Hurry up and wait! (Katy, TX)

[renesme]

Never had a pool before but both my grandparents did growing up and thus began the "I want a pool" life goal. Moved south many years ago and now this year is the year!

I've been snooping on this site for a couple years now and you've convinced me that salt water and a robot are the way to go. Also as part of this project I'm planning on getting the existing back porch extended across the full width of the house. The western sun is brutal during the 8-month summers we have, and that should help increase the utility of the backyard.

I am currently iffy on whether to do a spa. I agree that the standalone kinds are superior in virtually every way, but I admit that I like the idea and aesthetics of the integrated kind. The kids claim they'll use it all the time, but you know how kids' promises go...

So at this point, I've had 2 PB appointments this past week and 2 more scheduled next week. The first design/quote came in from PB #1 and I'd like to get your thoughts. I've already asked for an itemized quote with part numbers, and intend to sub out the chlorinator for a SWG and nix the auto pool cleaner. So I'll post that once I get it.

PB #1: "...The pool is 12x30, has a sun deck, a raised spa, travertine coping and spray deck decking with drains to edge of deck. The pool is equipped with our Total Hayward package including Phone accessible Hayward remote control, Hayward led lighting, Hayward energy efficient variable speed pump, Hayward 525 Sq. Ft cartridge filter, Hayward blower, Hayward chlorinator, Automatic pool cleaner, The Hayward 400000 btu heater and everything you need to care for your pool . Total price for the pool including final clean up and grading is $50500.00.

The price for the Patio extension built as close as possible to match house with you supplying the bricks and 2 ceiling fans is $22000.00,..."

I'll post the other quotes/designs as they come in.

Love to get y'alls thoughts!

 

[Nikilyn]

We weren't going to have a spa just to keep costs down. But then we started thinking about our kids, who are mostly grown, and grandkids and decided that we would get a lot of use out of it. In the summer it will be a baby pool or a place for grown ups to sit while the kids swim. I'm not a stand alone spa fan. I think if you're getting one for therapy that is one thing, but ours will be a social thing. So think about how why you want it and go for it if you want.

 

[renesme]

Yeah, that's basically how I'm thinking of it as well. Social, not therapy.

 

[colinn]

Yeah, that's basically how I'm thinking of it as well. Social, not therapy.

Good morning, I’m also in Katy. What part of Katy are you in? I’m off of 1093. I’m also currently in the middle of a build and I did the integrated spa and like the concept. I think the two concepts are nice. You will definitely have more space if you have a stand alone pool but it is nice to have the spill over of the spa into the pool. Not to mention you have the option of heating the pool if you have the spa already built in.

 

[renesme]

colinn, I'm on the north end of 1463, near I-10. The hesitation on the spa is also that adding it will blow-up my mental budget I was hoping to stick to. But I also recognize that if I'm spending this kind of money in the first place, may as well ensure I avoid any "what ifs" down the road.
Can you PM me the builder you are using? Are you happy with them so far?

 

[nicolispicoli]

I love your design with the spa! I feel like people are either spa people or not though. A friend specifically removed a spa from his house when they redid it, but it was a non-negotiable for us. I feel like it’s so nice to just heat up the spa after a long day!

I am no help on the quote, when we were getting quotes in Los Angeles, the cheapest we found for “just the pool” (and integrated spa) was about 80K. And on top of that all the companies are very busy so although we signed in November, we are looking to break ground mid-February. We don’t even get weather delays over here!

 

[HermanTX]

Hi and welcome to becoming a pool owner. There are many of us on the forum from Katy, Houston, Sugar Land, area.
I like the design with the sundeck under the patio. Great to keep the little ones out of the sun.
I have been in Katy area for 20 years and have had 2 pools - both built by previous owners - so never been through the build process but have been through lots of repairs, equipment changeouts, pool repair service companies, etc.
This forum is great and you will gets lots of help.

You are on the right track to get a SWCG and Hayward equipment is good. I like the cartridge filter and the 400k BTU heater. Be sure to get never lube valves to control flow.
Also, get 2 skimmers and have each independently plumbed back to your equipment pad.
You may want to ask your PB how you will drain your pool. Every area (or MUD) has different rules as to where pool water can be drained to. Also, will you have a water softener?
Suggest you get your TF-100 test kit now so you can start to practice on your fill water.

I like that my spa is integrated with a spill over to the pool. My previous pool did not have a spa (nor a heater), and I felt we missed out on a couple of months of swimming in the pool as well as just the use of the spa with the heater. I would recommend that you have control of the spillover set up in the plumbing. Mine does not and while it is fine, I do wish on some occasions I could turn off the spillover while the main pool is on.

Good Luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[renesme]

Herman, thanks for all the suggestions. Good point about draining water, I'll have to look into that and ask the PB the same.

Also, will you have a water softener?
Suggest you get your TF-100 test kit now so you can start to practice on your fill water.

We have an existing water softener. And good idea on getting the test kit early.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I would kill for those Houston area pool prices, as would most of the country. I really like the design, it is actually very similar to ours. The only thing I would recommend would be some sort of raised wall or jumping rock to give kids a good spot to jump off of in the deep end.

I will say we are on year 2 and use our spa at least once a week which is a lot more than I thought. We can see the patio TV from the spa, so it is perfect for sporting events, movie nights, etc. I would highly recommend adding a TV to the patio if you were not planning to.

 

[HermanTX]

We have an existing water softener.

If you have a water softener then you definitely need to get your test kit.
Based on other discussions on the forum, every water softener can be plumbed differently - especially when it comes to connections to the external (outside) hose bibs. Mine is connected to all 3 external bibs so my fill water is always "softened" i.e. with no calcium. However, my inlet to the water softener system (which is outside) has its own hose bib and I can run a hose from it to the pool if I wanted to add "hard" water. You have to be careful with Calcium Hardness because if you have too much then you have to drain water - so great that you have a water softener, just understand what it is connected to and what is your fill water CH values.
Unless you already know exactly how your water softener was connected to the house, once you get your test kit - test each of hose bibs and the inside tap water and note the differences if any on the calcium value.

 

[renesme]

The only thing I would recommend would be some sort of raised wall or jumping rock to give kids a good spot to jump off of in the deep end.

We're not going to have much of a deep end. I've been asking about doing 6' but the PBs have recommended 5.5 so the floor slope isn't too steep. How high would you raise the wall? Right now the design for PB1 has it at 6".

I will say we are on year 2 and use our spa at least once a week which is a lot more than I thought. We can see the patio TV from the spa, so it is perfect for sporting events, movie nights, etc. I would highly recommend adding a TV to the patio if you were not planning to.

A TV is definitely in the plan! It'd be centered on the house so should be nicely visible from anywhere in the pool area.

If you have a water softener then you definitely need to get your test kit.
Based on other discussions on the forum, every water softener can be plumbed differently - especially when it comes to connections to the external (outside) hose bibs. Mine is connected to all 3 external bibs so my fill water is always "softened" i.e. with no calcium. However, my inlet to the water softener system (which is outside) has its own hose bib and I can run a hose from it to the pool if I wanted to add "hard" water. You have to be careful with Calcium Hardness because if you have too much then you have to drain water - so great that you have a water softener, just understand what it is connected to and what is your fill water CH values.
Unless you already know exactly how your water softener was connected to the house, once you get your test kit - test each of hose bibs and the inside tap water and note the differences if any on the calcium value.

The softener is plumbed right before where the main water line enters the house, so I am fairly sure everything is soft water, including the hose spigots. I too have a tap on the softener to run a hose for hard water, similar to what you describe. But, you are right, it would be good to test everything to be sure.

 

[JJ_Tex]

We're not going to have much of a deep end. I've been asking about doing 6' but the PBs have recommended 5.5 so the floor slope isn't too steep. How high would you raise the wall? Right now the design for PB1 has it at 6".

We have a very small 6' deep end, and the wall is 18" at its highest. Here is ours, right before the fill:

 

[renesme]

We have a very small 6' deep end, and the wall is 18" at its highest. Here is ours, right before the fill:

Very nice! Any issues with the littles stubbing their toes (or bum!) on the bottom when jumping from the 18" beam?

 

[JJ_Tex]

Very nice! Any issues with the littles stubbing their toes (or bum!) on the bottom when jumping from the 18" beam?

No, you really have to try and hit the bottom. We do not let them dive though.

 

[renesme]

ok good to know.

 

[mguzzy]

That is a nice design, especially given the space constraints you have. As to the depth.. here is a consideration. How tall are you. If you are over 6feet tall, then you can stand in a 5.5ft deep end. If you are not.. then no matter. I know my kids like playing more diving games in the deep end as they got older. It didn't really make much difference when they were younger 'cause the deep end was just "down there". The other thing is do you want to do more shallow end stuff? I think that would dictate how much shallow end you have. Personally, I would go with a 6ft deep-end minimum... and move the apex of the deepend more to one side and I think you'll make it. Let the PB can deal with the steepness on his own. Its his job to build what you want.

@JJ_Tex I see you have your dog coned off from the pool... poor guy

 

[renesme]

I'm 5'6" and the SO is 6'2". I'd like a deep end deep enough that we can tread water when we want to, and also allow some jumping in (no diving of course). I like the sport pool design since it also maximizes space for pool games which will be nice given the limited space we have to work with. I've been considering something like 4' to 6' to 4.5', which would be about a 1 foot change over 8 feet or so. The builder recommended shallower but said he'd do whatever I wanted.
Is there an industry standard or best practices when it comes to floor slopage?

 

[HermanTX]

@renesme I have a free form pool which is about 25ft x 15ft useable swim area (excludes steps). Mine is 3.5 right at steps which goes quickly to 4ft then 5.5 in middle and back up to 4ft on the other end. The slopes are not an issue. Hope this helps.

 

[renesme]

That does help. Thank you.

 

[ofcounsel]

We're in the process of building a very similar pool here in Southern California. The main "swim lane" area of the is 12'x37.5' with the total length from steps area to other end at 47.75', with an 8'x8' spa and a small 7'x 12' tanning shelf. The depth starts at 3.5' right by the steps, is 4' in the shallow end of the "swim lane" area, and goes to 6' about half way across. The covered patio area is 16'x20'. Unfortunately, our pool required that I remove about 6'x70' of slope and the construction of the massive retaining wall in order to get the pool to fit the way we wanted it. But it will be quite efficient use of our postage size back yard when we're all done.