IG Pool Completed ✔️ Build Thread 📸 FINAL THOUGHT

[Riddler0520]

Yes, I was misinterpreting his proposed approach. I thought he was wanting to put gravel in trench even in the green areas and you were questioning how to fill the trench without access to the side of the trench. Which I would highly recommend instead of the virgin soil. It appears to be all clay and this might make the trench very soft for the remainder of the build a wheeled skid steer with a load could potentially sink down far enough to damage the plumbing.

So to get back to the original question you seemed concerned about backfilling the trench so they can have access to the back yard. I am not clear on what those concerns are.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Exactly as you described - if he just pushed the dirt back in and they and they compact it to drive the Skid over to gain better access I share the same concern around the weight and damage on plumbing

PB is coming over tomorrow, I’ll spend more time addressing this with him and asking why not just start gravel at pad through the green area to create a stronger base for skid to access and then begin removing all the mounds of dirt

knowing we want to plant grass there - how much topsoil do you thing we will need on top of the gravel for those green areas ?

sorry about not presenting the issue as clearly as I needed too - a lot easier when you are just standing back there and looking at access challenges and mounds of dirt and trenches

 

[Rich D]

knowing we want to plant grass there - how much topsoil do you thing we will need on top of the gravel for those green areas ?

6" of loam is more than sufficient. 4" is minimum.

 

[Rich D]

he installed a perimeter drain around the back side of the pool when all the tranches were there after Gunite and he laid down small amount of gravel for a base and then a drain pipe on top of it(near the bottom of the trench/close to bottom of pool) then laid down near 16 ton of gravel to complete the backfill - he ran that pipe out to adjacent creek
I don’t know how much the pipe will help in itself vs all that gravel I would think should also help as a natural drain vs water logged clay
He hasn’t done this yet but he is talking about for surface water dropping in a few catch basins and run that pipe out to creek as well - backside of pool if you recall is no decking, probably will just have about 3ft wide decorative stone barrier so I don’t have grass (and clipping) right next to pool coping.

how does that sound to you

Sounds correct. Did he Encase the entire length of pipe with stone all the way out to the creek?

 

[Riddler0520]

Sounds correct. Encase the entire length of pipe with stone all the way out to the creek?

Almost encased in all that gravel until we got out to the area outside of the deck and they just dug the trench to go under the fence and hit daylight into the creek
I had to push him on all that gravel but he did it - a full dump truck worth to backfill all behind the pool - he said it was over 16ton

I’ll let you know how my convo with PB goes tomorrow regarding the plumbing trenches - think you’ve shared enough with me now that I can have an informed discussion with him

the Project Manager doesn’t even come by anymore - the main Manager has taken over due to all my questions and supervision - I am sure I’m a pain in the a%# to him but this is how it will be until the end - my feeling is they overextend themselves with jobs with the CV demand and the homeowner either will or will not be involved throughout

once I get through backfilling they are preparing the area for deck install
When they are removing debris from site for base prep for deck, areas like this with stone/concrete reminiscence- should they be removing ALL of this or will they remove everything but stone/concrete pieces and use that as part of the base build up ?

 

[Rich D]

Almost encased in all that gravel until we got out to the area outside of the deck and they just dug the trench to go under the fence and hit daylight into the creek

That's unfortunate. The drain will still function, the stone would have helped.
As long as he did not bury any perferated pipe directly in fill.

 

[Riddler0520]

That's unfortunate. The drain will still function, the stone would have helped.
As long as he did not bury any perferated pipe directly in fill.

I will keep my eye on it over time and see how much flow is occurring into creek
Good news I guess is I could always dig around it and apply some gravel once this is done and they are gone - it’s only about 20ft where they dug through a bed, under a fence and into creek
Do you agree that all the gravel in itself will act like a French drain and help with channeling water ?

I think I got a lot more done vs if I didn’t say anything and bring all of your insights into the discussion - why I love this site and the experts who help along the way

 

[Rich D]

Do you agree that all the gravel in itself will act like a French drain and help with channeling water

Unfortunately not with your soil. You are relying on the stone to collect the water and get it into the pipe. Do you know where he used perferated pipe and where he used solid pipe?

 

[Riddler0520]

Unfortunately not with your soil. You are relying on the stone to collect the water and get it into the pipe. Do you know where he used perferated pipe and where he used solid pipe?

I will need to ask him but I believe it was all perforated thats encapsulated in the gravel around perimeter - he might of installed solid under where the deck will be and to the creek as I recall him mentioning he didn’t want it to leach out there
I’ll ask

to bad you couldn’t swing over - HAHA

 

[Rich D]

he might of installed solid under where the deck will be and to the creek as I recall him mentioning he didn’t want it to leach out there
I’ll ask

If he did use perferated without the stone you will get root intrusion that will clog the pipe.

 

[Riddler0520]

Quick question
OCD kicking in.....
The plumbing valves, would anyone else want all of the valves at the same height, or is that picky ? The far right valve looks lower, not sure why

Anything else look off or are we good ?

edit: dump truck of sand was delivered today to begin filling in trenches and encapsulating pipes after inspection passes —- where decking will go, know they need to leave 4”-6” for ABC, then sand, travertine paver for required depth/level

Additional actuators are going in as well, there are 2 currently, think PB said another 2 going in

 

[mguzzy]

Oooo, I like the thumbnails across the bottom! I can read your text screen shots, see your calendar and who is that handsome devil in the suit?!

The only thing that I see is the gas line on top of the water pipes. The code in my area is the gas line should be a foot below everything else, so it does get dug up by accident when working on irrigation or other piping. Ya might want to confirm that with the PB.

Other than than, its a nice clean pad. You'll likely not see it often, so the uneven pipes are not staring at you always. On my pad I put some salt and pepper rock where the pipes go down, for drainage and easy access if I need to service a pipe for some reason. Ya never can tell the future! your PB may have other plans.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I totally understand wanting the valves all at the same elevation. It would look a lot cleaner, not that it doesn't look pretty dang clean as it is. That is the difference between doing a good job, and doing a great job.

The one that would bug me would be the pipe going to the heat pump. I'd request that one be re-done, or plan on re-doing it yourself once they are gone. But I've already re-plumbed everything above grade on my pool. And it was just completed in January! My wife thinks I'm insane. I said "Not insane, particular." I now have plumbing approval prints and GA's on my list of 'for the next pool'. Who am I kidding? I am going to require that the trades let me assist so that it is how I want it, and not "looks good to me, can't see it from my house."

--Jeff

 

[Riddler0520]

Oooo, I like the thumbnails across the bottom! I can read your text screen shots, see your calendar and who is that handsome devil in the suit?!

Ah, thanks for that - have since edited....sometimes pics are to large to upload so I grab a screenshot, size and for some reason that always works

 

[Riddler0520]

Ya might want to confirm that with the PB.

The county inspector is coming tomorrow to inspect the gas connection so I’ll try and catch him when he comes over - good point, gas is always sketchy for me

 

[Riddler0520]

The one that would bug me would be the pipe going to the heat pump. I'd request that one be re-done, or plan on re-doing it yourself once they are gone

What particularly looks off and you would suggest they redo?? - PB is very used to me asking Q’s and having them adjust things so long as I tell him at a time that doesn’t require a chisel (his words) - think I will also ask him to adjust that far right valve up at level with the ones to the left
Good idea with the stone, think I will do the same

 

[Turbo1Ton]

This one here... Not sure why they installed it all crooked. Am curious if there was a reason for it. I don't see anything but I also don't know anything about the Jandy equipment.

Edit - on further review, it looks like they got lazy and did that to clear the line with the check valve in it. I would have used 2 - 45's to clip the corner and keep the line plumb and level.

--Jeff

 

[Riddler0520]

Edit - on further review, it looks like they got lazy and did that to clear the line with the check valve in it. I would have used 2 - 45's to clip the corner and keep the line plumb and level.

Perfect - that’s what my eye was drawn too as well for no other reason that it looked off. I’ll bring this up to PB - they have to come out anyways to install a few more actuators so I’ll ask for this pipe to be redone and the other valve shifted up

whenever I think I’m be to picky, I remind myself I am paying 6figures plus for a job and want it done with pride in workmanship.

appreciate your insight Jeff

 

[Rich D]

Perfect - that’s what my eye was drawn too as well

Yea. That one definitely would bother me. I guess everybody's OCD works differently. The low valve did not bother me much However no one mentioned the crooked pipe coming out of the ground going to the spa pump. It almost looks like the electrician might have pushed it out of level. That one might keep me up at night... Not to mention that electric conduit is very out of level coming out of the ground.

 

[RoyR]

Late to the party, did not see any waterproofing in your pics...with all that stone work, you are going to have efflorescence problems down the road. See that white coming out of the pool walls, the same wil happen to your stone walls. At least have the PB waterproof the entire inside of the spa before plaster (Hint: Acuron makes a product for this application)!

 

[Riddler0520]

Yea. That one definitely would bother me. I guess everybody's OCD works differently. The low valve did not bother me much However no one mentioned the crooked pipe coming out of the ground going to the spa pump. It almost looks like the electrician might have pushed it out of level. That one might keep me up at night... Not to mention that electric conduit is very out of level coming out of the ground.

Thanks Rich - the grey conduit looks to be slid into the pipes to hold it in place as it isn’t connected yet as it is resting there with wires sticking out - I’ll be sure that they level them out and arrange them neatly when they finish up the electrical - thanks for the observation as always