New Pool Build - League City, Houston, Texas

[Westend]

First of all thanks for all the input which this site provides. It has really helped us in the process.

After 5 years in Texas we have decided its time to build a pool. Our kids are 5 and 7 so it seems like being the perfect timing.

We had several different pool builders biding for the job (Monterey, Premier and Backyard Amenities). Prices were very similar but we have decided to go with Brad from Backyard Amenities as he is just our kind of guy.

We wanted a long rectangular pool as its the plan also to swim a bit in the pool.

Dimensions are 14 x 12 x 14 and 48 ft long.
Depth will be 4 to 6 to 4. Should be good for some Volleyball.
7 x 7 rectangular SPA

Filter: Jandy DEV - De Filter
Pump: Jandy Plus HP - 2 HP
Timer: Jandy RS8 Wireless PDA
Heater: Jandy LXI 400,000 BTU

I am trying to upload a picture of the plans from my Apple Computer, however comes with an error every time.

Will be back.

 

[Westend]

Okay

Finally here is the pool plan.

As with every pool building a lot of decisions to make. We still have several:

Number of lights: we are for sure having one light in the spa. Question is - should we have 2 or 3 in the pool ? Especially because its so long and because we are considering putting in color LED lights which as far as I understand does not have as strong lights as regular white LED lights.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum. :lol: That's a very nice pool.

3 smaller lights in that pool, one on each end and one in the middle facing away from where you sit, would make for very even lighting.

One on each end would require bigger lights and not the eveness you would get from three.

 

[Westend]

And here is the yard before we start digging. As you can see we will use almost all of the yard for pool and deck. There is an easement towards the golf course of 16 foot.

They well start digging tomorrow.

A few other questions are:

Filter: Understand that both DE or Cartridge filter should be okay.

Pump: Usual discussion about variable speed pump or not ?? Also number of pumps. Right now the main pump will be used for the pool and when the spa is on (Is 2 HP enough for a spa with 8 jets??) Another separate pump will run the 3 24 inch sheers which will be on the raised wall towards the golf course.

Ozone: Included in bid but we are considering taking this out as we have not heard anything positive about this.

Will get back on other questions a bit later (mainly related to Travertine Pavers - cement or sand) and color of plaster (blue or green/turkish)

All input and thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Westend]

Hello day one is gone.

Amazing how much they can do in one day. It will take a few days before I can download pictures as the comcast Internet cable was cut.

Will be back.

 

[brg88tx]

das a long pool bro

our kids were 5 when we built last year. they didn't know how to swim and we worried about that, but 2 weeks of them going in the pool every day and they were swimming. they love it and swim nearly every day.

 

[Westend]

Finally some more pictures.

It has gone very fast.

Digging Monday. Beams and Gunite Tuesday. Pluming Thursday, Electrical Saturday.

Hopefully they will start on some of the waterline tiles and coping next week.

We went with Travertine NYSA from QDI Stone - both coping and deck. Coping Eased Edge. Hopefully it will look cool.

Main thing left will be the plaster colr. Really difficult. We expect to go with Pebble Tec. Either Sky Blue, Tropical Breeze or Midnight Blue. All input will be appreciated.

 

[elwood58]

Darker colors are a double edged sword in warmer climates. they tend to heat the pool up more quickly, which means an earlier start to the swim season. In mid season, they tend to make the pool harder to keep cool. Late in the season they seem to extend the length of the swim season. Just know that you will have to manage some higher water temps in mid swim season.

I found the traditional Pebble Tec to be a little rough on the feet. We went with a knockoff of what they call Pebble Fina, which is a very small aggregate. Some have reported great results from Pebble Sheen, where the aggregate is very highly polished.

 

[Westend]

Thanks for the good tips.

hhhmm - seems like we have to reconsider

 

[PJD]

If I were you I'd take as many pictures as possible of where the lines and connections are under the concrete. I'm dealing with a leak in my pool that was built 30 years ago. I've got some pictures of where that stuff is but a few more would be nice since our poole design was experimental at the time and any additional info of what they were doing then would be helpful now.

 

[Westend]

Great idea - assume you are referring to the pluming etc. - right ??

 

[PJD]

Great idea - assume you are referring to the pluming etc. - right ??

Yes exactly. Getting a sense for where things are run, what type of lines are used, how deep etc. All can be valuable if you stay in the home a long time.

 

[BKiller]

That's a long pool. Can't wait to see the finished results.

 

[Westend]

Thanks,

Same here. I must say the pb has been quick this first week.

The pool will be 48 foot long so we should be able to get some exercise. It will be 4 foot in each end and 6 foot deep in the middle so we can install a Volleyball net as well.

Main issue right now is the pool plaster - pebble tec - which many says is to rough - or perhaps we should go with pebble sheen - question is how much price difference we are looking at

 

[bobby1017]

Main issue right now is the pool plaster - pebble tec - which many says is to rough - or perhaps we should go with pebble sheen - question is how much price difference we are looking at

It's not really that rough in my opinion, although if you scrape an ankle against it hard it would prob remove skin. Since ours was installed no one has been bloodied yet. I have heard pebble sheen has smaller "pebbles" and is actually rougher?

 

[Westend]

Okay - thanks - not making my decision easier :-D

 

[Matt in Houston]

Go to some pools and feel the difference. We felt pebble-tec and pebblesheen and my wife and I thought the pebblesheen was smoother. The price for pebble tec or pebblesheen was the same according to our builder, but I have read a lot on the forums that pebblesheen cost more. Also I would not say that pebblesheen is highly polished. They do use some weedeaters with a buffer pad attached and smooth down the steps and the bottom a little but I wouldnt say it is polished.

Good luck!

 

[Westend]

Thanks, some of our friends have Pebblesheen installed - very nice - not rough in my world.

Interesting enough I would also say that the samples we got for Pebble Tec - some colors are more rough than others. Seems like the brighter/white colors are less rough than the darker blue once.

 

[elwood58]

Go to some pools and feel the difference. We felt pebble-tec and pebblesheen and my wife and I thought the pebblesheen was smoother. The price for pebble tec or pebblesheen was the same according to our builder, but I have read a lot on the forums that pebblesheen cost more. Also I would not say that pebblesheen is highly polished. They do use some weedeaters with a buffer pad attached and smooth down the steps and the bottom a little but I wouldnt say it is polished.

Good luck!

The buffer process after installation is not the "Sheen" part. The "Sheen" part is the fact that the aggregate is polished before it is mixed into the cement. regardless of which Pebble finish you choose, it will hold up a lot better than plaster, and I think startup and water balancing is easier too.

 

[Matt in Houston]

Go to some pools and feel the difference. We felt pebble-tec and pebblesheen and my wife and I thought the pebblesheen was smoother. The price for pebble tec or pebblesheen was the same according to our builder, but I have read a lot on the forums that pebblesheen cost more. Also I would not say that pebblesheen is highly polished. They do use some weedeaters with a buffer pad attached and smooth down the steps and the bottom a little but I wouldnt say it is polished.

Good luck!

The buffer process after installation is not the "Sheen" part. The "Sheen" part is the fact that the aggregate is polished before it is mixed into the cement. regardless of which Pebble finish you choose, it will hold up a lot better than plaster, and I think startup and water balancing is easier too.

Pebble Tec pebbles are also polished. Whether you want to argue if they are "highly" polished is probably of undiscernable difference.

"A Pebble Tec finish is just that: lots and lots of tiny pebbles. As many as 40 million for a single pool, in fact, all carefully selected from as far
away as Chile and New Zealand. Sorted by color and then polished, they are applied via a proprietary process; Pebble Technology, which holds the patent, requires that only licensed and trained experts install the finish. Once installed, it requires no special maintenance other than the usual pool cleaning."

This is a quote directly from the from the Pebble Tec website, with regards to pebble sheen:

"Utilizing the same proven technology and experience as Pebble Tec pool finishes, only with smaller pebbles"

I have no idea why they call it Pebble Sheen but I doubt its because the stones are "highly polished". Before we chose our plaster color I had a 2 boxes of samples. One box had pebble sheen and the other had pebble tec. There was no discernable difference in the polish of the pebbles, only that the pebble sheen pebbles were much smaller and more numerous.