Critique Our First Pool Quote - Central Texas

[holmern]

So after lurking here for years (I think) we finally got a first quote for a pool. We looked for a while at different builders in the area and have almost decided on this builder. The builder has a very good reputation and is known for fair pricing and great work. They have already done 4 or 5 pools on our street and everyone we have spoke with are happy.

There are already some pieces on the quote that I don't think I need that will save us some money. The pool builder is visiting to take a look and discuss the quote with us on Saturday so I am sure he will get us to add some other things that we haven't thought of yet. There is quite a bit of equipment listed on the pool detail sheet that isn't in the quote. I guess this is standard equipment because only the upgrade costs are listed?

Don't want

• Pentair Easytouch with remote or Ipad/Laptop control module (seems like a lot of money for turning on/off lights/spa)
• Ozonator- Clear O3

Do want

• Most likely change the lights to 2 colored LED instead of what is currently in the bid.
• Wondering if 7' is a good size for spa?
• Will the inline chlorinator be able to save me at all when we are travelling? Both me and my wife are gone a few days a week for work.
• Is the Pebble Tech worth it? Some people have said it makes a difference if the pool gets a lot of sun, and ours will get A LOT of sun.
• Will most likely add a sleave for a big umbrella somewhere in the pool.
• Probably some things I haven't thought of.
• Increase depth from 5' - 6" to 6'

We are located in central Texas and have a semi steep slope in our back yard. The ground is all limestone except for the few inches of top soil that the builder put down.

 

[tim5055]

Skip the chlorinator and go with a Salt Water Chlorine Generator.

Delete Ozone entirely.

I would change the DE filter to a sand filter, but in either case I would have the backflush line plumbed to where you want the water to go rather than having to hook up a temp line every time you want to backflush.

While they have plumbers and electricians on site I would think about adding a hose bibb and a second GFCI outlet in the yard somewhere.

 

[holmern]

Thanks for chiming in tim5055! I don't think the Oklahoma Flagstone that is used around here works very well with a SWG pool. I will definitely remove the Ozonator. Any reason for the sand filter instead of DE? Is it better? Cheaper?

 

[tim5055]

Thanks for chiming in tim5055! I don't think the Oklahoma Flagstone that is used around here works very well with a SWG pool. I will definitely remove the Ozonator. Any reason for the sand filter instead of DE? Is it better? Cheaper?

I'll let others comment about the flagstone & SWCG, but it doesn't make sense to me. Chlorine is chlorine is chlorine.... Its the same no matter how it gets in the pool. I can't imagine the salt would be a problem as low as the concentration is, but hey - Ive been wrong before. If you get independent information (other than the pool builder) that the SWCG is bad, then look into other forms of chlorine automation like a Stenner pump or a liquidator. You really want to stay away form a tab feeder.

As to the filter i just think the sand is easier than the DE. backwash, rinse & turn the filter back on. With the DE you have to add the powder and someone is always having problems with a torn filter grid. Sand doesn't wear out - just keeps on filtering.

 

[one_knight4u]

Another positive of the sand is that you can add a little DE to make its filter capabilities better.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

I have Arizona Flagstone as coping and I run a salt water pool. There's two issues to consider with FS coping - washing versus sealing.

If you're obsessive-compulsive like me, all you need to do is wash down your FS and keep it clean and the saltwater will not degrade the material any more than it would otherwise being outdoors. Perhaps you'll get 25 years out of it instead of 30 but that's about it. Owning a pressure washer helps A LOT!

If your not OCD and the thought of breaking out the garden hose to wash down your coping sounds like an annoyance, you can have your builder's stone mason use a stone sealant that will penetrate the FS and act as a moisture barrier (think of it like pouring olive oil all over your coping and having that seep in). It will make the stone more hydrophobic and water repellent. Here's the catch though - the quality of the sealant varies A LOT by manufacturer. 3M and DuPont make fairly good products but there are lots of cheapo knock-offs as well. If you get a bad batch of sealant, it will discolor the stone and make it look horrible. Also, you don't just apply sealant once and forget about it. It lasts maybe 2 or 3 seasons and then it needs to be re-applied. In hot & sunny climates, it will degrade faster. All sealants will change the color of the stone slightly from its natural look.

I don't seal. But that's my choice.

As for IntelliTouch automation, you should reconsider it! Automation makes life with a pool a bit easier (I can turn on and off everything on my pool from my kitchen, i can check pump speeds and chlorinator levels, etc). Also, in the case of Pentair, if you don't get the IntelliTouch automation, then the output on the IC40 can only be incremented in 20% steps...you will not likely be able to fine tune your SWG output for your pool and your water will be more prone to larger chlorine swings. Also, you use automation to control valves. If you don't have any automation, then anytime you want to use the spa, you'll be having to walk over to the equipment pad and throw about two or three valves to get the spa to work. May not seem like much now, but I guarantee you get annoyed by it very quickly.

And automation doesn't mean it has to be iPad/Bluetooth crazy. Pentair has the EasyTouch remote which is nice or you can just activate the automation straight from the IntelliTouch panel (no remote). The PB can also embed a push button controller into the pool coping, near the pool, by the back door of the house, etc.

As far as filtration goes, I like DE for its fine particulate filtration. However, there can be restriction on the use of DE in some municipalities that make it more annoying to install (separation tanks and what-not). Sand is easy to use, but fine particulate filtration is not possible without adding DE to it. If you're going to do that in a new build, then just buy a DE filter to begin with.

 

[holmern]

Ok so we are meeting with the builder on Saturday. He said he had some suggestions on what we could add/remove so we will see what they say. Thanks for all your input so far.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Ok so we are meeting with the builder on Saturday. He said he had some suggestions on what we could add/remove so we will see what they say. Thanks for all your input so far.

How did it go?


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