New Pool Build - Cypress, TX

[/Ejm25]

Hello all! This is the first pool we'll be building and I need some advice on the quotes I'm receiving. What should I change, is there something missing, and is this a reasonable price for the Houston, Texas area? This will be a pool build only with decking around it.

Appreciate any help I can get to make sure I get this right

- Pool Size: 34x16
- Pool Shape: Geometric
- Pool Depth: 3'6" - 6'
- Plaster Finish: Pebble Sheen Level 1
- Filtering System: Hayward 525 Cartridge Filter
- Filter Pump: Hayward Tristar VS 950 Omni
- Cleaning System: Hayward Aquanaut 450 Suction Cleaner
- Heater: Hayward H-Series Low NOX 500k BTU Induced Draft Heater
- Coping: Cross Cut Travertine 3cm Paver (haven't selected color)
- Waterline Facing: Glass/Mosaic Tile ($12 Allowance) - I haven't picked out the tile
- Skimmers: 2 Hayward automatic skimmers
- Pool Returns: 6 directional (included eyeball fittings)
- Sanitation: Hayward Salt Cell T-15
- Controls: Hayward Omni Logic
- Equipment foundation: Steel reinforcement 4 -1/2” bar bond beam. Floor and walls 8" o.c. with 3/8" rebar
- Drain System: Deck drainpipe (4” PVC) to the front curb with a pop-up. 8 Area Drain Grates (4" SDR). Gutters tied into drains.
- Maintenance equipment: 8'- 16' telescoping pole, 35' vacuum, net, brush, etc.…
- Visual Feature 1: 36' of 12" Raised Beam Finished in Spilt Face Travertine; Backside of Beam Wall finished in Sun Decking
- Visual Feature 2: Two (2) 18" Sheer Descents
- Visual Feature 3: One (1) Bubble Jet on Sun Shelf
- Decking: 511 sq. ft. finished in Sun Decking
- Lighting: Two (2) Hayward LED ColorLogic Pool Low Voltage Lights in Pool. One (1) Hayward LED ColorLogic 320 Low Voltage Lights in Sun Shelf.
- Sod: Replace damaged Sod due to excavation. Includes replanting of an existing tree in the backyard.
- Sprinklers: Repair damaged sprinkler due to excavation
- Fence: Reinstall fence for excavation
- Sleeves: 6 umbrella sleeves (One on sun shelf and 5 around the pool and decking)
- Cleaning Equipment: 8’-16’ telescoping pole, vacuum head, 35’ hose, plastic wall brush, leaf net, 2-in-1 test kit.
- Plumbing and Electrical: All pressurized pool plumbing around the pool and equipment run with Sch. 40 PVC pipe. Gas supply to pool equipment performed by Contractor. Where a backwash line is required, it will be run to a sanitary sewer with a p-trap. Electrical to equipment and Lighting performed by Contractor.

Does not include the landscape work around the pool other than sod replacement. New decking will be inline with existing patio cover.

 

[HermanTX]

Hi fellow Texan.
Nice looking design.
Ask about the PVC plumbing. Will it be 2” suction lines from the skimmers? Will your return lines to pool be 1.5” or 2”?
Great you have 2 skimmers. Ask that they are independently plumbed back to the equipment pad.

You have 4 different water features. Each should be independently plumbed if you wish individual control. For example 36” waterfall and bubbler. Or they could plumb all 3 water features on 1 line but that could be difficult to balance flow to each. So best to ask now so that can defined in the plumbing plan.

I only see 1 VS pump so that has to supply all the flow to the pool and water features. You may want to discuss with PB to confirm that all can be ON at same time with no loss of performance to the water features.

Good luck with your build. You can go in the Wiki part of site to find info on construction tips and best practices.

 

[gingrbredman]

Welcome, exciting time for you I am sure. Good looking design and a detailed list. Just one thing I saw from the drawings...

Lighting: Two (2) Hayward LED ColorLogic Pool Low Voltage Lights in Pool.

The rendering shows a light on the end. You probably want the lights on the side of the pool, facing away from the house. This way the light shines away from the house and not into your windows. Looks like you have a fence on the back wall, so you won't be then shining those lights into a neighbors window.

Also, I have a 30' or so long pool and have three Pentair Microbrites along the wall and it lights up the water very nice at night. Two may be ok in your build, but three wouldn't be overkill for sure.

Looking forward to more updates.

 

[sktn77a]

Agree, don't waste your money on the UV/Ozone system - you still need chlorine, so why bother?

 

[/Ejm25]

Hi fellow Texan.
Nice looking design.
Ask about the PVC plumbing. Will it be 2” suction lines from the skimmers? Will your return lines to pool be 1.5” or 2”?
Great you have 2 skimmers. Ask that they are independently plumbed back to the equipment pad.

You have 4 different water features. Each should be independently plumbed if you wish individual control. For example 36” waterfall and bubbler. Or they could plumb all 3 water features on 1 line but that could be difficult to balance flow to each. So best to ask now so that can defined in the plumbing plan.

I only see 1 VS pump so that has to supply all the flow to the pool and water features. You may want to discuss with PB to confirm that all can be ON at same time with no loss of performance to the water features.

Good luck with your build. You can go in the Wiki part of site to find info on construction tips and best practices.

Thank you!

PB said it would be 2.5" from the pool to the equipment and 2" from equipment to pool all 40 pvc. Skimmers will be independently plumbed. There will be 3 water features (2 waterfalls and 1 bubbler). The pump is the 2.7 HP model and PB said this model will have no issues running everything. I will have the option to shut off the water features with a manual actuator, if I want.

Appreciate the feedback. I'll read through the tips and best practices over the next couple days.

 

[/Ejm25]

Welcome, exciting time for you I am sure. Good looking design and a detailed list. Just one thing I saw from the drawings...



The rendering shows a light on the end. You probably want the lights on the side of the pool, facing away from the house. This way the light shines away from the house and not into your windows. Looks like you have a fence on the back wall, so you won't be then shining those lights into a neighbors window.

Also, I have a 30' or so long pool and have three Pentair Microbrites along the wall and it lights up the water very nice at night. Two may be ok in your build, but three wouldn't be overkill for sure.

Looking forward to more updates.

Thanks! I'll discuss that with the PB and make some changes.

 

[agjr85]

Ditch the booster pump and suction cleaner and get a robotic cleaner.
As for one pump doing it all, since you don't have a spa you will probably be fine. I run a VS pump at 1700 RPM's for waterfall, 3 deck jets, 2 bubblers, and 4 foot spa spillway and it makes everything work well. If I crank it up then more show. The only thing will be is if you go SWG and manage when the pump runs at higher RPM's (to produce chlorine).
Ditch the Ozone/UV.

Also rare that you found a PB to repair sod / sprinklers. I've talked to over 10 and none want to mess with it.

 

[proavia]

Have each skimmer and the main drain plumbing home run to the equipment pad. Each individual suction line (3 of them) then plumbed via Jandy valves to the suction side of the pump.

Also, the vac port for the suction side cleaner should be a separate line all the way ro the equipment pad.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Design: first step at 4’6” will not accommodate resort type lounges, 5’ 1/2” to 7’ is needed.
Consider having the second and third steps taken out of the reef and put at an 45 to the reef.
The pool picture provided is 40’ X 20’ and has 4 lights on the pool wall all facing away from the house.

 

[/Ejm25]

Design: first step at 4’6” will not accommodate resort type lounges, 5’ 1/2” to 7’ is needed.
Consider having the second and third steps taken out of the reef and put at an 45 to the reef.
The pool picture provided is 40’ X 20’ and has 4 lights on the pool wall, all facing away from the house.

Thanks for the pics of the lights and steps. We're not planning to place loungers in the pool and requested a smaller sun shelf. It will be used more for the little ones to splash in. I will ask the PB to move all lights to the wall facing away from the house.

 

[/Ejm25]

Ditch the booster pump and suction cleaner and get a robotic cleaner.
As for one pump doing it all, since you don't have a spa you will probably be fine. I run a VS pump at 1700 RPM's for waterfall, 3 deck jets, 2 bubblers, and 4 foot spa spillway and it makes everything work well. If I crank it up then more show. The only thing will be is if you go SWG and manage when the pump runs at higher RPM's (to produce chlorine).
Ditch the Ozone/UV.

Also rare that you found a PB to repair sod / sprinklers. I've talked to over 10 and none want to mess with it.

Thanks! I'll look into changing to a robotic cleaner instead.

We talked to a few PBs and only found 3 willing to replace the sod and fix the sprinklers. 2 out of the 3 were willing to move the tree we have to keep per HOA rules. The one we selected isn't going to move our tree, but our gardener will be doing it for $500. I included that cost in the price I posted.

 

[proavia]

Thanks! I'll look into changing to a robotic cleaner instead.

Be sure to keep the vac line. This will provide options for vacuuming.

Get a 110V electrical outlet placed half way down the longest length of the pool - and the minimum distance required by code from the pool. Then, if you decide on a robot, purchase one yourself and save some money. Many here have purchased from Marina Pool and saved quite a bit.

 

[.ben]

Be sure to keep the vac line. This will provide options for vacuuming.

Get a 110V electrical outlet placed half way down the longest length of the pool - and the minimum distance required by code from the pool. Then, if you decide on a robot, purchase one yourself and save some money. Many here have purchased from Marina Pool and saved quite a bit.

I also agree to keep the suction line, even if you plan on getting a robot. I have both.

My setup is very similar to the OP. I run my suction cleaner (PB provided) daily and only need to toss in my robot every 1 - 2 weeks. My robot definitely cleans much better, as evident by the basket picking up dirt despite my suction cleaner running daily. However, I can go longer between robot run because I have the suction port. I don't think I am using much more electricity because the suction cleaner runs when I have my main pump running anyway.

 

[/Ejm25]

I also agree to keep the suction line, even if you plan on getting a robot. I have both.

My setup is very similar to the OP. I run my suction cleaner (PB provided) daily and only need to toss in my robot every 1 - 2 weeks. My robot definitely cleans much better, as evident by the basket picking up dirt despite my suction cleaner running daily. However, I can go longer between robot run because I have the suction port. I don't think I am using much more electricity because the suction cleaner runs when I have my main pump running anyway.

Thanks! I will do this instead. Keep what they are giving me and purchase a robot later on.

 

[/Ejm25]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. The contract has been signed with the PB and all paperwork has been turned in to the HOA. Now the wait begins for HOA approval to start the build.

I'll update this thread with the status and pics when the build begins.

 

[/Ejm25]

Hello all! Today was excavation day. We were scheduled to start last week, but the rain delayed us until today. PB will be back tomorrow for rebar and plumbing.

 

[Texas Splash]

Always nice to see a new built start.

 

[/Ejm25]

Day 2

Next week we'll have the plumbing, electrical, and tile/coping selection.

 

[HermanTX]

Day 2

Next week we'll have the plumbing, electrical, and tile/coping selection.

Just curious - did the PB provide you a plumbing design as to how he was going to set everything to operate properly?

 

[/Ejm25]

Just curious - did the PB provide you a plumbing design as to how he was going to set everything to operate properly?

No they did not.