Another one in Las Vegas-Finaled, but not finished

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

You really do have a pool now! I love it! Did any of the guys say much about the wrap around the house shape? It looks SO cool! Did they have any suggestions to tweak this or that?

They really are like artist and it is so neat to see what they can do with that stuff! I love looking at the pictures of their work! THANKS!

Fire freature- I am with you! I love it and I can just see it in action with everyone sitting out there with dinner of the table and adult drinks in hand.

Now lets talk about that sliding glass door right by the pool. Has anyone talked to you about how close it is to the pool? I seem to remember someone having to change the glass to shatter proof glass due to being so close.

Now is the time I share a set of links I put together for new pool owners. It is a LOT of info so I like to share it early so you have time to read and reread it. It will all start to make sense when you start using it.

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.

Please ask your PB what test kit he is providing. Let us know which one it is so we can fill in any holes.

what fun! Bonding with your new pool aka watering it. If you get tired to doing it by hand you can use sprinklers to help you.

Kim

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

You really do have a pool now! I love it! Did any of the guys say much about the wrap around the house shape? It looks SO cool! Did they have any suggestions to tweak this or that?

Kim, thank you very much for your comments, I do appreciate them more than you know.. Yes, all of the trades so far, excavators, steel, plumbers, and gunite crew have had positive comments on the design. It's not something they see every day, so I think they enjoy doing something a little different. I think it's really uncommon in Las Vegas as most side yards are 5' or less wide, so this design won't work for most here. And I think most people want to see the "whole thing" from their patio, so there's a bit of a compromise involved. Hopefully we left enough of the spa in view to still know it's there, but we were trying to use the space available to us, and also provide that "private" feeling and easy access from the master bedroom. Time will tell if we did good or not.. Oh, and all the trades have massaged a thing or three. They are amazed we were able to shoehorn it in, and have been very helpful in making that happen, despite some hidden issues with the way the block wall was installed, our dirt, and setback requirements.

Now lets talk about that sliding glass door right by the pool. Has anyone talked to you about how close it is to the pool? I seem to remember someone having to change the glass to shatter proof glass due to being so close.

We actually have two sliders (I hate 'em, hopefully change to french doors someday). The one in the picture is from the master bedroom. The other is from the main living area. They were part of our design limitations. When the deck is poured, there will be the 5' required by local code from an ingress/egress point (window/door) so they do not have to have the tempered glass. I agree, more would have been better, but we did not want a lap pool, so we compromised a bit. Knowing that the vast majority of traffic (grandkids for us) would be out of the main living area, the water line ends at the fixed panel of that door, so if you go straight out, you won't go into the water. More care will need to be taken when exiting from the master bedroom, but we felt that would be limited to my wife and I, and we could live with it. It's another thing I guess we will see when it's done. We "cheated' the pool as close to the wall as we could, and still kept it 12' wide, so it's a few inches over 5'.

Fire freature- I am with you! I love it and I can just see it in action with everyone sitting out there with dinner of the table and adult drinks in hand.

Our vision here is to hopefully have it filled with glass that's close to the water color, so it kinda looks like the flame comes out of the pool. I guess enough adult beverages and it may look that way...LOL!!

Now is the time I share a set of links I put together for new pool owners. It is a LOT of info so I like to share it early so you have time to read and reread it. It will all start to make sense when you start using it.

Thank you, been reading these. I'm just going to get the recommended TF-100 kit from here, so I know I have it all. Since we are going salt water, do you have any recommendations on whether we need the strips, or the more accurate solution based add on? It seems the accurate version would be good for "set up", but once things are ironed out and running smoothly, is it overkill for just monitoring?

what fun! Bonding with your new pool aka watering it. If you get tired to doing it by hand you can use sprinklers to help you.

Oh it's been great "fun" so far....nothing better than watering you pool wearing 10 layers... But it's amazing to think just a few days ago, it was just a flat piece of dirt and rocks. So, I put in the headphones, turn on the tunes, and think about those 100 degree days, playing with the grand kids that are just on the horizon..

 

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

I am so glad my comments have been helpful. Nice of the different trades to share their ideas to better your pool. Even if it is quite different than the normal there are still things that are the same they have dealt with before so know what works or does not work.

The picture sure does NOT look like the door is 5' from the pool. I KNEW you had it covered but wanted to make sure before you got too much further along.

I have heard the salt strips work okay. From my reading it seems as if most people do the salt to make the SWG happy. If it is happy than all is good. You will need to wait 30 days before you add salt. Keep that in mind and have some liquid chlorine/bleach on hand to add FC during that time.

LOL on the 10 layers while you bond with your pool. Yeah music does help with things like that.

Fire pit=blue glass??? Have you picked out your glass yet? That is going to be SO pretty!

Now tell us about the Grands! Do they live close? I know this is a pool forum but we share fun things like Grands, dogs, goats (yeah we had one build that had a pet goat), etc.

Kim

 

[Nursenini]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Hi! Welcome to TFP and thanks for sharing your pool build with us! I just LOVE your design! What a GREAT way to fit it all in!!! You tile is very pretty and bling-y! And your build is going so fast and smooth!!! That's wonderful!!

Yes, do tell about the grands! I have a few (a lot) myself and there is nothing better in the world!!

 

[Just-a-PB]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Now lets talk about that sliding glass door right by the pool. Has anyone talked to you about how close it is to the pool? I seem to remember someone having to change the glass to shatter proof glass due to being so close.

Kim, just as an FYI, in modern houses the glass doors are tempered, so they are allowed to be closer then 5' from pool edge. It is the nontempered glass and windows that would need to be replaced, or less expensive is a safety film applied to the glass that turns it into safety glass if jurisdiction allows it.
Beach,
The shotcrete guys must of hated you for all the cut details, and lack of work space, but they did an awesome job!!

That spa lends to a lot of "clothing optional" use

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Wow...where does the time go! Not fast enough when you have a big old concrete hole in the ground, with a bunch of mounds of dirt and open ditches filled with plastic pipe. Then, all of a sudden, it seems like the tornado hits!

so, I had about two weeks of regular bonding with our pool since I last updated. It was windy and cold almost every day...always a fun time to spend 3 or 4 hours a day watering the shell. Then, in the middle of last week, things started to happen again. First a couple days worth of the tile guys, then a day of pulling wire, then two days worth of moving dirt, and setting decking forms, then the wall guy came to rebuild the wall that came down for dig access, and today the glass tiles finally came in, and they started to tile the spa and overflow and more electric work.

In the middle of all that, our patio guy called to inform us that our design didn't meet code requirements, and we had to either go without shade, or redesign, and learn to love a smaller space, with posts that are going to be right in the middle of our sight lines down our little "bowling alley" backyard. So, since shade is sort of a necessity in the desert, we are going to go with as small of vertical uprights as we can, and train our eye to ignore them... The patio is not the focal point our original design was to keep it as hidden as we could. Oh well, if that is the biggest thing we have to face with this project, then we are truly blessed...

Anyway, the work hasn't been terribly "photogenic", but here's a few shots of the work as it's progressing. Hopefully tommorrow, I'll have some pictures of "bling" as the glass tiles are quite "bright" in the right light, especially comparing a 1' sheet to the 6" sample!

Tiling started out with them putting about 3/4" skim of mortar around the water line to give them a nice, flat base to attach the tiles:

They also put a skim coat on the face of the overflow "waterfall" from the spa:

That dried overnight, they added a level form, and started adding tile (it's amazing how much prep work goes into setting these tiles!):

And a few hours later, they'd gone all around the pool:

A little close up of the tile:

While they were here, our tile guys also set the sheer's into place. I was surprised, but the PB has them set them, since they also set the stone, so they know how much of a lip they need from the beam for it:

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Fire pit=blue glass??? Have you picked out your glass yet? That is going to be SO pretty!

Now tell us about the Grands! Do they live close? I know this is a pool forum but we share fun things like Grands, dogs, goats (yeah we had one build that had a pet goat), etc.

Kim

Hi! Welcome to TFP and thanks for sharing your pool build with us! I just LOVE your design! What a GREAT way to fit it all in!!! You tile is very pretty and bling-y! And your build is going so fast and smooth!!! That's wonderful!!

Yes, do tell about the grands! I have a few (a lot) myself and there is nothing better in the world!!

Sorry I missed these! We are blessed with 6 awesome grands! They range from 2 all the way to almost 20! Where does time go huh? The three youngest (all boys) live about 5 hours away, and the three oldest (all girls) live about 10 hours drive. But they are all excited to come play in the pool! And the most awesome part, is next month, we should officially become "great grandparents"! As the oldest has a new baby boy on the way! How cool is that! We always tried to be great as grandparents, but now we will actually have the title..LOL. Great Grandma is excited...she's hand making baby's first quilt, and just finished the quilting today, and hopes to bind the edges tomorrow. We'll be putting the pool on hold if it's not done when it's time to head north..for obvious reasons..

Oh and great grandma is not just a quilter, she's the crazy cat lady too... We have three kitty's who will enjoy watching us dumb humans get our "fur" all wet in the pool this summer..

 

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

OH how sweet is that! GREATS! Of course you will be there for that!

LOL on the 3 cats watching the dumb humans. Mine HATE when we go under water. They get all worried and pace on the side of the pool waiting for us to come to feed them :/

Kim

 

[Durl]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Wow! This is going to look soooo cool!

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

OK, finally had some time to go through, resize, and upload Friday's craziness. For a while, we had three crews on site: tile guys, wall guy to finish rebuild of the access hole, and the patio cover guys who had to dig 5, roughly 3' x 3' x 3' footings for our patio covers. There were about 12 guys, two jackhammers, 8 wheelbarrows, trying to dig through dirt and rocks that are harder than cement. And I was the nervous puppy watching every move where the holes were near the main plumbing run between the pool and equipment. But it seems like they all survived. And, the county inspector only took an hour to buy off 5 holes!

OK, I know you want to see pictures. But I want to warn you that pictures do not do these glass tiles justice! These are the lighwave blue from NPT, in 1 x 2" size. I cannot believe how "bright" and vivid the colors are compared to the sample cards we have. To say they "pop" is an understatement! And of course, they are very hard to photograph, as they are different colors depending on the light source and angle. So, I'm going to put up several pictures trying to show how they really change. Sometimes the colors seem to go with the waterline tiles, and sometimes they don't. But "bling" they do! We used this in the spa, the spill over to the pool, and as step markers in the pool to add interest. I'll be interested to hear what you all think.

On to the pictures:

First, they used a white skim coat behind the glass tiles, and white mortar to attach them with:


Here's two of the sheets laying flat:


And here's the first couple installed:


Same tiles, different angle!


Here's most of the spill over edge done. Shows a good contrast in the tiles and reaction to light on the left side:


A couple close ups of the tile. The wife wanted a darker grout to show the tile color, not the individual rectangles. I wanted a lighter color. Guess who won?




And a couple of the finished spa, showing different colors from light:




And, one of the pool, you can kind of see the marker on the steps:


And the less exciting patio cover location, and it's holes:




So, on the schedule for this week..not as much as I'd like, but the delay caused by having to re-design the patio to meet the ever changing set-back requirements of whatever plan checker you happen to draw goofed up the PB's schedule, so understandably, he's filling in where he can. So, today the footings will get poured, and then Thursday will be decking day. Then I have to get the patio covers installed by that contractor, so the PB can do the spray deck, then rock on the walls, inspection, and we'll finally get plastered. So, we're getting closer to the end of this messy, but fun journey. I better break down and get that test kit ordered..LOL

Thank you all for reading this far, and please, any comments are more than welcome.

 

[grumpiebk]

Another underway in Las Vegas

Tile looks nice. I don't recall if you have followed or commented on my thread, but we chose the same glass tile for spa and for marker tile. We also used grey grout. I'm not sure if our tile guys used white skim coat behind the tile so it will be interesting to see if your finished product looks anything different from mine. We love the tile, the only downfall was a straight on view was very "blue". The iridescence mostly comes from the angles.

One mistake we (really our PB) made was using grey grout on the marker tiles. Since we have a lighter plaster, it almost makes the grout look like dirt. And it also takes away from the accent of the offset subway style. Something for you to think about before your plaster gets done, and maybe even as soon as possible if you want/need to make changes. I am sorry I didn't make this comment before your tile went on. Hopefully you picked up on this or your PB advised you appropriately.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Comments? You want comments?? Well here ya go!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it all! That one shot that goes from sun to shade sure does show how that tile changes! WOW what a difference light and angle makes! Adds even more interest to it all!

Wife did GREAT on picking the grout! I am glad she "won"!

Something to think about is Grumpie's comment about the grout on the step markers. I do think those would look better using the plaster instead of the grout. It would be a better "blending" of the materials.

NICE! job by all!

with all of those workers and their stuff at one time!!! to the max!

Kim

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Tile looks nice. I don't recall if you have followed or commented on my thread, but we chose the same glass tile for spa and for marker tile. We also used grey grout. I'm not sure if our tile guys used white skim coat behind the tile so it will be interesting to see if your finished product looks anything different from mine. We love the tile, the only downfall was a straight on view was very "blue". The iridescence mostly comes from the angles.

One mistake we (really our PB) made was using grey grout on the marker tiles. Since we have a lighter plaster, it almost makes the grout look like dirt. And it also takes away from the accent of the offset subway style. Something for you to think about before your plaster gets done, and maybe even as soon as possible if you want/need to make changes. I am sorry I didn't make this comment before your tile went on. Hopefully you picked up on this or your PB advised you appropriately.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had watched your build off and on as I got time, but I must have missed the discussion on the grout! But I had essentially the same conversation with the PB on Friday after the tiles had been set. I had expected the marker tiles to be "grouted" with the plaster, however, both the guy doing the tile, and the PB said since we're going with pebble sheen, they wouldn't be able to do that because the aggregate wouldn't fit in the narrow gaps between the tiles. And I don't think the tile guy liked my idea of hand laying each tile with a wider spacing very much... So, the tiles were grouted. Our grout is sort of a medium gray (TEC #927 light pewter), and hopefully will go "ok" with the darker pebbles in the blue surf we think we will be using for the color. I didn't think about having them switch to a lighter color for the markers, which would maybe have been better.

Oh well, live and learn! I'm thinking that as the blue fades over time, they may even reach a point where they are a similar gray...lol. Hopefully someone else will read this and it'll be one more thing they think of amongst the 40 million little details that go into a project like this. Thank you for trying to help me, it's much appreciated..

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Comments? You want comments?? Well here ya go!!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it all! That one shot that goes from sun to shade sure does show how that tile changes! WOW what a difference light and angle makes! Adds even more interest to it all!

Wife did GREAT on picking the grout! I am glad she "won"!

Something to think about is Grumpie's comment about the grout on the step markers. I do think those would look better using the plaster instead of the grout. It would be a better "blending" of the materials.

NICE! job by all!

with all of those workers and their stuff at one time!!! to the max!

Kim

Kim...I always enjoy your comments! You are very positive, and very helpful at the same time. For the pool builders, this is an everyday thing, but for most of us, it's a once or twice in a lifetime journey. So it's helpful to just have someone tell you if you're going down the right path or not. I'm sure the PB tells every customer "oh yeah, that's my favorite pool ever", and then, magically, the next one he does is his new "favorite".

So, I finally got off my rear end, got me a gold member, and ordered that test kit...so, soon, I'll be picking your brain about the water readings for the fill. PB has his own system, and wasn't overly interested in checking out TFP, so I'll do as he says to get the pool up and running (since he holds the warranty) and we'll go from there, once he turns it over to me. Multiple ways to skin a cat right?

Will hopefully post a few pictures of today's small, but significant progress after dinner....

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

So, moving on to today's progress. It's not so much "pool" related, but it's an integral part of the project for us to get water into the pool, so today was all about putting concrete in those wide by deep holes they dug on Friday. Not too exciting, but definitely important.

I managed to catch the first wheelbarrow dump:


Here's the steel supports for half of the free standing patio cover:


And here's a long shot across the bowling alley....errr...back yard:


The plumbers were here late in the afternoon and finished hooking up the sheer descents to the return lines. And that's about it until the deck gets poured, hopefully sometime this week. We're projected for some good rain on Fri and Sat, so we'll see how things go.

 

[Big Will]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Congrats on the pool amd it looks great! My wife and I just finished building our house in mountains edge and I been debating on a OB or using a PB.... would you mind sharing the name of your PB and also did you price out the difference between the two and if so what was the difference in price?
i hope to start a thread in the next few months and I truly appreciate you sharing because it's making it easier for the next guy (us lol) to commit to a pool

 

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

LOL on the first wheel barrow dump! Well done! That wheel barrow looks bigger than the person dumping it

Looks like they took great pains to make sure those foundation supports were put in just right. NICE!

I LOVE the pretty shield by your name! THANKS!

I can't wait to help you learn the tests. I even have a shopping list for you:

-2 plastic 2 cup measuring cups-one will be for muratic acid only and the other will be for all other pool stuff.

-white plastic plate-this is hold up behind the PH test to help you color match

-find YOUR best source for liquid chlorine or basic bleach (NO added smells or non splash)

Look around your home thinking about where to store you muratic acid. It needs to be well ventilated and not around metal (the fumes can cause rust) or chlorine (they don't play well together). Some people get a small plastic cabinet to keep it in outside.

Kim

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

Congrats on the pool amd it looks great! My wife and I just finished building our house in mountains edge and I been debating on a OB or using a PB.... would you mind sharing the name of your PB and also did you price out the difference between the two and if so what was the difference in price?
i hope to start a thread in the next few months and I truly appreciate you sharing because it's making it easier for the next guy (us lol) to commit to a pool

Thank you for the compliment. I had really wanted to do this via OB. I love managing projects, and have a reasonably basic idea of the construction process. But, I'm still not 100% mobile from an operation last summer, so I would not have been able to manage this to the level that I would have been comfortable with. We also have some narrow parameters from our HOA, regarding timing, and other issues. Conveniently for me, the PB lives one street over, and is very familiar with the HOA (since he's part of it), and it's peculiarities. We've had several issues come up during the project that had I not had him, I may have made the wrong decision. Cost wise, while I did not waste any subs times with bids, but from those OB's in the area who I communicated with, I think I'm paying about $15K over what I'd have paid as an OB. That's a lot of money to be sure, but by spending it, we and the grandkids will be swimming this summer instead of looking at a hot, dirt back yard, and not arguing with the HOA about why I haven't finished my construction yet.. Plus, the wife is much more comfortable, and that's worth eating a few more beans and hot dog dinners..LOL

I'll send you the PB info via PM. I'm very happy with him and his crew so far. I had a pool built in a different state back in 1994, and it was such a nightmare experience that I'd vowed to never do this again. This has been the "fun" experience that it should be, so for me, I'm very happy with this guy.

 

[BeachHead]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

LOL on the first wheel barrow dump! Well done! That wheel barrow looks bigger than the person dumping it

Looks like they took great pains to make sure those foundation supports were put in just right. NICE!

yes, they even left a guy to stand around and make sure the poles stayed plumb as the concrete hardened for about 4 hours!

I LOVE the pretty shield by your name! THANKS!

No, THANK YOU, and the rest of the people who help others here. It's the best bargain out of the whole pool deal! Lots of help, a tax deduction, AND free swag? It's a no-brainer!!

I can't wait to help you learn the tests. I even have a shopping list for you:

-2 plastic 2 cup measuring cups-one will be for muratic acid only and the other will be for all other pool stuff.

-white plastic plate-this is hold up behind the PH test to help you color match

-find YOUR best source for liquid chlorine or basic bleach (NO added smells or non splash)

Got them on the list, thank you! One question, since we're going with a SWG, am I really going to need much liquid chlorine once the pool gets up, running and stabilized? From what I'm reading, I'll be mostly adding acid (barring a major goofus-upus, which I'm pretty good at btw!)

Look around your home thinking about where to store you muratic acid. It needs to be well ventilated and not around metal (the fumes can cause rust) or chlorine (they don't play well together). Some people get a small plastic cabinet to keep it in outside.

Our vision (ugly as it may be) is to put one of those small plastic sheds in the back corner by the spa to serve as a storage place for chems that's by the pool, as well as pool toys and such when not in use. It'll kind of ruin the pure "romantic" look of the hidden spa, but it's about the only place we have that will work, and I don't want to store it in the garage (for obvious reasons). Our bowling alley back yard is going to be really tight for space as it is.

 

[kimkats]

Re: Another underway in Las Vegas

LOL to be paid 4 hours to watch concrete harden?????? NICE!

You are right in that you will not need much chlorine with the SWG BUT you will need it to get your FC up to the correct level AND when the water is too cold (some 60, some 50) for the SWG to work. I just want you to know where to get it from for when you need it.

You muratic acid CANNOT be stored in the same place as the chlorine or really anything else. The fumes are bad. With you having Grands I would also look for a locking something as well. Here is one that several people got just for the M. Acid.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-2-Shelf-Storage-Cabinet/8206250

Kim