New pool: Design Phase - Advice on Equipment, Please

[pooldv]

I have the same pump and love it totally. I will buy another one without hesitation. I have complete control of the waterflow at all times. I can turn up the waterfall as much or little as I want, solar panels, etc. And it is super cheap to operate. I run my pump almost 24x7 at 1100 rpm to skim all the tree stuff before it sinks. 1100rpm draws about 150 watts and gives good skimming and enough flow for SWG.

That is a good sized filter. We have a regular old 500w light. Don't use it much because it attracts bugs to the pool. Our strategy is to light the are with lights that are away from the pool so the bugs are away.

Very nice design. Hurry up and get it started!

 

[SoonerWing]

Thanks for the thoughts pooldv. I'm driving myself crazy trying to think of EVERYTHING ahead of time so that I can negotiate it in. We decided to add a spa and would like to have it on the backside of the pool so that we can see the spillover from the dining room. Not sure how that will work out with that area being so low already. I am guessing that they would have to build a base up to put it on which would look sorta like a castle tower. Could be kinda cool though to do like a spiral staircase around the outside of it leading to the top but I am guessing that would be a massive waste of concrete. It would also put it a long way away from the house....

 

[pooldv]

All that is true. A spa was going to add about 20k to our price. We cancelled it and bought stand alone tub for under 6k and put it on our covered patio. It is close to the back door and covered. We can sit in it the rain, snow, watch tv, etc. Pretty good deal.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

I think ya'll will be glad you added a spa. You mentioned the problem of placing one on the high backside (so you could see the spillway from the dining room). I realize this rendering was preliminary, and you've probably changed it. But I'm wondering where the dining room is on the back - behind the sun shelf or the diving board? If you want it across from the sun shelf, try putting it to the right of the child with the ball. Skooch it around towards the house a little to take advantage of that higher edge where the steps begin going down. Now... rotate the spillway clockwise (from looking toward the house) so that the spillway is pointed toward the sun shelf. If those long 3 windows are the dining area, you should be able to see the spillway. You can look at my build; we did essentially the same thing. Ideally, our spa would have looked nicer at the back left of our yard for a better view (and drawing the eye to the back of the pool and yard). But family preferences dictated it be closer to our back door on the garage side. So.... we rotated the spillway toward our sun shelf so we can still see it from any of our back windows. I got the idea from seeing other pools where the spa spillway flowed at a different angle - so it is done.

Now.... if your dining room is behind the diving board (in the drawing), then, well, forgetta bout it! No, just kidding. Then you might have to put it on the back, I'm not sure where, but instead of steps to get up to it, I would think about extending the higher deck around to meet the spa, then make the steps, like you have now, spiral down from the spa on the other side. I wish I could draw it out. But I think the thing to consider is this: make sure the only access is NOT by spiral steps up that high. There are people who would have difficulty getting to the spa. There could still be steps going down, but one side would have a leveled entry, albeit higher like you see the area under the diving board. Does any of this make sense? I hope so, cuz I think I've confused myself. I was rolling at first, but lost it along the way.

On second thought, just ask the PB designers for some ideas!!! Gee, I so wanted to help! Good luck! Suz.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Pooldv, you probably have a better idea. There are great pluses for a stand alone tub for the reasons you mentioned. Also, the therapy-type jets you can get are sooooo much better. I may be wrong, but I thought our PB said the spa he builds would only be around $7,000. Or did he mean that was the credit he would give us if we took off the spa????? Well, that's tricky, isn't it! Or maybe it depends where you live. Take care. Suz.

 

[4knights]

Does your bid include haul off of dirt or are they using it to level?
Since your getting the intellichlor, have you considered the easy touch 4 or 8 system? Controls everything and more-Landscape lighting, Christmas decorations, etc..

A free standing hot tub can be used in the snowy winter when the pool is closed and winterized.

I would take out the tree(relocate far side of yard if possible) think 25 years from now when that baby is huge!
I saw the deck is 500 sq ft- what is that width around the pool? I did an 8 ft ribbon all the way around mine and wish I would have gone 10ft wide.

 

[pooldv]

Pooldv, you probably have a better idea. There are great pluses for a stand alone tub for the reasons you mentioned. Also, the therapy-type jets you can get are sooooo much better. I may be wrong, but I thought our PB said the spa he builds would only be around $7,000. Or did he mean that was the credit he would give us if we took off the spa????? Well, that's tricky, isn't it! Or maybe it depends where you live. Take care. Suz.

Yes, better jets, more comfortable, more energy efficient, easy to cover

A lot of things can be deleted when you remove the hot tub
Heater
Extra pump
Automation
a light
Remote control
Blower
And less plumbing, gunite, rebar, etc

 

[grottoguy]

I think a spa in our build was about $5500 for a basic fifty foot spa flush with pool. Raising it was a bit more but. Nothing excessive. We went with a stand alone however because we like having a more therapeutic hot tub. I think a spa inside a Gunite pool is more to accommodate a hangout area than it is to experience the jets. You might want to base your decision on the primary reason you want the spa. If you get a standalone you can integrate it into the pool and give the illusion that it is part of the pool. We almost did that but ended up putting it closer to the house

 

[SoonerWing]

Wow, thank you all for the comments. My wife REALLY wants a spa that is part of the pool. I have made all of the objections above but she is not nearly as practical as I am. We really want to be able to see the spa spillover from the dining room which is the three windows behind the tanning ledge. Here is what our PB came up with, a spillover into the pool and another one facing the house. I will be expanding the the patio to the right facing the house and preparing a pad for phase 2 which will be cabana type area with a grill and a bar.

https://youtu.be/ZNigkg-vGKg

I've never seen one like this. Also, sorry for my ignorance but would this hot tub not be able to be used year round, even if the entire pool is not used? In regards to the tree, I moved it to the back of the property this weekend. It's not a good time of year to move it so we are keeping our fingers crossed that it lives. I'm not sure why I planted it that close to the house in the first place...

 

[pooldv]

Sounds to me like you are getting a spa that is part of your pool. :-D Yes, your spa will be able to be used year around. You will just need to understand how the PB plumbs it so you can set it up correctly. Will you close the pool or leave it open? Seems like you could probably leave it open all year.

 

[4knights]

You may very well be able to leave open year round but Isn't your location just south west of OKC?
We had an inground pool in Lawton years ago and had some major deep freezes. I can't imagine how an attached spa could remain open year round unless it was insulated like a free standing hot tub (with cover) and your heater was running 24/7.

Does your pool builder have any like installations that are like your design? Would be interesting to hear those owners thoughts.

 

[grottoguy]

I think your spa can be used year round if it is built to be used that alway but suspect that will be much more money. Most of the PBs I spoke with told me the spa would not be able to be used year round. I suspect they could have built it differently but never broached that topic.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Bingo!! That's it! I love the PB's solution and would never have thought of that. It makes it unique - suited especially for ya'll. That was important to me, that I could tell it had my stamp on it. I can't help you about the winterizing issue. Do more research. Start a new thread here with that specific question in the title. Winterizing a spa can't be the first time it's come up!! Then again, if this is part of the dream for your wife, spend that money and get it! Do ya'll have any idea if you might move in the future? Even if it's a possibility, that unique set up would be a real hook for buyers. I just love the idea!

I have seen some great stand alone spas that look built-in and part of the pool. If they are better insulated, that's a possibility. When I was thinking about a more therapeutic spa for me, I found quite a few on Pinterest. They do a good job of making them look as if part of the pool. One even had a spillway into the pool. In the end, it was simpler for me to have the PB take care of everything. We ended up with 12 jets which may not be the same as a stand alone spa, but it will rumble enough for me!

I'm so excited for you guys! You're getting closer and closer to what you want. I did the same; I just kept thinking and adding, thinking and adding. Drove my PB nuts!! Have fun! Suz.

 

[SoonerWing]

Yes Suz I'm sure that I am driving him nuts. Got the PB to make some concessions on concrete yesterday which I felt was a big win. He was originally only including 500 sq. ft. of bushed concrete and extra decking was going to be $8 / sq. ft. I was able to leverage other bids to get 700 sq. ft. of colored concrete included in the price and extra colored concrete decking is now $6 / sq. ft.


My wife has pretty much dug in on wanting the spa as part of the pool and I’m okay with that. It just eats me up that it is twice as expensive and half (if that) as effective, but it will make her happy. It’s all about aesthetics for her. When I finally agreed to do the pool my first question was about moving. I understanding that we will not see much, if any, return on our investment if we move and that makes me nauseous. It’s perfectly fine if we don’t move for 20+ years but if she wants to move in 5 were going to have a donnybrook. She assured me that she wanted to grow old together in this house and wants our children to be able to come back to the home they grew up in so hopefully that continues to be true. We have 3 boys, 11, 8, and 5 so many years heavy use ahead of us. I have reached out to the PB to see if there is are any spas like the one in his design that I can go look at. I’m just not very good at imagining what it will look like. I’m one of those that almost always has to see it in person.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

I have to agree with your wife on the aesthetics. Out of necessity, we thought aesthetics could never be a consideration - saving for college, etc. I regret some of that now. There's a lot to be said for the practicality of loving what you have. Financial practicality can quickly erode with every thought of disappointment and regret.

If your house is truly what you know you love, then absolutely get what you can now. When we moved in 26 years ago, I said that first night, "I'm growing old in this house and won't leave until I'm dead!". That (and is) one of the very few things I'm certain of. So I know how your wife feels.

In that case, hmmmmmm, what else can we have you add and spend NOW?! LOL! Take care. Suz.

 

[Yev]

Glad to see that you are coming along in your designs. A long way from your small fiberglass layout idea you started with.

One question I have about yoru design, is why have the steps by teh diving board. Seems like no one will ever use those steps, as you will be forced to walk around the board. Not ever having been to your house, I don't know the exact flow of traffic, but to me that seems like a yard or two of concrete that I would put on the other side to make the ribbon from the right side steps 5 or 6 foot wide versus 3 foot wide. In my reasoning, if someone is sitting on the edge of the pool with their feet dangling in, it will make it a tight walk for someone to walk up the steps around them without going into the grass to walk around them. Or take the extra concrete and enlarge teh patio behind the chaise lounges. What I don't see in your storyboard is a table and chairs. If you grill out, will people eat inside? And your pictures show 8 people in or near the pool. Where will they put their stuff (towels, phones, etc.)?

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Did your PB get back to you about seeing that spa style in person? I am the same way - I have no ability to translate a picture or diagram into reality. I have to be there in person.

I may be wrong, but I think I could trust the video for how that spa will look. It is lovely and such a different design. I would be tempted to go forward without seeing it in person. Have you tried googling it to see if you can see it in different views and materials. That might help. Your PB might even have pictures of similar spas.

When you get a chance, give us an update! Have a great weekend! Suz.

 

[SoonerWing]

Did your PB get back to you about seeing that spa style in person? I am the same way - I have no ability to translate a picture or diagram into reality. I have to be there in person.

I may be wrong, but I think I could trust the video for how that spa will look. It is lovely and such a different design. I would be tempted to go forward without seeing it in person. Have you tried googling it to see if you can see it in different views and materials. That might help. Your PB might even have pictures of similar spas.

When you get a chance, give us an update! Have a great weekend! Suz.

I do have an update, and probably not to anyone’s surprise, we have changed the plan….again. So the PB did a great job making a suggestion that did address our concern somewhat regarding the spa. However, he was not able to find a spa like that which we could look at in person. One of my concerns was that there was going to be a hole in the ground in a very high traffic area around the back of the spa. We have kids running around here all the time and I was afraid that someone would turn an ankle. I also am really having a hard time getting over the fact that, in my mind, they are just a very expensive water features.

So I did a little bit of research about above ground Hot Tubs and was able to get my wife to meet me at a local dealer to look at them. These things have come a long way since I was a kid. When we began to compare these things to an in ground spa, the hot tub won hands down except when it comes to aesthetics. So I told my wife that if she had to have a spa then this is the route that we should go. We ended up wet testing one of the spas there and we both fell in love with it.

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So with that said it look like I am buying a hot tub but that does not help with the pool water feature at all. I had been looking at some other videos that our PB had done for other customers and I came across a couple where they had an elevated rock waterfall as the diving platform. It looks really nice and would be a great compromise giving my wife that “wow” water feature and we wouldn’t have to look at a diving board. So the plan is to do a 4’ Elevated waterfall which doubles as a diving rock/platform. I am going to deepen the pool to 8’6” in the deep end to give myself a little extra piece of mind. We are going to poor extra decking off the shallow end so we can put the hot tub and be ready for phase 2 which will be a pavilion with and outdoor grill and bar, table and chairs, and a fireplace.

I will post an updated video as soon as I get it from the PB. Thanks for asking Suz and I agree with something that I read in another thread, you are indeed a celebrity and I always look forward to reading your well written and thoughtful posts.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Great change of direction! I love the future pavilion, grill, bar, fireplace, etc. Will the hot tub be in the same vicinity - it sounded like it, but I'm not sure? Can/will your PB include those in his renderings or videos to give you the feel of the layout?

Oh yay! Now there will be even more pictures to come!

And.... I can't wait to find out what your next plan change will be! You really know how to capture our attention! So much fun! And keep those wheels turning! Suz. PS, (blushing).

 

[SoonerWing]

Not 10 minutes ago I sent the PB an email asking him to do just that

This will be the general layout.

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Differences will be:
Waterfall instead of diving board
Adding a small swim out bench in the deep end opposite the retaining wall for when the kids are doing a marathon jumping/diving session.

Hot Tub will go a few feet to the right of the grill in the image above. Still trying to figure this out as we want it to be close as possible to the back door so that we don’t get discouraged from using it in the winter. Those long wet walks from the Hot Tub to the house are no fun in chilly weather. However, I also think that it would be great to incorporate it more with the pavilion area as well. But I really struggle not being able to imagine it so hopefully my PB will help me out with another rendering.

Pavilion area will be directly to the right of the shallow end.

PB really is going to earn his money with us I’m afraid :grin: