New Pool, Wake Forest NC

[Marty_NC]

Long time lurker and have gained a ton of knowledge from this forum - thank you! Your suggestions through the process had me educating myself and asking all the right questions.

We started our design in February. We had an independent designer do the entire project and bid out each piece of it. The PB did their design off of it and added the 3ft walkway around the pool plus the 18” raised bond beam with 3 sheer decent waterfalls. Signed the contract with the PB in June. Permitting completed mid-July.

• Free Form Gunite Pool (28’ x 31’) 102’ LF
• Spa (Raised 18”) 8’ Round w/ 3’ Spillover, 8 Jets, 1 LED light
• Bench seating around stairs
• Additional 4’ Swimout bench
• 22’ feature wall w/ 3 x 2ft sheer decent waterfalls, split faced travertine facia
• Spa facia – Split faced travertine
• Jandy 2.7 HP variable speed pump
• Additional Jandy booster pump (2.7 HP variable speed pump)
• Jandy Heater (Gas)
• Salt system
• Automation (I-aquaLink – controls from phone, Jandy RS-PS8 board)
• 5 RGB Jandy LED pool lights
- 3 x Jandy RGB lights (up lights) for waterfalls
- Stonescapes Aqua Blue mini-pebble.

102 LF Coping - Silver Travertine
1400 Sq Ft pool deck - Grano Silver Travertine

Plus we have an outdoor kitchen and fireplace going in as well.

Dig date was 8/5 that extended into 8/6 and continuing 8/9 as they hit a giant boulder and needs a jackhammer!

Design attached. Will post dig pictures shortly. I am also taking a time-lapse video of the entire process with a GoPro that I will eventually post somewhere.

- Marty

 

[kimkats]

Loving the design! Sure can tell you have been reading!

I don't see anything about your depths though......

Do you have benches under the stacked wall and waterfalls?

Want to ask about the height of the spa. Will it block the view from the screen porch to the deeper end of the pool?

You are really going to need bench and step markers to keep people from running from the porch and jumping straight into the pool and hitting those benches. You are going to LOVE them for sitting and chatting!

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome! You might also try to get more specifics about the proposed salt system to ensure you get an SWG that is properly sized (2x) for your pool.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Marty,

I have a rent house pool that has steps similar to what is in your pic.. I hate them.. They are very awkward to walk up and down..

I would see what else they can do..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Nectarologist]

Long time lurker and have gained a ton of knowledge from this forum - thank you! Your suggestions through the process had me educating myself and asking all the right questions.

We started our design in February. We had an independent designer do the entire project and bid out each piece of it. The PB did their design off of it and added the 3ft walkway around the pool plus the 18” raised bond beam with 3 sheer decent waterfalls. Signed the contract with the PB in June. Permitting completed mid-July.

• Free Form Gunite Pool (28’ x 31’) 102’ LF
• Spa (Raised 18”) 8’ Round w/ 3’ Spillover, 8 Jets, 1 LED light
• Bench seating around stairs
• Additional 4’ Swimout bench
• 22’ feature wall w/ 3 x 2ft sheer decent waterfalls, split faced travertine facia
• Spa facia – Split faced travertine
• Jandy 2.7 HP variable speed pump
• Additional Jandy booster pump (2.7 HP variable speed pump)
• Jandy Heater (Gas)
• Salt system
• Automation (I-aquaLink – controls from phone, Jandy RS-PS8 board)
• 5 RGB Jandy LED pool lights
- 3 x Jandy RGB lights (up lights) for waterfalls
- Stonescapes Aqua Blue mini-pebble.

102 LF Coping - Silver Travertine
1400 Sq Ft pool deck - Grano Silver Travertine

Plus we have an outdoor kitchen and fireplace going in as well.

Dig date was 8/5 that extended into 8/6 and continuing 8/9 as they hit a giant boulder and needs a jackhammer!

Design attached. Will post dig pictures shortly. I am also taking a time-lapse video of the entire process with a GoPro that I will eventually post somewhere.

- Marty

Hi Marty,
Looks great. You probably know from reading but have them use Jandy Never Lube or Pentair Lube Free valves, not simply cheap ball valves. Think about a railing too (you may have it & it's just not in the pic but just in case I'll mention). I don't keep mine in but my pool is rectangle so people can steady themselves on the pool coping waling up the stairs (I have the cups in the decking for when I want it in place). In your design guests have nothing to hold on to or steady themselves on. It's not a big deal until you have guests that need the railing (I put mine in if such guests are coming over). I don't know how easy of an add it is afterwards since it needs to be bonded along with the pool. For the kitchen I suggest putting in a trash bin drawer. I get so much use out of it and it is nice to have the garbage hidden rather than a can just sitting on the patio.

 

[BMerrill]

Looks great Marty. I’m in NC as well.
Could you share where you are getting the travertine tile from.

 

[Marty_NC]

Loving the design! Sure can tell you have been reading!

I don't see anything about your depths though......

Do you have benches under the stacked wall and waterfalls?

Want to ask about the height of the spa. Will it block the view from the screen porch to the deeper end of the pool?

You are really going to need bench and step markers to keep people from running from the porch and jumping straight into the pool and hitting those benches. You are going to LOVE them for sitting and chatting!

Thank you! Totally forgot the depths.

4ft on the left and right to a 5 ft center (like a sport pool). The water feature is the deep end at 6ft. Due to the free form nature is isn’t totally symmetric. Primary use is leisure / floating, but wanted at least some depth for cooler water in the NC heat and humidity. Added bonus is that the view from the house will be nice as the color will be deep.

I am definitely looking into the step markers - thank you. Wife wanted some mosaics too (sea turtles), but PB advised against them Due to deterioration.

No risk of anyone jumping of the porch (it’s further than it looks in the pic). Right now the porch is screened, But this may be a post-build change. We kinda like a place of refuge against the bugs, so that will be a tough decision.

Benches were an idea picked up from discussions on this forum. Original design had less seating, but we decided to extend for this very reason.

 

[Marty_NC]

Hi Marty,
Looks great. You probably know from reading but have them use Jandy Never Lube or Pentair Lube Free valves, not simply cheap ball valves. Think about a railing too (you may have it & it's just not in the pic but just in case I'll mention). I don't keep mine in but my pool is rectangle so people can steady themselves on the pool coping waling up the stairs (I have the cups in the decking for when I want it in place). In your design guests have nothing to hold on to or steady themselves on. It's not a big deal until you have guests that need the railing (I put mine in if such guests are coming over). I don't know how easy of an add it is afterwards since it needs to be bonded along with the pool. For the kitchen I suggest putting in a trash bin drawer. I get so much use out of it and it is nice to have the garbage hidden rather than a can just sitting on the patio.

Thanks! I will check on the valves today. My PB has been very easy to work with so far.

That is an excellent idea on the rail. I would want it removable also, but I am sure it needs to be considered at build.

Kitchen has the trash bin - actually debated this with my wife and I totally agree with you! It will have a 36” Coyote gas grill, Coyote refrigerator, XL Big Green Egg (hey, it is NC and smokers for BBQ are REQUIRED) and some storage drawers. Also the PB picture doesn‘t show the real Kitchen…. it has a bar height lip and electrical for the margarita machine.

Attached a picture of the island design that my hardscape guy built for Another project that we used as the basis for ours.

 

[Marty_NC]

Looks great Marty. I’m in NC as well.
Could you share where you are getting the travertine tile from.

The hardscape contractor is getting it from Southern Stone. They have a huge outdoor display so you can see it in the light And very much worth the trip to view the options. They are located right at Capital Blvd and I-540 on the north side of Raleigh.

 

[Marty_NC]

So after day 1 (forms) and day 2 (rest of forms + digging), hit our first snag. There is a huge boulder - at least 4-5ft tall and 6ft long that is going to need to be removed. Part of it is in the pool’s deep end.

We have named it “Titan”.

The second unexpected event came courtesy of 811/call before you dig, who missed the Internet fiber drop cable by a good 3.5-4ft. As you can see, it runs straight through the SPA and the excavator found it easily. Luckily, I work in the internet industry and with a few calls my local CenturyLink tech was on site and had a new drop cable ran within 2 hours.

Day 1 and 2 dig pics attached.

 

[kimkats]

I did not mean jumping OFF the porch. I meant running from the porch and jumping in. The bench markers will help them see there is a bench there.

Look at these jewels: SHELL BEACH | lightstreams please note they have quite a lead time AND some special installation directions. Make sure your tile guys can and will follow them. BUT they are SO worth it!!!

 

[kimkats]

How are they going to get Titan out??? OH MY! Who would have guessed that was in there????

Of course the line was RIGHT in the middle of the yard!!! gurrrrrrrrrrrrr good thing you know who to call and they came right out!

 

[Nectarologist]

Thanks! I will check on the valves today. My PB has been very easy to work with so far.

That is an excellent idea on the rail. I would want it removable also, but I am sure it needs to be considered at build.

Kitchen has the trash bin - actually debated this with my wife and I totally agree with you! It will have a 36” Coyote gas grill, Coyote refrigerator, XL Big Green Egg (hey, it is NC and smokers for BBQ are REQUIRED) and some storage drawers. Also the PB picture doesn‘t show the real Kitchen…. it has a bar height lip and electrical for the margarita machine.

Attached a picture of the island design that my hardscape guy built for Another project that we used as the basis for ours.

Awesome, I didn't do storage drawers and would add 1 or 2 if I was doing it again. I did soapstone for my countertop. The rail sits in cups/sleeves so they are set in concrete. I assume they do this when they do the gunite (I have a liner so they did it when the cement was poured for the coping base). There are covers for the holes too so when the ladder is out you can cover the holes if you want. I was too cheap to buy them at $60 each when i found them, lol.

 

[Mlm1]

Thanks! I will check on the valves today. My PB has been very easy to work with so far.

That is an excellent idea on the rail. I would want it removable also, but I am sure it needs to be considered at build.

Kitchen has the trash bin - actually debated this with my wife and I totally agree with you! It will have a 36” Coyote gas grill, Coyote refrigerator, XL Big Green Egg (hey, it is NC and smokers for BBQ are REQUIRED) and some storage drawers. Also the PB picture doesn‘t show the real Kitchen…. it has a bar height lip and electrical for the margarita machine.

Attached a picture of the island design that my hardscape guy built for Another project that we used as the basis for ours.

Hi Marty!

We are in the Durham, NC area and are currently in the process of contacting pool builders. I would love to hear who you went with if you don't mind sharing!

Thank you so much,
Maggie