Howdy y’all.
I don’t know if this is the right space for this, but I am wanting to do a complete blog of the pool build we are doing. Pictures will be included, maybe even a time-lapse video. I just wanted to get the whole experience out there for others and also in case there are hiccups along the way there the whole build will be documented! Maybe I can even make this mildly entertaining.
Feel free to ask questions, especially if wanting to know anything about our experience and considering to take the plunge yourself.
We won’t be using any financing. We weren’t sure when we were going to do it with the economy and everything the way it is, but after a friend got theirs built and told us the costs. We felt those costs were reasonable so we started looking. And when you start looking you end up doing. 
We met with I think about 6 pool builders in total, or at least contacted 6. Originally we wanted a salt water pool, but every single builder tried to talk us out of it. Only 3 of them said they would do it if I wanted it, they just wouldn’t warranty a bunch of stuff. One builder tried to sell me on some nature fusion mineral system so that was a no go. They argued about how amazing it was and how they have always used it etc.
I think that is actually something that needs to be pointed out, most of the builders were argumentative and had “their way or the highway” approaches.
I told all the builder I wanted acid stained stamped concrete, and 1 builder told me I was dumb and should do some travertine knockoff called travertino because it would be cheaper and better. 
It amazed me how a lot of these builders felt like used car sales people. I thoroughly researched things before I even started meeting with them and then I would ask them questions I already knew the answer to and they would lie to me or tell me myths (like the one builder trying to sell me on the mineral system). If I called them out on it they would ask “did you read that online? Don’t believe that voodoo witch doctor stuff you read online”. (Yes I have done a LOT of reading, especially here at TFP
)
Anyways due to warranty issues my wife and I decided to just do a non SWCG pool now and in 3 years when most of the warranties are over we will convert if it still makes sense.
It came down to 2 builders, both were great, both have been around for over 20 years and have a ton of recommendations and references. One was family own and ran, just 3 people it seemed like, the other was also a family owned but they had a larger operation and had more employees and did more pools. We ended up going with the Larger operation builder because they treated us like Kings and were on the ball. They listened to us, they didn’t try to push anything on us, and they were the only ones who got the design right, and they got it right on the first try.
I actually drew the pool myself, and my sketch was pretty good (I think anyways). So it should have been easy to get it right. Like I said, only the one we ended up going with did get it right
It is going to be a sport/play pool, free form, about 40’x18’ at the narrowest, but in a L shape with a huge Sun shelf and extra large 2nd step for kids to play on. About 25k gallons.
There will be a large rock wall weeping water feature, and the depth of the pool will actually get deeper going towards the back wall. I.e. in the middle of the pool the depth on the near side will be 5’ but the depth by the rock wall will be 5’6”.
We chose Pebble Tech Blue Granite with both the luminous blue bead blend and the shimmering sea abalone shells. Coping will be a light travertine. Decking is stamped concrete.
2.5 hpvs water feature pump
Pentair clean & clear plus cartridge filter 520
Pentair 3-way valves
Paramount water autofill
Water overflow device
4 pentair intellibrite lights
4 pool niches
Pentair Inline 320 Chlorinator (I will occasionally use tabs as CYA permits until we switch to salt)
Pentair EasyTouch 8
Pentair Screenlogic bundle with app control
Paramount UV/Ozone filtration system (I know, I know, it was basically free so I figured as a supplemental what's the worst that could happen?)
We have some people coming out to give a quote for it on Monday, we will see if we can get it done before Wednesday when we are scheduled to dig, otherwise we will have to reschedule. Right now it seems like that would be a 1-2 week delay if we have to reschedule.
The only thing that worries me is that the builder said the power company may not play nice with wanting to do a reroute. We will see how it goes but one way or another I am going to reroute. They should have stayed in the easement. In the photo you can see the power box by the fence in the back left corner and the little red line and flags that cut right across where the pool is. So annoying.
I don’t know if this is the right space for this, but I am wanting to do a complete blog of the pool build we are doing. Pictures will be included, maybe even a time-lapse video. I just wanted to get the whole experience out there for others and also in case there are hiccups along the way there the whole build will be documented! Maybe I can even make this mildly entertaining.
Feel free to ask questions, especially if wanting to know anything about our experience and considering to take the plunge yourself.Choosing A Builder
We are in the Houston, TX area so we have known since we moved back down here that we were going to get a pool. way too hot to not. We won’t be using any financing. We weren’t sure when we were going to do it with the economy and everything the way it is, but after a friend got theirs built and told us the costs. We felt those costs were reasonable so we started looking. And when you start looking you end up doing. We met with I think about 6 pool builders in total, or at least contacted 6. Originally we wanted a salt water pool, but every single builder tried to talk us out of it. Only 3 of them said they would do it if I wanted it, they just wouldn’t warranty a bunch of stuff. One builder tried to sell me on some nature fusion mineral system so that was a no go. They argued about how amazing it was and how they have always used it etc.
I think that is actually something that needs to be pointed out, most of the builders were argumentative and had “their way or the highway” approaches.
I told all the builder I wanted acid stained stamped concrete, and 1 builder told me I was dumb and should do some travertine knockoff called travertino because it would be cheaper and better. It amazed me how a lot of these builders felt like used car sales people. I thoroughly researched things before I even started meeting with them and then I would ask them questions I already knew the answer to and they would lie to me or tell me myths (like the one builder trying to sell me on the mineral system). If I called them out on it they would ask “did you read that online? Don’t believe that voodoo witch doctor stuff you read online”. (Yes I have done a LOT of reading, especially here at TFP
)Anyways due to warranty issues my wife and I decided to just do a non SWCG pool now and in 3 years when most of the warranties are over we will convert if it still makes sense.
It came down to 2 builders, both were great, both have been around for over 20 years and have a ton of recommendations and references. One was family own and ran, just 3 people it seemed like, the other was also a family owned but they had a larger operation and had more employees and did more pools. We ended up going with the Larger operation builder because they treated us like Kings and were on the ball. They listened to us, they didn’t try to push anything on us, and they were the only ones who got the design right, and they got it right on the first try.
The Pool
I actually drew the pool myself, and my sketch was pretty good (I think anyways). So it should have been easy to get it right. Like I said, only the one we ended up going with did get it right
It is going to be a sport/play pool, free form, about 40’x18’ at the narrowest, but in a L shape with a huge Sun shelf and extra large 2nd step for kids to play on. About 25k gallons.
There will be a large rock wall weeping water feature, and the depth of the pool will actually get deeper going towards the back wall. I.e. in the middle of the pool the depth on the near side will be 5’ but the depth by the rock wall will be 5’6”.
We chose Pebble Tech Blue Granite with both the luminous blue bead blend and the shimmering sea abalone shells. Coping will be a light travertine. Decking is stamped concrete.
Equipment
Pentair 3.0 hp Variable Speed Intelliflo2.5 hpvs water feature pump
Pentair clean & clear plus cartridge filter 520
Pentair 3-way valves
Paramount water autofill
Water overflow device
4 pentair intellibrite lights
4 pool niches
Pentair Inline 320 Chlorinator (I will occasionally use tabs as CYA permits until we switch to salt)
Pentair EasyTouch 8
Pentair Screenlogic bundle with app control
Paramount UV/Ozone filtration system (I know, I know, it was basically free so I figured as a supplemental what's the worst that could happen?)
Where We Are At Now
We had to go through HOA approval, We got that done. They had everyone come out and paint for the dig that was supposed to happen this week, but looks like we have encountered our first issue! Our electric line goes through a portion of where we wanted the pool. Scoundrels didn’t keep it in the easement. Builder said we can shift 10’ or reroute…. We are definitely going to reroute. We want the pool there because it is right off the back porch and right where we have great visibility from main windows which is important with little ones… and we want to see our expensive pool.We have some people coming out to give a quote for it on Monday, we will see if we can get it done before Wednesday when we are scheduled to dig, otherwise we will have to reschedule. Right now it seems like that would be a 1-2 week delay if we have to reschedule.
The only thing that worries me is that the builder said the power company may not play nice with wanting to do a reroute. We will see how it goes but one way or another I am going to reroute. They should have stayed in the easement. In the photo you can see the power box by the fence in the back left corner and the little red line and flags that cut right across where the pool is. So annoying.
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