UPDATE:
My PB said "That is not how homerun returns work. Returns are done in sets because a single 2’ or 3” line is run out to the pool and split into two 1.5” returns through the wall because all returns are 1.5”. Having each 1.5” return run all the way back to the equipment is pointless and wasteful because there is no benefit. You are not getting more flow because you can still only push so much water through the pump. They were however not supposed to tee the deep and shallow end returns together but to bring the deep end returns back to the equipment and valve them above ground with the shallow end returns and I will have that corrected" (emphasis added).
Thus, he is saying that when the contract says "returns are home runs," it doesn't mean what I (and I think others on this forum) interpret as homeruns. Since he is agreeing to bring the two pipes of the returns back to the pad and valve them, he is (in part) giving me what I asked for. However, in lieu of giving me all home runs I also asked for something else. And I'm not sure if that something else is significant. Perhaps it should be another thread, but as it relates to piping I'll mention it briefly here. I have a 2 HP Pump for the 6 jets in my grotto and my 2 laminars. The PB put a main drain inside the pool for that pump and piped it with 2 inch pipe to the pad and abck to the grotto jets. But I noticed that the manual for the pump not only recommends 2 ½ inch pipe for this pump but also states that with 2 ½ I would get Maximum Flow Suction of 120 GPM and 149 Maximum Flow Discharge, but with only a 2 inch pipe I get only 85 and 105.
When the Laminars are not on, it makes sense to have the maximum flow to the Jets and when the Laminars are on, they will have a dedicated flow, and the Jets would get more (I believe) than they would get with the 2 inch pipe.
He says he will change this for me but that I have to pickup the cost and it requires a special order "(no one I buy from uses or stocks 2.5” pipe or fittings and therefore it would be even more expensive to special order)"
If I thought 2 1/2 pipe was important, I might push back and say that when he said "returns are all home runs" in contract his interpretation was not justifiable and I should get the 2 1/2 piping for the jets as compensation (as well as for other mistakes). But if the 2 1/2 piping doesn't seem to be a big deal, I'll drop it.
Any thoughts please?
Thanks