Building new home and pool. Opinions on design

[bSmeezy3]

I am in the early stages of building a new home with a pool. I have attached a very rough sketch of my thoughts/plans for the pool. Wanting a sports pool with no deep end. Plans for now are 4' at each end and 5' in the middle, gunite 18' x 36' with 12' x 12' offset for a sun shelf and steps. The red in drawing is the proposed pool deck area (blue is obviously the pool).

About me and how I plan to use pool:
I have 2 kids under 6 and a 3rd could be coming. Want to play volleyball with friends/family. entertain some but not a ton. We do not tan and try to stay out of direct sun when possible but want pool to be in sun and warm. Want pool to double as a lap pool but not the primary purpose. Have had a pool before and used the bleach method (can't remember exact term used on here). Do not want SWG.

What I am hoping to gain from this post is as follows:
*Opinions on design / shape of pool and its relation to house. (want to see it from screen porch and dining room/kitchen) Any suggested changes or addons?
*Is depth suffice for volleyball and swimming laps? (I want deep enough to do flip when turning during laps)
*what is best depth for sun shelf? Is this a good size? too big? add umbrella holder?
*does sun shelf need additional lighting?
*do bubblers have any benefit to maintaining pool? I feel like they will just raise PH...
*best skimmer locations?
*any suggestions on design to make sun shelf easier to maintain?
*safety tips and possible fence location for keeping kids safe

Thanks in advance for any responses and hope I am posting this in the proper location...

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

I see you have a screened porch near the pool, which you will appreciate. Good swimming weather is generally uncomfortable for just sitting around, and the adults need to be there when the kids want to swim.

I‘d recommend a bathroom/changing room and equipment shed that are easily accessible from the pool. Ours is used all of the time. Much nicer to take off wet swimming suits outside or visit the bathroom there instead of a trail of water through the house. Great place to stash chemicals, tools and pool toys. Ours has a 12x24 screened area attached, and we use the building as the rack for our solar panels.

Would definitely go with at least one umbrella holder.

 

[Nikilyn]

You'll definitely want some umbrella holders in the Baja step and the deck. As for the depth, it depends on how you want to use it. Ours was 18" at our last house and it was a little deep for sitting. My son used it as his play pool because he wouldn't go in the main pool area so the depth was perfect for him. We're making this one 15" water depth because I want it deeper but not as deep as before. Others like it shallow, like 6-9", to put the ledge loungers on. I don't wouldn't want that but that's not my purpose for it. I will sit on ours to visit with people and the little grandkids will play on it. So you'll just need to determine how you'll use it.

 

[HermanTX]

Nice layout with the screen porch adjacent makes it really convenient.

Depth wise, I would go at least 5 1/2 ft in the middle as opposed to 5ft. Mine is 4 - 5.5 - 3.5 and a little smaller in length and no issue with slope. In 5 years the kids will appreciate the 5.5ft or even 6ft if you wish.

Skimmers - go with 2 and ensure they are plumbed independently back to the equipment pad. For placement you should consider prevailing winds in your area but one suggestion would be one on the long wall opposite the sundeck and the second cattycorner to it (on opposite long wall down on other end).

Sundeck - if you go over 12 inch water depth, you may want to consider a half step to help older people to get in an out of pool as that is only entrance point. It appears your sundeck is big enough to include this half step. 12 inches of water depth is about 16inches in total height as a step from coping to sundeck bottom.
You can put a return (or maybe 2) on the small wall around the sundeck to help push debris off of it.

You have not noted where you wish to place your equipment pad. Ensure it is easy accessible and make it a little larger then you think you need to space out equipment for maintenance.

Will you use a robot cleaner? Ensure you have a GFCI outlet nearby (within code) to plug it in.

 

[TampaKathy]

Are you limited in space (or budget) to go wider than 36'? It will probably be "ok" for laps but longer would be better. 4' is deep enough for flip turns... definitely don't go more shallow though. That'll be a nice size sunshelf!

 

[bSmeezy3]

Thanks for all the replies and input! We definitely want a pool bath but couldn't figure out a way to make it work with this floor plan... We hope to add a small pool house in the future that will take care of that.

Will definitely go with umbrella holder(s). Any input on spacing if go with 2? I imagine our kids will love playing on sun shelf but also want to buy loungers to put in there when we want. Thoughts are to have as deep as possible without having to worry about loungers floating..

As for depth, worried if we go over 5ft in center, that it may be too deep for volleyball. Do want it deep enough to add a slide in the future though.

Lot is 1.5 acres, so we have plenty of space however budget is the concern. Originally thought about 20 x 40, but downsized to be able to add a sun shelf. I didn't want it to take up any of the main pool area.

Not sure on robot cleaner... On previous pool, i just vaccumed and brushed manually and didn't mind. Pool equipment will go along side of house but definitely need to think about it some more... Any tips for hiding it? Fence, bushes, both?

 

[bSmeezy3]

Forgot to ask in main post, but we already have a freestanding hot tub. Having trouble deciding where to put it. Any suggestions? Have next to house now, but thinking about putting further away so house doesn't block view. Like to get in it in the evenings and check out the stars.

 

[Nikilyn]

I’d want the hot tub as close to the house as possible so as not to be out in the cold while wet for too long. But you definitely don’t want to block your view either.