Between a pine tree with two kinds of bark beetles, a failing retaining wall, and a pool with rebar stains that hasn't been resurfaced since it was installed in 1971, we are about to sign contracts with pool and landscape contractors for a major yard remodel. We'd rather defer remodeling, but the yard isn't safe, we have kids, and it's a small space so we want to maximize utility. The pool contractor is Aqua Gunite of Livermore, CA and I have only good things to say about them so far.
Here is what we're doing:
What looks worrisome to the forum? How hard will the solar upgrade be? What's the likelihood of floating the pool, concrete cracking, etc.? We're trying to sign contracts asap (possibly today).
Here is what we're doing:
- Strip plaster. Pebblesheen. Npt glass tile.
- Poured-in-place concrete coping that matches the deck by the landscape contractor.
- Coverpools under-coping auto cover. This requires dropping a bond beam; demoing and reshaping corners, steps, and part of one wall; building a cover vault; replacing the lighting niche and skimmer; building and backfilling a new wall in front of a void.
- Replumb. 2" suction. 2" new pipe to new split main drain. 3 returns: 2 1/2" to tee then 2" to tee then 1 1/2".
- New suction cleaner line for my Poolvergnuegen. Should I opt for a pressure line and get a new Poolvergnuegen? I figure with the autocover, a suction cleaner with a leaf canister doesn't load the filter too much, and suction is very effective.
- Make 8' pool 1' shallower. The contractor says the extra gunite and steel will reinforce the reshaped wall.
- Auto fill (to ensure the auto cover has enough water under it).
- Pentair 70W LED white light.
- Pentair Easy touch & Intellichlor 40 SWG.
- Pentair 420 sqft cartridge filter (we currently have an undersized DE filter).
- Pentair Intelliflo VS (contractor says they found the VF unreliable).
- No actuators at this time. Instead, run the pump at higher speed to get the Poolvergnuegen to clean more.
- 2" gas line to pad, though no heater yet. 1" gas line to bbq and fire pit. Is 1" sufficient?
- We plan to install solar thermal soon thereafter (possibly after some roof work).
What looks worrisome to the forum? How hard will the solar upgrade be? What's the likelihood of floating the pool, concrete cracking, etc.? We're trying to sign contracts asap (possibly today).