New Backyard w/ FG Pool - Toronto - Owner/Builder

[Van G]

We've been planning for a few years while renovating/adding to our home in Toronto and are well on our way with the backyard project.

Choose a Leisure Pools Ultimate 40
Surface Area: 617 sqft
Volume: 17,690 gallons
Perimeter: 111 Linear Ft
Dimensions: 40' L x 15'5" W
4'3" Shallow to 7' Deep, consistent slope
8'x7' x 18" Shelf
6'x7' Spa
Plumbed with Tiger Flex 1.5", dual lines from skimmer.



Sketch show functional layout along with a few features we'd like advice on, in addition to equipment feedback.

So our questions:
Equipment - we've got access to good pricing on Hayward and are satisfied with quality from reading and friends referral. Since we have the Hayward ColorLogic Lights installed, we thought dedicating some money to the new VS Omni Pumps with Smart Control integrated was wise - gives us remote control for lights, spa, and heater.
Pump - Super Pump Vs 700 Omni 1 1/2 HP



Once we've nailed down which pump we can fill in the rest of our shopping cart with SWC, Filter, Heater (NG), robot cleaner, auto filler/drain, etc...

We'll purchase a safety cover for winter and a solar blanket for inseason use. Couldn't justify spending the money on auto-cover when I know there will be issues with it down the road. Canada isn't so kind to these mechanics!

Features:
Basketball Net - how is my placement and should I use a net on wheels or pour a sleeve during patio construction?
Volleyball Net - same questions and will it get used given the water depth as you move into deeper end?
Waterfall and Laminar Jets - Couldn't convince my wife to have either of these. I'll depend on TFP to guide us in the right direction.
Jumping Rock - novelty or a must?
Other Options that I need to consider during construction?

I'll post pics of the build to date plus some sketches of the whole yard plan.

Look forward to feedback.

 

[Van G]

Yard showing pool location with yellow line:

Yard scraped for grade:

Crane doing it's thing!
https://youtu.be/qBq5NHftFwg

Pool in place with plenty of aggregate for everyone:

View of yard from our main room:

 

[kimkats]

Nice job! Did you hold your breath while the crane brought it up and over??? Fun and scary at the same time!

I would not bother with the deck jets. They are very finicky. As for a water fall............it is more of a party trick that will need work down the road to keep it clean. Maybe get a pretty planter fountain for the deck for a pretty noise.

What are you doing to do for the decking around the pool?

Kim

 

[MirellaJoe]

hey another Canadian here!! loving watching threads like this. Looking good so far

 

[Van G]

Crane was pretty exciting for everyone on the street, except for a few grumpies

Landscape sketch below. Apolgies for the analog drawing but it works in our process!

We've got lots of patio space - using a 12" dark natural stone for coping and a 16"x32" Grey Oaks Paver.
Approx 1500 sqft or hardscape and 500 sqft artificial turf. The remaining is grass.
There will also be a pergola with roof on the Turf for those rainy days
I'm putting 2 4x4 posts in footings this weekend for some sort of covered bbq station/bar but I don't know exactly what design to go with. Thinking Caribbean style jerk pit with galvanized roof and wood structure.


Appreciate the input on laminar jets and other features. Not interested in something that causes headaches.

What mounts should we look at for sports nets? Assuming this is a sleeve cast in a concrete footing? How does patio stone finish around it?

 

[Van G]

Equipment Choices

How can I help populate my equipment list?

Pump: Hayward Super Pump Vs 700 Omni - 1 1/2 HP enough for our pool with spa? Automation onboard seems like enough for our pool.

Heater - Have electric and nat gas to pool shed but given the need to spike temp for spa and cost of electricity, nat gas seems like the right choice. 200k btu the value sweet spot? Also, we plan to keep the pool open as long as possible, as in swimming for Christmas.

Solar Heating - roof of pool shed will be black low slope so I was going to throw a number of black plastic coils up there for the poor man's panels. Won't help me in the shoulder months but May to October is the target.

 

[kimkats]

This will go in your signature:
-settings (upper right of this page
-edit signature (middle left)
-put in pool info-kind and size (gallons), filter-kind and size, pump-size and speed, test kit, how you are going to add chlorine,

Kim

 

[Van G]

I'm having a real tough time finding coping in large lengths that we can use to cap the interior spa walls.

Pcs at 7.5' and 8.5' with profile on both edges. We wanted to go with a straight face that had top and bottom edge relieved (think countertop) but finding material is tough in Toronto.

 

[ddma]

Cool pool and drawing. Almost did artificial sod; let me know how it works out, and if you're happy with the supplier.
Looking forward to see the rest of the build

 

[Brianf60]

I would recommend the basic deck jets if you have kids. We put in 3. They were cheap and every kid that comes over loves them. They make a great background noise to if you have loud neighbor. The jumping rock is a must. Again it was super cheap. 2 hours and 4 pieces of gas pipe and a pry bar and I moved it from my trailer to its final resting stop!

 

[uxbridgechris]

looks awesome buddy. Every jet is a potential failure point imo. If you have 10, you are 5 times more likely to have a problem than if you have 2. Just the way I think. Simplicity, specially when we live in a climate where we need to drain lines in fall.

So right on auto cover. Just another thing to break and big $$$

Auto fill as per my build thread, Jandy levolor is working good for me. $600 can. Just make sure you run sensor line in conduit for easy replacemennt.

Also, consider an overflow in the skimmer so that you dont need to pump out when we get 2" of rain.

Party time at Van's house!!

 

[Van G]

looks awesome buddy. Every jet is a potential failure point imo. If you have 10, you are 5 times more likely to have a problem than if you have 2. Just the way I think. Simplicity, specially when we live in a climate where we need to drain lines in fall.


Auto fill as per my build thread, Jandy levolor is working good for me. $600 can. Just make sure you run sensor line in conduit for easy replacemennt.

Also, consider an overflow in the skimmer so that you dont need to pump out when we get 2" of rain.

Wise advice. Auto-Drain Jandy as well?
Who did you buy your equipment through?

 

[uxbridgechris]

Wise advice. Auto-Drain Jandy as well?
Who did you buy your equipment through?

No. auto drain is simply a hole that you knock out in skimmer. or in my case I drilled a few holes. About 20 holes 3/16" diameter in the skimmer 1.5" above the water line. Rain drains into backfill material then to my sump pit.

I got the Jandy auto fill at toronto pool supplies. Took about 3 or 4 days to get. Super important for a small pool like mine. Less important for a bigger pool like yours but still a nice feature.

 

[ddma]

No. auto drain is simply a hole that you knock out in skimmer. or in my case I drilled a few holes. About 20 holes 3/16" diameter in the skimmer 1.5" above the water line. Rain drains into backfill material then to my sump pit.

I got the Jandy auto fill at toronto pool supplies. Took about 3 or 4 days to get. Super important for a small pool like mine. Less important for a bigger pool like yours but still a nice feature.

Auto-drain - I need to figure this out for my pool.

One of the disadvantages of small pools I guess, one torrential rain, and I'm watching the pool level - had to drain it twice yesterday during the rain storm.
But no problem to keep warm

 

[uxbridgechris]

https://torontopoolsupplies.ca/jandy-k1100ckc-levolor-electronic-water-leveler-110-220v-with-sensor-100-and-1-valve.html

Van, this is what I got and where. if you need a sensor longer than 100' you need to email them. This sensor line cannot be made longer with a splice.

- - - Updated - - -

Auto-drain - I need to figure this out for my pool.

One of the disadvantages of small pools I guess, one torrential rain, and I'm watching the pool level - had to drain it twice yesterday during the rain storm.
But no problem to keep warm

My pool temp dropped from 92 to 88 with that rain. lol

 

[Van G]

So that’s what the 3/4” knockout on the back of my skimmer is for! Maybe it’s 1”...

Glad you let me know. I can plumb that to our French drain before raising grade.

I’ll check out the auto fill. Run to pad is 50’.

 

[uxbridgechris]

So that’s what the 3/4” knockout on the back of my skimmer is for! Maybe it’s 1”...

Glad you let me know. I can plumb that to our French drain before raising grade.

I’ll check out the auto fill. Run to pad is 50’.

yep. think it takes 3/4" or 1/2" sch 40 pvc. I couldn't use mine. Where the skimmer is mounted to pool, the wall is on a 15 degree or so tilt. Therefore my skimmer is tilted 15 degrees making that knockout too low. so I just drilled holes smaller than my HPB (1/4" Chip gravel)

 

[Van G]

I really like the price of my auto-drain feature!

Have to look at the auto-fill systems. Need to move on this before raising grade for pavers.

 

[Van G]

Got all my conduit runs in, formed up the collar for the pool and poured the other day.

Forms off and started to put down crusher run in 2” lifts to raise my elevation.

I’m a week away from having pool equipment running. What should I add to my water in the meantime while I run a submersible pump a few times a day?

 

[kimkats]

How many gallons..........you want chlorine in the water yesterday. Don't know how much until I hear gals size