$$
I packed it in foot by foot... I know it will still settle... But I poured such a small decking i think it will be ok... I only wanted a 30 inch deck all the way around to keep the heat down and allow for more landscaping...

So here it is!!! If you see anything "not right" other than the 2 things already mentioned... I'd love to hear it... I'm cool with criticism....

The dream...
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The beginning....
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The hole!
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Filling!! I ended up with only 2 wrinkles after it's full!!! One in each corner of the deep end... Not bad for my first liner huh?
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Plumbing, electrical and #8 copper for bonding... To be tied in to everything!
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Light with bond wire. And ground wire....
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Don't know if we keeping the slide yet.... Probably not... (bought it on craigslist...)
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So?? Whatcha think??
Did I miss the nec code for safety on anything?? That's my main concern...

Pump is on 220v GFCI breaker
Light has a GFCI breaker in line
Bond wire is run all the way around pool about 18 inches from side walls connected with the bolt type connectors to the rebar in 4 places... Connected to metal walls in 4 places and tied into the ladder mount as well as the light niche.. Light has an extra #8 insulated ground wire run from the inside of the niche to the ground from the power supply for the light... Run to a deck box 8" above max water height... Bond wire run back to pump and connected on the outside....

Thanks for looking!!!!
Comments? Questions??
 
Wow, impressive build. I'm amazed you completed it so quickly!

So, is the pool light 12 or 120V? If the former, it should be powered by a 12V transformer specifically approved for use in pools (e.g. an Intermatic PX100 or PX300). These have separated compartments for the low vs. high voltage sides of the transformer to minimize the chance that a hot 120V wire energizes the low voltage side. These are required by code. Also, a pool fence of 60" is to be installed to prevent access of small children to the pool. Since you do have a small child, it's imperative that you install some barrier so she can't accidentally fall in when nobody is looking. Pools are definitely of major interest to small children, and it only takes a few moments for them to get into trouble.
 

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CraigMW said:
Wow, impressive build. I'm amazed you completed it so quickly!

So, is the pool light 12 or 120V? If the former, it should be powered by a 12V transformer specifically approved for use in pools (e.g. an Intermatic PX100 or PX300). These have separated compartments for the low vs. high voltage sides of the transformer to minimize the chance that a hot 120V wire energizes the low voltage side. These are required by code. Also, a pool fence of 60" is to be installed to prevent access of small children to the pool. Since you do have a small child, it's imperative that you install some barrier so she can't accidentally fall in when nobody is looking. Pools are definitely of major interest to small children, and it only takes a few moments for them to get into trouble.
Click to expand...

Its a 120v, 500w light... Not 12V....
As far as fence.... We thought about it but really don't know how we would add that given the close proximity to the house and deck.... We do have a fence around our whole property... 2 acres...
We def will be putting in a pool alarm though...
 
Thanks for the pics and great job. Your build is very similar to mine, I am also doing most work myself(except concrete deck) . But I started in October and won't be done until May! Of course freezing temps and snow kinda hurt me. I have two questions/comments. You had to run a #8 green ground in the conduit with the light? I haven't started on that part and didn't realize the light wouldn't come with a ground in it. Also my electrical inspector made me use crimp style connectors for the bonding wire, I had the bolt on kind that it would take a wrench to get off but he said it would be possible for it to come loose! I think he was just making stuff up and he felt he needed to find something since I am a DIYer.
 
If your doing all the electrical you should print out the nec article code for pools.... I'll try to find where I printed mine from and post it... Unless someone else does.... So you can know what to do...
The code doesn't specify which type of connectors to use... It just says to use one made from brass or copper that's designed for the specific purpose of connecting the wire to rods... But I have heard of cases such as yours... Some inspectors just want the crimp style....

As for the light... It does have it's own ground wire connected to the light and sealed off... However, the nec requires another #8 insulated ground wire also be run from the light to your line of power... If you look on the inside of your light niche... There should be a copper lug/plate that this wire will mounted to... Not to be confused with the lug in the outside of the niche that the bare bonding wire connects to...
 
With regard to the fence, it's a requirement here in California that any pool has a fence around it, even if the backyard is fenced in. When we purchased our current house, the first thing we did before we moved in was to have a fence installed. It's the kind that has aluminum rods that go into holes drilled into the deck with mesh fencing and an automatic closing gate with a lock on it. We didn't have a huge amount of space on the deck for it, so in some places, it's only about 24 inches or so from the water. We really need to get a pool alarm, and I think that's a really good idea. But, the fence has been quite helpful when we've had a party with lots of kids there. It provides a little extra security, but we always make sure that when there are kids around, the pool is being watched by at least one adult. In your case, you could have a fence installed at the perimeter of the decking and this would offer reasonable control over entry into the pool area. If installed properly, they actually don't detract much from the look of the pool.

BTW, did you do all the plumbing and equipment hook up yourself? Looks like you did a great job!
 
Nice job! And amazing turn around start to finish.

Did you look at the temporary type fences? Those you would put just around the pool only. I understand they are expensive. But safety is not a place to cut corners. Perhaps you could design your own?

A pool alarm will warn you when our kid falls in - will you be close enough to get there in time? Or to hear it? Say if you're in the shower? My point is that an alarm is reactive and you need at least one layer of proactive protection like a fence or at least those special locks on all exits with access to the pool area. Also, think about door alarms in addition to or instead of the pool alarm. People say the pool alarms have a lot of false alarms too.

Again - great job!
 
Yes all plumbing was done by me! And thanks for the compliments!!! I appreciate it!!
I do have door alarms... My home security system dings everytime a door is opened... But I will look into fencing.... Thanks!
 

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