It's probably too late to make the change, but having the spa close to the house has a few advantages. All of the reasons are because of the longer walk around the pool to get to the house. It's pretty common for us to use the spa without the pool, skip the long walk. A refill of a drink while lounging in the spa is closer to the fridge. We tend to warm up in the spa after a swim and rush into the house on a cool night.
New Pool - Southern New Jersey
- Thread starter Esloser
- Start date
Thanks for the input. I like your idea. However, I planned it there for a couple of reasons. My house sits out in a field and faces north. The backyard butts up to woods. So, the spa will get some shade through the course of the day. The pool will be in 100% sun all day long. My backyard slopes up toward the woods so it will be an elevated spa. From my elevated vantage point I will be able to see all the comings and goings within my domain. After watching many Sopranos episodes, I don't like having my back to the door. And, I have kids to fetch cold beverages! Haha.
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- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Funny. And you will appreciate your 100% sunshine more often than not in our climate.
I am going to wait to see what your PB comes up with. Right now I really am liking Number 3 of your design. Got to have the swim lane!
I would have the bench by the hot tub come over more towards the hot tub so people can sit in the pool and chat with those in the hot but OR jump in and out from one to the other.
I LOVE your back yard! So pretty!
Kim:cat:
I would have the bench by the hot tub come over more towards the hot tub so people can sit in the pool and chat with those in the hot but OR jump in and out from one to the other.
I LOVE your back yard! So pretty!
Kim:cat:
Thanks - that was actually the pool salesman's idea to keep the swim lane.
The bench by the hot tub would be nice, but we will have a 32" difference in height between the pool and the spa. Could see jumping down, but climbing up may be an issue.
Thanks for the compliment. It's going to be rough seeing it all torn up when they start digging.
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The bench by the hot tub would be nice, but we will have a 32" difference in height between the pool and the spa. Could see jumping down, but climbing up may be an issue.
Thanks for the compliment. It's going to be rough seeing it all torn up when they start digging.
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So, it looks like we are going with something like this for the tanning ledge across from the spa and outside the pool.
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- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Is the offset of the spa and ledge intentional? I think it will be less noticeable in person than it is to me from a top down 2D picture.
IrwinK
0
Design looking good. I wish I had the room to do a bigger ledge and the spa.
Still think you should have steps or at least a small assist step to the pool from the ledge.
I have 2 of these these as a seats with small assist steps next to the deck jets.
Still think you should have steps or at least a small assist step to the pool from the ledge.
I have 2 of these these as a seats with small assist steps next to the deck jets.
That is going to be so interesting! Make sure there is a return on there or a blubbler. Something to move water there to help keep it clean.
Kim:cat:
Kim:cat:
mikemass
0
Very excited to see this come to fruition. OP? When is the ground breaking & ETA on completion? I hope you keep this thread alive with progress pictures.
Edit: - Just reread first post - Mid August.
Edit: - Just reread first post - Mid August.
No, I'm an IT consultant with no real artistic ability. Ideally, the pool builder will do a better job of the rendering and make sure the tanning ledge is directly across from the spa and centered. I actually thought the cement was sized evenly and placed the tanning ledge between the two cement lines to keep them straight.
- - - Updated - - -
I'll definitely ask about it. However, we have to start reigning this in at some point. Funds are definitely not unlimited. Return makes sense as there will probably be 3 or so anyway, but bubbler may not be in the cards.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes, that was the proposed date during the sales cycle, but I'm guessing we all know how that goes. I'm guessing if he told me it wasn't going to be done until October, I would've told him I'd wait until next year and he'd lose out on his sale. So, I'm hoping to be swimming by Labor Day and he said 6-8 weeks from permits coming back. They are supposed to submit the permits by EOW with a 5-10 turnaround from the city. So, middle of July I could be digging? And, not sure how long until Gunite, Coping, Tile, and Plaster from there.
- - - Updated - - -
I'll definitely ask about it. However, we have to start reigning this in at some point. Funds are definitely not unlimited. Return makes sense as there will probably be 3 or so anyway, but bubbler may not be in the cards.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes, that was the proposed date during the sales cycle, but I'm guessing we all know how that goes. I'm guessing if he told me it wasn't going to be done until October, I would've told him I'd wait until next year and he'd lose out on his sale. So, I'm hoping to be swimming by Labor Day and he said 6-8 weeks from permits coming back. They are supposed to submit the permits by EOW with a 5-10 turnaround from the city. So, middle of July I could be digging? And, not sure how long until Gunite, Coping, Tile, and Plaster from there.
mikemass
0
Don't you concern yourself with bold comment above..... A little food for thought from someone who has been through this and also lives in Jersey where we have to close up our pools for the winter. Do with it what you'd like, but I think what I am about to write is sound advice....
Gunite/plaster pools take a long time to fully cure. Sometimes more than one season. The fresh plaster surface requires dedicated maintenance (brushing) and absolute pristine water balance those first few weeks/months... and an entire first season for that matter. The winter time will wreak havoc on your water balance while it is closed and stagnant. pH will rise, calcium will leach from the plaster, scale will form, etc. It is just not the ideal time for your plaster to properly cure during this delicate time.
If they plaster late in the season, and you close your pool shortly after, your very expensive investment is not going to get the proper love it deserves during this most important time of it's life. They are going to want to get in and out and get paid. My suggestion is to get the gunite shell done and completed. Put an orange safety fence around the pool for the winter. Let it rain, snow, freeze, collect leaves all winter long in the shell. It will cure awesome and gunite will be a rock solid base come next spring. Then have them tile, cope, plaster and fill before memorial day. Now you will have an entire season to maintain proper pH and water balance. You will be able to stay on top of things while the pool is running to avoid calcium leach, which leads to scaling. You can't do this in the winter.
I know this is a tough pill to swallow as I am sure you are excited to get it completed. But believe me when I say, if you plaster in August, you will be battling the inevitable pH rise still in September. So you stay open till October. Still adding acid every day. Now the bad weather starts to come. So you have no choice but to close it. You bring your pH down to 7.4 for the winter, your CH is reading a perfect 350, you shock, blow the lines out and toss the winter cover on. Come April you open to a God knows how high pH, scale so bad that it literally will cut your skin, and a pitted plaster that will never look the way it did when originally applied.
This is the unfortunate dilemma of owning a plaster pool in a climate where we have a winter. Where am I coming from you ask? Years ago in my old home I had a pool re-plastered and tiled in late August. I did exactly what I described above. Actually closed pool in early November to absolute perfect water balance. That spring the pool was what I described above. Shortly after I sold that home and moved.
Current pool was built in the fall up to the gunite stage and let sit for the winter. Yard was mess, had to build a temp area for my dogs to go outside. It was a real PITA that winter. Patio was installed in April and pool was tiled and plastered the week before Memorial Day. That was over 10 years ago. (Spring 2006). My plaster today looks almost as good as the day it was filled up. Most areas still as smooth as a baby's behind.
Received a call from the PB this morning. They are going to do the tanning ledge outside the confines of the pool. They also threw in an additional pump so that I could run the Spa and the two deckjets at the same time. Apparently, with only one pump, I could do either or. Did not know to ask that. All of the permits have been submitted, so not it's a waiting game to get approved.
I'll have to take a look at the contract I signed. I"m guessing if they can get it built by the middle of August, then I won't be able to get it delayed into the Spring of the following year. If it drags out into late September or October, I might be able to push final completion back. My goal was to be swimming by Labor Day and that's what I told the PB.
Nothing of any significance has happened yet, but once it does, I will throw some more pictures up.
I'll have to take a look at the contract I signed. I"m guessing if they can get it built by the middle of August, then I won't be able to get it delayed into the Spring of the following year. If it drags out into late September or October, I might be able to push final completion back. My goal was to be swimming by Labor Day and that's what I told the PB.
Nothing of any significance has happened yet, but once it does, I will throw some more pictures up.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Haha! That's the tough part! About to pull a shovel out of the garage and get started without them.
I would ask to see the plumbing diagram. I THINK if you have good valves you should be able to run everything at the same time with one good pump. Please check some of the other builds and see what they are doing.
Maybe ask the question in the pump area of the forum. Another pump means more $$ electric.
Kim:cat:
Maybe ask the question in the pump area of the forum. Another pump means more $$ electric.
Kim:cat:
Saw the PB this morning to sign the addendum for the tanning ledge, picked coping and tile, and asked about permits. Apparently, permits were submitted this week. They are anticipating them coming back in 5-10 days.
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You tell us THIS "pick coping and tile" and do NOT share a pic with us
I have a sad. We would LOVE to see what you picked out! That is part of the fun for us!Kim:cat:
I thought of that and I let the PB take the tile brochure, which was probably a good thing so we didn't change our minds. We will be going with brushed concrete around the pool, sterling grey coping, and the blue gemstone pool tile for the face of the raised area and the 6" around the edge of the pool. It will also be white plaster.
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