Hi All,
I have asked a few questions here and there and I am sure someone might appreciate the build process. Also could use some tips as we progress through this. It has been a challenge to date by partially burying the pool but we making progress. Some lessons learned and it does feel a bit overwhelming. =)
We have a 10" slope in the yard, so we plan to go down 27" on one side and 17" on other below ground. This allows the maximum bury that warranty will allow on the pool. In reality it looks to be about 24-25" in ground and we will add a couple inch grade away from pool. I have the pool and 21 boards of 1" XPS in garage waiting.
What we have done so far.
We marked out where we want the dig. A little over a week ago, contractor started the dig but got stuck in the mud with his first load at drop off site. This was only place we found at the time to drop it off and now had no place to put the dirt. Even if it dried out, he didn't feel comfortable with the drop off location. We have been looking for a couple weeks and no luck, this was only place we found. We decided to proceed with dumping the dug out dirt in our yard and figured we would figure this out another day. We wanted to work on installing the pool.
It has been raining over the last week so we have had to pump the water out of the dug out hole and haven't been able to work on the pool nor get the dirt removed. Lesson number one, be patient, find a place to dump the dirt and do not do it in your yard. Our grass is gone now in most of our back yard due to where it was dumped, as well as now where the bobcat now had to go to move the dirt. Our lawn grade will need to be redone as well where we dumped the dirt, lots of sod or seed will be needed. Looking back we probably should have just waited, but we won't dwell on the decision and move forward. It was about 39 cubic yards of dirt dug.
This past weekend someone else was able to remove the dirt, found drop off location but it was pretty far away. Took some time to get there and back, but got it done. Neighbor has a laser level so we leveled the 18 footing stones the pool will sit on. Even though I rented a laser level for the group digging out the site, we learned while leveling the footing stones the dig was off by 4-5" from one side of the pool to the other. Disappointed, but moving forward. With the footing stones leveled, some of the stone will be ground level and slowly grade up 4-5" to other side. We took some of the backfill dirt and built up around the stones that were high.
We have 4 tons of sand being delivered today. I am guessing on the amount needed, hopefully it enough. We have dirt we can put down on the high side as well. One side of the pool will need a lot less sand than the other below the XPS and foam coving.
This is where we are today. Every step seems to have been taking longer than imagined. I may have underestimated the effort here by a lot. lol. I will add some pictures below and keep up with the progress. I did have one outstanding question which I started another thread on regarding winterizing around the outside of pool underground. Will add more in a few, want to save and make sure I do not lose any of this...
I have asked a few questions here and there and I am sure someone might appreciate the build process. Also could use some tips as we progress through this. It has been a challenge to date by partially burying the pool but we making progress. Some lessons learned and it does feel a bit overwhelming. =)
We have a 10" slope in the yard, so we plan to go down 27" on one side and 17" on other below ground. This allows the maximum bury that warranty will allow on the pool. In reality it looks to be about 24-25" in ground and we will add a couple inch grade away from pool. I have the pool and 21 boards of 1" XPS in garage waiting.
What we have done so far.
We marked out where we want the dig. A little over a week ago, contractor started the dig but got stuck in the mud with his first load at drop off site. This was only place we found at the time to drop it off and now had no place to put the dirt. Even if it dried out, he didn't feel comfortable with the drop off location. We have been looking for a couple weeks and no luck, this was only place we found. We decided to proceed with dumping the dug out dirt in our yard and figured we would figure this out another day. We wanted to work on installing the pool.
It has been raining over the last week so we have had to pump the water out of the dug out hole and haven't been able to work on the pool nor get the dirt removed. Lesson number one, be patient, find a place to dump the dirt and do not do it in your yard. Our grass is gone now in most of our back yard due to where it was dumped, as well as now where the bobcat now had to go to move the dirt. Our lawn grade will need to be redone as well where we dumped the dirt, lots of sod or seed will be needed. Looking back we probably should have just waited, but we won't dwell on the decision and move forward. It was about 39 cubic yards of dirt dug.
This past weekend someone else was able to remove the dirt, found drop off location but it was pretty far away. Took some time to get there and back, but got it done. Neighbor has a laser level so we leveled the 18 footing stones the pool will sit on. Even though I rented a laser level for the group digging out the site, we learned while leveling the footing stones the dig was off by 4-5" from one side of the pool to the other. Disappointed, but moving forward. With the footing stones leveled, some of the stone will be ground level and slowly grade up 4-5" to other side. We took some of the backfill dirt and built up around the stones that were high.
We have 4 tons of sand being delivered today. I am guessing on the amount needed, hopefully it enough. We have dirt we can put down on the high side as well. One side of the pool will need a lot less sand than the other below the XPS and foam coving.
This is where we are today. Every step seems to have been taking longer than imagined. I may have underestimated the effort here by a lot. lol. I will add some pictures below and keep up with the progress. I did have one outstanding question which I started another thread on regarding winterizing around the outside of pool underground. Will add more in a few, want to save and make sure I do not lose any of this...