My pool build / Thoughts - Any Suggestions?

[Curley]

I have loved reading the post on this forum, has helped me a lot in our planning and thoughts of what we want for our back yard pool and deck. With that said I thought I would post on here and follow up as we went along so we could get input. Please as you know any input can help.

I know this is going to cost an arm and a leg, but we really loved our pool at the last house and with a 6 year old feel we will get a lot of use out of this one.


We are looking at installing a Vinyl Liner pool in back yard at address above, the following is what we would like for pool / yard:
• 20x40 Patrician type pool with 8 foot deep end
• 27-30 mil liner
• Diving Board
• Steps under liner at rounded end (Straight steps, see picture below)
• Swimout/Bench on deep end of pool, again built into liner/wall not an insert (See picture below)
• 2 Post holes for Umbrellas
• Salt Water System
• Safety cover
• Pavers in the deck area (1446 sqft area)
• Bullnose pavers as coping around pool (Pool perimeter is 114 linear feet)
• 173’ of 4’ tall Fence with some columns (see layout idea)
• 1’ Wall (capped) below the fence (see thought process below)
o Total fence height 5’
• Hayward Super pump
• Hayward Top mount sand filter
• Hayward Aqua Plus Automatic Salt Chlorinator
• Two pool Skimmers with at least 3-4 returns

Here is the area/Layout we are looking at:

• See picture on next page but the fence/wall will be approximately 175 feet long with two gates (Gates not modeled in picture below).
• Swimout on deep end of pool on east side.

Here is kinda an ISO view of what we are thinking:

• The fencing will continue all the way around back to the house.
• The wall below the fencing is either 1 or 2 feet tall and the fence total height is 5ft.
• There will be two gates, one going out to the deck area to the south and one going out near the north facing wall of the house.
• NOTE: the awning shown already exist on house, can see this on Google Earth if you wanted to look.
• Was thinking decking and bullnose edging like or that of Techo Bloc, just like this picture:

Mojave Beige Techo Bloc Smooth Bullnose Coping
Sandlewood Techo Bloc Blu 80mm Pavers


With a wall kinda like this:

Pool Bench swimout like this:

And at last this type of pool:

Any suggestions? anything you think we missed?

I plan on posting pictures as we get going, well see I guess. have put some request for quotes out there today (4/4/12)

 

[byersj]

Wow, that will be a pretty amazing setup. I love my backyard but it was already built when I bought the home. High water table so no IG, but thats ok because I think it is more enjoyable except for diving to have a flat bottom pool

Where do you live? One thing around here is you have to have a privacy fence that cannot be seen from ground level into the pool.

The plans are highly detailed and I am impressed. Curious what software you used to make the 3D images.

Regards,

Steve

 

[Curley]

We live in the south, and I am nervous about water table, I looked at the local codes and the only limit we have is we have to have a 5 foot fence to keep out children and pets. this is how the section/law is written:

"Swimming pools and wading pools with a depth of one foot or more in any portion of the pool, and not located within a permanently and completely walled structure, shall be constructed no closer than ten feet of any property line and shall be completely fenced off from the ground up to a height of at least five feet. Fences and gates shall be so constructed and of such materials so as to prevent the entry of children and usual household pets into the pool area. Gates shall be provided with adequate locking devices and shall be locked at all times when pool is not in use."

so the plan is to meet that requirement but still be able to see out on our land, we have a pretty good view and about 6 acres of land.

Funny you ask about the software, I have an architectural program, expensive one at that and it was just to complicated. I modeled everything (Kinda) but as I had changes it was just to difficult to use, so that is using Google Sketchup to model it in 3D. I have the entire house in there also since I could port the model from my architectural program into sketchup.

 

[Curley]

does anyone have any suggestions/input on the bid process and the contract negotiation process?

Life has taught me to be cautious and I am not looking to just accept the low bid, I just want the job done right at a fair price.

[*]What might I need to look out for?
[*]Any specific questions I should ask of a PB?
[*]Should I sub out deck paving and wall myself?
[*]How is payment normally setup, meaning 20% start ~ 20% at some point and rest at end, or such?
[*]I read some, but any input on pavers being put in, I will research more but I am under the impression settling is an issue.

Thanks in advance

JM

 

[exbcmc]

We rec'd a letter from our home insurance company advising we'd be dropped unless we got rid of the diving board. I don't know how the heck they found out, we've only had it 34 yrs. I suspect Google maps and they zoom in on your yard. Heaven forbid they see my 4 pit bulls. Just kidding. Anyway, we convince them we'd take it out, which we were going to do in a re-hab anyway. So, unless it is too late, you may want to ask your ins agent. Our company WAS Liberty Mutual.

 

[Curley]

Thanks exbcmc, something else to think about.. lol

We got 3 bids, we estimated the cost at around 75K and were trying to be high but got back bids in the 80's and one int eh 90's.

Talking about what we will do with family so well see.

:?

 

[maxepr1]

Did you say 75K? Where do you live?

 

[Curley]

Alabama

 

[Wannabe]

My thoughts:

1. Why a 'sand' filter? A cartridge filter isn't that much more, and does a remarkable better job at 'polishing' the water.
2. I would ask your builders to break out their bids. How much for the pool, how much for the deck work, how much for the wall/fence. In my experience, you don't really get a break by having your pool builder do the extras, and it won't hurt to show the builder bids from other's who can do these extras.

3. Depending on your lender, you'll get a bunch of checks with the amounts entered to pay for each phase of your construction. Best part about this is if something isn't quite right, you can withhold a check till it's to your satisfaction

Best of luck in your decision making and your new pool.

 

[Curley]

thanks Wannabe,

Two of the bids came in and were split up, the HIGH bid was the one that wasnt, and it is REALLY suspect anyway. I was thinking the same thing, that they were just subbing the job and taking a cut and it would benifit me to do that footwork myself. is probably what we will do.

As for the sand filter, we had one on our last pool and just worked good, we understood it and it understood us. :-D

 

[duraleigh]

Why a 'sand' filter? A cartridge filter isn't that much more, and does a remarkable better job at 'polishing' the water.

All three types of filters can do a great job of filtering your pool. Here's a sand filter, through seven feet of water, with no additives or special tricks....just 6 year old sand that will last my lifetime.[attachment=0:3r6ubv3l]DSC00049.JPG[/attachment:3r6ubv3l]Likewise, all three types of filters can cause you problems if you do not operate them properly.

 

[bobby1017]

We rec'd a letter from our home insurance company advising we'd be dropped unless we got rid of the diving board. I don't know how the heck they found out, we've only had it 34 yrs. I suspect Google maps and they zoom in on your yard. Heaven forbid they see my 4 pit bulls. Just kidding. Anyway, we convince them we'd take it out, which we were going to do in a re-hab anyway. So, unless it is too late, you may want to ask your ins agent. Our company WAS Liberty Mutual.

I called and talked to my agent before and she said as long as the pool design is apropriate and the diving board is installed to meet current regulations there is no problem at all, and no price increase. Farmers insurance co.

Also we didn't need a fence as long as we had the safety cover. Doesn't really address what happens when it is open. We have no young children and usually I'm around if it is but I do go in the house. Maybe since were in a rural setting things are more relaxed.

 

[exbcmc]

We rec'd a letter from our home insurance company advising we'd be dropped unless we got rid of the diving board. I don't know how the heck they found out, we've only had it 34 yrs. I suspect Google maps and they zoom in on your yard. Heaven forbid they see my 4 pit bulls. Just kidding. Anyway, we convince them we'd take it out, which we were going to do in a re-hab anyway. So, unless it is too late, you may want to ask your ins agent. Our company WAS Liberty Mutual.

I called and talked to my agent before and she said as long as the pool design is approiate and the diving board is installed to meet current regulations there is no problem at all, and no price increase. Farmers insurance co.

Also we didn't need a fence as long as we had the safety cover. Doesn't really address what happens when it is open. We have no young children and usually I'm around if it is but I do go in the house. Maybe since were in a rural setting things are more relaxed.

Ironic, it is Farmer's that we went to when we dumped Liberty.

 

[Curley]

Not sure I want to contact the insurance company, just open a can of worms.. Blah

 

[exbcmc]

Not sure I want to contact the insurance company, just open a can of worms.. Blah

don't blame you. we just got a cancellation notice in the mail, out of the blue.

 

[Curley]

Ok so we decided on a contractor for the pool and a different contractor for the pavers and wall. Signed a contract and if the liner comes in they will start on the 9th. I will post some before, during and after pictures here. Will also update with some things we did and notes.

Here is to hoping it goes well...


:?

 

[Curley]

They started, here is to hoping all goes well..

Am nervous of course, they already screwed up and put pool too far away from house (compared to what I wanted). PB said he would cover the cost of extra pavers because he didnt want to start dig over

 

[exbcmc]

I am so envious of you folks in parts of the US where you have huge backyards. That is going be be great.

 

[Curley]

Thanks, I am hoping it does turn out nice, all is good so far. Here is the latest picture:

Like I said before they put the pool too far from the house but they are going to cover the added paver cost, which I am fine with. Broke some of my driveway coming in today also, said they will fix it when done.

 

[Curley]

Man I haven't posted in a while, I have pictures to post of the project along the way. They are pretty close to being done, we have been swimming for a while now.

I plan on giving some tips based on my experience with this project. I LOVE the pool and the layout and the colors, it just came out looking great. I HATE contractors and lazy people (more to come).

:-D