New construction in Dallas TX

[imrodee]

Couple of question I have:

1) Main drains go back up the sides? I can see that fraught with clogs, but I am not very educated on this..Any comments or suggestions on this?

Confession: I have to tell you... when I first read this line... I read it like this ""I can see that clogged with frogs."

OK, maybe tee many martoonies.. LOL!

 

[bpricedo]

Man, that's a lot of steel in that hole. Do you have some special soil conditions there?

 

[arvven]

imrodee - I love it..hahahaha! I think that's a better interpretation

bpricedo - That was one of the selling points for the PB. The gauge of the rebar and the amount they use. There is a full warranty that will be transferable on the shell of the pool if we sell the house..Not that that is in the cards!

 

[imrodee]

DISCLAIMER: I've only seen one frog so far (twice.) He was pretty cool actually. He's a pretty good swimmer and was quite content to just sit and watch me try to squish spiders and crickets with the hose (while watering the gunite.) We live in the country, so I expect to see more than your average "bug" in the pool. I am really trying.. to get used to all of that. (City girl) No promises there.. But "Freddie the Frog" is ok... so far. I thought I hated crickets - Until I saw the spiders. Once the pool is filled, i think they'll all end up in the skimmer (that I will open with a coat hanger.)

 

[bpricedo]

I hate crickets more than spiders. Especially the ones that you can't find in the middle of the night whose chirp is the same decibel level as a jet engine.

Our hole has already displaced frogs and snakes. A snake has moved in to the rocks around the goldfish pond, my girlfriend almost stepped on it last night. Not good.

You can get skimmer basket handles at Leslie's. They are great unless you want to use a skimmer sock.

 

[imrodee]

I'll check on the options for the skimmers..thanks!

These spiders are half the size of a dollar bill (legs included).

 

[arvven]

imrodee - oh my gosh.. I wanna see a picture of the horror..lol!

pbricedo - I have had a garden snake in my front yard, camped out in the evergreen bush. I was looking for a birds nest when I saw it. I called the animal control and said it looked poisonous. They came and hauled it to the end of our street by the water, laughing because it was a bird snake..ha!

 

[imrodee]

pics posted.. but these aren't as big as I've seen. It's really hot (as you know) so they must be hiding in the "good spots." They are on my thread.
Got the deck today!!! yeahhh! Wonder if karmann got his plaster yet - I can't wait to see it!!!

 

[Karmann]

Man, that's a lot of steel in that hole. Do you have some special soil conditions there?

I wondered that myself also.... my pool didn't have the rebar centers nearly that tight but I have a ton of rock under my pool.

It almost looks like they weaved the rebar in your pool it’s so tight and neat.

I bet it’s going to be doomsday bunker strong :-D lucky you.

 

[Karmann]

Couple of question I have:

1) Main drains go back up the sides? I can see that fraught with clogs, but I am not very educated on this..Any comments or suggestions on this?

2) Obviously the pipes from the sprinklers need to be fixed, but shouldn't this be addressed before Gunite?

my drains also run up the sides, but they have them sealed and under pressure during the whole build so nothing can get in there.

My sprinkler lines were pulled up and some of them were capped so that I could continue to water some of my zones in the backyard but after the 1st week trucks and workers broke so many heads frankly I gave up on the backyard. My contract includes 3 pallets of sod and sprinkler re-route so I stopped my obsession to keep my backyard tidy after the 1st week and just embraced the mess with open arms. :lol:

 

[arvven]

Well, we failed the first inspection. I am not sad about it, actually, I agree. The plumbing was studded out but not fully piped. The city requires an "Air Pressure Test" on the pipes prior to Gunite. The reasoning is that if there is a leak in the pipes it can be easily fixed before Gunite. Sooo..the plumbers came out today and started threading the pipes from the pool returns etc to where the pool equipment will be stationed. It looks like they will be back out first thing in the morning to continue. Pics coming tomorrow on this phase. So we probably won't Gunite until sometime next week. Well, one less week of watering I say and gaining confidence in the pool piping

 

[arvven]

Wanna swim!! Well at least I have the Olympics

 

[imrodee]

I'm glad they caught that arvven! Sorry that it puts you a few days behind. Our PB did our pressure test himself. Since we live in the country, the city doesn't inspect every phase. Boy, you've really got to trust your PB!!

INSPECTION STORY:
Often times I'd go down to FW to schedule an inspection for a Monday, and they'd show up the next day.. of course we weren't ready, or go to the wrong house... (I bought and restored several Historic homes in the Fairmount District... FUN!) Once I had custom cabinets made, got them hung by the cabinet people......... then this inspector shows up and tells me I have to take them down, because he didn't inspect the plumbing behind the wall! The kicker is, another inspector had inspected the plumbing the week before... and didn't put it on the card.. So guess what. Down came the cabinets. I was so mad.. but oh well.

Your plumbing peeps will have you up and running in no time! If not, you'll just have to bring your raft down I-35.

 

[Karmann]

Well, we failed the first inspection. I am not sad about it, actually, I agree. The plumbing was studded out but not fully piped. The city requires an "Air Pressure Test" on the pipes prior to Gunite. The reasoning is that if there is a leak in the pipes it can be easily fixed before Gunite. Sooo..the plumbers came out today and started threading the pipes from the pool returns etc to where the pool equipment will be stationed. It looks like they will be back out first thing in the morning to continue. Pics coming tomorrow on this phase. So we probably won't Gunite until sometime next week. Well, one less week of watering I say and gaining confidence in the pool piping

That’s great that they caught that, I cringed every time I saw a worker hammering something into the dirt after the plumbing was covered up at the gunite stage.

I must have asked my PB 4 times “how can I be sure something isn’t broken when they do that?” he finally explained the “everything is under pressure” requirement and walked me over to the equipment pad to show me the air gauge sitting at 30lbs.

I then became obsessed with it and checked it every day afterwards hahaha

 

[arvven]

I just checked the pressure! That's too funny, I too am obsessed!

 

[arvven]

Got some update pics..Not much, showing the light and copper wire, the plumbing and pressure. 2nd inspection scheduled for Monday, I think Gunite will be Tues/Wed!

 

[arvven]

Last few pics today..

 

[arvven]

How many days from poring Gunite do they typically allow the pool to cure? I thought about a week, but I don't know where I got that. Also, will that mean nothing is done on the pool, like tile, equipment and decking?

 

[bpricedo]

Mine had gunite Fri and the tile person will be out Mon or Tue so I guess that means it doesn't have to sit for a week.

 

[imrodee]

How many days from poring Gunite do they typically allow the pool to cure? I thought about a week, but I don't know where I got that. Also, will that mean nothing is done on the pool, like tile, equipment and decking?

Ours was gunited the 16th and plastered the 4th. Of course it's been over 100 degrees here, so it may vary in different parts of the country. Not to hijack your thread - I'll try to put our timeline over on my thread in a little bit.