New Build - Pearland (S. Houston)

[ACastillo]

Hi everyone! As we've been planning to explore pool building options, I've been reading the forums for about 6 months now.

We just moved into this house in January, and after getting a few minor projects completed around the house, we are finally ready move forward with this much bigger project. I feel that I've learned some of the key points to consider from following many of the fellow TFP new build posts. I also have a few friends in the business (equipment reps and pool service) to understand different perspectives in this process.

So far we've had a few PBs come out and offer their various designs and we feel that we've narrowed it down to a design and PB that we are ready to move forward with. Subsequently, it would be great to hear everyone's thought on what we have so far and see if there is anything that we've missed or need to reconsider.

Pool Specs:
Pool size 28’x43’ 115’ perimeter Depths 3.5-7.5
4 barstools
Moss rock feature 6’x6’x7’ with overhanging jumping ledge and waterfall
Spa size 9’x5.5’ w/ 6 jets raised 12”
Stacked stone spillover into pool
Tanning ledge 7’x15’
Travertine coping, water line tile standard selection
SR Smith Typhoon water slide
Pebble sheen w/ abalone
Sundeck concrete overlay (with free scoreline or aggregate upgrade)

Equipment:
Jandy JEP 2.0 SVRS main pump (free upgrade over dual speed pump)
Jandy 2.0hp booster pump
Jandy CL460 Pro Series Filter Cartridge 460 SF
Nature N2 Fusion inline clorinator
Aquastar Ozone (free upgrade)
Jandy 1.5 hp Air blower
Jandy JXi499N 399k BTU heater
Jandy Hydrocool LED lights 3 pool and 1 spa
Paramount autofill
iAquaLink automation

Cleanup:
Concrete/stone removal
Sod
Gate replacement

We would value any feedback or thoughts that y'all might have.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Please reconsider your sanitation methods. The ozone will not appreciably change your chlorine needs. The Nature 2 will include a mineral cartridge that will put metals in your water. Eventually they can build up and stain your pool.

I know you are in Texas and PB's seem to be allergic to Salt Water Chlorine Generators, but I suggest you research them and consider one. Be sure it is rated for 2X your pool volume.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum

Just reinforcing what Marty posted above.

1. Ditch the Ozone There is no point in having it. You are paying exactly what it is worth.

2. Ditch the Nature2

3. Ditch that booster pump (It's to be used with a pressure side cleaner) and purchase a good robot. More information in Pool Cleaners in Pool School

 

[ACastillo]

Welcome to the forum!
Please reconsider your sanitation methods. The ozone will not appreciably change your chlorine needs. The Nature 2 will include a mineral cartridge that will put metals in your water. Eventually they can build up and stain your pool.

I know you are in Texas and PB's seem to be allergic to Salt Water Chlorine Generators, but I suggest you research them and consider one. Be sure it is rated for 2X your pool volume.

Hi Marty,

Thanks for the feedback. I had looked into SWCG during the process, asked all of my PBs about them, and they all raised various concerns with salt. None of them said they would not put a SWCG on, but they all recommended against it considering that I was having a stone waterfall feature, and from what I've read on here, stone water features typically need to be sealed and resealed periodically. I would definitely appreciate the lower maintenance that that SWCG brings as far as keeping the water sanitary, however it seems that it just brings on other maintenance concerns.

As for the Nature2, I've been on the fence about that, as I had read about the concerns with minerals possibly staining the pool. I will need to follow up with my PB on this one.

 

[ACastillo]

Welcome to the forum

Just reinforcing what Marty posted above.

1. Ditch the Ozone There is no point in having it. You are paying exactly what it is worth.

2. Ditch the Nature2

3. Ditch that booster pump (It's to be used with a pressure side cleaner) and purchase a good robot. More information in Pool Cleaners in Pool School

Hi Dave,

Appreciate the input. As I mentioned to Marty, I'll need to follow up with the PB on the Nature2, as I'm aware of some of the issues this could bring on.

Regarding the booster pump, my PB's reasoning for the booster was due to having both a spa and waterfall feature. According to the PB, the pool will be in the 22k-23k gallon range, so do you think the VS 2.0 hp main pump would be sufficient to run all the pool, spa, waterfall, waterslide (and possibly bubblers on the sundeck, the wife is still considering this feature)? I don't know how often I would be running all of those features at the same time, but I'd hate to have the pump struggle to keep up in that case. I suppose the alternative might be to see about moving to a larger main pump.
Thoughts?

 

[Jbrillo]

I would suggest having a separate pump for your water features. Water features usually require your pump running on a higher speed. This way you can run your features when you want and still filter your pool on a lower more energy efficient speed. This is how my pool is set up. Just my $0.02.

Edit: I second what everyone else say, do yourself a favor and get a SWG.

 

[mknauss]

all recommended against it considering that I was having a stone waterfall feature

You live in a swamp near the ocean. The least corrosive thing you will have is your pool water.

 

[ACastillo]

After a few delays waiting for city permits and then a slight redesign to address elevation changes in our backyard, we finally were able to break ground on the new pool. Thursday (9/12) was excavation day, which included some brick removal from old landscaping. All in all it was about an 8 hr job, which afterwards the crew supervisor said it was tough job and kicked their butt. With the hole all dug, the size of the pool is a bit overwhelming. We have quite a large back yard due to our cul-de-sac lot, so I think when its all said and done, it will look just fine. Still a bit of a surprise seeing the size and depth of the hole. Rebar and plumbing stub to follow in next post.

 

[ACastillo]

After excavation on Thursday, rebar followed on Friday and plumbing stub on Saturday. Unfortunately, and unlike excavation, I wasn't able to be present for these two steps of the build, but for the most part everything looks to be as expected. I need to check with my project manager, because I don't see the plumbing for the bubblers in the tanning ledge, and there is a sitting ledge that runs on the front side of the wall between the pool and spa that seems to go a bit longer than I was expecting, which may (or may not) interfere with the bar stools that sit on the platform to the right of the spa. I'll need to just bring it to their attention and see what they think. All in all, we're glad to see this moving quickly, as there is rain in the forecast for most of next week. Fingers cross for minimal rain delays.

 

[kimkats]

Good job checking on the details NOW. Much easier to fix now. Push them on fixing it now and doing a flash if they can't get out there before the rain starts so it does not get washed out.

Kim

 

[ACastillo]

Talked to one of my construction managers this morning and they are going to have the plumbers back out tomorrow morning to fix a few issues. Steel inspection is also scheduled for in the morning and if all comes back good, then gunite is schedule for the afternoon. A little worried with the weather forecast though, as they are expecting anywhere from 6-10 inches of rain over the next 2-3 days. It's been off and on all day today but just small passing showers. They did come out and lay plastic to try and keep the edges somewhat dry.

Would it be safe to shoot the concrete given all the rain in the forecast? I know we need to water the gunite at some point after its shot, but I'd figure at least some set time would be needed. Thoughts?

 

[kimkats]

You will be fine unless it is a HUGE gully washer.

 

[RuralTexas]

12 hours after our gunite was in we received 13 inches of rain in a 5 hour period.
At the time they told us they just needed 5 hours before heavy rain. They covered the gunite as it
was sprinkling while they were finishing up.

 

[kimkats]

Thanks for the real life sharing and showing! That is what TFP is all about!

 

[Rich D]

Okay... So you don't need to water the gunite today.

It looks like there's a lot of water in that pool. I would be tempted to get a cheap pump and hook it up to some soaker hoses running along the top of the pool beam to try to keep your baby as wet as possible. Just a thought, no idea who would really work.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[RuralTexas]

Okay... So you don't need to water the gunite today.

It looks like there's a lot of water in that pool. I would be tempted to get a cheap pump and hook it up to some soaker hoses running along the top of the pool beam to try to keep your baby as wet as possible. Just a thought, no idea who would really work.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We did water the gunite right away (felt a little unnecessary) - even though a friend's gunite had a lot of water in it for weeks, our PB brought out a pump and pumped ours down. We could have saved him the trip out here, we had an old pump from a previous septic system. The last time we had used the pump was to pump down this bit of fun pictured below. We call it "The Bobber". The men had dug the hole and dropped the tank into the ground. They forgot to fill it with water, and we didn't know they hadn't filled it, until it rained. There it was when we woke up, just bobbing happily along. The UPS guy burst into laughter and couldn't stop laughing, our neighbors were honking and pointing to it, the workmen themselves broke out laughing when they saw it.

 

[ACastillo]

That's too funny with the tank!

After the inspector and plumbers showed up this morning, we received notice from the PB that they don't want to chance shooting the concrete with the expected rain. Of course it's been dry the past 4 hours and looks fairly dry for the next few as well, but I'm fine with them being cautious. However, now that we have a tropical storm in the gulf, with anywhere from 6-18" of rain expected over the next 2 days, I'm just hoping the walls hold up. It would be great if our forecasters get the rain estimates wrong (as they usually do), but I have a feeling this will be one that they get right.

 

[PlaysARobin]

We're over on the East side (Mont Belvieu/North end of Baytown) and our plaster was canceled for the same concerns.

I'm with you on the weather forecasts. That much rain is cool and all, since its been so dry the last month, but its a LOT to take in, over a short period of time. We all know how that can go. Good luck with your build, and hopefully the walls/shape, etc all hold.

 

[ACastillo]

Well we came out of the storm with only about 10" of rain, so I feel fortunate compared to those east of us. Winnie and Beaumont received over 40" of rain in 2 days, and many have been flooded and stranded, so I am definitely counting our blessings.

As a result of the rains, we will have a few delays, as we had about 40 feet of our excavated walls collapse. Even though they had covered everything with plastic tarps, I think the volume of rain that we had in such a short time span was enough to saturate the soil and cause it to cave in. All the water has been pumped out, but there's considerable weeping, so we will likely need to pump it again in the next day or two. I talked to the excavator this afternoon and he says once it's dried out enough it's going to need to be dug out and he's thinking they likely will have to remove some of the rebar to do so.

I'm not going to dwell on it too much, because I know there are a lot of others who are worse off with all of the flooding around here.

 

[Newdude]

Your attitude and concern for those with bigger problems speaks volumes of your character. I salute you good sir.