New pool build (soon!) in San Fernando Valley

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We have used our water line tile as step markers. Just a strip on the edge of each step. I like that it ties in the waterline tile for a consistent look, but you could contrast if that is what you prefer. Another thing that is personal preference. Yes, great as a guide for children or people jumping in, but that’s unlikely to happen in your pool, so you could easily go without.

Progress looks good. Hopefully the wall is easily dealt with.

Love your supervisors! At least one is paying attention.
 
Sorry for the lack of pictures - will update those soon. We're making what seems to me to be great progress - the pool is dug, trenching began today (and might actually be done, come to think of it). They've started laying out the plumbing and they leveled the ground for the decking (we'll have a sunny seating area off the master bedroom and a shaded one off the den, then one step down to the pool and barbecue area, so those two levels have been laid out and marked). We discussed items related to the gunite - shape of the steps, bench location, spa jet heights - and I let the coordinator know that we're going to have a line of tile marking the steps and bench. We decided that for a bit of contrast we're going to make the coping a bit darker than the rest of the deck. We also added a couple of inches to the depth so it'll be 50 inches max water depth.

@Liz, I liked the waterline tile as step marker because, as you say, it does tie everything together. In addition, my terrible eyesight will appreciate the bit of contrast when looking for steps and the bench. My spouse was initially resistant, but we found enough nice-looking photos to get on the same page. The wall was easily dealt with...and there was a (no longer in use) septic tank that had to be filled in, but all has gone well.

When they had started digging it looked like we were squeezing too much into a small space, but now that it's all taking shape, I think it'll be really nice (and well worth the cost of water and Gatorade that I didn't initially foresee)!
 
Adding a pic and a rough timeline for the next couple of weeks. No work is being done today but they will be installing steel the next two days, plumbing Monday and Tuesday, inspection Wednesday or Thursday, and concrete either next Friday or the following Monday. He said the curing and watering the shell happens for about 7 days, twice daily. Does that sound about right? Expecting dry weather but temps hovering around 80 degrees so not extreme.

 
Hello from another small pool in SoCal person. Looks like everything is going well! We're just one step ahead - had shotcrete done last week, but things have been delayed a bit (due to subcontractor for next step being unavailable - blah, blah, blah) so you might catch up!

The one thing I'd reiterate that everyone on here has said a million times to us is be there as often as you can and watch those subcontractors. Things don't always get fully relayed from the contractor to them or they don't fully understand - anyway, we did have one minor issue due to that so we are doing what we can to make sure we're there for any work going forward.

On depth - like you due to smaller pool, we wanted deep enough to swim, but also shallow enough to not have to. We decided on all one depth - 4'6". It seemed like a good middle ground between shorter and taller people and we didn't want a slope in our pool.

Also, assuming you're going to have a drain (there are threads on here where people give pros/cons of having and not having since they are not considered a requirement ) on the bottom of the pool, talk to your builder about a flush drain cover. We do have a drain as well as 3 returns on the bottom of our pool and since the whole pool is shallow enough to walk around I didn't want anything bulging out of the bottom that people could stomp their toe on. They do make drain covers that are flush, but if you don't ask for them, they'll likely use the standard ones that are not.

I know how you feel - SO many decisions. Gets overwhelming at times. That and dealing with the contractors. But hopefully in a couple of months we'll both be swimming in our gorgeous amazing pools!
 
Thanks for the tip about the in-floor drain...I wouldn’t have even thought to ask about it! Perhaps too many horror stories about pools lifting up out of the ground? We definitely have questions that will affect next week’s work (plumbing, more specifics about step and bench height, plan for tile installation - since our tile is glass we want to make sure the installer has the right materials for it), so it may be good that they’re slowing down a bit.

Always glad to hear from others with small pools - it certainly seems like enough to meet our needs and will allow us room for fruit trees and other plants, but I admit to being amazed at some of the larger designs.
 
Yeah, it seems like the timeline is widely variable and, while many PB seem to go with 21-30 days, there are also a number who use 7-10 day timeframes. I figure there'll be additional time before the plaster, while we wait for the glass tile to set, and we're having a stretch of overcast and cooler days so I don't expect it'll dry out too quickly even after we stop watering it.

I'm not entirely sure if they completed the steel since our bench is only partially framed out, but we'll be talking with the project coordinator to make sure. So far everything seems to have gone reasonably well but we don't want to leave anything to chance. Big week coming up, with plumbing, inspection, and (hopefully) gunite!

 

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We have concrete! They just left about an hour ago after instructing me on watering the pool over the next week or so. Supervisor said that they’ll be back a week from tomorrow to start work on coping and the other hardscaping. He also said the concrete will cure for something like 30 days even though my watering and the pause in their work is just a week. Makes me feel good about the timeline, like they are definitely not rushing things. We also talked about tile thinset and cure time, and I think we’re moving along well. Wondering when we can safely step in to check depth and everything but to my eye it looks like it’ll be a good depth.



I got an answer about the incomplete bench rebar. It was framed in an area where they’d filled in an abandoned septic tank. Because of the tank, they couldn’t just leave the soil sloped like they would otherwise have done.
 
NICE! What did they say about bonding with your pool? aka watering it?

Good news about that area! Knew it had to be something like that!

It is time for YOUR set of links. It is a lot of info but it will all start to think in as you start to use it!

Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Pool Math

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.

Also ask your PB what test kit he will be providing and let us know so we can fill in blanks.

Kim:kim:
 
Kim,

Thanks for those links! This is where it seems like everything is happening fast and I have a lot to learn in too short a time frame. I am thankful to have such a great community here to help!

One thing we noted is that the stairs seem too tall. I had asked about step and bench height, and was told that they're generally standard. But the steps are each a foot tall and that seems like a lot. It's not ideal for me, but it will be really less than ideal for our mothers who will want to use the pool periodically. My mother in law is probably just under 5 feet tall and I don't think she'll be comfortable with these steps. It's hard for me to tell whether it'll be easier or harder with water in the pool, but I think we need to go with a lower rise on the stairs. I'm getting ready to do a search on this, but wondered whether anyone here had thoughts about the stair heights and how much thought usually goes into that process. I hate to bring them back out here, but I didn't see the steps until they'd gone for the day and I just don't think this will work for us.
 
I’m 5’4” and a foot rise would be way too high for me. I wouldn’t settle, make them do it the way you need it.
 
Steps that tall = do over. House steps are 7.5" so a foot aka 12" is way too tall. The PB will try to tell you "oh the water will help". That is really only for the one were you are mostly in the water so.....do over time. It will mean your steps come out into the pool a bit more but you all will be better off in the long run for it. The Mothers will thank you!

Kim:kim:
 
Kim and Kelly,

Thanks for the reassurance that we aren't overthinking this. I sent an email to the builder asking them to add a fourth step and therefore make the heights closer to 9 inches each. I also requested that they increase the tread an inch or two...this isn't as important with a lower rise, but I don't have the smallest of feet and I'd like to feel like I can step comfortably.

@Kim, regarding your earlier question about bonding with the pool, PB said basically that there's no such thing as too much water, but aim for twice a day at a minimum and just give it a good soaking (like rinsing your car). Their plan was to come back a week from tomorrow to start working on the coping and adjacent decking, and they have said they'll handle the watering when they're here but we need to take care of it this first week.

I'm not sure how much the step modifications will have on timing - hopefully not much. Bench height, bench depth, and overall pool size and depth look great, so hopefully the changes to the steps won't be too much of a hassle. I feel bad that I didn't discuss it with them before - we didn't talk about what the standard heights were, just that bench and step heights are usually pretty standardized. I just didn't know until we tried to climb them how tall those steps are. Most of our adult experience with pools has been at resorts, where they tend to have pretty low-rise stairs. I think that, being in the water, something just slightly taller than a residential step height will be okay.
 
You have a shell! Congratulations! Glad you said something about the stairs. Ours are 300mm each so a foot and we are happy with them. We are not short and the kids won’t be using them to get in I imagine! I did have them make them equal. One was 300 one 260 and one 400. They easily added 40mm to the second step. This was done by paving guy and didn’t delay us. I do wish our tread was a little wider so good move on that too. It’s your pool so you need to be happy.

Watering twice a day is perfect. Your pool will tell you how much water it needs. In the beginning it will likely absorb a lot but as it cures it will take less and less.

Great progress!
 
Thanks, Liz - so happy to see your pool looking so good (must be the excellent service team you have!) and I have to say that a few people like you and Brentr have really helped us to feel comfortable that our smaller pool will be right for us.

PB got back today and said that while the 12" height is standard, he can definitely add a step noting that it'll protrude into the pool a bit further (obviously, but I understand his wanting to call attention to it since the pool is already small). As you indicated with yours, he said he can do it when they're working on the coping so it shouldn't delay things. And I just finished watering the pool for the first time. I'm quite happy with our gloomy and cool weather as it means slower cure for the concrete, but I'll keep an eye on things and see what it seems to need. I suddenly understand why it's referred to as "bonding with your pool" around here!

Thanks to all for the reassurances and the excellent information!
 

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