"Budget" build in Los Angeles

[thechem]

After having an above ground pool for two years, we finally decided to have a pool built. We are trying to be very budget friendly but everything is so expensive here, we got several quotes ranging from 60k-130k.

The bad? We have a tiny yard and decided to build essentially a pool covering our whole yard. Initially we were going to find a new home with either a pool already build or more land, but with interest as high as it is and having a 1.95% loan currently it just does not make sense to move.



Initial contract sign, May 2022, permits took a long time and did not come back until sept.




Some info from our builder:

JOB DIMENSIONS:
POOL:

• MAXIMUM LENGTH: 28'
• MAXIMUM WIDTH: 15'
• AREA (SQ/FT): 420’
• DEPTH: 3 ½ ” to 5’ or 6’

SPA:

• MAXIMUM LENGTH: 6’
• MAXIMUM WIDTH: 6’
• AREA (SQ/FT) 36’
• DEPTH: 3 ½”
  

BAJA STEP:

• DEPTH: 18”

STEEL REINFORCING:

• STEEL REINFORCING TO MEET LOCAL ENGINEERING CODES.
• EXPANSIVE SOIL SCHEDULE.
• #3-REBAR, 12” ON-CENTER STRUCTURAL STEEL
• FOUR #4-REBARS IN BOND BEAM CONTINUOUS AROUND PERIMETER INCLUDING
  SURFACE SKIMMER (EXPANSIVE SOIL DETAIL)
• REINFORCING STEEL TO BE ELEVATED TO A MINIMUM OF 2” ABOVE SOIL BY
  CONCRETE SPACERS TO INSURE DISTRIBUTION OF GUNITE. (STEEL SECURED BY HEAVY DUTY TIE WIRE)

• PLUMBING WILL MEET ALL BUILDING AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS
• ALL PLUMBING LINES WILL SCHEDULE 40, 200-PSI PVC PIPE. 2 1/2” ON RETURN LINES
  AND 2” ON SUPPLY LINES.
  
  
• ALL EQUIPMENT WILL BE BONDED WITH GROUNDING WIRE TO SWIMMING POOL
  STRUCTURE STEEL.
• SUPPLY AND INSTALL ALL NECESSARY JANDY THREE PORT VALVES
• CONCRETE PADS FOR EQUIPMENT SETTING
• ALL SWIMMING POOL EQUIPMENT TO BE SET 50’ FT. FROM POOL.
• ALL PLUMBING WILL BE PRESSURE-TESTED THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION TO
  INSURE LEAK FREE PLUMBING TO COMPLETION.

POOL:

• 2 - SAFETY MAIN DRAINS
• DUAL PORT SURFACE SKIMMER
• 1 - AUTOMATIC FILL LINE

SPA:

• 2 - SAFETY DRAINS
• 3” CIRCULATION LOW WATER SHUT OFF
• 6 JETS

EQUIPMENT Hayward:

• HEATER 400K BTU
• CIRCULATION PUMP 2 HP
• CARTRIDGE FILTER 560SF
• HAYWARD LIGHT (2 Ea.)

MISC:

• DEDICATED POOL VACUUM SUCTION PORT.
• BAJA SHELF WITH ONE UMBRELLA HOLDERS.
• THREE FEET OF PAVER AROUND THE POOL.
• ENTRY WALL REPLACEMENT:
• TO ADD 18” RAISED SPA
• UNDER COPING OVERFLOW DRAIN OUTLET
• COPING: POURED IN PLACE NATURAL GRAY CONCRETE COPING.

 

[HermanTX]

The design looks great.
It is best if you get specific model numbers of the Hayward equipment such as pump, heater, filter to ensure all is suitable. The 400k heater and large filter are good. Ensure your pump is variable speed.
There is no mention of you will chlorinate your pool, Ask for a saltwater chlorine generator (SWCG). Hayward makes them.

Take note that your baja shelf will be 18 inches water depth. Add at least 4 inches for waterline to top of coping and that is a 22 inch step down. You may want to consider a mini-step, or it may be part of your current steps on either side - hard to tell in drawing.

Ask for 2 skimmers - on opposite sides of pool. Ask PB to point out on drawing where he will place them. Consider wind direction if you can determine that for your backyard space.

Go with at least 5.5 ft depth even if you have small children as they will grow.

 

[Jimrahbe]

The,


Have you ever been in a gunite spa? If not, you really should try one before you buy one.

Not much a 'budget' pool if you are adding a spa, and the baja shelf will just make your actual pool smaller..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[thechem]

The design looks great.
It is best if you get specific model numbers of the Hayward equipment such as pump, heater, filter to ensure all is suitable. The 400k heater and large filter are good. Ensure your pump is variable speed.
There is no mention of you will chlorinate your pool, Ask for a saltwater chlorine generator (SWCG). Hayward makes them.

Take note that your baja shelf will be 18 inches water depth. Add at least 4 inches for waterline to top of coping and that is a 22 inch step down. You may want to consider a mini-step, or it may be part of your current steps on either side - hard to tell in drawing.

Ask for 2 skimmers - on opposite sides of pool. Ask PB to point out on drawing where he will place them. Consider wind direction if you can determine that for your backyard space.

Go with at least 5.5 ft depth even if you have small children as they will grow.

Pool will be chlorinated to start, but ill probably convert it to SWCG at a later time.

Pump is a : Hayward tristar vs 950
Heater: h400fdn
Filter: c5030

Good call on the large drop when we add the water line.

 

[thechem]

The,


Have you ever been in a gunite spa? If not, you really should try one before you buy one.

Not much a 'budget' pool if you are adding a spa, and the baja shelf will just make your actual pool smaller..

Thanks,

Jim R.

I have not been in a gunite spa, but that was one of the wife "needs" , hopefully it helps heat the water a bit to extend the usage in the summer

 

[pjt]

DEPTH: 3 ½” to 5’ or 6’

DEPTH: 3 ½”

I think you mean 3.5', not 3.5".

 

[ajw22]

Confirm with the Builder that all depths are water depth to the middle of the skimmer and not to the coping.

You getting one skimmer or two skimmers? I recommend you get two skimmers so if one has a problem you can shut it down and still use your pool. If your one skimmer has a problem your pool will be shutdown.

How many returns?

Skimmers should be placed into the prevailing winds.

Confirm your autofill will have a Back Flow Preventer - Further Reading and the builder will make the connection to your house plumbing.

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Gunite Spas - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Equipment Pad Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[thechem]

Picture dump:
Digging started oct 10th, took the guy about 2-3 days to dig
Rebar started Oct15 and was done by the 17th


Before:

Digging started Oct 10th, they had to level the yard bringing it all down about a foot.

 

[thechem]

I think you mean 3.5', not 3.5".

HAHHA, yes 3.5' =)

 

[thechem]

Confirm with the Builder that all depths are water depth to the middle of the skimmer and not to the coping.

You getting one skimmer or two skimmers? I recommend you get two skimmers so if one has a problem you can shut it down and still use your pool. If your one skimmer has a problem your pool will be shutdown.

How many returns?

Skimmers should be placed into the prevailing winds.

Confirm your autofill will have a Back Flow Preventer - Further Reading and the builder will make the connection to your house plumbing.

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Gunite Spas - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Equipment Pad Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

just 1 skimmer, sorry should have probably started this thread a little bit earlier. But i think we are past the point of making changes.
Ill have to see, but i believe we have 5 returns.

1 near the deeper end, 3 to the right and 1 at the shallow end.

 

[thechem]

Plumbing was done the week of Nov. 1st, i never seen gas lines this large (1.5"), its been pressured and holding since.

that is the latest status, waiting for the inspector this week and see how it goes.

 

[thechem]

So far we have been hit with nearly 10k in "overages"
our city requires dirt be dump on approved sites, cost? 7k
Permits we were thinking would be 1k, actual cost 4k.

Debating doing pebbletec now, cost would be an additional 3,500

We wanted to do more/led color lights but cutting cost and skipping on these items.

 

[ajw22]

We wanted to do more/led color lights but cutting cost and skipping on these items.

Install incandescent pool lights and you can change them to color LED bulbs if you want.

Pool LED lights have poor reliability and fail in a few years and then cost hundreds to replace.

Are you getting a pool control system?

How will you control your spa and heater?

 

[thechem]

Install incandescent pool lights and you can change them to color LED bulbs if you want.

Pool LED lights have poor reliability and fail in a few years and then cost hundreds to replace.

Are you getting a pool control system?

How will you control your spa and heater?

That is what i had read before, i figure its something we can do down the road. I am fairly handy and it does not seem something difficult to do.

No pool control system at this time, it will all be manual via intermatic t21001r. I work from home, so i figure doing stuff manually should really not be a problem as i am always here.
At a later time, we may opt for the OmniLogic.

 

[ajw22]

No pool control system at this time, it will all be manual via intermatic t21001r. I work from home, so i figure doing stuff manually should really not be a problem as i am always here.
At a later time, we may opt for the OmniLogic.

I think that is false economy.

You need to pay for electrical wiring and a subpanel for your pool. You might as well use that money and have the OmniLogic panel be used as the subpanel and the electrician wire it up.

You can let the electrician do the high voltage wiring using the OmniLogic Load Center, which you are wiring one way or the other, and you do the low voltage wiring and OmniLogic programming.

If you do it later you will have a kludged system connecting the OmniLogic to the wiring your electrician already did.

And you will have no warranty or Hayward support if you do it. The OmniLogic should be fully warrantied and supported if done as part of the Pool Build.

 

[thechem]

I think that is false economy.

You need to pay for electrical wiring and a subpanel for your pool. You might as well use that money and have the OmniLogic panel be used as the subpanel and the electrician wire it up.

You can let the electrician do the high voltage wiring using the OmniLogic Load Center, which you are wiring one way or the other, and you do the low voltage wiring and OmniLogic programming.

If you do it later you will have a kludged system connecting the OmniLogic to the wiring your electrician already did.

And you will have no warranty or Hayward support if you do it. The OmniLogic should be fully warrantied and supported if done as part of the Pool Build.

Thanks for the advice, will do some reading on it. as we are not to late to change those parts

 

[thechem]

Inspection passed today, shotcrete is scheduled for monday!

 

[thechem]

After some feedback here we raised the tiny Baja shelf from 18" to 8" should work much better.

Shotcrete was done todat

 

[thechem]

Weather has been perfect here so here is hoping for no issues

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Hydration of the shell is extremely important at this time.