Hello, and share me your DIY horror stories before I start

[Spleenman]

So, I am new to the forum and my wife and I are in the process of searching out pool builds. We have been wanting one a long time and a home refi is going to provide an excellent opportunity to fulfill a dream. Before the train gets going down the tracks too far, we are hoping we can hear the lessons from experience on what NOT to do. As everyone knows, failures teach you important lessons. We are shamelessly hoping to gain from yours while minimizing our own.

In general we plan to:
1) Construct our own from a kit, including excavation
2) looking at a steel wall construction, with liner
3) will at some point concrete the patio around it
4) Use SWG for disinfection
5) heated - have not decided
6) plumbing - will do our own
7) electrical - may use an in-law or friend that's an electrician
8) lights - no decision but maybe
9) fancy wifi controls or apps - dunno how I feel about them yet - sell me

So if possible, can we start with the basics? The basic major decisions to make, the overdig, pool shape (we are thinking 18'- 24' x 40'), maybe who you recommend to purchase a kit through the internet and why? Maybe tell why your DYI experience was good / bad.

Thanks!

 

[jimmythegreek]

A pool kit is a race to get the walls up amd the collar poured. If weather cooperates you are safe at that point from major cave ins amd ground issues. Biggest advice is get a qualified excavator that has dug a pool before. A mess up at that point makes things way harder and can cost you thousands and countless hours trying to fix it. It's alot.of work to DIY and you have to stay one step ahead. Not having heavy equipment readily available is a challenge

 

[jamjam]

Agree with Jimmy - after watching our pool built from a kit I am sure I could have done it myself- however the excavation is probably not something I would have wanted to learn on the job. I’m an intrepid DIYer but I don’t like racing against time or the weather. I did my own electric and did my own coping and patio. The plumbing would have been no issue. The bottom I could have done but without the experience I’m not sure it would have came out as nice. Dropping and cutting the liner can be done DIY just make sure you do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions. It’s an expensive mistake if you screw up.

doing it yourself can save a lot of money but also make sure you are not compromising on quality or at least you know what that compromise might be up front. There is no one to yell at but yourself if you screw up.

 

[Aquaman7]

Like jimmy said you need a qualified person to excavate. You also need manpower. 3-4 guys that are handy is a must. I had a friend who promised he would help me to the end. He lasted 3 days and then I never heard from him again. The kicker was I was paying him well for his time. So I ended up doing it solo. I did call in some friend when needed such as the collar/bond beam construction and excavating for pool and pool deck.
90% I did it on my own. Because of this it’s taking me along time but I’m near the end. Another 2 weeks I should be done.
My advice to you .... get guys that you can fully rely on to help you.
Also the forum has been very helpful. Jimmy the Greek and others (Too many to list) have been extremely helpful.

 

[Aquaman7]

Spleenman where are you located?

 

[Newdude]

Spleenman where are you located?

Life is old there. Older than the trees. Younger than the Mountians, growing like a breeze.

 

[SSharp]

I'll echo what the others said-the dig is crucial. Get someone who has done one or several before. The more accurate the dig, the easier the rest of the project. Husband and I did ours diy (he's veeeeery handy) and with some help here, finished in 9 weeks, hiring out only electrical and concrete. Had to keep pushing ahead ..there were no days off. Was totally worth it, a fun project and we would do it again. Learned a lot and have a complete understanding of the inner workings of our pool.

 

[Sean ATX]

Biggest advice is get a qualified excavator that has dug a pool before.

Is it good enough to find someone who has dug for gunite pools before or is that a different kind of dig?

 

[Justin9314]

So I’m currently just finishing my build. I 10000000% agree on the dig. I had someone dig mine who does excavation for a living. While I thank him for doing it, it set me back at least a month and probably 4K approximately. If it wasn’t for the over dig, I would absolutely be floating in my pool as I type this.

 

[jimmythegreek]

That sucks Justin. Cant tell you how many pools I've seen dug that created messes. Its an art, less is more with a big bucket!

 

[jamjam]

My PB said he had a guy insist on doing his own dig, he showed up and it was so messed up that he gave the guy his deposit back and walked away. Said he will only work with his regular excavator because the whole job hinges on the dig.

 

[wireform]

My PB said he had a guy insist on doing his own dig, he showed up and it was so messed up that he gave the guy his deposit back and walked away. Said he will only work with his regular excavator because the whole job hinges on the dig.

I agree with him too. When you have the dig the way you want the job doesn't have extras that needn't be there.

 

[Snoobug]

The excavation is a work of art. I wonder how often our PB uses the kid that did ours. He was 20 something and the teamwork and precision that he was able to do with such a big scoop was wow'ing. I really wonder if the kid's dad owned the excavator company and he was born in the cab, lol. The PB/excavator guy worked flawlessly.