New build in DFW Area UPDATE: Fill Complete

[wreckem]

Good evening everyone. I just found this board. Would have probably been more helpful if I had found it before design, contracting, excavation, rebar, plumbing and gunite. I am on day 7 of watering the shell.

Length - 38'
Width - 13'
Raised 12" with exposed beam on backside of pool
Perimeter - 102
Surface area - 494
Depth - 3.5' to 5' to 4'
Gallons - 18000
Returns - 4
Skimmers - 2
Spa - updated with actual measurements 7.66x7,' 6 jets; 12" raised, 30" spillway, rolled beam
Tanning ledge 6' x 13' with two bubblers
Plaster - TBD
Automation - Pentair Easy Touch 4SC - IC40 with Screenlogic2
Filter - Pentair CCP520
Pump - Pentair Intelliflo VSF
Heater - Pentair MasterTemp 400
Cleaner - Pentair Warrior SI Robotic Cleaner
Lights - Pentair Globrites, 2 in pool and 1 in spa

Timeline and pictures

11/22 - Design finalized
12/2- Signed Contract
1/4 - HOA Approval(not permit was required)
2/4 - Excavation
2/15 - Snow in Texas)
2/23 - Rebar
2/24 - Plumbing
2/25 - Gunite

 

[Jimrahbe]

W,

Welcome to TFP... Better late than never...

Nice looking set up,

Jim R.

 

[rkb2112]

Nice design! On your spa dimensions of 8' x 6', is it oriented where its 8' from the house side to the spillway? So then 6' wide where the opposing side benches are? I'm trying to decide if we want to do a 7' x 7' or a 8' x 6' like yours. Are you concerned at all with foot space between the benches (assuming I have my orientation right)?

 

[tomas21]

 

[wreckem]

Nice design! On your spa dimensions of 8' x 6', is it oriented where its 8' from the house side to the spillway? So then 6' wide where the opposing side benches are? I'm trying to decide if we want to do a 7' x 7' or a 8' x 6' like yours. Are you concerned at all with foot space between the benches (assuming I have my orientation right)?

So the design called for 8’x6’. I measured and its actually 7.66x7 which is actually bigger than the plan but slightly less rectangular. I paid for a 48sqft spa and ended with ~53sqft spa. The dimension that was actually poured probably works out better in the long run.

To answer your question, the layout is actually opposite of what you said but I can see why you said what you did. The side benches look longer than the actual longer bench but that’s just because there are only three benches. It’s a u shaped seating area. The footwell? Is a 65”x55” rectangle.

I should be able to fit 6-8 comfortably. 8 of me would be slightly snug but I’m 6’ and 260lbs.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
Try to change out the SVRS pump to a regular Intelliflo VSF. You will thank us later.

 

[wreckem]

Welcome to the forum.
Try to change out the SVRS pump to a regular Intelliflo VSF. You will thank us later.

What is the problem with the SVRS version? I am assuming it breaks down more?

Are the similarly priced?

 

[mknauss]

Pentair IntelliFlo Pumps - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The above describes the various versions of Intelliflo VS pumps. The SVRS is very sensitive to pressure changes, I would suspect you may have issues when your pressure side cleaner pump starts. @Jimrahbe can give you some personal issues on the SVRS.

The cost of all the pumps are relatively the same.

 

[mknauss]

Also, if it is not too late, use Microbrite lights instead of the Globrites. The Globrites use a proprietary receptacle locking you into those forever. I have them. They also fail every 3 years or so. $300 each to replace (if you do it, no warranty).

 

[wreckem]

Pentair IntelliFlo Pumps - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The above describes the various versions of Intelliflo VS pumps. The SVRS is very sensitive to pressure changes, I would suspect you may have issues when your pressure side cleaner pump starts. @Jimrahbe can give you some personal issues on the SVRS.

The cost of all the pumps are relatively the same.

So I should ask for the VS or VSF?

 

[mknauss]

The VSF seems to be the prevalent model available. The VS is all you need, but there seem to be few available.

 

[ryanjayblair]

The fact you had gunite so quickly after plumbing is incredible. Inspection was quick and gunite ready to go! Lookin good.

 

[Jimrahbe]

W,

I have the IntelliFlo with SVRS.. The Safety Vacuum Release System looks for any change in suction to prevent someone from getting trapped by sitting on the main drain.. Since all new pools have dual main drains this is no longer an issue, but someone forgot to tell the pump..

If my next door neighbor just passes gas, my pump will go into a false entrapment mode and shut off.. Then it will try to restart, but since starting and stopping will cause the suction pressure to change, it will shut off again.. It will do that 5 or 6 time before shutting down for good. You can not disable this function....

I have learned what not to do, but that is something I should never have to worry about.. Sigh!! If I shut off the air vent valve on the filter a little too fast, it will shut off.. If I let the water drop too low and my waterfall comes on, the pump will shut off.. If I close a manual valve too quickly, it will shut off.

IntelliFlo pumps are great. I consider them to be the "Gold Standard" of pool pumps.. Just not the SVRS version.. If I were a pool builder I would be ashamed to sell one.

I was initially told it was "required" but after it was installed I found out that was all Bull Feathers..

Anyway, I suggest that you save yourself some aggravation and get either the VS or VSF.. If you get the VSF, have the pool builder set it up as a VS only pump.. After you have used it for a year, if you can find any reason that you need the VF functions, you can reprogram it.. 99% of pool owners never need the VF options. I like simple and the VS option is simple.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[CaveDiver1932]

Pool builders in the area still using flex pvc

 

[wreckem]

At this point it’s past the point of no return on that plumbing. They seem to have only used it for the main pool drains and the spa drain. They do a lot of pools every year in my area.

Now I’m going to be paranoid. But not much I can do.

 

[wreckem]

So we decided to do a change order on our tile. We went with their no upcharge glass tile to begin with. However we decided to upgrade.

We selected Nobile Tile NANZ 1236. The picture below is what it looks like.

Our coping is lueders smooth cut. Our decking will be salt finished concrete. We will have a 40’x10’ patio with a step down to 3 feet of decking on on side of the pool as seen on the original plan. The raised spa with have split face travertine that is similar in color to the coping.

We will have a pebble finish. It’s going to be Nobile TIles Crystal Stone Naturals Sky Blue. It’s similar to Marina Cay. Crystal Stone Naturals is similar in feel to PebbleTec. The aggregate size is similar . My question is should we upgrade to something equivalent to pebble sheen? Smaller aggregate?

Also originally we we going to do a 40’x10’ patio cover. We nixed it for cost reasons but now we are think we may go ahead and do it. What would y’all recommend for roof shape. Original it was going to just be a slant roof. Below is a picture of our back roof. Slant? Hip? Gable? What’s possible what isn’t?


Updated timeline:
Next week is the rest of the plumbing.
Three more weeks until electrical.
Eight to ten weeks out for coping and tile which probably puts the pool being completed in early June.

Basically I have time to add the roof back and change plasters. It also looks like we are gong to be able to swap out the SRVS with just the VSF.

 

[wreckem]

We basically had two options for the patio cover/arbor to cover our upcoming patio. It’s a 40x10 patio. It will have four can lights and two ceiling fans. Adding it now doesn’t delay completing because tile and coping is mid May and decking probably won’t be until around/after Memorial Day.

 

[renesme]

I like the center gable, gives a nice focal point.

 

[wreckem]

Rest of the plumbing went in today. Previously it was just what was in/around the pool shell. Now everything is down and routed to the equipment pad.

 

[wreckem]

Electrical has been started and mostly finished. Some equipment is in.

Progress.