Goodyear, AZ (EMR) O/B Pool Deliberations - UPDATE - Pool is Filled!

[thewolf56]

Good choice on moving the gravel. We didn’t for our first pool and lost all that rock. We knew to move it this time. We spent way too much money on that rock to have it ground into the dirt .

Seriously! It's not just the cost of the rocks, but the delivery fees as well. At my last house, I had to replace some decomposed granite that settled and I ended up ordering a ton I didn't need just to avoid the delivery fee!

 

[thewolf56]

So, some good news and bad news!

Good news - My plumber is scheduled for April 4th, but because I got my dig completed so quickly (everyone was expecting it to be a several-day dig), spots are popping up so that they can come out in the next week or 2!

Bad news - Gas won't be here that quickly (consultant thinks we can work around that), but worse is that when I called the plumber to ensure that the 3-ways they supply are Jandy Neverlubes (due to parts supply issues), they did not have the unions for my pump and it was not on my equipment ordering list! (my mistake for not catching)

So, does anyone have the part number for unions for the Pentair Intelliflow VSF 3.0 HP, Product # 011056 ?

 

[thewolf56]

So, does anyone have the part number for unions for the Pentair Intelliflow VSF 3.0 HP, Product # 011056 ?

I was able to find the union part # from Pentair's pump parts catalog. Here is a link to it in case anyone needs it in the future

Pentair 2021 Whole Goods Pumps Product Catalog

 

[Newdude]

I don't know why, but my PB uses the internal threads of the pump with threaded pipe and then uses unions a foot back. The pipe extensions really helped as handles for moving the pump. They were rock solid and it wasn't going to break.

Just tossing it out there as another option.

 

[Nikilyn]

Seriously! It's not just the cost of the rocks, but the delivery fees as well. At my last house, I had to replace some decomposed granite that settled and I ended up ordering a ton I didn't need just to avoid the delivery fee!

We totally know what you mean. When we did our backyard 3 years ago we ordered way too much rock to get the free delivery. It ended up going under the trampoline. My husband had to move all of it from under the trampoline and down the side of the house to the driveway so we could use it again. Then he had to move it back after we were all done. I felt so bad for him. We saved a ton of money though. He at least got our boys to help move it after the pool was done.

 

[kimkats]

Moving right along! Love the sharing on this thread with ideas and support!

Kim

 

[thewolf56]

Moving right along! Love the sharing on this thread with ideas and support!

Kim

Thanks, Kim.

I learned so much from here, so if I can contribute just a little bit, I'll be happy.

 

[thewolf56]

The rest of my pool equipment (minus the hand rail) was just delivered today. Those heat pump boxes are huge! Checked the tip gauge on that one and looked good. Wasn't expecting the delivery today, so only the heat pump fit in my 1-car (toy) garage, and the other pallet I had placed where my wife parks in the garage, so I'll be breaking that pallet down tonight so I can move her vehicle back in there.

 

[Nikilyn]

I can just imagine the conversation when she sees you took over her garage . Drove past your part of town on the way to Disneyland last week. You’re halfway to Blythe!

 

[thewolf56]

I can just imagine the conversation when she sees you took over her garage . Drove past your part of town on the way to Disneyland last week. You’re halfway to Blythe!

I bet it feels that way! I couldn't believe how much time we saved the last time we drove to San Diego. Took some back roads to the 85 through Buckeye and probably saved a half-hour from our normal route.

She wasn't too happy to park in the driveway, but I was able to break down the other pallet last night and move it to the 1-car garage so she didn't have to go a whole day without here parking space.

 

[thewolf56]

In retrospect, I should have just left the equipment in the garage because the plumbers showed up today a little after noon!

So, now I am going to try and move the steel and electrical crews earlier as they are not scheduled until April.

 

[Nikilyn]

Hopefully you can get them moved up. April is far away.

 

[thewolf56]

April is far away.

I agree, but it didn't seem too far when the plumber's earliest opening was April 4th.

Luckily, I was able to get both rebar and electrical scheduled for the first week of March, so still saving about 1.5 months from original schedule.

 

[Nikilyn]

Maybe you'll get lucky and they get a cancelation .

 

[Winter247]

Thanks, Kim.

I learned so much from here, so if I can contribute just a little bit, I'll be happy.

Well for what it's worth your thread has helped me significantly thus far. I'm still in the planning and design stage but you've given me PLENTY to research! Interestingly enough, I just hired the same consultant. I'm in Paradise Valley. (Actually come to think of it, my Father is over in the Estrella Mountain Ranch area near you). I already had some photoshopped designs, measurements and a general idea of what was involved, but your thread made me realize I need to take into account specific equipment options/requirements, equipment placement, offsets etc. Needless to say, I appreciate the contribution! Looking forward to seeing the next phases of your build!

 

[thewolf56]

Well for what it's worth your thread has helped me significantly thus far. I'm still in the planning and design stage but you've given me PLENTY to research! Interestingly enough, I just hired the same consultant. I'm in Paradise Valley. (Actually come to think of it, my Father is over in the Estrella Mountain Ranch area near you). I already had some photoshopped designs, measurements and a general idea of what was involved, but your thread made me realize I need to take into account specific equipment options/requirements, equipment placement, offsets etc. Needless to say, I appreciate the contribution! Looking forward to seeing the next phases of your build!

Thanks. One of my neighbors around the corner is using the same consultant (neither of us knew each other until last week) and they just excavated a week behind me.

Plumbers are still here (skipped Friday). I think they go to one site in the morning and finish off the day here.

 

[thewolf56]

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted.

In that time frame, I have had plumbing, steel, and electrical rough-in completed.

Plumbing was extremely frustrating. I had concerns because the riser for the main drain would have been encased in the shotcrete, which I looked at as causing 2 possible issues, but mainly I was concerned that the shotcrete wall thickness at that location would have been thinner than what was required by the engineer.

The other issue with plumbing was that the salt water cell pipe would not have had more than 2" of straight pipe before entering (not to mention all of my valves would have been extremely low to the ground.

Plumber's response to both concerns were that he has built thousands of pools over X number of years and that's how they always do it. My response was quoting the installation manual from Pentair and the engineer's report. At the end of the fiasco, I had my main drain riser cut back into the dirt as it should have been, received an email from Pentair stating what their minimum length of straight pipe before really is for salt cell installation (my install exceeds that, but is less than 18"), and the entire valve assembly was raised at the equipment.

So, my tip to all O/Bs out there is, read your installation manuals and engineering requirements. If something looks wrong to you, it is your project and you will be the one hurt if it isn't fixed.

 

[thewolf56]

Some pictures of the updates

Equipment Pad


Steel and Plumbing (after riser was moved)


Ledge Microbrite


Deep end Microbrite


Grotto Microbrite change. The original plan was to have the Microbrite shining out from the ledge into the pool, and after speaking with the electrician, he mentioned I probably would not get the effect I was looking for. He recommended shining it up from the bench as the light would then light up the waterfall from behind.


Not pictured, Microbrite in shallow end (so 4 total) and heat pump.

 

[kimkats]

he has built thousands of pools over X number of years and that's how they always do it.

sigh..................why does that card get played so often???? This is a MAOR red flag to me! This means you are not willing to learn new things! Good for you in pushing back and showing him the TRUE info.

So, my tip to all O/Bs out there is, read your installation manuals and engineering requirements. If something looks wrong to you, it is your project and you will be the one hurt if it isn't fixed.

Not just for O/Bs......this is true for ALL builds. Yeah you are paying someone to to over see your build BUT they won't care about it like you will. Ya know all of their years of experience

shining it up from the bench as the light would then light up the waterfall from behind.

OH I like that idea! Just make sure it will be safe to step on down the road.

Kim

 

[bertschb]

Glad to see a MultiCyclone on your equipment pad