New Build in Houston - Oak Forest

cmoss832

Active member
Oct 9, 2019
44
Houston
Hi everyone! I'm a longtime lurker who is about to sign a contract on a new build in Houston and wanted to get any last opinions on our build. I've already gone back and forth on a few things to get here using the knowledge I've gained from all the smart folks here, including getting a credit from the pressure side cleaner and buying my own robot.

Pool General Specifications:
✓ Pool depth 3.6’ to 6’
✓ Pool dimension 27’x23’ water area, 27’x25’construction. Straight Lines Design.
✓ Pool Perimeter 100 Ln Ft
✓ Tanning ledge with 12” of water and 2 Bubblers. One step on the tanning ledge.
✓ Raised back wall 12” with two sheer descent waterfalls 24”
✓ Rebar #3 on wall and bottom, rebar #4 in the bond beam. 8” tied spacing
✓ Gunite from South Bay Gunite, the Best Gunite company in Houston, 8” Thickness on walls,
floor and coves, 12” Thickness in the bond beam.
✓ 2 Skimmers, 6 Pool returns. • All plumbing lines are schedule 40 PVC and run separate for
skimmers and main drains. 4 VGB Compliant main drains
✓ Electrical 360 ground bonding and GFCI breaker
✓ Two Pentair Intellibrite LED Color pool lights, one spa Intellibrite LED color light.
✓ Two Glowbrite Color lights with low voltage transformer on the tanning ledge.
✓ Travertine, Marble or Limestone Coping.
✓ Any tile up to $12 Sq ft included on base price
✓ Mini Pebble Plaster any color.
✓ New Cool Deck 833 Sq ft including existing covered area.
✓ Auto fill water level.
✓ Pentair Intellicenter, system with automation and remote control.
✓ Heated pool.
✓ Glacier Chiller for 20,000 gallons.
✓ Outdoor shower installation close to the corner near the tanning ledge.
✓ Four umbrella holders included.
✓ In pool bench along garage side and back side of the pool.

Pool Decking and Drainage:
✓ New Cool Deck 833 Sq ft. Any extra Sq ft of Spray Deck $9
✓ Adding same pool deck finish to existing covered area.
✓ 4” pipe running to the street with pop-up. Overflow line included and tied into deck drainage.

Equipment: (all Pentair equipment with 3 years’ warranty from the factory)
✓ Filter Pentair 520 Sq. ft Clean and Clear Cartridge
✓ Main Pump: Pentair Intelliflo 3HP VSP
✓ Two Pentair Intellibrite Color LED pool lights, one spa Intellibrite Color LED light.
✓ All valves Pentair.
✓ Salt System Pentair IC-40
✓ Pentair Intellicenter, system with automation and remote control.
✓ Two Glowbrite Color lights with low voltage transformer on the tanning ledge.
✓ Heater Pentair Master Temp 400,000 BTU
✓ Blower: Silencer 2HP Spa Details: (addition)
✓ Spa 6’x9’ rectangular, inside dimensions. Leveled Spa. Open Spillway. One LED Color light.

Payments Details:
✓ Payment #1 (Excavation, Steel, Plumbing 1, Gunite)
✓ Payment #2 (Plumbing 2, Electric, Equipment installation, Coping 1, Tile1)
✓ Payment #3 (Coping 2, tile 2, deck)
✓ Payment #4 (Plaster and clean up)

Pool 100’ perimeter, 500 Sq ft of deck and equipment cost: $40,000
Additions and upgrades cost:
• Spa 6’x9’ $7,000
• Pentair Heater 400,000 BTU with installation $3,000
• Adding 333 Sq ft of cool deck extra. $3,000
• Mini Pebble Plaster any color Pool/Spa $3,000
• Two Pentair Intellibrite LED Color pool lights, one spa Intellibrite LED color light. $1,500
• Two Glowbrite Color lights with low voltage transformer. $1,000 ($500 each)
• Pentair Intellicenter, system with automation and remote control. $2,000
• Salt System IC-40 $900
• Pentair Intelliflo 3HP Variable Speed Pump Upgrade $500
• City of Houston Permits $1,000.
• Pressure Cleaner with Booster Pump credit -$1,300
• In pool bench along garage side 19’ and back side of the pool 23’ $1,200
• Glacier Chiller for 20,000 gallons with installation. $2,600

Total Cost if doing all the upgrades and additions: $65,400

Also Included:
1. Electrical subpanel if need it.
2. Startup chemicals.
3. Pool training on how to operate system.

Warranties:
• 3-year Blanket Pool Warranty. This warranty covers every detail of the construction.
• Pool equipment 3 years warranty from Pentair.
• Plaster warranty 10 years from the brand.
• Will repair any damage to the property from the construction process.
• Lifetime warranty on the shell of the pool.

Charles1.jpg
 
Looks pretty good, just a couple of comments/questions:

- I noticed you have a mix of Intellibrite and Glowbrite lights. I believe the Glowbrite have a proprietary niche and can only be replaced with other Glowbrights. I would consider Intellibrite/Microbrite lights instead.
- The comment "Will repair any damage to the property from the construction process." - Does this include expected damage to your grass, sprinklers, fence, etc? If not, just expect to have to pay extra for those.
- Consider a robot instead of the pressure cleaner. You can get a robot for about half of the $1,300 they are charging you.
- Good job on the IC40. I assume your pool is under 20k gallons?

Lastly, wow on those prices. Thats about $20k under what it would cost in Dallas.
 
Last edited:
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Good point on the Microbrites. Let me ask the builder about Intellibrite or Microbrite...I didn't even realize they made the smaller Intellibrites.

For the repair question, from our discussion it does include those things. I'll make sure its clear in the contract. This builder was used by a friend and he had a great experience.

The pressure cleaner line is a credit, as he includes it in his base price and I told him I would buy my own robot.

And yes, I am right around 20k gallons. The builder was actually pretty good and put the IC40 without me having to ask. He's also pretty cheap because he manages the whole process and doesn't have middle men.
 
One other thing, and this is more of a nice to have, but I would add 2 more Intellivalves. The Intellicenter comes with 2 intellivalve actuators that will allow you to switch between pool and spa mode using automation.

I have a very similar pool and since my 2 actuators were used in pool/spa mode, I have to go to the equipment pad to turn on/off my bubblers and my water features. I'm sure I could have easily negotiated 2 additional actuators with the pool builder to control those features, but now if I want to add them they are $200 each. I still may add them at one point, but I really wish I would have thought about it ahead of time and had them added with the build.
 
BOOM! A pool builder that specs IntelliCenter and a SWC out of the box! Nice. Same question as above...how many gallons is your pool going to be?
 
One other thing, and this is more of a nice to have, but I would add 2 more Intellivalves. The Intellicenter comes with 2 intellivalve actuators that will allow you to switch between pool and spa mode using automation.

I have a very similar pool and since my 2 actuators were used in pool/spa mode, I have to go to the equipment pad to turn on/off my bubblers and my water features. I'm sure I could have easily negotiated 2 additional actuators with the pool builder to control those features, but now if I want to add them they are $200 each. I still may add them at one point, but I really wish I would have thought about it ahead of time and had them added with the build.
The builder says we will have valve actuators to have everything automated. The only questionable one I have is the chiller.

BOOM! A pool builder that specs IntelliCenter and a SWC out of the box! Nice. Same question as above...how many gallons is your pool going to be?
I'm going with this builder because he didn't flinch when I said I wanted salt water, and the initial quote had great equipment. And I replied above that we are right around 20k gallons

I have a funny for you! Look at the line that caught my eye:


The word ANY sure does sound great if they really will! SWEET!

May we please see a pic of the yard this beauty will be going in?

Kim:kim:
I'll take some pics in the morning of the yard once there's light out!
 
My Glacier Chiller is controlled by my PentairEasy Touch automation and ScreenLogic. You should have no problem with the Intellicenter I would imagine. Besides you will really want it automated so you can set the schedule for it to run every day (or night). Mine runs every day 12 hours a day in summer.
 
My Glacier Chiller is controlled by my PentairEasy Touch automation and ScreenLogic. You should have no problem with the Intellicenter I would imagine. Besides you will really want it automated so you can set the schedule for it to run every day (or night). Mine runs every day 12 hours a day in summer.
That's awesome to hear! I had a hard time finding any info on it and we just had him add the chiller to the estimate yesterday. I went back and forth for a while, but I think it's worth it
 

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Hey cmoss - On the picture, I see power lines going across the backyard. Will those be close to the pool, and will they be re-routed/buried in the build?

Power lines, metal pool poles, and water are not usually a good combo.
 
Hey cmoss - On the picture, I see power lines going across the backyard. Will those be close to the pool, and will they be re-routed/buried in the build?

Power lines, metal pool poles, and water are not usually a good combo.
Any mention of moving those power lines made? Can you go underground?

Maddie :flower:

I am in the process of that right now, but am handling it on my own prior to excavation beginning. You can see the yellow flags as well. That is my gas line that is going to be moved within the next week. Once that is moved, the electrician will be out to bury the power and cable lines. Everything will run in a trench along the left side fence in the second picture. This part has been the biggest pain, as our gas company is not very responsive. The good part is it will only be about $350 for the gas line. Burying the power is the one that's costing a couple grand!
 
Since your gas company is already coming out, I would also have them check the meter. I have the same heater and had to upgrade mine. They said it was "borderline" but they upgraded it for free so I figured why not.
 
Definitely talk to the gas company about the meter! I went through a whole thing moving my gas line that took more than a month to make happen, and no one mentioned any meter issues. When I finally contacted a plumber about hooking up the heater post-install and he mentioned checking meter size - that got done, for free, but again it took a couple of weeks of back and forth with multiple people at the gas company pointing back and forth at each other.
 
Since your gas company is already coming out, I would also have them check the meter. I have the same heater and had to upgrade mine. They said it was "borderline" but they upgraded it for free so I figured why not.
Definitely talk to the gas company about the meter! I went through a whole thing moving my gas line that took more than a month to make happen, and no one mentioned any meter issues. When I finally contacted a plumber about hooking up the heater post-install and he mentioned checking meter size - that got done, for free, but again it took a couple of weeks of back and forth with multiple people at the gas company pointing back and forth at each other.
The upgrade of the meter is also part of moving the line, and part of the delays I've had. I got differing answers from a few folks at the gas company, as one wasn't aware the line was being moved for the pool and I'll have a heater. Finally got them aligned that the new meter was needed.
 
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That's awesome to hear! I had a hard time finding any info on it and we just had him add the chiller to the estimate yesterday. I went back and forth for a while, but I think it's worth it
ABSOLUTELY worth every penny unless you like swimming in bath water from June-September! When I put the Chiller on I didn’t even notice a change in my electrical bill. Remember it’s basically a fan that cools the water then sends it back to the pool. I get my water down to 82 in summer. Probably could get lower but that’s perfect for me. Also keep in mind the main pool pump obviously has to be running for the Chiller. Many people say run it at night as it will “chill” the water easier. Probably true but I’m running my main pump during the day for sure here in Houston which would mean a 24 hour operation for the pump if I wanted to run the Chiller at night. Not going to happen. Also I’ve noticed I have to run the pump at a higher RPM when Chiller is on to ensure good return flow in the pool. I go from 1750 without it to 1950 with it....
 
ABSOLUTELY worth every penny unless you like swimming in bath water from June-September! When I put the Chiller on I didn’t even notice a change in my electrical bill. Remember it’s basically a fan that cools the water then sends it back to the pool. I get my water down to 82 in summer. Probably could get lower but that’s perfect for me. Also keep in mind the main pool pump obviously has to be running for the Chiller. Many people say run it at night as it will “chill” the water easier. Probably true but I’m running my main pump during the day for sure here in Houston which would mean a 24 hour operation for the pump if I wanted to run the Chiller at night. Not going to happen. Also I’ve noticed I have to run the pump at a higher RPM when Chiller is on to ensure good return flow in the pool. I go from 1750 without it to 1950 with it....

Are you constantly running the chiller when your pump is on, even when not using the pool? I've contemplated always running the chiller to keep the temp down in hopes that it helps keeps the chemistry a little more consistent...not sure how much effect it would have though.

Also - edited the title of the post, as there was another in Houston with the same title
 

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