New IG Pool Build - Buckeye (Phoenix) AZ - Excited and Impatient!
- Thread starter divaofsongs
- Start date
UPDATE: I was speaking with my neighbor and they told me about their concrete guy who did their decking and faux flagstone last year. The have fantastic prices, only $3.75 sf for concrete decking and $1.65 for acrylic lace coating in a solid color, or $2.25 for faux flagstone in acrylic. They use Preferred Deck Systems acrylic, so it is a very good name brand product and I decided to use them for my concrete and acrylic coating. I am getting faux flagstone. I took the decking off with the pool company because they charged me $10 sf, which is robbery! LOL. So I am very pleased, the decking goes in tomorrow and then we need to wait a few weeks for the concrete to cure so we can have the acrylic coating done.
Sorry, I have been sidetracked this past week! This is going faster than I expected and I forgot! LOL
I can't believe that just 3 weeks ago I was signing the contract and I am already less than 2 weeks from completion. I love my PB!
It looks great! Your build is moving at the speed of light!! Congratulations! Can't wait to see it finished!
Has anyone been bonding with the pool? AKA watering it? It will help it cure better and slow the cracks down.
NICE on the patio and area finish!
Kim
NICE on the patio and area finish!
Kim
They put some sort of stuff on it to cure it without us watering it, since I cannot do so being in a wheelchair and my husband is working 16 hour shifts all week long. Since yesterday, it has turned to a white color.
The decking people came yesterday but they did not pour the concrete yet, that will be Friday. They spent the whole day preparing the area and it is all ready to have the concrete poured, I can see the shape of it and how it will look and I am certain now that we want to expand our decking.
We have decided to add an additional 300 sf of decking to the left side of the pool so that there is decking covering our entire back yard, all except a 4 ft. perimeter, which will be covered with landscape rock. I think it will be way more practical that artificial grass and we will be able to enjoy it more because I HATE bugs, and I would really not spend much time on the grass, even if it is artificial, to avoid any bugs I might now be able to see, so if there is decking there instead, I will be able to use all that space for entertaining. Also, the concrete is being added at $3.50 sf, compared to $4.25 sf for the artificial grass, and if we did the artificial grass, we would have to go all the way out to the edge of the yard and the back fence, adding on an additional 300 sf, which will now be landscape rock, which we already own. At the end of the day, we will be spending $1700 less by choosing to do concrete with a faux flagstone finish over artificial grass.
Hello everyone. Sorry I have waited so long to post more photos and progress but I have been super busy. So, here is the deal.....the decking is poured (still having more poured next week to extend the decking an additional 350 sf.) and the waterline tile is done. Today they came to do the cleanup and replace the block wall, the final inspection is set for tomorrow (Friday) and the Ultra Poz interior finish is scheduled for Monday...water will be put in that day as well. Then on Wed. they are sending someone out to teach us how to use everything and start us with our chemicals, etc.
I am blown away by how fast this all happened....we met with our PB for the first time on 3/16/16, excavation took place on 3/29, and here we are, 23 days later and just a few days from being done. In fact, the completion date is set for the 26th, which is exactly 28 days from the day of excavation. If we had went with one of the other two pb's, they would just now be excavating.
Here are photos of the decking and then the waterline tile. I don't have photos yet for today but the block wall is back up and the yard is completely cleaned up and tidy. The block wall is still gray because they have to send someone out to paint/stain the blocks to match because the original color has been discontinued. That will be done early next week.
Our solar pool guy is coming this weekend to do most of the setup and then when the water goes in on Monday, he will be back to complete it. He is giving us a 100% solar powered system, even the pump is a solar powered DC pump that does not use any electricity and operates independently of the pool pump, so no warranty issues. The whole system, installed, cost me 50% less than any of the solar companies quoted me and their quote did not include the solar powered pump and system, theirs was tied into the pool pump and electrical box.
Another great thing about the solar water heating system that I am having installed is they guy is putting a reverse switch so we can run the water heater from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. in July/Aug and it will act as a cooling agent to cool the water a little, maybe only 5-7 degrees cooler, but when it is 115 every day for 3 months straight, that makes a huge difference between swimming and bathing, LOL. He put in a reversible pump so we can pull from the deep end or the shallow end and affect how the pool is heated or cooled off.
After the new concrete is poured and it has a couple weeks to cure, we found a company to do our acrylic faux flagstone and acrylic lace on all the concrete, including our patio. They charge $1.65 for lace and $2.25 for faux flagstone. Their work is beautiful and they have the best price. They are only in business a year but the owner worked as a foreman for a concrete company for 17 years before starting his own business. He did all their concrete work, including decorative work like stamping, acrylic finishes, etc. I checked their references and reviews and they are licensed, bonded and insured, so I am excited to save the money.
The plan is to add an additional 350 sf. of decking to the left side of the pool so that there will only be about a 3-4 ft. perimeter around the pool without decking. The 3-4 ft. perimeter without decking will be covered with landscape rocks and plants will be dispersed down the sides. The back view fence will be covered with some faux ivy privacy screen I found at Home Depot online and had shipped to my house. It cost me about $279 for enough to cover my entire 35 ft. fence but it will give us privacy and I don't have to worry about taking care of live plants. They come in 10 ft. long rolls and either 3.5 ft or 5 ft. high. It worked perfect for us because our fence is 35 ft. long and 5 ft. high. We will have an extra roll left over for fill ins. I will post a photo of the item and later this week I will post photos of the finished product. My husband will be putting it on this weekend.
Very happy, indeed!
This is what we bought for the fence to give us privacy. We are doubling up the rolls so you won't be able to see through it at all.
The next photos you see from me, will be the pool filled with water!!!
I am blown away by how fast this all happened....we met with our PB for the first time on 3/16/16, excavation took place on 3/29, and here we are, 23 days later and just a few days from being done. In fact, the completion date is set for the 26th, which is exactly 28 days from the day of excavation. If we had went with one of the other two pb's, they would just now be excavating.
Here are photos of the decking and then the waterline tile. I don't have photos yet for today but the block wall is back up and the yard is completely cleaned up and tidy. The block wall is still gray because they have to send someone out to paint/stain the blocks to match because the original color has been discontinued. That will be done early next week.
Our solar pool guy is coming this weekend to do most of the setup and then when the water goes in on Monday, he will be back to complete it. He is giving us a 100% solar powered system, even the pump is a solar powered DC pump that does not use any electricity and operates independently of the pool pump, so no warranty issues. The whole system, installed, cost me 50% less than any of the solar companies quoted me and their quote did not include the solar powered pump and system, theirs was tied into the pool pump and electrical box.
Another great thing about the solar water heating system that I am having installed is they guy is putting a reverse switch so we can run the water heater from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. in July/Aug and it will act as a cooling agent to cool the water a little, maybe only 5-7 degrees cooler, but when it is 115 every day for 3 months straight, that makes a huge difference between swimming and bathing, LOL. He put in a reversible pump so we can pull from the deep end or the shallow end and affect how the pool is heated or cooled off.
After the new concrete is poured and it has a couple weeks to cure, we found a company to do our acrylic faux flagstone and acrylic lace on all the concrete, including our patio. They charge $1.65 for lace and $2.25 for faux flagstone. Their work is beautiful and they have the best price. They are only in business a year but the owner worked as a foreman for a concrete company for 17 years before starting his own business. He did all their concrete work, including decorative work like stamping, acrylic finishes, etc. I checked their references and reviews and they are licensed, bonded and insured, so I am excited to save the money.
The plan is to add an additional 350 sf. of decking to the left side of the pool so that there will only be about a 3-4 ft. perimeter around the pool without decking. The 3-4 ft. perimeter without decking will be covered with landscape rocks and plants will be dispersed down the sides. The back view fence will be covered with some faux ivy privacy screen I found at Home Depot online and had shipped to my house. It cost me about $279 for enough to cover my entire 35 ft. fence but it will give us privacy and I don't have to worry about taking care of live plants. They come in 10 ft. long rolls and either 3.5 ft or 5 ft. high. It worked perfect for us because our fence is 35 ft. long and 5 ft. high. We will have an extra roll left over for fill ins. I will post a photo of the item and later this week I will post photos of the finished product. My husband will be putting it on this weekend.
Very happy, indeed!
This is what we bought for the fence to give us privacy. We are doubling up the rolls so you won't be able to see through it at all.
The next photos you see from me, will be the pool filled with water!!!
LOVE it! Can't wait to see the new decking size and plaster in! This has been a fast one for sure!
That ivy fence cover is cool! Love the no live plants to take care of but get the look!
Kim
That ivy fence cover is cool! Love the no live plants to take care of but get the look!
Kim
Ditto on the ivy...where does one find this?
~Kevin (MN)
13.5k gal, 24' Round AG Vinyl
2HP Waterway Pump, 200sqft Hayward Element Filter
BBB Method & AuquaSmarte Inline Chlorinator, TF-100 Test Kit
Thanks Kim! The ivy and other products like it are available on HomeDepot.com, I don't thing they sell in the stores but you can have it shipped. They also sell on Amazon and other sites but so far, Home Depot has the best price. They also have a really nice product that goes on a chain link fence but I don't have one so I got this product instead. Here are the names of some of the items on Home Depot, just search for them on their website. The stuff I bought has a 10-year warranty, others products have up to 20 years warranty. I have to admit, it is costly and seems like a lot to spend on some fake leaves, but given this choice or live plants, this is by far the best choice for me because I need the instant privacy. I even paid $50 for a 5' X 50' green privacy screen to go behind the faux ivy product so I can have 100% privacy. I will post the link to that product too. I am going to apply the solid green privacy screen first, then attach the faux ivy to the top and bottom of the fence post and poke a small hole through the middle of the solid screen in various places to secure the faux ivy to the screen. I will post photos when done.
5' X 50' green privacy screen (available in black also) $49.99 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Windscreen4le...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Actually, here are the links to the products:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Ivy-1...c-Danica-Double-Sided-Ivy-Roll-8038/205814333 This is $69.99 for a 5' X 10' roll, double sided
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Ivy-Expandable-Lattice-with-Ivy-8030/203193868 $59.98 covers 20 sf.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Ivy-1...c-Danica-Double-Sided-Ivy-Roll-8037/203193866 This is $69.98 for a 3.5' X 10' roll, double sided
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Ivy-1..._-OD_SearchPLP_rr-_-203193866-_-203193864-_-N This is $88.98 for a 3.5' X 10 ' roll of woven bamboo. This has a denser coverage than the faux ivy.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Ivy-E...RV-_-rv_gm_pip_rr-_-203193864-_-203193868-_-N $59.98 for 20 sf. of expandable lattice covered with ivy.
There are a bunch of other products like this, including one from Lowe's for chain link fences that is really nice.
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1 $77.90 for 6' X 5' coverage. (I have a link for 10% off Lowe's coupon code or $10 off $50 coupon code if you want it, message me!) They have other sizes, just search for Pexco privacy fence on Lowes.com.
And lastly, this is from Amazon, it is much less expensive but smaller as it only covers 39" high and 94" wide. Of course, you can buy multiples. It is $33.79 and rated 4.5/5.0. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/ALEKO®-Privac...=4P2MWCEFEPXC1A99GCY5&ref_=pd_lutyp_cartx_7_3
I hope some of this info helps someone save some money. I LOVE saving money! LOL!!!!!!!
EDIT: Here is one more place for the faux hedge, it actually is the best price overall, even better than Home Depot. Here is the link and if you use the coupon code
C98B58A0
you can get 15% off your first order!
http://www.windscreen4less.com/faux-ivy-fence-screen.htmlMan, I wish I would have found this before spending $279 plus tax at Home Depot! LOL. With the coupon code I found for 15% off, I could have got it all for less than $230 with no tax, free shipping, and saved about $80! Hindsight is once again 20/20.
diva, Home Depot does price matching. It may be worth a call to them to see if you can get an adjustment.
Thanks Kpag, but Home Depot has the lowest price I have found for that particular brand. The Windscreen 4 Less is a different brand, same concept, but different name brand so I think it has to be the exact product to get the price match.
I actually do price matching all the time, especially at Lowe's because they not only match the price but also give a 10% discount off the lowest price per their price match guarantee!
YEEEEE HAWWWWWWWW! The city of Buckeye just came and we passed out final inspection!!!!!!! That means Ultra Poz interior finish on Monday and swimming by Tuesday! Can anyone share the process once the water is in the pool? Here are my questions:
Once the pool is filled, is it safe for us to get in right away, even before there are any chemicals?
How long til we start using the vacuum?
Our pool is 10,800 gallons and we will be using a 5/8 inch garden hose to fill it. How long will it take, approximately? If we use the back water hose and also the water hose from the front of the house, will it fill up twice as fast?
Most importantly, what is the stuff you can put in the pool so that if someone pees in the pool, it turns the water dark blue? I may let some of the neighbors come over but I want to make sure none of them are nasty, and if they are, I want to cold bust them! LOL
Once the pool is filled, is it safe for us to get in right away, even before there are any chemicals?
How long til we start using the vacuum?
Our pool is 10,800 gallons and we will be using a 5/8 inch garden hose to fill it. How long will it take, approximately? If we use the back water hose and also the water hose from the front of the house, will it fill up twice as fast?
Most importantly, what is the stuff you can put in the pool so that if someone pees in the pool, it turns the water dark blue? I may let some of the neighbors come over but I want to make sure none of them are nasty, and if they are, I want to cold bust them! LOL
My ears, oh my poor ears! I heard you ALL the way over here! LOL
Pool School - Start-up New Plaster
Here are some links you will need when you are starting up a pool.
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
This is just what you need for now.
Kim :cat:
Pool School - Start-up New Plaster
Here are some links you will need when you are starting up a pool.
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
This is just what you need for now.
Kim :cat:
And don't forget to cover the end of the hose to keep it from scratching the plaster.
Thanks, Kim. I was hoping to be able to do it myself but being in a wheelchair might pose some issues for me so I am hiring a local pool service to do the weekly service. I have had some trouble finding a company I feel comfortable with because of unfavorable reviews so I went on Angie's List and found a few companies with great references and hopefully will be able to hire one of them. I live out in the boondox, lol, so my choices are limited.
Even with a weekly pool service, I still plan to double check their work and will be using my test kit to check for any imbalances in the chemicals so I can ensure a trouble-free pool.
Actually, I was thinking of installing an inline chlorine feeder and doing the chemicals myself, just having the service come out and do the cleaning because that is something I cannot do. Thanks, never would have thought of that!
Quick question: I heard there are devices I can connect to the pool to automatically test and dispense chemicals as needed. This would be ideal for me since I am handicapped and may have trouble with it. Does anyone know of such a device and what it would cost to buy and install? I have a Hayward Tristar VS pump but did not get the automation system with it, which I am regretting now.
I found this.....just wondering if it would work on its own or if it has to have the Hayward Prologic or other automation system in order to work?
https://jet.com/product/detail/5e93...A1JKiIfM7AWePTRWl9ExEBoCEGnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I found this.....just wondering if it would work on its own or if it has to have the Hayward Prologic or other automation system in order to work?
https://jet.com/product/detail/5e93...A1JKiIfM7AWePTRWl9ExEBoCEGnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Okay, yet another post! Remember I told you all I was going to be using the faux ivy for the view fence? Well, in less than 3 hours my view fence has been transformed. I used 2 layers of the ivy and put a green privacy screen between the layers to totally block out all peeping Tom's. LOL. It is done and worth every penny because waiting for live plants to grow enough to cover that whole fence would take years. I found some lovely artificial rose vines on Amazon that I am going to attach along the top of the fence and down the sides, to give it some color and life.
The photos below show the progression of the first layer, then the privacy screen, then the third and final layer!
The photos below show the progression of the first layer, then the privacy screen, then the third and final layer!