New Pool build in Katy/Fulshear Texas. Welcome any advice or suggestions.

Nov 12, 2018
7
Houston TX
Finishing up plans for a new pool build in the Fulshear/Katy area. (Cross Creek Ranch)
This is my first pool. I have been reading here at TFP for the past few months. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Working through the details on a potential new pool build in Cross Creek Ranch. I think we have the PB finalized. We are now working through the rest of the details.
1.) What should a pool build like this cost?
We initially set a budget of $60K, but as always we have seem to passed that already before landscape.
2.) Are there any differences between PebbleTec/PebbleSheen and Wet Edge products?
3.) Spa Tile Budget was set at $10/SqFt. This seems very low. Most of the glass tile we have found is closer to $25-$30 per foot.
4.) Polaris 280 / Pentair Legend or robotic vacuum? Any suggestions?
5.) Are there any features/equipment i am missing that are highly recommended?

Pool Construction:
Pool Construction Gunite
Pool Perimeter 113 Linear Feet
Pool Area 605 Square Feet
Pool Size 40' x 27'10", Pool Depth 3'.5” x 7'
16,539 Estimated Gallons
Travertine coping and glass tile waterline
Interior Finish Wet Edge (satin matrix)
30 LF of 12" of raised beam tile on facing
19LF of 18" of raised beam Stack stone

Equipment:
Filtering System: Hayward SwimClear™ Cartridge 525 ft²;
Pump: Hayward TriStar™ 3 HP Variable speed;
Heater 400,000 BTU Hayward H-400 Low NOx,(
Hayward Tristar booster pump for water features
Hayward T-15 salt cell chlorinator
Control System: Omni Logic Pro Logic® PS-8;
Bottom Suction Ports x 4
Inlet Fittings x 6
Automatic fill line x 1
Skimmers x 2 Units
Hayward LED Light Upgrade Pool Light x 2, One in deep end of pool. One on Sun Shelf and stairs.
3 lights in water feature basin

Spa:
Spa 18" raised;
Therapy jets x (6)
infinity edge spa with glass tile
Tile budget is at $10.00 a sqft.
Hayward Spa Light 1 Unit

Cleaning Equipment:
Automatic pool cleaner: Polaris 280 / Pentair Legend with dedicated line
8’-16’ telescoping pole
vacuum head
35’ hose
plastic wall brush
leaf net
7 in 1 test strips.

Plumbing & Electrical:
All pressurized pool plumbing around pool and at equipment ran with Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
Gas supply should meet all competent City, County and manufacturers requirements.
Where a backwash line is required it will be ran to a sanitary sewer with a p-trap.
Electrical to equipment and lighting by PB

Miscellaneous
All handling of H.O.A and city permits to be done by PB
Volleyball and umbrella anchors where needed.
Footings for structure and bathhouse

Existing Patio and Drainage
726 sqft of travertine pavers around pool, capping existing patio to match,
No landscape, grass or irrigation
Area Drain Pipe (4") 270 Linear F feet
Deck Drain Grates (4" sdr) 14 Units

Cross Creek Ranch Pool 2.jpgCross Creek Ranch Pool 1.jpg
 
4.) Polaris 280 / Pentair Legend or robotic vacuum? Any suggestions?

People will say get a robot. I recommend you install the dedicated return line for the cleaner and also install an electrical outlet near the pool where a robot can be plugged into. Technology changes over time. You will hen have the option of using either type of cleaner.

I will let those with experince with robots comment on how well a robot will deal with your pool curves.

Folks seem to find better deals on a robot when bought independent from their PB.
 
Going by the quotes we got in the same area as you, I’d say you’re getting a good price. We are doing a smaller pool than you and less features, and we would have been at $60k if we had kept the planned 320 sqft travertine patio (our HOA would not allow us to cover more than 70% of the lot with concrete).
 
The only way to really know if your price is a good one it to get as many quotes as you can that talk apples to apples.

I love your design! So many things right with it!

The one thing I would watch for is the two "corners" by the shelf. Those will be hard to clean. I would have that area straighten out so help with that.

Kim:kim:
 
Hi neighbor!

I am just east side of 1463. Seems like you've done your homework. Everything looks great! I have a few feedback for you.
1. I would suggest a robot. My neighbor has a polaris vacuum and I dislike all those hoses just hanging out in the pool. I have Maytronics S300, and it's great.
2. Your sun deck seems to be quite large. It eats up a lot of open swimming space. My two year old is the only one hanging out on the sun deck for a very brief time.
3. I went with Pebble Tech's Pebble Sheen line because their color and the pebbles come pre-mixed from the factory. I am not sure Wet Edge brand also come pre-mixed or crews mix them onsite. Advantage of pre-mix is that colors and pebble mixtures are more consistent than onsite mixed plasters.

Good luck.
Jay
 
Hello I live down here in Sugar Land. We went with the Wet Edge Primera Stone Line (Sapphire Treasure). We love it. Looks like pebble but it’s smooth like plaster! When they put it on it looks just like a typical pebble product but they then come back and sand it down to smooth. One big benefit is when it dulls down the line you just repolish and it looks like new. I like the smooth texture all around especially in my spa. My buddy has a pebble tech product and I find it uncomfortable in the spa.

I line my Pentair cleaner with dedicated booster pump. I leave it in the pool and it runs on schedule. No messing with it and it cleans great. No idea why there is so much fuss on here about “non robot” cleaners.

My thoughts anyways. We also added a Glacier Chiller for the summers. Probably best investment for the pool so far. I don’t like swimming in bath water! Just a preference of mine.
 
Beautiful design! My pool is similar with spa on one side with raised wall and water feature at back. I never thought I would think this, but if I could do it over, i'd skip our raised wall and water features, we rarely use them. I agree with what others have said about the tanning ledge--those corners will be hard to keep clean. And it's taking up too much space in the pool. I'd move it "down" where it leaves swim area as the whole length of the pool. What ages will be using pool? Kids? Adults?

I also wish I had some decking all the way around the pool, or at least around the back of the spa for getting in and out. It looks like you have the coping though.

We have Primera Stone Sapphire Treasure too! Love it! Ours has a little more mottling than I think you get with the Pebble type surfaces, but it doesn't really bother me. I'm just glad it is smooth.
 
I too felt the tanning area was too large in proportion to the actual swimming area. We want to encourage our kids to swim, right?.. not be "pool potatoes". Otherwise, yeah baby its a really pretty shaped pool!

I vote for a robot. Until you've used one you probably won't appreciate the far superior way they clean *and* brush your walls! Brushing the walls is an important task for a pool owner....let the robot do it!

Maddie :flower:
 
Thank you all for the super feedback!
We don't have any kids, but 99% of our friends that come over do have kids and I'm sure they would rather be swimming than splashing on the sun ledge.
I will be seeing the PB this weekend and will look to re-shape the sun ledge.
More pictures to come! Thanks again!
 
If it were me, I would literally cut out 2/3 or more of the sun deck and turn it into a swimming area.

Thank you all for the super feedback!
We don't have any kids, but 99% of our friends that come over do have kids and I'm sure they would rather be swimming than splashing on the sun ledge.
I will be seeing the PB this weekend and will look to re-shape the sun ledge.
More pictures to come! Thanks again!
 

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I live in San Antonio and I opted for a heatpump for my heat/cooling. I’m going with a dark plaster, so I’m assuming in July and August it will be a welcomed luxury. My neighbor has a dark pool and throws ice blocks in it to cool it down for summer parties.
 
All in all I paid about $2500 for the GlacierChiller and installatio (mine is tied into my Easy Touch so I can run it off my phone and set schedules). I ran it from June-September this year and kept my water at 81-85 deg. Again I like cool water when it’s 105 deg out. Basically ran the chiller from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm every day. Sometimes a little more at the beginning. A lot of people will say run it at night but remember in order for the Chiller to run the Main Pump must be running. I’m not going to run my Intelliflow 20 hours a day. My Chiller is in the shade for mist of the day also. Best investment ever. Pentair heat pump will cost you $5/6k installed. My PB tried to sell me that citing reliability. A week later he told me he had two new Heatpumps give out. Lol. If mine dies I’ll buy another. Two for price of one!!
 
All in all I paid about $2500 for the GlacierChiller and installatio (mine is tied into my Easy Touch so I can run it off my phone and set schedules). I ran it from June-September this year and kept my water at 81-85 deg. Again I like cool water when it’s 105 deg out. Basically ran the chiller from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm every day. Sometimes a little more at the beginning. A lot of people will say run it at night but remember in order for the Chiller to run the Main Pump must be running. I’m not going to run my Intelliflow 20 hours a day. My Chiller is in the shade for mist of the day also. Best investment ever. Pentair heat pump will cost you $5/6k installed. My PB tried to sell me that citing reliability. A week later he told me he had two new Heatpumps give out. Lol. If mine dies I’ll buy another. Two for price of one!!

I want a chiller! I wonder if it is difficult to add after the build? We built two years ago and wish we had done one.
 
Thanks for your post! I have similar questions. I live in the area too and am looking at a similar build with spa and cascade feature (although more of a simple rectangular shaped design). Somewhat smaller size. Travertine coping, decking as well. Our first quotes that came in were in the $80-$90k ranges from one of the larger PB in the area. I was shocked, but kept the poker face on.... Shouldn’t a 35 x 18 sized pool in this area at this time of year be more in the $60k - $70k range? I’d like to get a better pulse on pricing and how best to determine it. Base it off of price per square foot? I’m working on other quotes as well. Thanks any and all for some guidance! Especially from any of the other locals in this area of TX.
 
Made a few updates to the pool design. Thanks to all who suggested the smaller baja-ledge/sundeck. We made it smaller and changed the shape of it.
The red lines are the new updated lines we are working with.

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Started looking at pool tiles this week. Thinking Keystone Tiramisu Travertine (tumbled) for the patio and pool coping (bullnose).
The water feature will be stacked travertine as well. Hexagon tile will be on the back walls on each side of the water feature as well as the waterline tile. Glass tile will be on the spa and the small water trough feeding the waterfall only.

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Have not finalized the tile selection. We have a few more places to visit before final decisions. Looks like we will start digging once HOA approvals come back. Hopefully the start of February.
 

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