designing a pool have some questions.

[awp17]

So we are getting closer to our new home. Have been looking at lots to build and existing homes, Looked at a few with pools and a lot with out. Started to design my pool as after having an in ground pool for the last 9 years, its pretty much a requirement to have one lol. IM personally hoping we find a house with out a pool so I can concentrate 100% on building the dream pool.

Anyway I have questions and want to know if im demanding too much. I know the old saying goes "if you have the money anything is possible" but want to know if im being too ridicules here and over budget.

This is the design I have done on my program after having lived with my pool and the thoughts we have all had of "that would be nice to have" All equipment is pentair.

Our budget for the pool is 100k. I know build costs vary by state. But keep this in mind. IM in western Va.

32x18 vinyl liner rectangular pool

intelliflo 4x160 pump with 400 pound sand filter (have a d.e. cartridge hybrid now and its way to much work)
salt water system.
automation system.

400k BTU heater.

3 foot shallow end and 6 foot deep end.

Steps in shallow end run entire width of the pool

Paramount in floor cleaning system

Fiberglass Spill over spa on right side of pool in the middle. On either side of it a plant bowl with sheer decent (lit as well).
Spa is hooked up to main pump for circulation. Has separate 2 hp pump and 1.5 hp blower for jets.

On deep end of pool a Cozy cove, also with a 2 hp pump and 1.5 hp blower for jets.

1 Hp pump for sheer decents.

Water slide 1/2 hp pump for slide. Neighbors have a slide running off the main pump and its just not enough water when running. And it makes the jets very weak

recessed ladder in deep end.

2 lights in pool, 1 in spa.

Non recessed automatic cover (that way it can cover the cove, not just the pool)

I understand the cove and spa are a bit redundant. But the cove is the temp of the pool and the spa is hot, so that way you can have your choice as to what to relax into. This currently its an argument in the household between which one is better to have so my way of settling it is just installing both.

I am a developer with lots of connections for supplies and subs so I will be the general contractor. So factor this in.

Anyway im sure this formatted badly and is hard to read. AS soon as I figure out an online picture place I will upload the design I have done. Thanks for any help or tips.

 

[Patrick_B]

I don't know what's going on in Western VA, but you could build a nice Gunite pool of what you describe here. Prices in our area are pretty high compared to Dallas and Houston. Are you saying that because you are rural, or some other reason? We are in/around two small cities here.

 

[bmoreswim]

I too would say that your budget should allow a nice setup and certainly all you suggest. The one thing that can vary widely is the site and expenses it causes with retaining walls, decking, etc.

 

[cbink]

That's a healthy budget, especially if you're GC'ing it yourself.

For online photos, I use PhotoBucket. Always found it easy to use - there are others though.

 

[harleysilo]

With an autocover i would nix the in ground floor cleaning system. From what I've read about them here I'd nix it even without the cover.

 

[awp17]

Thanks for the opinions. The above post is now null and void however lol.

We think we found a place that will work, A family decision was made to be closer to the parents in the hampton roads area so we had to completely shift gears. Thankfully my work is statewide so im not out of the job! It doesnt have a pool, and the current owners have taken liberty of getting the variance for it so were all set really. However the boss saw my notes, design, and quotes for the pool refrenced in my OP and told me in a nut shell, heck no lol.

So plan B is going fiberglass route. Im a little worried after reading though someones 15 page nightmare. But its sounds like thats the installer more than the product.

I was looking at viking pools, anybody have anything to say about them as far as quality? I know some fiber glass pools after a few years loose their color and look terrible and I want to avoid that. Model I was looking at was the Laguna Deluxe with the attached spa. The nice thing is I have workers, trucks, cranes, excavators etc at my disposal. I figure to do a winter build when its slow for me to keep them busy and so im not taking away from a paying job. I would be subbing out the plumbing, automatic cover and set up of the equipment. Other than that I think between my crew and I we can handle it. I also have a pool builder buddy from SC that I may fly up for a week to help us. I want to set it and backfill with gravel stone, not sand. The horror stories I read about using sand are almost scary. But Im sure we can handle the dig and I have the equipment to deliver the pool and lift it in to place.



specs are
Viking Laguna Beach "Deluxe" (attached spa)
Pentair intelliflo SVRS
Pentair 100 Sq Ft quad De filter
Pentair 400k BTU Nautral Gas heater. (this pentair set up is what I have on my current pool, IM very happy with it minus the filter maintenance, but I figure on a smaller pool with an auto cover and salt water, filter maintenance should go way down from what is is now)

Then my extras to make it mine that my current pool does not have
3" suction 2" return plumbing.
Automatic Cover
2 cascades
bubbler in beach entry
Glass waterline tile
spa has its own blower and seperate 1-2 hp pentair pump for spa jets, Cascades and bubblers (can I do a variable speed here to to adjust the pressure of the jets?)
Intellicholr Salt water system.
Itellitouch automation with spa panel and interior panel
Fiberoptic lighting in the pool and spa.

Stamped concrete around the pool and blend it to the existing deck as much as possible, bull nose coping around the pool and spa. Maybe if money allows a Firepit with a fountain. The house is on the water so we are trying to keep the far end of the pool as clean as possible to not block the view.

Input or suggestions/changes about this plan? Thanks guys. I really enjoy the build threads and cant wait to be making my own!

 

[linen]

Assuming your pool is ~13000 gallons we would recommend a minimum 194 sq. ft. cartridge filter.

Also, if you are using a separate pump for the high volume water features, you may want to look at a smaller vs pump for the pool or maybe just a 2-speed. A vs pump should work well for the spa.

 

[awp17]

Assuming your pool is ~13000 gallons we would recommend a minimum 194 sq. ft. cartridge filter.

Also, if you are using a separate pump for the high volume water features, you may want to look at a smaller vs pump for the pool or maybe just a 2-speed. A vs pump should work well for the spa.

The measurements are 14x30 with a 4' shallow and 6' deep. My calculations figure about a 16k pool. This is a DE/cartridge hybrid set up, I may be wrong but, that would make the SQ ft measure differently. From what I found on Pentair's website thats the biggest they make in that category, as I say its what I currently have and when its clean my water has never looked better.

Is there a reason other than cost to not do 2 intelliflows on one pool? I can see a 2 speed working , I would have to talk to an engineer and have him meet with me and the plumber to get the sizing right for the distance, head, returns, etc. I figured the easy way around that mess was just getting VS pumps.

 

[harleysilo]

Have you got a price for the shell yet? I would compare that with liner pool kits.

 

[awp17]

Have you got a price for the shell yet? I would compare that with liner pool kits.

Yes they said 31,900 for the shell. I have a liner pool now, I was kind hoping to get away from them as we want a more custom shape to it. But would be willing to consider if it means I can add more bells and whistles.

 

[linen]

The measurements are 14x30 with a 4' shallow and 6' deep. My calculations figure about a 16k pool. This is a DE/cartridge hybrid set up, I may be wrong but, that would make the SQ ft measure differently. From what I found on Pentair's website thats the biggest they make in that category, as I say its what I currently have and when its clean my water has never looked better.

My fault, yes a 100 sq. ft. DE filter (I don't know why I thought cartridge) is very adequate for that pool size. We would recommend a minimum of 44 sq. ft. DE filter for a 16000 gallon pool (though I still think it is much volume looking at the drawing on their website...maybe they list the volume somewhere, but I can't find it).

Is there a reason other than cost to not do 2 intelliflows on one pool? I can see a 2 speed working , I would have to talk to an engineer and have him meet with me and the plumber to get the sizing right for the distance, head, returns, etc. I figured the easy way around that mess was just getting VS pumps.

Just seems like overkill if one is just being used for pool circulation. A 1hp 2-speed superflo would do that job fine for less than half the price and most of the time you would run on low. No need for special engineering input for just pool circulation and a pump like that (and the pipes sizes you have chosen).

 

[awp17]

I just received the variance from the listing agent in the fax today and it differs my plans. They have spec'd a gunite pool 38.8 feet long by 15.9 feet wide at its most narrow point 21.3" at its widest. IM going to have to call the city my self and see if what I want to do is with in the guidelines of what they approved. In my variances in the past it usually means I can do what ever I want pool wise in the allotted space (so im allowed a pool up to the size in the variance). However I was only the guy getting approval, I hired local pool builders to follow through with the build if someone wanted a pool on a house. And the beach may be different so we will see. Or may see the cost comparison of using their plans.


"Just seems like overkill if one is just being used for pool circulation. A 1hp 2-speed superflo would do that job fine for less than half the price and most of the time you would run on low. No need for special engineering input for just pool circulation and a pump like that (and the pipes sizes you have chosen)."

I guess my logic is that when spending this much, an extra 500 to get the top of the line (with SVRS) vs a mid model doesn't seem like a real stretch. The reason for pipe sizes is my research for Anti Entrapment shows a 2.5" or 3" suction on a dual main drain set up to be safer than 2 inch piping. But it is worth consideration and consulting. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsBSJt-zhEc