New OB build in La Quinta California - first time pool owner

[Mike Clarke]

York -

Thanks for all this great information. Plumbers are trenching for all the plumbing tomorrow so great timing on some of this stuff. I was around for the dig, steel, and gunite and like you said I am glad I was. There were plenty of questions and corrections made those days....

I was wondering about the artificial grass, and how hot it would get in the summer. I will make sure I have a cooler hardscape allowing for access all around the pool.

I still am getting bids from some plaster companies. We are looking as Stonescapes mini pebble in tahoe blue. Were you happy with your pool surface? Would you recommend who you used?

I will get my test kit on order, for sure want to have that before I get close to the fill date.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[Yorker]

Morning Mike,
It sounds like your your own general contractor? My PB never gave me options for the subs he hired, they were just the people he regularly worked with. I had issues with my plaster work and argued with the PB until they chipped it all out and the company back to redo it. With that said, may I ask who is building your pool?

I just measured our coping, it's 18" deep and wide enough to get around the pool and avoid the grass. Not sure how deep your coping is spec'ed to be if 18" then the oly area I'd be concerned is the the base of the steps on the left side. By the way we did our grass ourselfs, purchased at local company, Purchase Green (Artificial Grass | Buy Artificial Grass Online | Purchase Green) Great husband and wife team and were extremely helpful, and their prices were great. We got "Fescue Supreme", it's REALLY thick and has artificial thatch at the bottom.

In your "free time" you may consider reading the saga of our build last year. Some great info there from the extremely helpful members here at TFP. New Construction: Cathedral City CA

York

 

[OGSW20]

Congratulations on your pool build! Everything in your original post sounds very similar to our build we are currently doing. I am excited to it coming to an end, hopefully soon. Just waiting for pavers to go in, plaster, and finishing up the outdoor kitchen. My PB is extremely slow going and is having a tough time managing materials. I hope yours is going a lot faster than mine. We broke ground the first week of April. I am estimating (or should I say hoping) we are still about 2-4 weeks out before completion. I would be ecstatic if I can throw a party for July 4th.

 

[Mike Clarke]

York - Man what an ordeal you went through, but it looks like in the end with a lot of work on your side you have a great looking back yard.

Thanks for all the helpful pointers. I am sure that I will be hitting you up for help along the way. Our coping is 18" and based on your suggestions and experience I will be adding it there at the deep end for people to walk around to the steps without having to walk on the turf. How was the artificial turf install? I was debating about doing the turf myself and given the success that it looks like you had I think I might just throw it on my to do list.

I started a build thread as this one was the begining of me gather info for the build. Here is a link to that thead - Let the fun begin in La Quinta

 

[Mike Clarke]

OGSW - Yeah it looks like our pools are very similar. The completion of my pool is a bit further out than yours but hopefully it keeps moving along at a good pace. Hope everything works out and you get that 4th of July party you are hoping for.

 

[Yorker]

How was the artificial turf install? I was debating about doing the turf myself and given the success that it looks like you had I think I might just throw it on my to do list.

Hey Mike, I'll be sure to keep an eye out on your other thread!

The turf portion was a handful. I did pay my contractor to do the prep work of leveling and putting down the road base (of which he really overcharged for), but after personally hauling the 5 or 6 tons of gravel and DG for our side and back yard landscaping ...I'd think twice about taking that on again. Also, the turf is delivered in a freakishly huge and heavy roll which was nearly impossible for two us us to maneuver in the driveway, just so we could cut into the 4 heavy sections we needed, not to mention we did this in June or July and the turf was so hot we could only work with it in the early mornings and evenings. The good thing was I did it so I only had one seam, and made sure that all sections were laid so the "grain" was going the same direction.

I highly recommend you check out this place, Purchase Green, they have a massive variety to choose from, they give samples, and very helpful. The website offers lots of DIY assistance, and if you choose they can do the install as well. I'd call them first to insure someone will be there.

78005 Wildcat Dr., Suite 106 - Palm Desert, CA 92211
M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm / Sat. By Appointment Only
www.purchasegreen.com
(760) 814-1902 / Joanne & Gerald

 

[Mike Clarke]

I was just checking out the Purchase Green site. Since you commented about the temperature of the turf I was looking at the "cool yarn" options. Did you go with one of those options and it is still super hot? They suggest that the cool yarn products are 10% - 20% cooler than regular artificial turf. I will try to get over there one day this week to check out their options.

 

[Yorker]

No, we did not go with the "Cool Grass" options because the research I did (at the time), people said that it did not make it comfortable enough in really hot temps. I'll try ours over the next couple days with the low 100 temps and see what's like. I do know that even in 120° temps it cools very quickly when the angle of the sun is lower (or if the grass is in shade). Let me know if ya'd like to drop by some afternoon to check ours out ...

 

[Yorker]

Mike, sorry, I forgot to post this on Wednesday 6/19:

At 3pm Weather.com said it was 100° in Cathedral City.
My infra-red digital temp reader said the concrete coping was 135° and the artificial turf measured 170°. So, if "Cool Grass" reduces the temperature 20%, the grass would still be 135°. Ouch! But again, it does not retain heat as the suns angle lowers.

 

[Mike Clarke]

Oh my, that does get hot. I will go for the cooler one for sure. Sounds like increasing the amount of shade is going to be key as well. Thanks for this info