New Member, First Build...What have we gotten into?

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They've been trying to get the decking figured out. Still not poured and not ready to pour...but close. Everything is asymmetrical and done in separate sections with 4 inch "leave-outs" that will hold river rock. They've constructed a large footer that will anchor the fireplace and they've dug for piers around the perimeter of the decking. Rebar is laid on 12x12 grid and we've placed five umbrella sleeves. They busted the track off the Bobcat on the first day so had to demo our old sidewalk mostly by hand. I thought they were going to try to incorporate the Bobcat into the landscape plan but they finally got it fixed a week later. There were a lot of little details that needed to be addressed and I'm glad I was around to make corrections. I'm still waiting for my paycheck for "on-site supervisor".

I'm hoping we pour by the end of this week. Still need the plumber and carpenter to come back out for one-hour jobs before we can pour concrete.

Bob

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr
 
Glad you were there to "help" them out LOL.

I wonder what it would look like if you were not there? "Oh we will just do it this way. They will never notice."

I like what you have done. That is going to be nice!

Kim
 
Today, the stonemasons came out and installed the cast brass scuppers. It wasn't much work; they were done in a couple hours but, it was one of the things holding up pouring the decks so it is a step in the right direction. Also think I forgot to mention that I picked up all our kitchen appliances last week. There is a Twin Eagles 36" grill w/sear zone and rotisserie, an Alfresco Versa-Burner w/Teppanaki Griddle, an Avanti 24" glass front refrigerator and a matching 54 bottle wine cooler.

Bob

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr
 
Yum! Strawberry Pie - Sold. You can come to any of our pool parties. We will definitely need to celebrate the filling of this pool - It may be October but luckily we are in Texas and the pool has a heater if needed. Did anyone notice THE infamous 15 gallons of stain by the kitchen appliances??? I'm also happy because the stone mason also finished grouting the tile inside the spa today. We're still waiting to get a sample of the midnight blue Stonescapes plaster but based on photos we're pretty sure we are going with that or the Onyx. of course we have plenty of time to change our mind :) - Karen
 
I saw the buckets but was not sure if they were THE stain buckets. Did they pay you back for them yet? I hope you like that color LOL. You should have LOTS left.

Oh grouting finished in the spa is good. What is next on the to do list?

Good luck picking your plaster!

Kim
 

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Somethings missing in these photos. Oh right, Footers. This looks like the standard non-structural 4" concrete deck that most local pool builders are installing around DFW. Footers running along the perimeter of all of this concrete deck is just good construction. The reinforcing steel in these 4" decks is mostly for looks. It does very little to render any tensile strength to the structure. But it's in so leave it. Hopefully the base underneath all that cushion sand was compacted with a jumping jack. In the absence of footers running along the perimeter of all this concrete deck you will get loss of support for the deck due to soil erosion. When the deck support is lost, the deck will fail. Sir, you may need to tie in all of your drainage on this deck and roof system to a sump pump that can move all that water out of this pool site (Ref. Rainfall Photos). Ask for the rainfall runoff calculations from your builder that support the drainage design here.

- - - Updated - - -

Sir, I recommend that you tell your builder to consider using products that are recommended for pipe penetrations through water retaining vessels. I can give you a recommendation but I am not sure this forum supports giving product information. Do a search for waterproof flashing mortar, read the literature and if it is specified for swimming pools and fountains, then you found the gold.
 
The photos of your gunite shell show marked efflorescence on the surface (increased porosity) This will inhibit a good bond to the plaster. Most plaster companies do a prep of the shell prior to plaster with a light acid solution. Make sure they neutralize the acid and rinse prior to the application of plaster, since really, you are the on-site superintendent. A better plaster choice would be and engineered plaster like SGM (similar cost) or better yet a pebbletec plaster (higher cost). Consider searching "pool shell protection", read the literature, you might find some more gold (DO THIS BEFORE PLASTER OR IT WILL BE TOO LATE). Do everything you can now to protect the reinforcing steel in your water retaining vessel and it will outlast you. Protect all of that flagstone with a proven sealer, especially the stone in direct contact with the water and any stone immediately adjacent to any water feature or splash back, OTW expect efflorescence and it's unsightly appearance.
 
Thanks Pool Critic. The photos don't show it but Bob did have the concrete crew come back out and dig all the footers since he noticed the same thing you did once we got home (see what happens when you aren't on site ALL the time). When he first called the PB, the PB said, "Bob, aren't you ever happy" and then Bob explained and the PB said, "you are right" and then the crew came out. Of course that meant re doing their work, but again, this is a situation where we have some familiarity with the issue so knew enough to make a call. I wonder about all of those people, who don't - and how often pool construction is completed with major errors. The photos don't show it either, but when you look down, one of the scuppers was placed in crookedly. We let that one go. Yes, every time we walk by it - it will remind us of this entire pool build - but when we weighed that with all of the other issues - it was on the "let it go" side.

I'll let Bob speak to the gunite shell (thanks for the tips) but in general for the rain runoff we planned to have a swale dug that will channel the runoff to our pond away from the pool and house. We live on a hill and agree it's important to solve - as does our downhill neighbor. We went through a similar process (and calculation) when we build the riding arena which you can see in the distance. It's amazing how much water can collect.

- Karen
 
Ok, just got off the phone with my pool builder. Much profanity exchanged! Outdoor Signature is absolutely the worst run organization I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. The Iraqi Army was better organized and supervised than these guys! I had a carpentry crew show up today thinking they were going to hang T&G on the ceiling of the pavilion. They were not from the crew that built the pavilion. They had no idea about the hanger that needed to be installed though I've been reminding the PB about it for weeks. The carpenters said they can't do the T&G until the fireplace is in which can't go in until the decking is all poured and cured. The decking has a lot of issues to be worked out before they can pour, one of which is getting the stupid roof joist hanger installed so the bracing can come out. There are areas where the base under the decking is only 2" below the level of the coping. The pad for the pavilion slab was never compacted at all and I am very concerned about it especially since the fill they used was very porous, half-dry mud. I am trying very hard to prevent an absolute train wreck here but the builder thinks I am unreasonable and just like to yell.

Additionally, the carpenter that was here this morning pointed out that the pavilion ridge beam, hip beams, and rafters are all at different heights. Furring would need to be added to bring everything to the same height before the T&G could go in. That wouldn't be a big deal except all the electrical has been roughed in and all the fixtures will need to be re-set because the depth will be wrong. Maybe my expectations are too high? Twenty years in the Army taught me that if there is something wrong it is likely because someone didn't properly supervise. There is absolutely no supervision here but when I point out mistakes I'm told that they don't need a "back-seat builder looking over their shoulder". It was even suggested today that I should just go on vacation and when I come back, everything would be beautiful. I wish I could go on vacation indefinitely! I can't even imagine what kind of shoddy work they would try to cover up with me out of the picture. Ok, I have to go find a way to not dwell on this all day!

Bob
 
Yikes! We are just about ready to commit to a PB and stories like these make me really anxious about starting the process. I really hope this is all behind you guys very soon and it will be just one of those eye-rolling stories when someone asks you how it was building a pool!

Hang in there and stick to your guns!
 
RangerBob said:
Additionally, the carpenter that was here this morning pointed out that the pavilion ridge beam, hip beams, and rafters are all at different heights. Furring would need to be added to bring everything to the same height before the T&G could go in.

Bob
Click to expand...
this doesn't make sense...different heights? b/c you have a 90 degree turn in your roof or the hips are 2x8 and ridge is 2x12? something not happening right here. If there was a chimney penetrating the roof line the carpenters that roughed in the pavilion should have framed it in, floor or no floor. and your roof is already shingled?? what are they going to do, rip shingles off? sounds like the trim carpenter was looking for an excuse not to work today...:blah:

and what hangers are they talking about? joist hangers? rafter ties?
 
Morning update: On Monday, after much yelling with the PB - the real site supervisor aka Project Manager came out to the site for the second time since the build started (the first time was the day of excavation and he left before they finished). He walked around with Bob and he pointed out that there needs to be more footers, agreed that the form boards placed for the decking need to be replaced in some areas (as having been sitting out in rain and heat for two weeks are now warped), that the section where the new deck will meet the old patio has to be lowered so there's not a .75" tripping hazard, that the scupper will be straightened (he thought all three should be straightened but we said just the one is really the one that we notice the most), that the soil needs to be compacted especially on the pavilion and had thought it had been done by the concrete guys (who were also out there and who admitted they hadn't done it and the site supervisor rolled his eyes), that the decking area needs to be dug deeper in some areas so that the decking is more than 2" thick, that the joist hangar needs to go on before they can pour the concrete in the pavilion, he pushed on the columns for the pavilion and the whole building shook (they did put the columns in deep and concreted them in so not sure what that means...) and a few other things. His goal is to have all of this done so they can pour on Wed.
Tuesday update: No workers, no work done
Wednesday update: No workers, no work done - get an email from Project Manager asking if we think anything else has to be done before they pour concrete. Bob sends email back explaining nothing has been done yet. Bob gets call Wed night from Project Manager asking same question - Bob and PM discuss the open items (PM decides footers don't need to be wider to support fireplace because of location of fireplace but everything else needs to be done (scuppers to be fixed later) and Workers should be out on Thursday to do it all before Friday concrete pour.
Thursday - will keep you posted.

JJ - there is still a brace (you can see it in the above pictures) between the kitchen section of the pavilion (at the 90 degree turn) and the dining area of the pavilion - that's where a joist hangar needs to go (we think) so they can remove the brace before they pour the concrete floor. The Project Manager said the fixtures are adjustable so that when the trim carpenter puts in the T&G, the fixtures can be adjusted and the different depths shouldn't matter. It made sense to me - but you can tell me if it does to you.

-Karen
 

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