From a Basic Lawn to Private Resort - We Have A Pool! Controlling Pollen...

[elleb]

Well we have groundwater which is why the plastic is there. Our project supervisor mentioned doing some weeping holes and filling with hydrostatic cement before plaster but we will never be able to drain the pool. Are there other options that we could take for this? I asked about redirecting the water away from our pool and if having a relief valve installed would help but he said "it's not very much water, if there was a foot or so in the deep end I'd be concerned, it's not enough to do a well point." Does this seem right? What are some other things we can do to avoid problems in the future? We definitely don't want a popped pool scenario. I'm nervous, but I also want to trust his direction with an abundance of caution because I don't want us to burned by this in a few years. @HermanTX @PoolGate @kimkats @Newdude please help and thanks in advance!

 

[Newdude]

Ask about a hydrostatic valve. Its a one way valve and If the pressure builds below the shell, it flows into the pool, as the lesser of two evils. It's less of an issue right now, but if you ever need to drain it could save you.

 

[elleb]

Ask about a hydrostatic valve. Its a one way valve and If the pressure builds below the shell, it flows into the pool, as the lesser of two evils. It's less of an issue right now, but if you ever need to drain it could save you.

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Thank you! I actually sent him this response before I came back in here to check for feedback:

"I think that we should go ahead and install a hydrostatic relief valve as a precaution because we don't know if more groundwater will come into that area. Also, we may have to drain the pool one day and I don't want the option of not Ever being able to do that without a way to equalize the pressure surrounding the pool..."

I'm learning from everything that I've read here these past few months that's for sure! Thanks for backing up what my instincts are telling me!

 

[kimkats]

You have come so far and in a fast amount of time! Don't you love how your past reading is helping out now??? I DO!

 

[skylar18]

I have an all Jandy equipped pool. It has worked very well for me for 10 years. I have finally started having to replace some components this year. Good looking pool you are building!

 

[elleb]

I have an all Jandy equipped pool. It has worked very well for me for 10 years. I have finally started having to replace some components this year. Good looking pool you are building!

Thank you!

 

[elleb]

Quick update, our PB came out yesterday, not the supervisor, the owner, and reviewed our project. He suspects that it may not be groundwater, but actual rain that just hasn't dried up completely, however, they will be installing the hydrostatic valve as a precaution since a small creek runs behind our property line through our neighborhood, which I wasn't aware of until permits started rolling in. He's not concerned about it because it's not even a foot of water and there's no pooling anywhere else in the dig. He said that if there was a lot more water, that they'd definitely install a wellpoint to move the water out of and away from the pool. They will be pumping the water out before shotcrete, which is in 4 days. He did forewarn us that they are about 3 weeks behind on grading since we've been getting so much rain, but after the shell the tile and stone workers will come in, the grading and the deck is what will take the longest time to get to because of the weather delays they are already experiencing. I told him, we will give them 3 weeks of grace before we start calling and asking questions . We are on schedule to be complete with an approximate 8 to 10 week construction time. We are in week 2, so expectations are being exceeded as of right now. The rebar install team worked until a little after lunch yesterday, then tarped everything over since rain was coming in. It's been raining since yesterday afternoon here and tomorrow we expect sun, but Sunday we expect more rain. In the meantime, I am on the hunt for a few telescoping impact sprinklers and a splitter to plug into the water spigot out back so that I can set up an easy peasy system to water the concrete shell. I didn't take any pictures yesterday before they tarped, I was in meetings most of the morning, but I can definitely see the design that I drew out on paper last August taking shape with the steel. This is the most surreal feeling. My family and I keep looking back there saying "Wow, we're doing it, we're actually getting our own pool in our backyard!" It's amazing when it's done right, I just hope things keep running like a well oiled machine!

 

[kimkats]

Just know the road leading up to the shell being done is the highway-fast and busy. It is the slow, country road after that that is hard to handle some times.

 

[elleb]

Today the shotcrete crew is here. They arrived at around 6:45am and began working around 8am. I'm keeping a watchful eye and have already made it clear to not use any rebound anywhere during this process. The PB Supervisor said that he didn't know what Rebound is, so I told him and I told him to make sure that the foreman knows that I don't want it in our pool. I've noticed piles of rebound on the outside of the clay mountains so they are following instructions. I decided to work from my kitchen today so that I can see what they are doing since it was below freezing this morning, my deck watch is out of the question. I'll post pictures later today.

 

[elleb]

Watching these guys like a hawk today, not much work getting done on my end, because I keep going to the window or on the deck. I've spoken with them 3 times today about rebound, and I'm recording them on video. They were supposed to shoot the floor first, but shot the walls, maybe because the floor was being suctioned since we had all that rain from Friday thru Sunday. I asked the PB Supervisor to move the light that is under the spa to the opposite wall/bench area and of course he forgot, and said that he'll be by later today to fix it, but I don't know if he'll be able to since that shotcrete will likely be set up by then. If he can't move it, I guess we'll have to live with it where it is, very disappointing because I definitely told him we wanted it relocated. Here's some pictures that I was able to get of the process so far. I love how it's taking shape, pretty cool to see it go from my little sketch drawing to this. We're preparing to do some bonding with the concrete tomorrow, since they will likely be here beyond 5pm today. We may spray it down really well before the sun sets this evening. Hopefully our telescoping impact sprinklers arrive before the sun goes down so that we can set up the system to do the work for us, but we shall see.

 

[Newdude]

Watching these guys like a hawk today, not much work getting done on my end

Work will be there tomorrow. The pool only gets shot once. I won't tell work if you don't tell work. Shhhh.

 

[elleb]

I was able to get these shots before the sun sets

 

[elleb]

 

[kimkats]

That is one good looking shell right there!!!

Guess what time it is!!! Time for YOUR set of links!!!

The first set is all about what to do and ask about to get a great plaster job. The second set is all about how to care for your pool after you get the plaster.

Plaster links:
Ten Guidelines for Quality Pool Plaster Best one of all
All Plaster Finishes Should Last 20 Years
Not All Color Pigments are Good for Pools How to pick a good color for plaster.
A Plastering 'Watch List' | Professional Watershaping | Watershapes
Trouble Free Pool
Trouble Free Pool

Pool care links:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Trouble Free Pool
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Now is also a good time to ask what test kit your PB will be providing so we can fill in any holes.

Kim

 

[elleb]

I'm really hoping that they did us justice because to see this go from my paper drawing to this is some kind of wonderful!

 

[elleb]

That is one good looking shell right there!!!

Guess what time it is!!! Time for YOUR set of links!!!

The first set is all about what to do and ask about to get a great plaster job. The second set is all about how to care for your pool after you get the plaster.

Plaster links:
Ten Guidelines for Quality Pool Plaster Best one of all
All Plaster Finishes Should Last 20 Years
Not All Color Pigments are Good for Pools How to pick a good color for plaster.
A Plastering 'Watch List' | Professional Watershaping | Watershapes
Trouble Free Pool
Trouble Free Pool

Pool care links:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Trouble Free Pool
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Now is also a good time to ask what test kit your PB will be providing so we can fill in any holes.

Kim

Thanks @kimkats! I feel like progress is made when you drop links . Also, we didn't wait for them to give us rinky dinky test strips, we already have our TF Pro Salt Test Kit from here , and I became a Gold Supporter and I got my TFP T-shirt all in the month of February. We're set and ready to go! I will be reading up on these links again though just to make sure we're ready when the time comes . I will do a test on our water soon though just to get an idea of our fill water chemistry.

 

[kimkats]

You will love the "test kit" one pool owner got from their PB............................an open bottle to SAMPLE test strips with only 3 left in it AND they were already stained LOL Now we also had one pool owner who talked their PB into buying them the TF-100 kit for their build! Talk about a SCORE!

 

[Newdude]

OK it's real now. Congrats !!

 

[elleb]

Now that we have a beautiful shell of a pool the baby now needs watering. I started our first watering session for Day 1 at 8am this morning. Mind you, the pool is pretty big and the obstacle course of muddy ga clay and the pool terrain proved to be quite the workout in 32 degree weather this morning. I was able to get it soaked pretty good as I braved the elements and then tested out our telescoping sprinkler. I believe that these first 2 days I'll walk the nozzle around the pool to give it a good soaking and then let the sprinklers run for about 10 minutes to mist the shell. This morning was a doozy, I came in with mud on my jeans, soaking wet boots, wet socks, red clay hands and toes from repositioning the waterhose, but the baby was nourished. I shall water again at noon hopefully it will be a less dramatic turn of events.

 

[Texas Splash]

Nice!