New Build Northern California Spring 2020

[Slmcveigh72]

I have been lurking on here for YEARS. I am so excited to say that we broke ground today on our very own inground pool! Everyone here has been so helpful and kind, which gave us the confidence to do an owner build

They will be back in the morning to continue the dig, luckily we were able to finish the road out the back door of our garage with all that dirt (included a before pic)! We are hoping for plumbing by the end of the week with rebar scheduled for Monday. They also had to remove a poorly poured concrete sidewalk at the back of the house. Luckily the dirt is easy to dig with very few rocks.

I know how much I love watching new builds, so I will come back and update here everyday that there is progress.

We are still picking out tile, we thought we had it all worked out until the tile guy told us it is crazy expensive to do travertine coping on a freeform pool, ugh. Now we are back to the drawing board.

Thinking we will go all Pentair equipment. Still on the fence about a heater, thinking there are heaters out there that might do the spa and the pool, but not sure.

 

[kimkats]

Well look at this!!! FINALLY it is really happening! I bet you are SO excited and a little scared! LOL

Let the MUD begin!!!

Did you stick with the design from before? Post up you design on this thread so everyone can see it and know what it will end up looking like.

Let us know what equipment you are looking at so far so we can dial it in for you!

Kim

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Thank you, you nailed it @kimkats....excited and scared all at the same time. I have included the plans and the drawing of how it should turn out, lol.
Here is our proposed equipment list so far:
Pentair - Intellitouch load center #521213
Intellichlor Salt Chlorinator #520556
Salt Cell #IC40
Pentair Intelliflo Pump 3hp #011028
Pentair Cartridge Filter #CCP520
Pentair Intelibright color LED lights #640121 x2
Pentair Mastertemp Heater for spa and pool #460737
Please give me feedback on this equipment, trying to research each item to make sure its correct....but not confident what so ever

 

[kimkats]

LOVE!!! IT!!!!!

@Jimrahbe can you please look over her equipment?

Km

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Pentair - Intellitouch load center #521213

Consider the more modern IntelliCenter. If you go to Pentair's automation landing page, they don't even show the IntelliTouch any more.

 

[l1ltaral1l]

Look at all that beautiful patio space! Looks beauuutttiful!

 

[Jimrahbe]

72,

I too suggest that you go with the more modern IntelliCenter instead of the EasyTouch or IntelliTouch. Costs almost the same thing... Keep in mind the EasyTouch/IntelliTouch is almost useless without ScreenLogic, so that you can control things from your PC, tablet, or phone. ScreenLogic costs about $500... the IntelliCenter comes with a built-in ScreenLogic like system for free. Just like the IntelliTouch load center you picked, make sure the IntelliCenter you buy comes with the built-in IntelliChlor transformer and the IC40 salt cell. It will come in a bundle that also includes two valve actuators needed to switch between your pool and spa modes.

In my opinion, a saltwater system is the easiest way to maintain a pool.

I have three EasyTouch systems and they all work just fine, but if I were to build a new pool today, I would buy the IntelliCenter. Buying an IntelliTouch is like buying a 15 year old cell phone, instead of buying a today's model.

The IntelliFlo is the gold standard of pool pumps and having a large cartridge filter (CCP-520) makes the plumbing simple and also means you will not have to clean it but once or twice a year.

I would go with a RayPak heater, but that is just from what I have picked up here at TFP...

The IC40 is good for a pool up to about 20K gallons. If your pool will be much bigger, your will need the IC60.

Looking Good..

Jim R.

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Thank you so much @Jimrahbe we will definitely go with the IntelliCenter Bundle.
Also will be checking out the RayPak heater.
Love this page and all the willingness to teach and give valuable advice ?

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Digging is done, yayyy! Only had a few mishaps..including cutting through the sewer pipe. Oh well, it was a pretty quick and painless fix. The road is also complete at the back of the garage, dang that was A LOT of dirt!
Looks like we will be getting rain and snow over the weekend and through next week. We may not be able to get the plumbing done for 7-10 days. I guess that’s the chance we take doing a new build in March.
Our excavation guys also recommended moving the pool lights closer to the house. In the plans there was one light on the opposite side of the pool facing the house. They said you don't want to see the actual light, just see the illumination in the pool. We went with it.
Do you feel colored lights are worth the extra money? I have seen many colored light pics on here that are beautiful, I am just not sure though.

 

[kimkats]

Run out there in some shoes and clothes you don't care about as you may get that lovely clay/dirt on them. Take your plans and a tape measure. It is wide, long, deep, etc enough? Add about 8" for the steel, shell, plaster. NOW is the time to fix or tweak.

Lights. I can't see your plans real good but it looks like there are TWO lights on it. One on the house side that will shine in to the round area and one kind of across from the shelf. Take a peek at the plans and see.

Colored lights=you will end up finding ONE color you really like and using it. They are neat as a party trick but after that day to day maybe not so worth the extra money.

Kim

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Well this is how far I get with a pool build in early Spring and the beginning of COVID-19. Can’t seem to get the contractors to come back out and the weather has not been nice to us.
Hoping for a beautiful week ahead. Keeping my fingers crossed that we can make some progress this week ?

 

[kimkats]

Here is hoping they show back up to get it finished.

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Help!
I’m stressing and I don’t know if its cabin fever making me crazy or if I should address this.
On our plans the spa shows 7.5’ across. I took @kimkats advice and went out to measure (Red dirt and all, lol). Spa interior measures 7.5’ exactly. With steel, gunite, and plaster will this are decrease the area by 6-8”. This would mean that the spa wouldn’t even be 7’ across?
It seems like it should be dug out at least a few inches bigger to allow for the steel, gunite, and plaster? What do you think? How much bigger should it be?
I am also wondering about the Cabo shelf. It’s right at 7’ and should be at 8’ from the edge of the pool to where it drops off into the water. Should i have them dig it back more to give us more area for the Cabo shelf? The plans say 8’ from the coping to where it drops down into the pool X 8 feet wide.
I have included a phone with measurements.

 

[kimkats]

For the spa you will lose even more space as it will be 6-8" on one side AND 6-8" on the other side! That ledge is too small like it is as a lounger will not fit on it like it is.

Time for a text or email to your PB. Everything needs to be in writing now to keep you covered! Talk about *finished* size vs dug size. See what your plans say to show him what your concerns are.


Kim ( NO cheering on this one)

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Thank you so much. I’m going to text them now.

 

[Slmcveigh72]

This has been a painfully slow process We had them come back out to make the spa and the Baja shelf bigger, thank goodness.
They should be done with rebar, plumbing, and electrical. I have not done this before so I’m hoping they are doing everything correctly.
Im not sure about the plumbing in the spa, seems like it’s too high? They still have another day of work to do, so maybe the plumbing will be run down lower for the jets in the spa? Any thoughts or suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[kimkats]

Well there you are!! Man it has been slow!!

We had them come back out to make the spa and the Baja shelf bigger, thank goodness.

Did they put up much of a fuss about it?

the plumbing in the spa, seems like it’s too high?

Take your plans out there and see how high they say the seat will be and ask them how high the walls will end up being. Add about 6" for the shell and plaster.

 

[Slmcveigh72]

Should there be rebar formed for the benches In the spa?
Wondering if they are planning on doing that tomorrow or if the gunite guys do that?

 

[RobertFlagg]

I'm in the same process as you, just finished my first inspection and gunite tomorrow. I'm definitely not an expert but it does look like they have more rebar to do. I looked at my engineering drawings to verify that my pool used the correct amount of rebar, there should be rebar in your skimmer boxes, and 2 or 3 pieces along the top of your bond beam. It's hard to tell from your pictures.

All of the rebar is done before gunite.

 

[Slmcveigh72]

@RobertFlagg Thank you!