Help a newbie with proposal comparison?

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pool123*

pool123*

Well-known member
Aug 28, 2019
139
Aldie, VA
Hello. We have never had a pool before and are unfamiliar with the equipment. We are trying to compare quotes from two pool builders and are not sure of exactly what these things are or if something is missing or even if one builder is proposing a better product than the other. Can anyone assist? Thanks in advance!

Builder A
Jandy Fusion with chlorine erosion
JXI 400,000 BTU propane
Jandy P8 smart phone automation system
2.0 hp Jandy Flo-pro pool pump
Dev 60 D.E. filter with multiport valve
PB-460 .75 hp cleaner pump
Polaris 280 in pool cleaning robot
Jandy Fusion w/erosion feed

Builder B
Jandy Salt System
Jandy gas heater 400k btu
Jandy Aqualink Automated System
Jandy 2 hp pump
Jandy DEV60 DE filter with multiport valves
Polaris TR28P with booster pump
 
P.

Some things to think about... You really need specifics to compare bids.. "Jandy Salt" system could be one of many different salt systems that Jandy sells..

A Pressure side cleaner with a booster pump is really old technology... Kind of like using an old Black Rotary-dial phone instead of using a cell phone. I suggest that you look at a Dolphin Robot cleaner.. Works better and you don't have to run your pump for it to operate.

I would suggest that you look into a large cartridge filter instead of a DE filter.. Either will work, but a DE is much more of a pain to fool with. I also like that you do not have a multiport valve when using a Cartridge filter. Just something that won't go bad later on.

Make sure you get a VS or 2-speed pump if you are getting a SWCG. I love saltwater pools, but you do have to run your pump longer.. Also.. make sure any saltwater cell is at least 2 x the volume of your pool... If you have a 20K pool you need a 40K cell... This is because they are rated when running 24/7 at 100% output.

You Do Not want any salt system that also requires Mineral cartridges.. (I "think" that the Fusion systems do)...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Pool,

I agree with Jim and I'd take it a step further. Your builder and equipment sales people are conflicted with their recommendations since they all want to sell you what makes them the most $. Not saying they all are using their conflicted position to their advantage but we've sure seen a lot that did. Nothing wrong with the profit motive in my mind but you should try to get as much non-conflicted advice you can. We sell absolutely nothing. Just have a lot of experts and pool enthusiasts that want to help you avoid problems. So congrats! You are waaaay ahead of the game by asking for feedback on this forum.

Your next step should decide what equipment you want then get the PB's to quote on the same equipment. They won't always quote identical proposals but it definitely helps if you get them to be "apples to apples" as much as possible. Have you settled on a size and the pool design features. We have a huge number of experts that can advise. Ask as many questions as you can on this forum, people here will give you expert advice and you'll avoid some pitfalls.

Also remember the contract can be as important as the pool specification. Be sure to review and understand every word. We can help with that as well. You will almost certainly need to change some provisions as they are usually written one-way in the builder's favor. At the end of the day you want an agreement that's fair and absolutely clear to both parties.

So back to your original question, here are a couple of additional items to think about:.
  • There are 3 major brands of equipment. All work well but there are some differences. If you plan to do any maintenance yourself or any DYI repairs in the future all 3 manufacturers have some limitations on the warranty they provide. Jandy's warranty restriction for DIY is the most severe with no warranty for online purchase or DIY installation other than valve overhaul parts.
  • Many people on this site recommend a salt system. I didn't go that way for several years and I wish I had done salt from the start.
  • There are advantages to stay with one brand of equipment especially if you install automation. For a first-time pool owner I'd make it easy on yourself and go with one brand. My pool was originally Jandy and I'm transitioning to Pentair but there are many here that use Hayward very successfully.
  • I also agree with Jim on the filter and fusion system. Don't install anything that uses a mineral system.
  • Do Consider a cartridge. They're way better than they used to be, don't consume water for the back-wash, and maintenance is a snap. Make sure it's sized properly and you'll only need to clean it a couple times per year. My second choice would be a sand filter.
  • Strongly consider a VS pump. It will probably pay for itself in the first 12-18 months. Also, many pool builders over-size the pump. It's tough to argue with them as you then may have trouble with related warranty claims. If you get a VS pump you can at least run low speed and incur a LOT of benefit on your power bill when after you figure out how much you really need to run it.
  • Make sure the pool swg is sized for 2x the pool volume. This is a standard recommendation of TFP to help optimize cell life. We have quite a bit of anecdotal evidence that it works. Many are getting 8 years.
A lot of your pool specification will be about your personal preferences. So when you ask questions in this area you may hear different preferences. When that happens it almost always means it's up to you. You can learn about the reasons people go differently and decide what works best for you. But when you hear all the experts saying the same thing that should get your attention. And it could save you a lot of grief down the road.

We all look forward to interacting with you as you go down the pool build road. So it's over to you with more questions!

I hope this is helpful.

Chris
 
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You guys are amazing, thank you for helping. I'm afraid I need to start with some very basic questions. I love pools, but I've never had one, and my understanding of them is little more than that they are a big hole filled with water. Much of the help above, as basic as I'm sure it is, is already beyond my education. I don't know what those things are or what components I need to make the pool operate. Is there an online resource on this site or elsewhere that can break the components down for me?

We are planning a 20 x 40 concrete pool with a 4' shallow end and 9' deep end. No diving board, water features, or anything "extra" as the northern VA prices just for this are tapping us financially. :) We know we want salt water because that's what people have told us is best, and honestly that's the end of our understanding. I understand that we need to determine our requirements and have each pool builder quote the same thing but I don't know what we need so I didn't do that.

I would be grateful for any additional wisdom you'd like to share!
 
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pool123* said:
You guys are amazing, thank you for helping. I'm afraid I need to start with some very basic questions. I love pools, but I've never had one, and my understanding of them is little more than that they are a big hole filled with water. Much of the help above, as basic as I'm sure it is, is already beyond my education. I don't know what those things are or what components I need to make the pool operate. Is there an online resource on this site or elsewhere that can break the components down for me?
ing
We are planning a 20 x 40 concrete pool with a 4' shallow end and 9' deep end. No diving board, water features, or anything "extra" as the northern VA prices just for this are tapping us financially. :) We know we want salt water because that's what people have told us is best, and honestly that's the end of our understanding. I understand that we need to determine our requirements and have each pool builder quote the same thing but I don't know what we need so I didn't do that.

I would be grateful for any additional wisdom you'd like to share!
Click to expand...
pool,

That's a great start! Here are a few things I'd ask you to think about:
  • The cost issue is a big one for almost everybody. One thing to think about is to go with your current thinking on a plain pool but add the plumbing and automation capacity for add-ons like a heater. It doesn't cost much for the extra plumbing connections and/or electric now but it will make the add-on a lot easier. For example, you don't want to have to pull all new wire in the electrical and replace the breaker box in the future when going up one size for each now is pretty cheap.
  • Are you going with 9' because you want to add a diving board later? If not you can make this shallower and reduce up front cost.
  • Your decision about salt is a very good idea.
  • You're going to need to decide about decking. Do you want pavers or concrete? Pavers require a little more maintenance but make it easy to dig up for future additions and/or repairs
  • Can you please post a photo of the yard from the house and also from the back of the yard with a view of the back of the house. We have some great designer minds here and they'll offer ideas that improve practicality of your pool plus aesthetics.
  • If it were me I'd ask the builder to quote their preferred brand of equipment plus an option for one other. My personal preference is Pentair. But it's more important to have another brand quoted than to have Pentair. Whatever the brand is, make sure the builder has experience with both.
  • Get a price to use a cartridge filter instead of DE (cartridge should be cheaper).
  • There is a huge range on capability and cost for automation. There are super inexpensive "minimal" systems that are not expandable but do offer remote control. But these are not easily expandable. For $500-$1000 you can get one that's expandable. If you truly don't plan to ever add any other features the basic system will work fine.
  • One builder quoted natural gas and another quoted propane. Do you have gas service to your house? If so a natural gas heater is almost certainly your best bet for heating. It's cheaper up front and operating cost is almost always better even though a heat pump is more efficient. Select based on actual operating cost rather than efficiency.
  • Look at warranty terms carefully. Understand what the builder will do if structure fails and if there's a plumbing leak and for how long based on the language in the contract not what he says. Often multiple builders will say "it's covered for 30 years". In some cases the contract says exactly this yet in another case there are so many exclusions in the fine print you could never enforce it. But all builders say "30 years".
  • Make sure all quotes include providing you with a structural design stamped by a registered engineer.
  • Once you get your specs figured out, talk to a lot of builders. Select the top 3-5 based on experience, their quality systems, and fit. Fit means they typically build your type of pool and you think you can work with them. Get down to final negotiations with 2-3 and tell them they are a final bidder. At this point you have maximum leverage. You're in the driver's seat since your a qualified, serious potential customer. Be fair about this and never leverage this into an unfair set of requirements. Owners that put builders in an untenable position always lose. But don't let the builder do this to you either.
  • Never select on price alone but rather decide on value.
  • Understand and compare the builder's quality plan. Consider having one of your own too that can include an experienced inspector that works directly for you.
  • Spend all the time it takes to pre-qualify the bidders. Once you sign the contract you'll be joined at the hip with them for the 2nd most expensive purchase of your life. Do all the up front work to pick the right one and this can be a very rewarding and fun experience. Otherwise it can be terrible.
  • Make sure the builder is responsible for everything. This includes permitting, all the different crafts and all the equipment purchase. Make site clean-up his responsibility. Define this to your liking but be practical and fair about it too.
  • Do your part to make it easier for the builder. Make the site available when he needs it and anything else that helps.
  • Make the payment schedule fair and based on clearly defined milestones. Never pay for the pool completely in advance of completion. Tie at least 5% to a reasonable performance test such as: Pool holds water, dimensions are as contracted, equipment all tests out, clean-up is complete, all documentation is turned over to you.
  • Know your obligations during construction and start-up of the pool.
I hope this helps and I'm sure you'll get a lot more suggestions from our experts.

Chris
 
Chris, thank you. I will answer your questions but for some background, we have been working on this in earnest since August and have received quotes from six pool builders; 2 for fiberglass pools (which initially was our preference) and 4 for concrete. We reached out to many others for proposals but they were non-responsive. In our experience, getting any sort of service in our area is really difficult—contractors must have all the business they need. Now that we are settled on concrete, of the 4 PBs that quoted, one was really out of range price-wise, one seems to focus more on higher end builds and doesn't seem very interested in us, one sent a proposal from only looking at our plat and pictures (never came to the house) and hasn't responded to questions, and the fourth spent a significant time at our home, sent a very timely proposal, has been extremely responsive, and has experience working with our (difficult) HOA and has a good reputation in the neighborhood. In addition, we have been working with a neighbor who is ready to sign a contract and also prefers the last PB I described. We are hoping to go back to him with a last request for a discount together thinking that will give us the best leverage. But this neighbor is ready to sign and just waiting for me, so I am doing my best to get the education I should have gotten long ago right away so we can move forward. To complicate things, our HOA only meets monthly and the next meeting is December 4. Our application process will be very extensive and time is now very short.

  • We do want a heater, I forgot to mention that. But if there are any other add-ons that we should consider planning for now, I agree that would be a good idea. I just don't know what they might be? Open to all suggestions.
  • We are going with 9' because although we don't have children, we have many local nieces/nephews and I want there to be a place for them to dive where their crazy aunt (me) won't scream at them. Also for my husband who was a diver/gymnast in his youth and isn't going to listen much to me anyway. We won't have a diving board but it wouldn't surprise me if my husband puts something portable at the end of the pool and tries to dive off of it. I'm just trying to guard against injury so I can enjoy the pool instead of stressing.
  • Cost has driven our decision about decking which will be plain brushed concrete with flagstone (or similar) edging to make it look a little nicer. With the other things we need to do to along with the pool (deck, fence, etc.), we are already potentially over $180K. We just can’t do pavers.
  • I have photos to post, a plat, and even a video! I will also post the design from the PB we prefer. So grateful for any assistance.
  • I will ask the PB to quote another brand of equipment. Why do you prefer Pentair? Would it be good for us? We obviously have a lot to learn and have a heavy focus on long-term longevity/maintenance costs.
  • Regarding automation, I want to do what makes sense for us. I’m not sure what features we could add in the future (as in I have no idea what sort of things we would add, not that we have decided not to add them). I don’t mind spending extra money now to give us more flexibility in the future.
  • We have gas service to our house. The PB who quoted propane is the one who hasn’t bothered to visit our house, so he didn’t know. However, I was under the impression that a heat pump would be less expensive to operate than gas. I understand it also takes longer to heat, but the cost to heat is really important because if it’s high, we just won’t use it. You say the opposite though so I guess I need to look into that further.
  • I will review the contract today and even post it if anyone is interested.
  • I never thought of asking for the structural design stamped by an engineer. Won’t the PB need that for the building permit? If so, what is the value of me getting it now? Just curious.
  • Can you explain more about the quality plan? Should I expect the PB to provide a written plan?
Thank you so much!
 

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View attachment 123077
setsailsoon said:
pool,

That's a great start! Here are a few things I'd ask you to think about:
  • The cost issue is a big one for almost everybody. One thing to think about is to go with your current thinking on a plain pool but add the plumbing and automation capacity for add-ons like a heater. It doesn't cost much for the extra plumbing connections and/or electric now but it will make the add-on a lot easier. For example, you don't want to have to pull all new wire in the electrical and replace the breaker box in the future when going up one size for each now is pretty cheap.
  • Are you going with 9' because you want to add a diving board later? If not you can make this shallower and reduce up front cost.
  • Your decision about salt is a very good idea.
  • You're going to need to decide about decking. Do you want pavers or concrete? Pavers require a little more maintenance but make it easy to dig up for future additions and/or repairs
  • Can you please post a photo of the yard from the house and also from the back of the yard with a view of the back of the house. We have some great designer minds here and they'll offer ideas that improve practicality of your pool plus aesthetics.
  • If it were me I'd ask the builder to quote their preferred brand of equipment plus an option for one other. My personal preference is Pentair. But it's more important to have another brand quoted than to have Pentair. Whatever the brand is, make sure the builder has experience with both.
  • Get a price to use a cartridge filter instead of DE (cartridge should be cheaper).
  • There is a huge range on capability and cost for automation. There are super inexpensive "minimal" systems that are not expandable but do offer remote control. But these are not easily expandable. For $500-$1000 you can get one that's expandable. If you truly don't plan to ever add any other features the basic system will work fine.
  • One builder quoted natural gas and another quoted propane. Do you have gas service to your house? If so a natural gas heater is almost certainly your best bet for heating. It's cheaper up front and operating cost is almost always better even though a heat pump is more efficient. Select based on actual operating cost rather than efficiency.
  • Look at warranty terms carefully. Understand what the builder will do if structure fails and if there's a plumbing leak and for how long based on the language in the contract not what he says. Often multiple builders will say "it's covered for 30 years". In some cases the contract says exactly this yet in another case there are so many exclusions in the fine print you could never enforce it. But all builders say "30 years".
  • Make sure all quotes include providing you with a structural design stamped by a registered engineer.
  • Once you get your specs figured out, talk to a lot of builders. Select the top 3-5 based on experience, their quality systems, and fit. Fit means they typically build your type of pool and you think you can work with them. Get down to final negotiations with 2-3 and tell them they are a final bidder. At this point you have maximum leverage. You're in the driver's seat since your a qualified, serious potential customer. Be fair about this and never leverage this into an unfair set of requirements. Owners that put builders in an untenable position always lose. But don't let the builder do this to you either.
  • Never select on price alone but rather decide on value.
  • Understand and compare the builder's quality plan. Consider having one of your own too that can include an experienced inspector that works directly for you.
  • Spend all the time it takes to pre-qualify the bidders. Once you sign the contract you'll be joined at the hip with them for the 2nd most expensive purchase of your life. Do all the up front work to pick the right one and this can be a very rewarding and fun experience. Otherwise it can be terrible.
  • Make sure the builder is responsible for everything. This includes permitting, all the different crafts and all the equipment purchase. Make site clean-up his responsibility. Define this to your liking but be practical and fair about it too.
  • Do your part to make it easier for the builder. Make the site available when he needs it and anything else that helps.
  • Make the payment schedule fair and based on clearly defined milestones. Never pay for the pool completely in advance of completion. Tie at least 5% to a reasonable performance test such as: Pool holds water, dimensions are as contracted, equipment all tests out, clean-up is complete, all documentation is turned over to you.
  • Know your obligations during construction and start-up of the pool.
I hope this helps and I'm sure you'll get a lot more suggestions from our experts.

Chris
Click to expand...
Chris- I wasn't able to upload the video but here is everything else. :)
 
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The one thing I didn't really like about this design is that I don't think I'll be able to see water from my kitchen sink (which is behind the three windows in the lower right, but towards the front of the house, not right against the windows). I don't know how to "fix" that other than to build perpendicular to the house which we understand will be more expensive because we have a 4' drop in grade from the basement steps to the tree line.
 
Pool,

Great information, you have indeed done a lot very well! Your house, lot and pool look really nice! Some areas are challenged with supply of builders and looks like you're in one of them. At this point it appears you've found the best fit builder and you are leveraging what you can by combining with another pool in your area. I have no idea what the cost is for pools in your area but $180K for a pretty basic pool sounds like a lot. Could be the deep end adds more to cost than I was thinking. I'll ask our people in the industry to comment on this @bdavis466 @jimmythegreek. Looks like you have plenty of good access so that would move cost downward. It sounds like you've done all you can to attract quality builders to the scene.

Here are my thoughts on your plans so far and I'll see if I can get some layout/design input for you also @kimkats @YippeeSkippy @ajw22:

  • The biggest challenge you have right now is being in a hurry. Look for ways to make more time instead of finding ways to make decisions quickly. This will almost always bite you later on. Time to make good decisions is a two-edged sword and it feels like you may be too rushed.
  • Keep in mind that changes after contract award are very expensive. They will always cost more than you would think. Some of this is because there truly are more costs that you don't know about and some is due to a poor negotiating position. But they are very expensive. It's imperative that you really do not make changes if budget is a priority for you.
  • Get a copy of your HOA's requirements. Since your builder has worked in your development you have an advantage.
  • HOA's can be very difficult and you can sometimes help yourself by contacting them in advance. See if you can get some time with the chairperson of the architectural control committee and find out what they have the most difficulty with. Make it clear that you want to work with them. Remember "honey works better than vinegar". Often their requirements are not that difficult so long as the pool design isn't absolutely finalized before you make application.
  • If at all possible, do not commit to the contract before you have HOA approval.
  • Often, only the homeowner can get HOA approval but make sure the scope of work for your contractor includes all building permits and support for the HOA process. Make final award contingent on HOA and permit approval.
  • The builder's quality plan is a document that describes exactly what he does to ensure the quality is met. Yes, you should ask for this. This can include onsite inspection at critical milestones such as layout for excavation, concrete forms and rebar complete, plumbing, pouring etc.
  • The builder does indeed almost always require a stamped drawing for the pool design. But they won't always furnish it to you so ask them to commit to give it to you when you have the leverage and get this in the contract. If you do your own inspection you'll need it. Why? There a an infinite number of combinations of more rebar, higher strength concrete, higher strength rebar that will create a sound structure. So you need to know what the designer specified for your specific pool to know what should be built. You (or your inspector) can't look at the pool and say "that's not enough rebar" unless you have the design.
  • Owner inspections can be a touchy subject with builders. So it's important to be absolutely comfortable the builder has a quality plan you can rely on with minimal owner involvement or you have to be involved a lot. Minimal involvement does not mean no involvement though. Once concrete is poured the stakes are very high for repair or remove/replace.
  • You may be able to combine with your neighbor's pool for a qualified independent inspector that can witness some of the inspection for you if you're not familiar with what is needed.
  • Pool construction is fairly complex. There will be surprises where you will need to work together with the builder to solve. Make sure you know him well enough that you feel you can do this.
  • My preference for Pentair is mostly due to the capability of their top end Intellicenter control system and their overall reputation on this forum for VS pumps, salt systems, customer service, and DIY warranty.
  • The importance of automation is very much a personal preference. It's not even required for a pool. For me, convenience and the fact that we swim year-round makes it more important than for many. With no spa and future plans for additional features the pre-investment on a larger system may not be worth it. We control our irrigation, lighting, heater and filter pump remotely often. We may be out to eat and want to hit the spa so it's great to get the spa warmed up before we get home. We also like to change the temperature without having to go out in the dark and mess with controls at the equipment pad. We do the same with pool temp. It takes roughly an hour to heat 3 deg F. So having remote control is really nice. With no spa and a shorter swim season you could very well save the money and go with a simple 4 channel system.
  • One of the confusing things about pool heaters is that people often confuse efficiency with operating cost. It certainly impacts operating cost but it's not the only consideration. Even though heat pumps are extremely efficient gas can be priced so much lower than the net power cost that their operating cost is much lower. So you have to get the estimated operating cost for each to make the choice. Also, gas heaters are usually cheaper up front so the amount of time you actually use them affects the decision. There's really no general answer you have to do the calculation. Manufacturer's web sites can help you with this and you just need to get your own unit energy costs to do the calculation. We have experts that can help on that as well.
  • By all means feel free to post the contract for comments. You can blank out the personal information to maintain privacy.
  • Have you tried to layout your pool on the site drawing? You should make sure you don't conflict with any setback lines, easements etc. Your builder will do the final one but it helps if you do a little work on this first.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply and I hope this is helpful. Sorry for bouncing around so much but I wanted to be sure I responded to all your questions. If any of this raises more questions please do feel free to continue the discussion.

Chris
 
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Thanks for the response again, Chris!

We love our house and lot. I think we’ll really end up liking the pool design too. One note about the cost—the pool itself with the equipment and autocover is about $100K. The rest of the budget is the deck off the house, pool decking, fence, repairing the yard, etc. It’s all really expensive. Would welcome any design (or any other) input. This pool is a lifetime goal for me and I know I will only be able to afford to do it once in my lifetime, so I’m feeling the pressure to get it right.

One thing I would love input on is the deck off the house. We don’t have anything there now and a couple of deck builders have advised that we will hate the ramp because it will take too long to get to the pool and it is expensive. We don’t need a ramp now but have aging parents (who don’t currently live with us) and at least one of them is already not safe on stairs. If we want him to join the party we need to make that possible, so I put in the ramp, but is this a bad idea? Can anyone think of a better way to provide access for the elderly or disabled?
  • At this point the only way I can find more time is to delay making a commitment with my neighbor. Perhaps that is the right decision but it will eliminate a possibility for negotiating as a team because my neighbor is ready to go.
  • I have the HOA requirements and believe what we have designed is acceptable (although the guidelines don’t specifically address deck ramps). The HOA offers a pre-meeting to discuss large requests like pools. Our PB of choice has attended these before and has committed to attend with us as well. He seems very comfortable with what the HOA requires since he has built here before.
  • I think we’ll need to sign the contract before the HOA application but I will make sure that we can terminate in the event that the HOA (or the county) doesn’t approve.
  • I will ask for the quality plan and stamped drawings. Neither has come up in our discussions.
  • An independent inspector sounds like an interesting idea and is something I never thought of. Combining with our neighbor makes a lot of sense but if we delay a month that might not be possible.
  • I have not tried to lay out the pool on the site drawing but did get another drawing from the PB yesterday that shows dimensions and everything looks good.
  • I will post the contract too.
  • Last question (for now). Is there a service out there (other than soliciting you kind folks for free services) that I can pay that can listen to our pool needs/plans and recommend a suite of pool equipment? I know I can do lots of research and ask lots of questions here and figure it out, I’m just wondering if such a service exists that may speed things up. It’s not that I don’t trust our PB but as you pointed out earlier he may be conflicted, and I would feel better having an unconflicted expert opinion.

I truly cannot express how grateful I am for your guidance. Thank you so much.
 
Here is the contract:

Dimensions of Pool: Width 20' and Length 40'
Area: 800 sq ft
Shape of Pool: Rectangle
Depth: 3'6" - 8'

All Proposals and Designs are owned by XXXX Pool Builder and may only be distributed by XXXX Pool Builder or by written consent. Sharing our proposal and designs are strictly forbidden and unlawful. Please be respectful of the time and effort that we put into providing YOU a personal design and proposal. Do not provide this information to our competitors.

THIS AGREEMENT, between Contractor hereinafter referred to as "Seller" and "Buyer" (listed above), for the construction of a swimming pool and related equipment, agree that the terms and conditions listed on the bottom part of this agreement and that the writing contains the entire agreement between the Buyer and Seller, and further acknowledges that each of them has read and understood this entire contract, and has received a copy thereof, this contract may be amended by addendum, signed by any one of the buyers whose name appears below.

Pool to be completed approximately 90 working days after excavation under correct weather and working conditions. If other portions of the job that directly impact the ability of the pool to continue progress, then the 90 days will be re-evaluated. Excavation to begin within 5 days of the County permit approval and County initial Site Visit.

STANDARD CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

1. Seller to supply pool plans, stake out pool on day of excavation (Buyer to approve pool, equipment location, and elevation)
2. Seller to obtain STANDARD swimming pool construction permits for Buyer. Grading plan to be provided by other if needed
3. Access walls, obstructions, or fences to be removed by Seller, to be replaced by Buyer
4. Tree removal is the responsibility of the Buyer and should be done prior to excavation day
5. Excavation - Seller to excavate pool, hand shape and stock pile excess soil onsite day of excavation.
a. If upon excavation Seller finds tree stumps, Buyer will be notified of any potential extra costs to remove said tree stumps
6. A Standard Hydrostatic Control System shall be installed in all pools by Seller with relief plugs in deep and possible shallow ends
7. Steel Reinforcement to be structurally engineered to comply with (ASTM) No. A615. Steel structures to be bonded with #8 copper ground wire per National Electric Code
8. Pneumatically applied concrete shell (known as gunite or shotcrete) structurally engineered in accordance with the American Concrete Institute ACI-318 Standard "Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete" designed to attain 4,000 PSI Compressive Strength at 28 days. The minimum thickness of the gunite is to be as follows: walls 6", floors 6", covers 8", and perimeter bond beam 14"
9. Seller to install 6" bank of Frost Proof waterline tile. Color and Choice to be selected by Buyer from Sellers selection. If glass is chosen, Buyer realizes that this is an Upgrade and a change order will be given
10. Seller to electrically bond entire steel reinforcing and equipment for the pool
11. Pool equipment to be installed on concrete pad near AC Units
12. Plumbing to include two (2) deluxe self-adjusting weir and leaf bucket included, Dual Anti-Vortex Main Drains that are VGBA Compliant
13. Seller to provide Buyer proof of insurance papers upon request
14. Seller will provide the Buyer with start up instructions, equipment checkout, and will put equipment into operation
15. Buyer is responsible for the filling of the swimming pool
16. Interior Finish - Quartz Plaster
17. Winter Cover is included and will be installed after all final payments have been made
18. Boulders, Rocks, and Landscaping are not part of this package unless stated otherwise and are in the design for conception only.
19. This package does not include fencing
20. All proposals, 3D designs, and 3D videos are the copy righted property of XXXX Pool Builder and may not be shared without the consent of XXXX Pool Builder.
 
After reading this I guess I shouldn't have posted the design. Not sure how to get feedback without sharing it though. I will leave it up for another day or so to maximize any available advice and then remove it.
 

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