Austin Texas Pool Build

[march2012]

we just signed the contract on our pool build. Our yard is very small so the pool will pretty much take up the whole yard (which is good because I really dislike yard maintenance. Would definitely like help making sure things look good during construction
17X35, 3.5-5-4 ft deep (want more of a sport pool).
Spa is 7x7
hayward 400k btu heater
Hayward 2hp 2 spd pump
Wireless remote system
Quartz
Polaris 280
3 deck jets
2 LED lights
1 LED spa light

We are going for a modern look.

They are building the patio roof as well which wont be white, but will be a metal roof (grey). The columns will be leuders (limestone) part of the way then thick beams. The patio floor is concrete with cooldeck to match the color of the pavers which will be a grey leuders. The coping will be cantilevered leuders and the planters will all be leuders as well. Between the pavers will be some kind of black rock. We impervious cover restrictions so we are extremely limited in how much decking we can put down. Pavers dont count as impervious cover so we are mostly using pavers.

They are digging through solid limestone.

Total cost is 63K which is 30K less than the most expensive bid and 20K more than the least expensive bid.

Will be showing pictures to get your expert feedback on how you think it is going.

They have said that the dig will take 3-5 days, shotcrete a few days later.

 

[march2012]

correction, we changed the pool depth to be 4ft 5ft 4ft based on suggestions from another forum

 

[mhosborn]

That's really going to look great! Good choice going with wireless controls, too....I wish we'd done that with our pool build that was just completed.

 

[march2012]

Digging through solid limestone. About two feet so far. I think they are digging a total of 6 feet. Took about 2 days to dig this far using a case 320e backhoe

 

[257WbyMag]

Look at all that limestone! That's one thing that I don't miss about living in Austin.

 

[shakenbake]

We're just up the street, it took them 2 weeks to dig to 9'.

Can't wait to see it completed!

 

[shakenbake]

One recommendation I have is to switch to a variable speed pump.

We run ours 24/7 and it uses about 200W to hold 30GPM of flow. That will turn the pool more than once a day.

Plus, you will be able to adjust the output on the fountains/deck jets.

What automation system are they putting in? If you do get a variable speed pump, make sure it's actually talking to the automation system via serial/RS485. Our system (Jandy) lets me adjust the output speed based on what parts of the pool are turned on.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I really like the design! Are the paving stones actually going to have ~6" of space between them? What's going to be in the gaps, if so?

 

[HouTex]

Nice pool design. Our design is similar--but our pool is square. We also have the paving stones around our pool and they work well.

We planted grass between the stones and it looks fine.

 

[march2012]

I really like the design! Are the paving stones actually going to have ~6" of space between them? What's going to be in the gaps, if so?

We arent sure of the exact spacing yet. Once the pool is in we will measure it out so that we can make sure the stones are all the same size. We are planning to use big river rock between for a modern look. But the color will depend on the color of pavers. We had to go with pavers because of impervious cover restrictions in austin. We were limited to 250 sq ft of concrete decking, the rest had to be pavers.

 

[march2012]

One recommendation I have is to switch to a variable speed pump.

We run ours 24/7 and it uses about 200W to hold 30GPM of flow. That will turn the pool more than once a day.

Plus, you will be able to adjust the output on the fountains/deck jets.

What automation system are they putting in? If you do get a variable speed pump, make sure it's actually talking to the automation system via serial/RS485. Our system (Jandy) lets me adjust the output speed based on what parts of the pool are turned on.

we asked about the variable speed and the builder said it isnt really worth it. We have a two speed and from what Ive read that is sufficient. I just looked at your pool build and we dont have plans nearly that detailed. It feels a bit more ad hoc

Since I figured out who you are by looking at the videos, Ill ping you for advice

Right now we had planned to do quartz but are thinking to switch over to pebble sheen. Also what chlorine distribution method are you using? We go on vacation for a month at a time and need something that will make it easy for the people who are helping us take care of the pool to do it less frequently. I was thinking about a liquidator or other liquid chlorine injection system.

 

[march2012]

We got more rain last night than just about all of last year. The dig of course has stopped and the hole is filled with water. About 3 ft deep

About half the length of the pool is dug to a level of 3 ft. The entire jackhammer is submerged

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Looks like the pool is finished! Congrats!

 

[march2012]

Nice pool design. Our design is similar--but our pool is square. We also have the paving stones around our pool and they work well.

We planted grass between the stones and it looks fine.

We are pretty much getting rid of all grass in the backyard which makes me very happy. It pretty much dies in the summer because of heat and watering restrictions in austin.

 

[march2012]

Looks like the pool is finished! Congrats!

I tried to convince my wife of that this morning..

 

[shakenbake]

One recommendation I have is to switch to a variable speed pump.

We run ours 24/7 and it uses about 200W to hold 30GPM of flow. That will turn the pool more than once a day.

Plus, you will be able to adjust the output on the fountains/deck jets.

What automation system are they putting in? If you do get a variable speed pump, make sure it's actually talking to the automation system via serial/RS485. Our system (Jandy) lets me adjust the output speed based on what parts of the pool are turned on.

we asked about the variable speed and the builder said it isnt really worth it. We have a two speed and from what Ive read that is sufficient. I just looked at your pool build and we dont have plans nearly that detailed. It feels a bit more ad hoc

Since I figured out who you are by looking at the videos, Ill ping you for advice

Right now we had planned to do quartz but are thinking to switch over to pebble sheen. Also what chlorine distribution method are you using? We go on vacation for a month at a time and need something that will make it easy for the people who are helping us take care of the pool to do it less frequently. I was thinking about a liquidator or other liquid chlorine injection system.

One thing I learned is that the pool builder will avoid anything they have not dealt like the plague. Variable speed is worth it if you have an automation system.

Not sure what to recommend to you on the chlorine side - our system, if the chlorine and acid tanks are kept full, will run for months without attention - though I check it once a week for sanity, adjust alkalinity every once in a while, and check the pH probe's calibration every month. It took me a while to tune it to this point (or maybe learn how not to be stupid is a better description of how things went). On the down side, there is not a pool builder in Austin that will install it. Even the Jandy regional rep in Texas told my pool builder to avoid chemical automation - so I had to buy and install it on my own. There are also very few success stories with ORP control on this board. I have been lucky for some reason, perhaps because we circulate the pool continuously, or perhaps because we have a UV filter which seems to reduce the volatility of the ORP readings.

 

[HouTex]

I recommend installing a SWG. Using a natural stone for your coping and decking is a concern with a SWG, but my travertine coping and limestone-based decking/paving stones are doing fine--at least after one year. In addition to sealing the stone with a good sealer, as part of my routine maintenance each week I hose down the coping and the decking with fresh water. So far so good.

 

[shakenbake]

for some reason my pool builder pushed me hard against SWG to the point of putting me in touch with other SWG owners. Everyone I talked to who had a few years on their systems were really against SWG, siting coping, rockwork and warranty issues with equipment.

Eventually I will have enough salt in my pool from using liquid chlorine that I will discover any real issues with salt water.

 

[march2012]

The hole is complete and they are putting in rebar now. They dug the deep end too close to the spa/beach. It was supposed to be centered on the actual pool. But they centered it on the hole (spa, tanning ledge take up about 9 ft of length). The design drawings actually show it in the wrong place so it isnt actually the digging crews fault. They overdug so they can do 9" of gunite at the deep center and still get 5 feet. Is this ok?

The build feels like it is going really fast.

 

[HouTex]

for some reason my pool builder pushed me hard against SWG to the point of putting me in touch with other SWG owners. Everyone I talked to who had a few years on their systems were really against SWG, siting coping, rockwork and warranty issues with equipment.

Eventually I will have enough salt in my pool from using liquid chlorine that I will discover any real issues with salt water.

SWG's can be problematic for some pool owners. I know people who said it was the worst mistake they made on their pool build, and I know others who love their SWGs. After one year my coping and decking are doing fine.

My understanding is that not all stone material is created equal. Some of the softer and more porous stone materials probably should not be used with a SWG. But there are many pool owners who have natural stone coping/decking/waterfalls, etc. who do fine with a SWG.