Having a pool built and need advice

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My wife says I'm too nice. Maybe that's why this guy thinks he can manipulate me. Sure, I'm nice in that I don't act angry and yell at people. But I've been telling him I cannot accept the slide and I'm not budging on that.

Maybe he's trying to delay delay delay to see if I get impatient about getting my pool done and just eat it but nope, not gonna happen.

I've already set the expectation for myself that I'm not going to be swimming this summer. It pisses me off but at least makes the waiting more bearable. I'm really shocked that someone on this forum recommended this pool builder. Not to blame the community at large with that statement but more saying that I'm surprised a "real person" thought this company did great work.
 
voidpointer said:
Not to blame the community at large with that statement but more saying that I'm surprised a "real person" thought this company did great work.
Click to expand...

As someone once said…

Trust but verify.
 
voidpointer said:
My wife says I'm too nice. Maybe that's why this guy thinks he can manipulate me. Sure, I'm nice in that I don't act angry and yell at people. But I've been telling him I cannot accept the slide and I'm not budging on that.

Maybe he's trying to delay delay delay to see if I get impatient about getting my pool done and just eat it but nope, not gonna happen.

I've already set the expectation for myself that I'm not going to be swimming this summer. It pisses me off but at least makes the waiting more bearable. I'm really shocked that someone on this forum recommended this pool builder. Not to blame the community at large with that statement but more saying that I'm surprised a "real person" thought this company did great work.
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Prior to the past couple years, most reviews online for my PB were glowing...lately the negative reviews are building up. I think some PB's just didn't handle the past 2 years of challenges as well as others.
 
Man I just caught up on this build! You sure have been through it that is for sure!! I am jumping in to give a set of links I give to new pool owners
Here is the 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 this is what you need to do when they have plastered the pool:
  • Do they have all the proper return nozzles and drain covers (type and color) to place after plaster installed
  • Have you tested your fill water? Are you filling with softened water or regular tap water?
  • Have your hose ready (and clean) as it will be laying in the pool.
  • Tie a sock or cloth around the nozzle so it does not sit on the plaster. Also, consider tying a plastic jug to the nozzle such that it will float up as the water rises.
  • Make sure the hose is put at the lowest part of the pool.
  • Do NOT stop the flow of water once it starts as it stopping it could cause a ring on the plaster.
  • Ensure you take note (or a picture) of your water meter reading before you start to fill
  • Be prepared to take note of your water meter as the pool reaches certain levels, i.e bottom of bottom step, top of bottom step, etc. (it helps in the future to know volume of your pool at certain levels - should you ever have to drain portion of it)
  • Plan to set an alarm every 4 hours (or so) to ensure hose is still in pool, no debris blew into pool, etc.
  • Take a picture of any chemicals they bring on site that they plan to dump in when they start to add water to pool
  • Continue to fill pool to center of water tile or center of skimmer. Take picture of water meter at end of fill
  • Get clear instructions from PB as what to do the day the pool is full - how often to brush, will the pump be turned on, etc.
Define with PB when he will be back out to set up water chemistry

You do NOT want them to use that pipe sticking out of the wall as the flow of the water coming out of it could cause a channel in your new plaster.

Kim:kim:
 
voidpointer said:
I'd expect the plaster company
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The ONLY thing the plaster company will do is shoot the plaster, acid wash it, and throw in the hose.

Now the PB *we all know and love* (note the sarcasm) may help some with the start up BUT NOONE else will take as good of care of your pool as you. At best your PB may send some one once a week to do something :( Your new plaster needs care everyday to be the best plaster it can be for as long as it can be!
voidpointer said:
In my particular pool, they have a Y splitter at my hose bib and an underground PVC running from one end of that to the pool. I know it fills up the pool
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This pipe is the one I was talking about. You do not want them to use this to help fill up your pool.

I am VERY impressed in how much you are learning already! NICE JOB!
 
voidpointer said:
Not to blame the community at large with that statement but more saying that I'm surprised a "real person" thought this company did great work
Click to expand...
I had 2 entirely different experiences with my PB. The world has changed to explain some of it, but plenty of the mismanagement had nothing to do with supply issues.

I'm sure someone in town had everything go right with my PB, and are singing his praises, the same as yours.
 
kimkats said:
the flow of the water coming out of it could cause a channel in your new plaster
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I see that you mean that Y splitter thing now. Can you explain the above quote? What is a channel in the new plaster?

kimkats said:
The ONLY thing the plaster company will do is shoot the plaster, acid wash it, and throw in the hose.
Click to expand...
They don't mix the plaster? A lot of the advice in the link you sent was about how to properly mix the plaster, the ingredients it should use, etc.

Thanks so much for all the advice.
 
voidpointer said:
What is a channel in the new plaster?
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If you let water flow in a stream down new plaster it can make a groove aka channel in the plaster. I cannot find a good pic to show you though. I hope the word groove helps you see what I mean. I will keep looking for a pic to help you see it.
voidpointer said:
A lot of the advice in the link you sent was about how to properly mix the plaster, the ingredients it should use, etc.
Click to expand...
Ahhhh I see what you mean. That is to help you know you are getting the best plaster job out of the plaster company. It is to inform you what makes a good plaster job and what to watch for. So yes the plaster company should take care of the plaster from bringing it to the house, mixing it, shooting it, acid washing, etc.

The other link to the generic start up. You can find out what kind of plaster they are using and find that start up.

The s
 

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I noticed my spa blower is not installed. It's sitting in its box but electrical is hooked up. I assume it gets installed on the tall vertical PVC pipe. When I asked the PB owner about it, he said that gets installed during/after plaster. I'm not sure if that's true, or if I should add that to my punch list of items I'm forcing him to complete before I begin plaster. Photos attached.
1656953608461.png
1656953665140.png
 
voidpointer said:
My wife says I'm too nice. Maybe that's why this guy thinks he can manipulate me. Sure, I'm nice in that I don't act angry and yell at people. But I've been telling him I cannot accept the slide and I'm not budging on that.

Maybe he's trying to delay delay delay to see if I get impatient about getting my pool done and just eat it but nope, not gonna happen.

I've already set the expectation for myself that I'm not going to be swimming this summer. It pisses me off but at least makes the waiting more bearable. I'm really shocked that someone on this forum recommended this pool builder. Not to blame the community at large with that statement but more saying that I'm surprised a "real person" thought this company did great work.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain @voidpointer ...I've been waiting nearly 2 years for my build to start (I'm probably in that "nice" category like you). It didn't look like you got any definitive answers on here regarding your slide, so wanted to throw in my $0.02. Your pictures you posted of your slide design show the SR Smith TurboTwister and the actual slide you have next to your pool appears to be the SR Smith Typhoon (correction, your design looks like the TurboTwister, but your actual slide looks like the GPP Tidal Wave). My PB tried to do the same thing to me in swapping slides, but I caught it (remember, my build hasn't even started) so I just bought the Typhoon on my own and it's waiting for him to install once he actually builds the pool. My pool deck design specifically calls for the Typhoon due to spacing issues and my contract specifically stated the Typhoon slide, yet the PB still tried to do something else. Good luck with finishing your build up!
 
TKpoolOH said:
I feel your pain @voidpointer ...I've been waiting nearly 2 years for my build to start (I'm probably in that "nice" category like you). It didn't look like you got any definitive answers on here regarding your slide, so wanted to throw in my $0.02. Your pictures you posted of your slide design show the SR Smith TurboTwister and the actual slide you have next to your pool appears to be the SR Smith Typhoon (correction, your design looks like the TurboTwister, but your actual slide looks like the GPP Tidal Wave). My PB tried to do the same thing to me in swapping slides, but I caught it (remember, my build hasn't even started) so I just bought the Typhoon on my own and it's waiting for him to install once he actually builds the pool. My pool deck design specifically calls for the Typhoon due to spacing issues and my contract specifically stated the Typhoon slide, yet the PB still tried to do something else. Good luck with finishing your build up!
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Thanks for sharing! The only mention of the word "slide" in my contract is here:
1657046458447.png
To which it says "0", of course. This isn't the first issue I've had with the contract. But so far the PB doesn't seem to be hung up on the contract too much.

What's important, to me, is that the design reflects a slide. Because our initial conversations with the sales rep were to include a slide in the pool and I know there was an added cost for it.

I went outside and looked on the slide itself. The brand is "Global Pool Products", which shows that this is the slide I have:

Maybe I should recommend the SR Smith TurboTwister to him.

I am a bit shocked you bit the bullet and bought the slide yourself. I don't think I have it in me to do that. Because it would be like I bought two slides and threw one in the trash. Obviously everyone's situation is different; I'm not trying to fault you for it. I just hope it doesn't come to that for my scenario. I'm not sure why my PB is so focused on returning the slide. I'm sure he could just shove it in his warehouse and another customer will come along that wants it at some point. But who knows. I'm not a pool builder.
 
Regarding the slide, I guess I would say that in the end, since no one agreed on the specific slide from the beginning, whether it be a SR Smith, or Global products (both great slides btw), it should at least be a slide that is at close to the design, and one that is actually usable without stubbing toes on a retaining wall. And one that has the water line coming up right under the ladder, where it should be to blend right in.

We have the SR Smith Typhoon and like it. We decided on a slide mid-way through the build, just thinking we either do it now, or we wont do it. Our pool builder happened to have a grey, Typhoon in their warehouse that another customer apparently ordered, or didn't want, or something like that, but had it on site the next day. We only went with the Typhoon because it was what they had, and honestly, if they had a Global Products, or Turn Twister, if they fit into the space and the kids used it, it would have been all great.

New Patio Wet.jpg
(water isn't hooked up yet in this pic, but the stub is right where it should be)

I think my issue would not be so much the curvedness of the slide, but the placement and usability of it. Small curve., or big curve to the overall design of the slide, its gonna be fast, and not one probably more than the other. The kids are gonna love it and its gonna look great. However, THAT particular slide neither fits, or is plumbed properly, that would be my issue. I think my message to the builder would be something like......" OK, we didn't all agree on the particular slide, but are you telling me this is how we all should accept it? Right next to the wall, isn't even plumbed right?!?!" My argument with the PB would focus on the safety and usability of the slide he is trying to force on you, and remind his this is not close to the design we agreed on, and a different slide may be better suited to get us there.

Will he have to eat the cost of the slide in the beginning? Probably. Distributors are pretty tough on returning things like that, but like you said, just sell another slide for the next build and there you go, problem solved!
 
Yeah I took a step back with the pool company owner and said "I don't really care about the slide itself, really the issue comes down to the fact that it's so close to the wall that I can't walk around it. And I'm too tall to walk under it. Rip out the wall and expand the decking if you want, and if you feel that is cost effective". So I was able to take a step back and brainstorm at least 2 solutions to the problem, one of which doesn't involve trading the slide.

He fully admits he had supers that were dumb and didn't do things right. But he's got to be responsible for people he hires.

I love the way your slide looks!
 
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voidpointer said:
Maybe I should recommend the SR Smith TurboTwister to him.

I am a bit shocked you bit the bullet and bought the slide yourself. I don't think I have it in me to do that. Because it would be like I bought two slides and threw one in the trash. Obviously everyone's situation is different; I'm not trying to fault you for it. I just hope it doesn't come to that for my scenario. I'm not sure why my PB is so focused on returning the slide. I'm sure he could just shove it in his warehouse and another customer will come along that wants it at some point. But who knows. I'm not a pool builder.
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I was just pointing out you're design layout showed the curvature of the TurboTwister (does make it challenging since the contract doesn't specify, but as you said contracts don't seem to be your PB's thing). If that's what you want, I'd stick with that. As @gingrbredman pointed out, safety, functionality, fit are going to be paramount.

I didn't actually buy two slides. My PB never actually got the one he was trying to set me up with. I told him I bought the slide on my own, and he told me I can get you that slide and proceeded to call up his supplier while I am standing next to him (lo and behold, his supplier doesn't have one to sell him!). I'd given anything to actually have a hole in the ground and be arguing about how things are going rather than trying to get my PB to do anything.
 
So my PB texts me today and says "Ordered a new slide". My immediate reaction: YAY!!! Just to remind you, this is the current slide:

I follow up and ask: Can you send me the brand, model, and color?

Him: StackPath

WHAT THE!!!!!!! Can you imagine the look of disappointment when my kids see this thing installed?? It's way too small!

I picked a random distributor and compared three slides:

Prices:
- Splash: $1,558
- Tidal Wave (the one we have): $3,759
- Turbo Twister: $4,199

Required deck space:

- Splash: 7'
- Tidal Wave: 12'
- Turbo Twister: 13'

Turbo Twister is obviously a more comparable replacement. I'm extremely angry right now because he didn't even call me to talk about this before he ordered anything. I told him I will not accept the new slide. This is just outrageous!!!!
 
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