New Pool Build In Longview, TX

[CJadamec]

I am always of the opinion to have a lil more electrical power available than you think you will need it's always easier to build it that way rather than to add it in the future. It sounds like you have a well thought plan.

 

[smankins]

It finally stopped raining off and on for a few days and I am running out of time so I went ahead and got my load of dirt brought in this past Friday. I still need a lot more dirt for the entire low area in my back yard but I will see how much dirt there is to move after the pool install. The truck still left some pretty good ruts in the yard but I will just have to wait for them to go away (they eventually do after many mowings of the yard). I had to go ahead and rent a Bobcat loader that same Friday so I could move this dirt. Man, it made a mess of the yard back there but I did get the dirt moved and started putting up some of the new fence posts so I can move my existing fence back. The pool installers will be here March 24th or 25th to drop off some equipment and set up the fill pool(s).

While everything was wet I went ahead and installed the sub panel in the garage and the outdoor outlet for the pool pump. I need to set the pump and filter this week and start the plumbing. I'm still waiting on the pipeline paperwork from the right of way guy. He called me Tuesday to tell me all was well and he would be out later this week for me to sign the papers. Never heard from him the rest of the week. :grrrr: I'll be calling him tomorrow.

Darn ruts!

At least this is ready.

The far side of this hole was still really soft. Didn't help running over it repeatedly with the Bobcat.

I'll be glad when this is over.

My grandkids better love this pool and want to swim in it every day even when a polar bear wouldn't touch it (well, maybe not when it is that cold).

 

[kimkats]

LOL and this is just the prep work

I am sure they will love it and ask to come over to swim all of the time!

Paperwork-I would offer to go to him to sign it. I hate waiting for other people and yes I do have control issues so there is that! LOL

Kim

 

[woodyp]

Last week was spring break here so maybe you'll have better luck catching him now.

 

[smankins]

I called the pipeline right of way man Monday and got him to come over with the finally finished paperwork. He got see the mega excavation point in person. My wife had to sign the papers also - she wasn't happy but she behaved, sort of. He also notarized the paperwork and they will be filed in a Houston area courthouse. Now I just have to call the field man and have him come watch me perform the excavation - in other words he gets to watch me shovel. I feel so special.

 

[kimkats]

I would make a couple of copies of that piece of paper to be on the safe side! Better to have it and not need it then needing it and not having it!

He gets to watch you shovel? Making sure you hold it just right??? Before you start make sure there is a pile of empty beers cans all over the place. Hand him a half filled one saying "Here hold my beer" and start digging like a mad man! LOL

Glad your wife sort of behaved LOL she sounds like a lady I would like!

Kim

 

[woodyp]

Need a shovel with a beer holder on it?

 

[smankins]

The pool installer actually showed up here Thursday, March 23 to drop off their backhoe and equipment trailer. We were expecting (and received) storms on Friday so they wanted to go ahead and do that. They said they would be back either Saturday or Monday. I haven't seen them so I guess it is tomorrow. There goes my plan to have a lot of time to fill up their small pools they install to use to fill the main pool. We'll see how it goes starting tomorrow. Of course rain is scheduled off and on all next week.

 

[kimkats]

What a tease! To have all of those toys sitting around doing nothing!! Of course it is set to rain all week

I take it the shovel watcher liked what he saw?

Kim

 

[smankins]

The installers have been on site a couple of hours now and a lot of dirt has been moved!

 

[kimkats]

SWEET!! Dirt being moved is a good thing!

Kim

 

[smankins]

These guys work fast. I hope they also work very well. They have a great reputation so hopefully all is well. The pool is out there filling up as I type. A lot of dirt was moved; a lot of dirt is left and the installers part will be wrapped up sometime tomorrow. The backhoe and trailer are gone to another location but some of the guys will be back tomorrow to finish out after the pool has filled more.

They arrive and begin to dig. The fence has already been moved back about 24 feet - finished that over the weekend.

The little fill pool is set up to be filled.

A lot of dirt being taken out.

They were able to dump a lot of dirt over the fence into the low spot.

The pool structure going up.

They packed the red clay and also made a cove with the dirt then put a vermiculite floor and cove on top of that.

Getting the last bit of vermiculite in place on the floor. I know these pool walls are sturdy.

Pumping the water over from the little fill pool.

Just have to keep filling for a long time now.

Pool looks like it is at an odd angle because of my yard slope. It will look better once everything is filled in and the deck is in place.

They did knock down the dirt pile somewhat but this will still take a while to level out. They left me some dirt on the inside of the fence as well. It was a little low.

 

[kimkats]

Nice of them to put the dirt where you needed it and to knock it down some! I do see some more shovel work in your future LOL

I love the idea of the vermiculite on the bottom! I am going to have to think about that when it comes time to change my liner! LOL on the strong wall! Look at the smile........I bet he was thinking of dumping him!

What will you be putting around the pool to keep it from washing out?

Look at the clay! What a mess it is when it gets wet! Fun to play in but plan on throwing the clothes away after!

Kim

 

[woodyp]

The rain tomorrow will knock some of that dirt down for ya' I'd level it down as best I could today.

 

[pooldv]

That looks like some good work! Congrats! It's going to be a great summer.

 

[smankins]

WoodyP: If you are talking about the dirt around the pool it was filled in today. The large pile of dirt doesn't look like it but it still has wet spots in it. It was dumped on some standing water in places. I can tell it is going to take a while to move this dirt - the clay doesn't spread very easily.
kimkats: We will just have the dirt and grass in the future around the pool. It is filled in and sloped for water to run off right now. We plan on building a deck soon so no fancy landscaping planned at the moment.

The installers came out this morning and cut off the excess liner and tucked it under the top rails as well as installing the skimmer and return. Now I need to do my major excavation across the pipeline and get some water circulating.

I had my pool inspector check out the work.

Got to hook these up.

My alligator meteorologist said it is too cold to get in. The pool inspector liked this.

He is ready.

 

[kimkats]

I would have SO picked up that cute inspector and dropped him into that pool! After he got over the shock of the cold he would have swore "I'm not cold" while his lips turn blue! LOL

I forgot that was a doughboy and can be buried! Nice job! I bet they were hating that clay before they got halfway done moving it!

For under the skimmer and return make sure to do a little extra work. I dug down about 3" and put gravel, on top of that I put stepping stones. I made sure they were slanted to move any water away from the pool. I did this for when (notice I did not say if) the pool over fills (rain or a forgotten hose left in) the water coming out of the skimmer will not wash the dirt out in that area and mess up the pool.

Have you bought any CYA (stabilizer) yet? If not use Pool Math at the top of the page to tell you how much you will need to get to 40. You might end up going higher but you want to start lower and see how the water acts once everything gets leveled out.

Kim

 

[smankins]

kimkats: Thanks for the tip for under the skimmer. I have dug down about 12" below it right now so it would be easy to put some gravel or rock there when I fill it in. I have dug most of the trench for the piping to the skimmer and the return. Just need my witness here for the over the pipeline part. I set it up for Friday since my pool inspector (grandson) will be with me tomorrow. I did the pool tests today and of course FC was 0. TA was 70, pH was 7.5 and I assumed CYA was a big zero. I added 80 oz. 8.25% liquid chlorine per the Pool Calculator even though that seemed a little low. I just stirred it up with a pool brush on a pole since I have no circulation yet.

Great. Now I hear it raining again outside. It already rained most of the night/early morning and we lost power from 6 A.M. to 2 P.M. That clay is already a muddy mess that sticks to my shoes.

 

[kimkats]

Oh man that clay is a mess! If I know I am going to have to deal with it I make sure to wear clothes I can throw away when I am done. It just is not worth even trying to get them clean or taking a chance in the washing machine.........YUCK!

That is some purrfect pool water! WOW! Do you have the CYA already? Your inspector can walk around in the pool and squeeze the sock to help it dissolve. You can also hang it from a water bottle and let it float around until you get the pump running.

Will you let your inspector get in today? I would throw him in!

Kim

 

[smankins]

Well the pump has been running for about 24 hours now. I ran it on high for about 8 hours with my Polaris 65 hooked up then dropped to low speed. Can't even hear the pump running. I have been adding chlorine to get my FC up and I have two socks (literally old socks) with CYA in the skimmer since late yesterday afternoon. I noticed the pH dropping some due to the CYA and the TA was down so I added some baking soda this morning.

The pipeline man was here yesterday morning and watched me dig the final 10 feet or so of my trench which crossed the oil pipeline. He had to take pictures and GPS readings and fill out more paperwork. One thing he did not do was grab a shovel. He said he had to witness the pipe being covered???? Why???? I told him it wouldn't be covered for a while since I was going to monitor for leaks. I do have one drip at my pump discharge but no other leaks. Yay! I'll have to take that apart and try to stop it later. I'll also need to cut the hose length on the Polaris 65 - it seemed to stay on one side of the pool. The instructions say to cut the hose length to 4' shorter than furthest pool side. I wanted to see how it worked without cutting first.

My equipment. About 56' from pool. Suction line turned a little but I had to get that PVC connected.

The lines going to the pool.

Connections at the pool.

Dang drip I need to fix.

Polaris 65 in action.

I guess I need to get the pool steps assembled and weighted down in the pool. I also need some temporary outside steps to access the pool then it is time to start on the deck. Dreading that but I know I will enjoy it when it is done. Also need to finish up the pool bonding.