New build Wichita KS

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C

cncelctrc

0
Bronze Supporter
Aug 28, 2017
24
Wichita KS
Just started building my own pool last month. Been on this site for a couple of months researching different styles of pools and how they are built. This site is AWESOME! Learned a lot and recently started posting to ask questions. Everyone here is so helpful.

I decided to go with an inground vinyl liner pool. Wanted to have a sports pool because we really enjoy water volleyball and a normal deep end pool is hard to do that in. People are treading water on one side. Did a custom design L shaped pool. Wanted deeper shallow end than most standard pools, so went with 4' depth on either ends for the shallow and 5.5' in the middle. The pool is 18' wide and 44' long. Off one side for the L is a 12' x 12' Baja ledge. The ledge is at 2' so will be about 16-18 inches water depth. We want to use this ledge for lounge chairs and also as a kiddie pool for our new grand daughter.

Would have preferred gunite, but couldn't afford it without borrowing a lot more money. Cost was more than double for a gunite over liner. Just built a large detached garage and large covered deck onto my house and didn't have enough money left from re-finance and didn't want to borrow more. Really researched pros and cons of liner vs gunite and also talked with many people that have both. There are good and bad with both, so ultimately it came down to cost.

Ordered the pool kit from Pool Warehouse. I ordered everything from them except for piping and the liner. Their prices on everything was great. Really researched many pool kit companies and their prices, service, and warranty were the best. Even bought the pump and DE filter from them. Didn't buy the liner from them because found one I really liked but they didn't carry it. Ordered it through my pool supply wholesaler from Tara liners. Once I ordered the kit, it was delivered within a week. Free delivery!

Pool Design (1).jpgPool Design (2).jpgPool Design (3).jpg

Tara Liners Cascade Creek (textured on ledge and steps)
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Construction progress

Pictures taken from my new deck on the house. New garage is next to pool. It will also be a pool house and has a bathroom and small indoor kitchen at one end. There will be a large outdoor kitchen on the covered patio in the background. Will start on it after the pool is built.

Had to relocate the underground electrical because it must be 5 feet away from the pool. The sewer line was ok and will be right next to the pool, but will have to do a little offset at one end of the pool because it won't clear the corner.

Layout 9/1/17

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Digging has begun 9/13/17

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Panels sitting in the hole 9/20/17

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Panels assembled 9/23/17

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Concrete collar poured 10/8/17

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Backfilling with sand 10/12/17

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c,

Thanks for posting.. Looking forward to following your build.

I would not have the er....... "courage' to build my own pool... :cool:

I have often seen the metal side and a liner approach here on TFP, but it seems to be much more popular up north vs. in Texas. I suspect I'd be hard pressed to find one locally.

Looks good so far... Please keep us updated, as we love pics..

Thanks again for posting,

Jim R.
 
Thanks Jimrahbe and boomersooner for the compliments. Built my own house and detached garage. A friend that helped me build the garage suggested I build my own pool. He built his own and said it wasn't hard at all. Will save a lot of money doing it myself. Pool Warehouse has a good video on YouTube showing an entire build with all the instructions. Originally I had bids for this pool from some contractors and they ranged from 45K to 60K. All the bids were for a smaller 16 x 40 pool and 10 x 10 Baja ledge, only 4 feet of concrete deck around the whole pool, sand filter, single speed pump, single light, one plumbing suction line with 2 skimmers, and all 4 returns on single line.

Doing it myself is going to cost around 35K and made the pool bigger at 18 x 44 and the ledge is 12 x 12. Upgraded my liner to better brand and with texture, 60 sg ft DE filter, Hayward Ecostar VS pump, 2 Hayward Universal Color Logic LED lights, 2 smaller Color Logic 320 lights for the ledge, and light controller. For the plumbing, I am running separate 3 inch suction lines with Jandy 3 way valve, and 3 separate 2 inch return lines with Jandy valves going to 2 returns each. Thanks so much to mas985 on here for all the help on calculating suction line and return sizes and configuration.

The concrete deck is going to be much bigger than the 4 feet from the contractor bids. There will be 4 feet along one side opposite the garage where the skimmers are, 10 feet of deck at north end by the steps, 12 feet on the side along the garage, 6 feet past the Baja ledge, and 6 feet along the side near my deck. Doing all the work myself (with help from wife, kids, mother, and friend) except for concrete flatwork. The guy that did my garage slab and driveway is helping me out. He is considering doing a pool sometime as well with my help. All these upgrades would have cost me probably another 10K with a pool builder, so I am going to save about half the total cost. It is a lot of hard work but will totally be worth it. We also did have 2 bids for gunite, but they were going to be about 80-90K because of the size of the pool.

My mother is from Garland TX and had a gunite pool for 25 years. She moved in with us last year due to health reasons and is helping us pay for the pool. She also said that she didn't know of any liner pools in Texas and knew many people with pools. It wasn't even an option from the builder when she built her pool. Almost all homes in Kansas have basements but not the case in Texas. Something about the ground is too unstable, which may be the reason why liner pools aren't built there as well. Probably needs more reinforcement like gunite pools have with all the rebar.

Got enough sand backfill in to start the plumbing so it has a good base to lay on. Started the plumbing today. Really wish we could have started this pool project in the spring and had it ready for summer, but had to get the garage and deck construction projects done first. It is already starting to get cool here in Kansas and have had a few nights get down to low 40s. I think I am going to have to wait on doing the vermiculite pool bottom and liner in the spring since I probably still have another month of work. Going to start getting freezing temps soon and the vermiculite needs above 40 degree ground temp. Going to get all the concrete decking in and then install a safety cover which I have already ordered.
 
Finally got the pool finished. Had a 4 month delay due to winter, but got started back on it again in late April. Here are some more pics of the rest of the construction.

Plumbing 10/18/17
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Forms and sand for concrete deck 12/2/17

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Finished liner install and filling

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Pump, filter and valves installed

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Finished pool

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- - - Updated - - -

Enjoying the pool everyday and the family all loves it. Was a lot of hard work but well worth it. Saved about 25-40K from the bids we had.

Putting together a fast time lapse video of the entire build from my security cameras. Will post when I get it uploaded to YouTube.

Thank you all for your interest in this and following my build.
 
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