Critique New Pool Build in Charlotte, NC

[ncpoolguy]

Pool Specs:
Max Width: 17’ 10”
Max Length: 35’ 7”
Depth: 3’ 6”-7’
17,200 gallons
72 sq. Ft tanning ledge
Pebble finish
Travertine coping and decking
Jandy 1400 SWCG

Hi,
We just had the meet and greet with our PB and had to slightly redesign our pool based on new measurements for the slope of the yard.

Previously, the decking was level with the pool and there was just a raised (18”) beam in the back, but after the meeting, the two options presented were to raise the entire decking ~3 feet, or put an exposed wall at the front of the pool, and have the decking raised 18”.

I had inquired on what the transition from the yard to the decking would be since it is an 18” difference and they said it would be sloped dirt, but I’m wondering how well that will work with drainage around the wooden deck and where the house and decking are close to each other.

I just thought about making the back wall twice as high (36”) and then the decking could remain level with the pool, but I’m not sure I’d want anyone jumping off a 3 ft wall into the shallow end.

Also, and wrestling with the idea of taking it to 8’ but the PB said we wouldn’t have much of a shallow end—and we do have a 2 year old.

Any thoughts our ideas are greatly appreciated!

 

[TexasRain]

Nice, I just want to ask why they put all the children under the water???

 

[ncpoolguy]

Lol, couldn’t tell ya.

 

[ncpoolguy]

I guess my main question is related to the raised wall at the front of the pool. Currently it is 18-20” and my Pb recommends keeping it at that height as that is chair height

We can’t decide if we want to keep it that height or lower it.

 

[kimkats]

Will you be able to see over it sitting on the deck/patio? If not then lower it.

 

[HermanTX]

It is a beautiful layout and the grade of the land seems to affect the PB decisions. It appears the raised wall at front of pool dictates the depth of the pool water due to the slope of the land. If you lower this wall then you have more shallow water. Your wood deck appears to be elevated so you look down into the pool. One advantage of the raised wall is that it provides some sort of restriction for your 2 yr old not to just walk into the pool. is there any possibility to move the pool further back (away from house) where it appears the grade is more even?

 

[ncpoolguy]

Fantastic point we hadn't thought about. Honestly I have no idea if you'd be able to see the water while sitting on the deck. Not quite sure how I could test that one . I will certainly bring that up to the PB and see what he says, but I have a feeling the answer will, as always, be the path of least resistance. Thanks for the reply!

One thing we did inquire was to add some lights to the steps on the decking so you don't fall going to the spa in the dark.

 

[ncpoolguy]

It is a beautiful layout and the grade of the land seems to affect the PB decisions. It appears the raised wall at front of pool dictates the depth of the pool water due to the slope of the land. If you lower this wall then you have more shallow water. Your wood deck appears to be elevated so you look down into the pool. One advantage of the raised wall is that it provides some sort of restriction for your 2 yr old not to just walk into the pool. is there any possibility to move the pool further back (away from house) where it appears the grade is more even?

So that was the original dilemma. We had thoughts on putting the pool at the back of the yard where it is more flat, and my wife heavily lobbied for it. Once the layout was flagged out, we quickly realized we would have no yard after that (unless we did no decking). We still want some yard for our son to run around in, so at least in it's current location he has 15 or so feet width behind the pool to run around, plus the side yard.

 

[jimmythegreek]

I would raise the whole pool deck up flush with the coping amd have it one level except for the spa amd then pool fence the whole thing as an area. I'm never a fan of elevated pools I consider them dangerous for kids. Little heads with swimmees on are hard to see over a raised wall the water is 6 inches lower on otherside of wall

 

[ncpoolguy]

I would raise the whole pool deck up flush with the coping amd have it one level except for the spa amd then pool fence the whole thing as an area. I'm never a fan of elevated pools I consider them dangerous for kids. Little heads with swimmees on are hard to see over a raised wall the water is 6 inches lower on otherside of wall

That was the pb’s original plan when he came back out for another measurement. To us it seemed very odd to have the pool deck be one step down from the wooden deck. We didn’t really have a good plan for what to do with the end of the decking-I guess a large retaining wall with steps on either side? Then again- that would make our 6 foot privacy fence around the yard more like 3 feet from the decking.

The thought of not being able to clearly see a child in the water due to the elevation is a great point we hadn’t thought of, thank you.

 

[jimmythegreek]

I had the same situation on my personal pool build amd I elected to cut into the hillside amd retain the earth on 3 sides. Was alot more work than elevating but it was the best way for my site