New Pool - Welcome Equipment / Design Feedback (North Carolina)

[srath22]

Hey Everyone - Recent lurker here on the forums and this has already been incredibly helpful as a first time pool builder. We're in the middle of planning right now with the hopes of having permits filed / construction starting on this pool once we close on our house in May. We would welcome any feedback on this design and the equipment list. We're getting a 2nd quote shortly. The brown line at the rear of the house is a tree save fence.

Pool Specs:

• Shape: Geometric (rectangle)
• Pool Dimensions: 40' x 20'
• Depth: 3'6" to 6"
• Volume: 23,259 gallons
• Surf Area: 745 SF
• Spa dimensions: 7' x 7'

Plumbing:

• 2 skimmers (independently plumb)
• 2 returns (plus 3rd return from pressure driven cleaner that we are not using)

Equipment:

• Filtration: Jandy 580ft x2
• SWG: Jandy Fusion Soft 1400 Salt / Nature II
• Pumps: Jandy 2.7 HP variable x2
• Controls: Jandy RS 6 / iAqua Link
• Heater: Raypac 399,000 BTU
• Pool Cleaner: Polaris Alpha IQ
• LEDs: 5x Jandy hydro cool in pool, plus 1x in spa
• Auto cover, bubbler in baja deck, and 2x cascade waterfalls off the edge of a raised bond beam.

Masonry/Decking/Pool Surface:

• Still working on this but leaning travertine (Ivory), and PebbleSheen Ocean Blue.

Welcome any design and equipment feedback! Thanks again.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Pretty good equipment list.

Why are you plumbing a pressure cleaner line if you don’t intend to use it?

For a 20x40 pool you want 3-4 returns, not 2.

How many spa jets?

If you care about very good pressure from your spa jets I recommend a dedicated spa jet pump. You then want 2 returns into the spa for spa water filtering and heating. And two sets of spa suction for the two pumps that can service the spa?

You want an air bubbler or blower into the spa jets?

You want to use SPILLOVER mode on your Aqualink to refresh the spa water. If your plumber puts a spa fill line connected to your pool return you want a valve on it to turn it off when you use SPILLOVER mode.

Why the x2 on your pump? Use a water features pump for your waterfall.

You want all diverter valves, no ball valves.

Confirm depths will be water depth to middle of skimmer, not to top of bond beam.

 

[bmoreswim]

Carefully consider and clarify the box cover type for the autocover. Make sure you understand the limitations if you go with something besides a stone lid. I'm always nervous about a sharp corner on an integral spa with an autocover, because the cover drags over it and it could be a week point.

Will you use the autocover as a winter cover?

Will you close your pool in the winter? I have a separate winter safety cover and I close.

I presume the cover will be on the deep end? It doesn't show but I just wanted to make sure it is.

Your autocover will have a rail on the exposed raised wall. Just wanted to make sure you knew that because it will slightly change the appearance of nice clean tile/stone wall. Nothing you can do about it, and the autocover is well worth it. I LOVE my autocover. They may spring and fall so much easier. No pollen and no leaves. And decreased evaporation (cause of heat loss) is SO convenient. All at $$$ cost, but that's the way she goes.

I highly recommend having one leg of at least one, if now both, of your deep end benches be deeper. They are great to stand on. I wish my deep section was a little deeper than it is. I think it's 36". I think 36" or 42" would be perfect. Great for playing catch in the pool. Here's a pic to see it.

0F95D984-C7E1-4B33-BEEE-F6895EA3DEE9.jpeg

• bmoreswim
• Jun 13, 2020

 

[pjt]

Have you thought about reorienting the shelf to provide a swim lane?

Depth: 3'6" to 6"

I would consider increasing the shallow end to 4'.

2 returns

You'll want more than just two. I think 4 would be a good starting point, perhaps more.

Nature II

You don't want the Nature II part of the system or any other minerals added to your water.

Polaris Alpha IQ

There are other robots that clean just as well but cost a small fraction of this model. Have you considered a s200/Active 30/Warrior SE type of robot?

 

[darkrider]

That is a nice equipment list. I'd recommend keeping the Polaris Alpha IQ+, as it integrates with the Jandy IAqualink automation controls better than anything else out there. Verify price though, as you may be able to get it cheaper. I'd probably skip the second 580 filter, as they are the biggest size and even one is overkill for that volume of pool. I'd also ditch the Nature II mineral sanitizer. Your automated 1400 SWG is the way to go and will give you all of the sanitation you need! The one thing I'd have them upgrade is the RS6 to the RS8 for controls for future integrated expansion and independent control. Our PB uses the Jandy equipment as well, so I researched this stuff to death...

 

[srath22]

Wow - This is all really helpful. Thank you all! I got a follow up quote (pics attached) that includes some additional consideration for pergola, revised layout for the firepit, and was surprised it was $40K higher. Here's the breakdown - Is there something here I might be missing between these 2 that would justify that much of a price difference, or is it really this pergola/firepit?

Pool:

• Custom Concrete Pool approximately 20’ x 40’, with a depth of approximately 3’ – 6’ per plan.
• Concrete pool shell reinforced with #3 rebar 10” on center (pool and spa).
• 2” and 3” PVC schedule 40 plumbing (pool and spa).
• Hydraulically balanced plumbing to include: 3 returns, 2 skimmers, Anti-Vortex main drains.
• Six (6) Pentair Microbrite color LED lights in pool.
• Interior finish of pool to be Pebble Sheen of premium color selection by customer (pool and spa).
• Frost proof 6” x 6” water line tile, with color selected by customer from standard selections (pool and spa).
• Tanning ledge, steps, and deep end benches per plan.
• One (1) umbrella sleeve in tanning ledge.

Spa:

• Custom Deck Level Concrete Spa, integrated within pool per plan, approximately 7’ x 7” inside diameter with a depth of approximately 3’.
• Spillway to be waterline tile.
• 6 Venturi Jets.
• 1hp Blower.
• One (1) Pentair Microbrite color LED light in spa.

Coping and Decking:

• Pool coping to be 12” x 24” square edge travertine of standard color selection, (pool, spa, raised wall, fire pit and bench).
• Decking to be 1,088sqft of standard color travertine in classic French pattern.

Retaining Walls:

• Retaining wall to 36” x 70lf with veneer to be 3” x 8” split face travertine on front and sides, stucco on back side, and travertine coping on top of walls with color selected by customer from standard selections.
• Three (3) 24” water sheers per plan.

Equipment:

• One (1) Pentair Intelliflow XF 3hp Variable Speed Pump for pool and spa.
• One (1) Pentair Eco Select CCP520 Clean & Clear Plus cartridge filter.
• One (1) Pentair EasyTouch Salt System with digital timer functions and automatic freeze protection.
• One (1) Pentair Mastertemp 400K BTU gas heater.
• One (1) Pentair ScreenLogic Interface for complete pool control using iPad, iPhone, Android, and PC.
• One (1) Pentair Prowler 920 robotic pool cleaner.
• Pool automatic water fill.
• Exclusive Pentair 3-year parts and labor warranty on equipment.

 

[pjt]

depth of approximately 3’ – 6’ per plan

3' is very shallow. I would recommend increasing the depth of the shallow end to 4'.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

I’m surprised the steel engineering company is not requiring #4 or #5 bar on the back walls of the pool (see pictures).

 

[Cena_sea]

My eye immediately went to your wall designs for the two different slopes you have. Either are going to be a wow factor when done. It's different because your slope goes down (vs ours going up). Our builder chose 16x24 coping for the wall. When I'd looked at samples I'd looked at 12x24 which is what I'd wanted. I'm glad he did because when you have to walk on the wall for maintenance or brushing, those extra inches on the width make it feel safer. Because of the drop behind yours I'd do at least 14 inch wide coping for the wall. If possible, I'd climb up retaining walls at various feet and see how it feels walking across.

 

[kimkats]

Loving so much about your design! Have a couple of things to talk to you about:

-Depth of pool-Make sure you are talking WATER depth which is from the floor to the middle of the waterline tile/skimmer face. Some people say depth is from the floor to just under the coping. If that is used you lose quite a bit of water depth.

Do something for me. Get a tape measure and mark 3'5" then 4' somewhere. See where those depths hit you standing and kneeling. I will tell you anything less than 3'5" is "unswimable" as far as a crawl stroke as you will hit the bottom of the pool on your down stroke.

I would do away with the bench on the far side of the pool as it will cut into that wonderful swim lane from the spa to the wall. I would make the other bench just like mentioned above with duel heights so they can be used in different ways.

Kim

 

[srath22]

all good points. Does everyone’s thoughts on pool depth (3 ft being too shallow) still applicable if we have kids? We figured that depth would be good for them but we could be way off.

 

[ajw22]

all good points. Does everyone’s thoughts on pool depth (3 ft being too shallow) still applicable if we have kids? We figured that depth would be good for them but we could be way off.

The kids will grow up quickly and if you make the pool 3 feet it will be that way long after they are past that depth. Plan for the longer term.

 

[kimkats]

What he ^^^^^^^^^^ said. Just think of how fast they out grow their shoes LOL