New Pool Build - NE Austin Suburb - gunite!

[dirtyJoeDirt]

After interviewing 4 builders, we've decided on one and are ready to move forward pending some tweaks to the dimensions of the design.
Specs

• Dimensions: 20’x35’ (14’x35’ swim area)
• Depth: 6 - 3.5 (left to right)
• Tanning Ledge: 6’x8.5’
• Raised beam 18’x12” - stone fascia w/cascade
• Tile: 6”
• Coping: Lueders Stone
• Spa: 7’x5’ (Raised 18” w/stone fascia)
• Finish: Quartzscapes Tahoe Blue

Equipment

• Pump: 2HP Full Rated Jandy Stealth
• Filter: 60 Jandy DE w/full-flo backwash valve
• Heater: Jandy 400K BTU Natural Gas
• Controls: Aqualink RS-8 w/phone App
• Cleaner: Polaris 280 wit 3/4HP Booster Pump
• Lights: 4 Color LED
• Skimmers: 2 x2”
• Sanitizer: CMP Auto Chlorinator
• Autofill: Poolmiser

Random Comments/Thoughts

• For whatever reason, I appreciated the hand drawn and inked design vs the computer generated fanciness we saw with other PBs.
• We’re changing overall dimensions to 21’x30’ (15’x30’ swim area) so I can take some of my yard back!
• Not sure how weird it would be to enter on the left side of the steps into the deep end.
• We’ll also be pulling the entire thing in closer toward the house ~5’ or so.
• As far as equipment, we’re in Texas, so naturally PB strongly advised against SWCG. The Lueders stone coping is a limestone, so if we decided to switch to SWCG, I’d imagine we would need to choose a new coping material.
• He also advised against a variable speed pump as he said it takes a full 2HP to get the Spa spillover effect working properly so we would rarely drop the speed below the full 2HP speed.
• I do have the option to switch to Pentair equipment, so that’s something I’ll need to further research. Thoughts on Jandy v Pentair are appreciated.
• Need to decide on decking - Koolcote knockdown texture vs stamp. The stamp would add ~$2K and we do prefer the look over knockdown texturing

We’re open to suggestions, so please feel free to fire away with any comments negative or otherwise.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP-

I think you will find everyone here will tell you to ditch the CMP Auto Chlorinator and go SWCG. The tabs it uses are almost half stabilizer and your pool will be overstabilized before the summer is over.

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Did the pool builder mention that teh spa spillover will keep your pH rising quickly because of the aeration it causes? You will probably need to make sure there is some way to bypass the spillover effect for most of the day or you will be using lots of acid. With waterfalls on my pool I only ran it when I was there to enjoy the effect.

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[dirtyJoeDirt]

bump for me! redesign is complete, here's the official build proposal. anything stand out to anyone before we sign the contract and get going?

POOL PROPOSAL
POOL AND SPA SPECIFICATIONS

All work will be done in accordance with the American Pool and Spa Professionals specifications and applicable codes:

• Permits and calls for necessary inspections.
• Layout in accordance with approved plans
• Excavation, all rock included, including material haul off
• Forming for interior walls of pool as necessary
• Schedule 40 PVC plumbing throughout
• 6.5 sack shotcrete mix, approximately 4,000 PSI 28 day strength

EXCAVATION

• All excavation of pool and associated grading, including rock excavation
• Includes removal and replacement of fence when necessary
• Includes all forming of pool
• Includes haul off of all excavation spoils if necessary
• Includes all grading at spa and tanning ledge deck area

POOL

• Size: 21' x 30'
  • Area: 548 square feet
  • Perimeter: 107'
  • Depth: 3' to 6'
  • Tanning ledge at 9' x 6' with 2 bubbler fountains
  • Raised wall across back of pool at 18' by 12" high with 18" cascade
  • Volleyball sleeves and set including the ball

TILE AND COPING

• 2 1/4" sawn leuderstone coping at 12" wide or Oklahoma stone.
• 6" perimeter tile with $8.00 per square foot allowance
• The spa will include matching tile and coping
• Exterior of raised spa veneered with stone

EQUIPMENT

• Pump: Jandy 2.75 HP Variable speed for pool and spa operation
• Filter: Jandy 60 square foot DE filter
• Cleaner: Polaris 280 with 3/4 HP booster pump
• Jandy 400,000 BTU Heater with gas connection
• Controls: Aqualink RS-8 computer controls with phone app
• Lights: 4 Jandy color LED microbrites
• Skimmers: Two Waterway 2"
• Valves: All Jandy neverlube style valves. All suction lines plumbed separately
• Sanitizers: CMP automatic chlorinator
• Auto fill: Poolmiser plumbed through RPZ back flow preventer
• Six Waterway spa jets
• One 18" cascade

DECK

• 510 square feet of broom finish concrete.
• Slab is poured 4" thick atop compacted limestone fines and 3/8" rebar on 14" centers
• All decks are scored for control joints
• All decks have a perimeter turn down beam for extra strength and to prohibit cracking
• Deck to be covered with Koolcote standard texture. Color to be selected
• See option page for alternative deck toppings

STEEL

• Steel is #4 rebar tied on 10" centers
• 4 bar bond beam tied around entire pool
• All steel blocked up

PLUMBING

• All schedule 40 PVC pipe throughout
• All suction lines will be separately plumbed and valved
• All main drains will be split suction anti vortex with the governments VGB rating
• All plumbing lines and system will be pressure tested until deck has been poured
• Pump and filter plumbed with unions for ease of repair

GUNITE

• All pool walls shot with shotcrete
• All walls are a minimum of 6" to 8" thick
• All floors are a minimum of 9" thick
• All coves are between 15" and 18" thick
• Pool beams are a minimum of 12" thick

ELECTRICAL

• Pool will be bonded per National Electric Code
• Power run to equipment included
• All equipment will be wired per manufacturer's specifications
• Equipment includes freeze guard

CLEANUP

• All construction debris will be removed and area around pool will be graded with loam
• New planters will be backfilled and leveled

PLASTER

• Two coats of hand troweled Quartzscape will be applied to waterproof pool
  • Up to level two Quartzscape included

WARRANTY

• Lifetime warranty on gunite structure of pool
• All pool equipment is warranted by the manufacturer for three years
• All masonry and tile is warranted for 1 year from completion of pool

Options

• Add for Koolcote stone pattern overlay: $5,336.00
• Add for Versailles pattern Travertine tile deck: $7,533.00

 

[tim5055]

The only thing that jumps out at me is the tab chlorinator.

I'd also like to see the pressure side "separately plumbed and valved" so that you could turn off different returns if necessary. Especially teh 18" cascade and the bubblers.

 

[dirtyJoeDirt]

based on the conversation i had with pb today, controlling all water features will be addressed on the automation side with individual actuators.

we’re now at the mercy of city permitting and hoa approval. gonna be a long summer.

 

[Tres Gatos]

If it's going to be used for volleyball I would recommend you make it a "sport" pool 3.5-6-3.5 so people can at least stand at both ends. And 3 ft is too shallow for swimming laps (scraped knuckles).

 

[sham]

If it's going to be used for volleyball I would recommend you make it a "sport" pool 3.5-6-3.5 so people can at least stand at both ends. And 3 ft is too shallow for swimming laps (scraped knuckles).

Agree, and if you really want volleyball I'd suggest 5 or 5.5 ft in the middle. Our is 3.5 - 5.5 - 4.0 and it is hard when you are in the middle of the pool up near net. Even with volleyball not a factor, I know three people who regret their 6 foot deep end.

 

[dirtyJoeDirt]

If it's going to be used for volleyball I would recommend you make it a "sport" pool 3.5-6-3.5 so people can at least stand at both ends. And 3 ft is too shallow for swimming laps (scraped knuckles).

yea it's actually 3.5" to 6". typo on my part.

for whatever reason my wife insisted on the volleyball sleeves and set. she also wants to put sleeves down for a bball hoop, but i'd prefer one w/a moveable base. still trying to figure out why she's against having moveable gear, but here we are haha.

pb thinks 3 weeks for permits followed by a 6-7wk build time. fingers crossed that we can be swimming end of august.

 

[dirtyJoeDirt]

finally got permits back from the city on 7/8. hoa wouldn’t review the plans until we had permits in hand. the hoa coordinator said that based on the volume of requests they have to review right now, we should expect they take the full 30 days. luckily the approval came back on monday 7/13. digging started thursday, they came back yesterday for a few hours but then took off. pb says they’ll be back monday to complete excavation.

we ended up removing the booster and polaris 280 in favor of a robot that is still tbd. will continue reading up on them throughout this forum. removed the volleyball sleeves and set as well. and probably the biggest change is we opted for travertine decking, 16x24 in offset pattern. the longer this goes on, the more likely my wife will keep adding things here

besides the robot, we still need to figure out tile (aquabella) and stone veneer for the spa exterior.

 

[dirtyJoeDirt]

rough in plumbing from pool and rebar done. initial inspection should be done early this week. no idea on timetable for gunite though. we're adding a 2nd 18" cascade, which still needs to be roughed in.

we decided on the A30/S300 robot. sent marina a few emails and left a message and still no contact. guess i'll keep trying. also ordered this dunnrite bball hoop that's actually set to be delivered today. had to pull the trigger well ahead of pool completion because they keep going out of stock everywhere.