New Build in Sacramento!

[Jasop3]

Lurking and learning for a few months. Talked to about 7 pool builders, a few I irritated enough they didn’t call me back. In the end I chose the one the one that actually listened to what I wanted and was willing to work with me. It seemed most PB just want to sell you want they want and question why I wanted things done a particular way.

The only thing my chosen PB was unwilling to do was install a salt system. However this was a easy workaround. Since my PB primarily uses Jandy and I wanted Pentair he asked for model numbers for the contract. I included the intellicenter with the salt system and the pass through. All I have to do is purchase the salt generator later.

I want to thank everyone here for this forum. I was able to include everything I wanted in my contract with great detail. Hopefully that will help the build go smoothly.

Pump
IntelliFlo XF VSF: Product #: 022056
IntelliFlo XF: 022055
IntelliFlo VSF: 011056
IntelliFlo VS: 011028
Automation:
Intellecenter:
Load Center: 522041
Personality Kit i8P: 521909
Wi-fi Antenna: 5224757
Pass Through: 520588
Filter
Quad DE 80: 188583
Lights
MicroBrite: 620425

*we will have 2 pumps but they have yet to be chosen. The PB wanted to sit with the Pentair rep and discuss what would be best for our application. Ultimately though the contract states I get final say in picking the pumps.

 

[Texas Splash]

Congrats on the new project! Exciting times ahead. Let us know if you have more questions. Best of luck to you.

 

[Jasop3]

Thanks @Texas Splash I will probably have many. I’m hoping for some insight/questions from anyone about the design or equipment. I’m open to suggestions.

 

[mguzzy]

Welcome neighbor! Call me old fashioned, but I like the hand drawn renderings.

Since you are going to add the SWG later (wink wink) make sure when they get to the plumbing step that they leave a spot in the plumbing to put it and the flow sensor in accordance with the manufactures specs.. but if you've been luring here you already know that!

Is that a water feature on the back wall? I have friends that have a water fall and they made sure to put a bench under it.. for some reason the kids like to sit there and get pummeled with water.

 

[Jasop3]

Welcome neighbor! Call me old fashioned, but I like the hand drawn renderings.

I actually liked the hand drawn renderings as well. Almost all the computer rendered ones seemed to make the pool look out of place. The 2 that hand drew them definitely were our favorites.

Since you are going to add the SWG later (wink wink) make sure when they get to the plumbing step that they leave a spot in the plumbing to put it and the flow sensor in accordance with the manufactures specs.. but if you've been luring here you already know that!

I’m having them install the pass through pipe that Pentair sells for start up and winterization.

Is that a water feature on the back wall? I have friends that have a water fall and they made sure to put a bench under it.. for some reason the kids like to sit there and get pummeled with water.

Against to the PB advice I did have a bench place there. I also had him put two upward facing Microbrite lights to illuminate the waterfall.

 

[Jasop3]

Meet my rock guy at the yard today. We talk a bit more about my vision. He the proceeded to tell me to pick out what I want and he left me alone. I’m so happy I took the time in selecting my PB.

 

[Jasop3]

 

[Jasop3]

edit: removed photo

 

[Rich D]

Nice looking rocks... Have you worked out how the transition from plaster to your waterfall will work. If you want to have a submerged rock look (This means there is no tile in the waterfall area) you will need a rock shelf in the waterfall area.

 

[Jasop3]

Thanks @Rich D. Yes all of the rock will be submerged with a notched beam.

 

[Rich D]

How many waterfalls has your rock guy done? Have you been able to see a few of them?

Thanks @Rich D. Yes all of the rock will be submerged with a notched beam.

Nice...

Do you have any pics of what you have envisioned?

 

[Jasop3]

How many waterfalls has your rock guy done? Have you been able to see a few of them?
He has been doing rock work for 30+ years and has been extremely pleasant to work with. He showed me a bunch of his work (some I liked and some I didn't, however, this was no different than all the other PB rock guys). I showed him pictures of the attached photo as well as a video of the same waterfall. I also will be there when it is being built and my expectation have been made clear. I still have more rock to find as well.

Nice...

Do you have any pics of what you have envisioned?

 

[kimkats]

Man those are some pretty rocks! That waterfall is unreal!!!! WOWZER!! Here is hoping he nails it!!

Kim

 

[Rich D]

That is a awesome looking waterfall. Those are faux sculptured rocks. These allow for some very stunning looking waterfalls. They are crafted by true artists. In order to get that type of submerged Boulder look with real boulders you will need more than just a notched beam. You will need a submerged shelf for the entire boulder to sit on. The notched beam will just allow them to install small flat stones that will be submerged then the boulders will be placed on a dry beam or shelf above the smaller flat stones. These decisions need to be made before the pool is dug.

 

[Jasop3]

That is a awesome looking waterfall. Those are faux sculptured rocks. These allow for some very stunning looking waterfalls. They are crafted by true artists. In order to get that type of submerged Boulder look with real boulders you will need more than just a notched beam. You will need a submerged shelf for the entire boulder to sit on. The notched beam will just allow them to install small flat stones that will be submerged then the boulders will be placed on a dry beam or shelf above the smaller flat stones. These decisions need to be made before the pool is dug.

This picture was in Hawaii and you are correct, it was Faux rock. At first glance I thought it was lava rock but upon close inspection I realized it was faux. You are also correct that it will require more than a notched beam and that is what we discussed prior to signing the contract and this morning. They did not call it a submerged self but it will hold/encompase the larger boulders. We decided to get all the rock purchased prior to digging for this exact reason.

I'm wondering if beyond the first boulders if I could use cinder blocks to take up the void space? Almost like steps for the rock. The detentions of my waterfall is 5 feet high x 6 depth x 9-11 length. I would hate to buy rock only to have it hidden. How was you waterfall created?

 

[Jasop3]

Man those are some pretty rocks! That waterfall is unreal!!!! WOWZER!! Here is hoping he nails it!!

Kim

Thanks @kimkats. Unfortunately our tile will not invole any BLING. Sorry to dissapointe you, I know how much you love it. I just don't think it will go with the overalll vibe of our home and pool. I'll attach pics of what we are thinking, let me know what you think or if you have ant suggestions? FYI these are all NPT tile.

 

[frogabog]

So, the Oregon Creek is... from Oregon? I could totally see that, there's a lot of rocks here. Them's some big boulders to ship across the country!

I like the natural rocks, all the veins and variegated colors, irregular shapes... I think I'd do natural rock too.

 

[Rich D]

Thanks @kimkats. Unfortunately our tile will not invole any BLING. Sorry to dissapointe you, I know how much you love it. I just don't think it will go with the overalll vibe of our home and pool. I'll attach pics of what we are thinking, let me know what you think or if you have ant suggestions? FYI these are all NPT tile. View attachment 116868View attachment 116869View attachment 116870View attachment 116871View attachment 116872View attachment 116873View attachment 116874View attachment 116875View attachment 116876

Top row second from right looks like the one we (well my wife) picked

 

[Rich D]

This picture was in Hawaii and you are correct, it was Faux rock. At first glance I thought it was lava rock but upon close inspection I realized it was faux. You are also correct that it will require more than a notched beam and that is what we discussed prior to signing the contract and this morning. They did not call it a submerged self but it will hold/encompase the larger boulders. We decided to get all the rock purchased prior to digging for this exact reason.

I'm wondering if beyond the first boulders if I could use cinder blocks to take up the void space? Almost like steps for the rock. The detentions of my waterfall is 5 feet high x 6 depth x 9-11 length. I would hate to buy rock only to have it hidden. How was you waterfall created?

Sounds like your on the right path with your communication with the PB.

My lovely wife and myself built our waterfall from all of the boulders that came out of the our house foundation and site prep. I really wish I had found this site prior to building it because I do think I made a few mistakes along the way. I am in the excavation industry and have set hundreds of boulders for walls, landscape features and even a few waterfalls in natural ponds but I had never built one for a pool. So I figured "how hard could it be"?.. I had always planned on enlisting the help from the PB to work along side of us but turns out they had never used such large boulders or actually built something like I wanted so it turned out to be just myself and the wife, who earned the title "Rock slinger" by the time we were done. our water fall really only consisted of 3 large base rocks and a huge flat top rock. So we pre-built it on the dirt to figure out how large the shelf would need to be. Then after gunnite we built it again on top of the gunnite and took measurements to the boulders so we would know exactly where each rock should go. That way we would not be shifting things around when we set them on the plaster. I am a bit short on time to go into details but here are some pics. I will post more about our saga later....

 

[kimkats]

Your BLING for me is that cutie!! I am betting she has an outfit or 100 with some sparkles on them LOL

I don't see why you could not use other stuff as fill so long as it is buried and hidden BUT that is ONLY my gut talking so check with your PB to make sure!

Of the tiles I like all of the ones on the bottom row. Remember there will be wide variations with them. What you do is dig through the boxed to find the ugly ones and really pretty ones. Hide the ugly ones and show case the really pretty ones in the area your eye falls when you go out to the pool.

Kim