Houston, TX Pool Build Diary - From Design to Dive-In

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OK, just so I can post some misc other updates now that we've seen the circus that is my design and planning method....


We got safety fencing put up yesterday. It blocks off the entire half of the yard with construction going on so I can now let the dogs out and not have to worry about them getting hurt. We were all getting tired of leash lead outings.




Then today the cleanup crew came and did their thing. The forms came off and they got most of the scrap and waste out of the yard. When the crew did gunite, they left hills of dry gunite over the swampy path that the tractor created form the dig. It really helped keep things drier I think as there was no more mud. You could actually walk there and not get 5 lbs. of mud caked onto your shoes. But it needed to go too, so they used a bobcat to break it out since it did get wet and started to set up. I call this Mt. Gunite. The tallest hill in Houston.




Other than watering a few times a day, that's about it for now I guess until plumbing starts.

plat.
 
twinkiesmommy2009 said:
[emoji23] Just like that. Where is the pic of you guys sitting in the real thing now so we can picture how it actually works? Struggling to picture it when you describe tucking your heels in.
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Ok so here you can see the way the bench angles back in so you can tuck your heels back.





And then here is the pedestal. It also looks like it's going to make a good step up since it's shorter than the bench and easier to get a foot up on.






twinkiesmommy2009 said:
So nice! Yours has been a really fun and interesting one to watch Plat! Thanks!
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Thanks!


plat.
 
Interesting point on the toe topic. I wonder if having the color of the footrest be different from the rest of the spa to highlight it would keep it from being a tripping/stubbed toe hazard? Seems like it might become invisible if the same.
 
platipus said:
Ok so here you can see the way the bench angles back in so you can tuck your heels back.plat.
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Thank you! That looks cool and more ergonomic at the same time! Can't wait to see your reports on how it feels in practice with water in there. Getting closer all the time!

bmoreswim said:
Interesting point on the toe topic. I wonder if having the color of the footrest be different from the rest of the spa to highlight it would keep it from being a tripping/stubbed toe hazard? Seems like it might become invisible if the same.
Click to expand...

Hmm... That's an interesting thought! Any plans for a different color Plat?


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They are going to be Black Sea Beadcrete to blend in as much as possible with the rest of the floor. With jets and air on, you would never see them anyway even if they were a different color. The reality is that we will just need to be careful when walking in the spa to get in or out. It's also just me and my wife. No kids and just occasional guests. Worst case, we drain the spa and have them chiseled/ground out while my broken toe is taped to the one next to it....


plat.
 

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Your design was so well thought out! I have a slight case of "spa envy". So smart on all the angles and ergonomics! My PB would have never done it!

We have plumbing sometime next week, then decking. No clean up here yet.
 
kimkats said:
plat that looks awesome and oh so comfy! I see a water proof laptop so you never have to leave the spa!

Kim
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Haha yes! If you don't already have a waterproof case on your phone Plat, look into them. They are awesome! I have the Lifeproof on my iPhone and take it in the shower for music, used it at Splashtown to take pics of the kids, etc. once the pool is built I'll be able to work from inside the pool. Highly recommend it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
bradj said:
Footsies with friends!!!!

I love your pool design as well as looking back at your patio build.
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That reminded me of another thing that made me laugh from gunite when we were talking to the foreman. He said with the pedestals whoever was sitting across from you would.... and he just kind of winked and twittled his fingers together with each hand meaning play footisies. If you could see this guy and see him do that, you'd be chuckling like I am right now just thinking about it.



kimkats said:
plat that looks awesome and oh so comfy! I see a water proof laptop so you never have to leave the spa!

Kim
Click to expand...

The spa is the ESCAPE from the laptop!



Nursenini said:
Your design was so well thought out! I have a slight case of "spa envy". So smart on all the angles and ergonomics! My PB would have never done it!

We have plumbing sometime next week, then decking. No clean up here yet.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Because of the delay we had from starting the first time last spring/summer, plus all the lead-time we had anyway since we've been thinking about this ever since the patio was completed in 2013, there has been a LOT of time to consider every minor detail. It's a double edged sword. On the one hand, we went in with a very defined plan so the builder didn't have to guess at things, but on the other hand, it means the execution from the builder also has to reach a high bar. Fortunately for us they seem to be on the ball and really working to make the design come to life.



twinkiesmommy2009 said:
Haha yes! If you don't already have a waterproof case on your phone Plat, look into them. They are awesome! I have the Lifeproof on my iPhone and take it in the shower for music, used it at Splashtown to take pics of the kids, etc. once the pool is built I'll be able to work from inside the pool. Highly recommend it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is going to have to be something we consider. We're going with Hayward OmniLogic (controlled by phone), I run Z-Wave Vera for home automation (controlled by phone) and use Sonos for whole-house music (controlled by phone). I'm going to want/need the phone with me whenever in the pool and not have to worry about it getting wet. Now granted I am an Android user and I have an S5 which was the first of that line to go "waterproof", so technically, I can get it wet and not have to worry without a case. I would be concerned about the effect of saltwater on it though over the long term. The S7 just came out though, so I could take the chance and freshwater rinse it off all the time and see what happens. Worst case I get a new S7 in a few months....



As far as updates, weather is beautiful here. We had a cold front come in so it's only in the 60's today. Evaporation has been low for the last few days so the gunite is staying nicely damp and I have yet to notice any cracking. The builders crew showed up this morning and started trenching for plumbing. Forecast right now says no rain until Wednesday when there is a chance of a shower, but generally pleasant weather for the upcoming week with no more 80* days. Hopefully that bodes well for plumbing so it can go quicker and be less of a trainwreck to the yard.


plat.
 
My S5 Active bit the dust in my pool. It landed on the pool deck, the battery velocity knocked one teeny tiny corner of the back cover loose, it went into the skimmer basket, filled with water and died a slow soggy $500 water logged death. My wife uses hers in a floatie all the time, dips it in the water to wash it off, etc.
 
txnole said:
Thinking more about the footrest... It would be the perfect spot to add a foot massage jet!!
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Great minds!

So originally in my "I have an idea" plan the jets were in the foot rests. The issue when it came time to actually doing it was fitting the plumbing into them. As-built, the foot rests are 8" front to back, 12" left to right and 18" tall. It could have been done, but the pedestals would have had to been made larger (deeper front to back) which would eat into the open space in front of the seat. It also would have made them more "permanent" in that if they really do turn out to be a hazard and we want to break them out, then we would lose any ability to have useful foot jets since the feed pipe would be in the center of the pedestal which is too far forward to use when sitting. In the end it was an issue of practicality so we decided to move them into the floor.


plat.
 
ummgood said:
I love the spa! Believe me if those were my foot rests I would end up needing another surgery! After all I ended up needing 2 after I kicked a curb :)
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Makes me wince just thinking about that. I broke a pinky toe 2 years ago running to answer the phone. Wasn't wearing shoes and I slammed it into a door jamb. It just kind of wobbles around now. If it happens in the spa, they may very well come out....


plat.
 

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