New Pool Construction in North Dallas, TX - Need your suggestions

[Vas22]

Hello everyone,

Came across this site a few days ago, and it has been a treasure trove of information. We are in the process of getting a new pool, excavation is scheduled to happen later this week, weather permitting. Below are the specifications for the pool. Can you please offer any suggestions, since this is our first pool. Also, attached is the rendering of the pool and design.

Pool Specs:

• Shape: Geometric (Rectangle)
• Pool Dimensions: 33’ X 13’
• Depth: 3’6” to 5'
• Volume: 11,693 gallons
• Spa dimensions: 7’ x 7’, 6” above decking

Steel:

• Install 1/2” Diameter Re-bars continuous throughout pool shell 10” o.c.e.w. Box Beam is 12”x12” w/ (4) ½” Re-Bars. Diving depth pool: ½” Dia. Re-bars throughout pool and pool beam.

Plumbing:

• Plumb all skimmers on independent 2” line with valve.
• Plumb main drain on independent 2” line with valve.
• Plumb returns to insure no dead spots in pool.
• Plumb cascades.
• Install light niches per plan.
• Install all specified equipment.

Equipment:

• Pentair Fns 60 Plus D E filter.
• Pentair 3.0 hp. variable speed pool pump.
• Jandy never lube 2” X 2 1/2” three-way valves.
• (5) Pentair LED Micro brite pool lights
• Pentair Intellichlor Ic40
• Living Flow A and A Floor System
• Pentair Screen Logic Control System
• Pentair Master Temp 400 BTU Heater
• Maintenance equipment to include:

- (1) 8’ – 16’ telescoping pole​

- Leaf net (drag type)​

- 18” pool wall brush​

- 4 in 1 Chemical test kit​

Electrical:

• Install pool-grounding wires.
• Wire all equipment, and install g.f.c.i.
• Wire computer control.

Gunite:

• Shoot “dry” gunite concrete, which is unsurpassed in strength by any other Gunite material. The approximate strength of this material is 5,800 – 7,000 p.s.i.

Masonry:

• Install 12” stone on all horizontal surfaces of pool beam.
• Install 6” tile in pool at coping locations.
• Install tile or stone on raised beam.

Decking: 475 Salted Textured decking w/tejas rock leavouts 150 sq ft of Trex decking

• Install Decking
• Provide all necessary deck drains.

Plaster 102 FT perimeter feet & 436 SQFT

• Prep pool for plaster with thorough cleaning.
• Install all wall fittings.
• Install Mini Pebble Plaster, customer choice of color to complete pool

Thank you
Vasu.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Living Flow A and A Floor System - You sure you want an In Floor Cleaning System (IFCS)? It adds a lot of complexity to your plumbing. A robot cleaner can clean the pool better then an IFCS. Understand how it would operate, the pump speed requirements, and the effect on your returns and skimmers.

Pentair Screen Logic Control System - Is this the Pentair EasyTouch with Screen logic? That is a 20 year old system. Consider the Pentair IntelliCenter which is Pentairs 2020 era automation system.

Pentair 3.0 hp. variable speed pool pump. - what model number pump?

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Equipment Pad Best Practices - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Jimrahbe]

V,

An In-floor cleaning system made sense back when the only type of phone you could get was a black rotary dial land line... Not so much in this century... I recommend that you dump the IFCS and go with a robot.. If you refuse to do that, then at least make the pool builder plumb it so that the pool can operate with the IFCS turned on or off as needed. IFCS just make pool plumbing way more complex than is necessary.. Not a problem now, but will be later on when things need to be repaired or modified.

I would also rethink the DE filter and go with a large cartridge filter.. Here is my story.. I have two rent house pools with DE filters.. It was all I knew, and really wanted a DE filter when we built a pool at my house. Due to city backwash requirements, I had to "settle" for a large cartridge filter. That was about 7 years ago and now I can't wait for the old DE filters to die so that I can replace them with cartridge filters... No DE to screw with, no multi-port valve to go bad or leak, dirt simple plumbing, very low back pressure.. I will never have a DE filter again!!!

The 3 HP IntelliFlo is a great pump.. Just make absolutely sure that you do NOT get the SVRS version.. Some pool builders pretend it is "required", but is is not and they are just trying to unload old, unsold, and obsolete stock...

You owe it to yourself to at least look at the new Pentair IntelliCenter.. It is better than the EasyTouch with ScreenLogic for about the same money... I have an EasyTouch with ScreenLogic and love it, but if I were to build a new pool today, I would go with the IntelliCenter.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Vas22]

Thank you Allen and Jim.

Will check more on IFCS and if we install have it installed to turn it on and off as needed.

Pentair Screen Logic Control System - Yes it is Pentair EasyTouch with Screen logic. I will check to replace it with Pentair Intellicenter with PB.

Regarding DE filter - Do you have a recommendation for Catridge filter system for this size of the pool.

Pentair 3.0 hp. variable speed pool pump. - I am checking with PB for the model numbers, as he said depending on avaialbility he might go with VS or VSF. Will let him know that it is not SVRS version.

Thanks a lot.
Vasu.

 

[joel98z]

Looks great, keep us updated on the build progress!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Vasu,

There are two things that you can never go too big on...

One is a VS pump.. The larger the pump the more water it can move at a low RPM and still be very quiet. The IntelliFlo is the Gold Standard of pool pumps. It does not matter if it is a VS or a VSF..

Two is the filter.. The bigger the filter the longer you can go between cleanings and the less the back pressure will be. I recommend the Clean and Clear Plus (CCP-520) but the CCP-420 would also work...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Vas22]

Thank you Jim. Will check with PB about Cartridge filter.

Any other things you would recommend checking/clarifying with PB?

Really appreciate your help.

Vasu.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Vasu,

I did not see where the contract says how many skimmer and returns... One skimmer will work, but even on a small pool I always recommend two skimmers and 4 returns.

The skimmers on perpendicular walls and one return on each of the 4 walls.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Vas22]

Hi Jim,

There are 2 Skimmers and not sure about the returns. Will check with PB and let you know.

Thank you
Vasu.

 

[JJ_Tex]

You have a lot of benches and steps in the pool. I would recommend adding toe tiles to them to help make them visible. I have pictures of mine below. Mine was more expensive than I would have liked, but I figured it was good insurance against having to take a kid to the dentist or ER for jumping off the side and hitting the step.

 

[Vas22]

Thank you JJ. Will make a note and talk to PB about it. Really appreciate it.

Thank you
Vasu.

 

[Vas22]

Hi Jim,

There are 2 Skimmers and not sure about the returns. Will check with PB and let you know.

Thank you
Vasu.

Hi Jim,

Got response from PB. Since we are going with IFCS, there will not be any returns.

Thank you
Vasu,

 

[ajw22]

Hi Jim,

Got response from PB. Since we are going with IFCS, there will not be any returns.

Thank you
Vasu,

Are you set that you WANT the IFCS rather then a normal return system and a robot cleaner?

 

[Vas22]

Hi Allen,

Yes, we are planning to go with IFCS.

Thank you
Vasu.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Vasu,

I consider your IFCS decision a big mistake, but it is your pool and you should get whatever you want.

Once your pool has been up and running for 6 months or so, please stop by TFP and let us know if we get to say "I told you so" or not...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Vas22]

Thank you Jim .

Vasu.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

You will want the IFCS plumbed with a bypass to standard returns. See attached for an example. This is how mine is plumbed. I have an IFCS and after it was said and done, was able to go back and add a bypass, fortunately.



--Jeff

 

[Turbo1Ton]

And mine has been running for a year and a half, and I still like having the IFCS. But all things about pools are opinion and totally subject to the person paying for it.

--Jeff

 

[Vas22]

Thank you Jeff that looks promising and really appreciate the diagram. Will show it to PB.

Vasu.

 

[Newdude]

So I’m biased as I had simple wall returns, but some of that is justified that they had no moving parts and when one had an issue I could easily reach in (or down from the patio of it was cold out) and remove it. It’s a big enough headache to swap sprinkler heads in the lawn. I could only imagine how little i’d like the chore if they were on the pool bottom. But then again I also wouldn’t be whacking them with the riding mower.

So I’ll suggest a compromise at the very least. Get your IFCS because your pool and likes. But have regular returns also and if *cough* when *cough* it’s needed, you can bypass them for as long as you need to get the IFCS up and running.