Help with new construction pool bids

[UnieeBlue]

Hello

This site is so so so helpful, and I see where others have posted pool bids to get advice. We desperately need advice! We are building a new home in North Texas - DFW area. It is outside the city limits, well water, and the ground was "built up" with dirt from and old creek bed at the back of the property. (we did not realize when we bought the property that this would be needed) because of the build up, we are very concerned about the ground - shifting etc. We have received 3 bids so far with 1 or 2 more coming. We are being told different things - some say piers, other say soil injections - some say they use a licensed engineer others don't. Because of this I am going to contact an engineer myself to get an answer on piers or no piers. Any advice is much appreciated!!!

Here are 2 bids that we like the most so far:
Both have similar prices - attached picture of pool from builder #1 both are similar

Pool Builder #1:

Pool Size		32 x 18 x 25
Area		638 sq ft
Perimeter	115'
Gallons		18,250​
Tile		6 x 6
Coping		Flagstone
Raised beam	Flagstone
Decking		965 sq ft no color Heavy stone
Steel		1/2" pool steel
		12" raised bed across backside of pool venereed in Oklahoma Flagstone
		2 18" raised columns
Filter		Cartridge
Water features	1 - 48" sheer descent
		2 - 24" sheer descent
		2 Under coping spray head
Bubblers		2 on tan ledge
		auto fill water
Umbrella sleeve	1 on tan ledge
Equipment:
	InLine Chlorinator
	Main Pump: Jandy CV 580 HP VS epump
	Pump 2: Jandy 1.65 HP VS epump
	Light: 2 multicolor Jandy LED

POOL BUILDER 2:

114' Straight Line Pool	3.5 to 6'
20,600 gallons
Steel shell, struction all 1/2" #4 rebar on 10's and 5''s w/#4 on beam
Hand Cut and formed gunite pool, shell 8 inch walls and floor 12" beam
12" lueders coping
Waterline tile on pool 6" x 6"
Upgrade to "wet edge" signature pebble plaster level 1
2 LED MULTICOLOR MICROBRIGHT LIGHTS 100'
2 skimmers w/4 Jandy valves
Pentair Easytouch 4 controls mounted at equipment and screen logic controls
Formed concrete or prefab equipment pad
Pentair VS variable speed high efficiency pump (3 HP)
Pentair FNS Plus DE Filter
Pentair prowler electronic pool cleaner
Inline Chloiene feeder
Bubbler - 1 on tanning ledge
Umbrella sleeve - up to 4
Electrical hookup / installation 220/110 volt
Plumbing all sched 40, 2" suction, 1/15" returns, all features independentl run
Plumbing buried 12" to 14"
Piers - 17 Helical piers - est
Deck brushed, sal, aggregate or bare stampedconcrete
Water feature: 3 tier water feature (10' x 12", 5' x 18") 3 1" sheer descents
Separate super flow pumps

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

The bids with a the licensed engineer for steel requirements due to soil conditions are the only bids I would consider.

 

[UnieeBlue]

Thank you!

 

[kimkats]

Hi and welcome to TFP.

I don't see the depths on the 1st quote. (might have missed them)

Equipment-make sure to get all of the model numbers. There are so many different ones with the same "name" so model numbers are very important! Share them with us so we can make sure you get what your pools needs.

I would have our own engineer for sure. It will pay off in the end.

 

[ajw22]

I prefer Pentair equipment except that Pentair declared EasyTouch obsolete as of September 2023.

Builders should not be looking to sell their obsolete inventory to new customers.

Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Homebrewale]

Both builders are specifying inline chlorinators. Why did I know this was being built in Texas before looking at the location?

 

[kimkats]

The LACK of the SWG!

 

[Homebrewale]

The LACK of the SWG!

Yes, I was pointing out the obvious. Why are Texas based builders resistant to installing SWG? I didn't know a thing about pools when I had my first one built in NC in 2006. Back then, my builder was putting in SWG.

 

[kimkats]

It is like Florida builders and the *love* for tiny filters! Neither makes sense at all but it is what it is and we are on the lookout on builds here to help make sure they DON'T fall into those traps.

 

[Homebrewale]

It is like Florida builders and the *love* for tiny filters! Neither makes sense at all but it is what it is and we are on the lookout on builds here to help make sure they fall into those traps.

Is there a word missing in that sentence or do you really want them to fall into those traps?

 

[kimkats]

Good Catch! Brain said but fingers did not type We do NOT want pool owners to get the wrong equipment.

 

[UnieeBlue]

Thanks all - I’ve asked every one of the builders about SWG and they all said it was not recommended because of the well water

also the depth is going to be either 6 or 7 feet

ill go back to each and ask for model numbers and post back but 1 may be eliminated once we find out about the piers issue and we will be back to looking for another bidder

 

[UnieeBlue]

Hi and welcome to TFP.

I don't see the depths on the 1st quote. (might have missed them)

Equipment-make sure to get all of the model numbers. There are so many different ones with the same "name" so model numbers are very important! Share them with us so we can make sure you get what your pools needs.

I would have our own engineer for sure. It will pay off in the end.

Both builders are specifying inline chlorinators. Why did I know this was being built in Texas before looking at the location?

Hi and welcome to TFP.

I don't see the depths on the 1st quote. (might have missed them)

Equipment-make sure to get all of the model numbers. There are so many different ones with the same "name" so model numbers are very important! Share them with us so we can make sure you get what your pools needs.

I would have our own engineer for sure. It will pay off in the end.

Thanks for the heads up! I asked the vendor and he said he he Was using up his supply - that he had had good luck with that model but he could order the new one if we wanted

 

[UnieeBlue]

Hi and welcome to TFP.

I don't see the depths on the 1st quote. (might have missed them)

Equipment-make sure to get all of the model numbers. There are so many different ones with the same "name" so model numbers are very important! Share them with us so we can make sure you get what your pools needs.

I would have our own engineer for sure. It will pay off in the end.

Thanks for the advise it’s so very helpful. We have decided to eliminate the bid with no piers - we called and they still insisted that soil injections were all that was needed and their bid was inline already with the other bids that had the cost of piers built in …..