Newbie building pool in Dallas - looking for insights

[mastervic27]

I’ve already learned a lot in the past hour or so on the forum (thank you for having me) and thought I’d share some details of our pool design and equipment. And hopefully ya’ll can help with some insights with the selections we’ve made so far. We’re looking to build a simple modern looking rectangular pool that’s low cost, low maintenance where the kids can grow with.

40’x15’ gunite (west facing backyard)
Soil stabilization injections
Pool Steel - 4-#4
2 Anti-vortex VGB safety drains
2 Skimmer independently plumbed
Jandy VSSHP270AUT variable pump
Jandy JXI400N 400k BTU heater
CV580 cartridge filter
iAqualink with salt IQ904P w/Trueclear
in-line Zinc Anode
Polaris 3900 F6
4 Nichless LED hydro cool lights
3 Jandy deck jets
800 sq ft concrete decking
110 linear sq ft tra
Pool Finish - Stonescapes mini pebble
Pool coping - Lueder or travertine

Please excuse my hand drawing....I don’t have access to all the cool software out there. Pool placement is an open discussion as we like to put in a pergola as a Phase 2 project. The drawing has the pool offset to the left (south side).

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You do not mention what filter you are getting, but I recommend a large cartridge filter.
I would also suggest getting an Aquapure 1400 SWCG instead of the Truclear. We here of many problems with the Truclear.
The zinc anode is unnecessary.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Vic,

How do you know you will need "Soil stabilization injections"? I'd try to weed out the stuff that makes money for the pool builder and provides not much in return...

in-line Zinc Anode... I don't know of anyone that has this in Texas.. Seems to be a 'back East" kind of thing.. Can't hurt, but not necessary at all.

Polaris 3900 F6 ... If you like living in the 60's this is the perfect addition.. But, if you want to move up into this Century, I suggest a robot that does not use water power to clean your pool.. Like this one..

3 Jandy deck jets .. Make sure you go hear them working before going down this path.. They look cool but are very noisy..

You will love having a VS pump and a saltwater pool.. I too recommend a large cartridge filter..

You did not list the number of pool returns, but I suggest 4, one on each wall of the pool..

I would think about moving the stairs out of the swimming area and move them back as part of the lounger shelf..

Good luck with your new pool build. I hope you are ready for some sticker shock..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mastervic27]

Thank you sir! I did forget to include a cartridge filter. Looking at the Jandy CV580. And I will look into Aquapure 1400. I think it is double the price of a Truclear?

I recommend a large cartridge filter.
I would also suggest getting an Aquapure 1400 SWCG instead of the Truclear. We here of many problems with the Truclear.
The zinc anode is unnecessary.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[mastervic27]

Thank you sir. Appreciate all the info here. Our property is on a slope and there are retaining walls on all three sides. One out of four PB suggested the soil stabilization as an extra measure for stability.

The robot looks awesome. Definitely want to join the 21 century! Will look into Dolphin S200.

The in-line zinc anode was something I read about to try to help the pool pump/equipment from the salt corrosion. It is only $100 so I figure it is worth it.

We did not know the deck jets are noisy. We will research further.

As for the steps....we’ve looked at many options and arrived at this. We didn’t like the stairs built to the side of the deck and we didn’t like it cascading down the entire width taking up another 3’-4’ of spool space so we put it to the corner. Is it going to be a hazzard?

How do you know you will need "Soil stabilization injections"? I'd try to weed out the stuff that makes money for the pool builder and provides not much in return...

in-line Zinc Anode... I don't know of anyone that has this in Texas.. Seems to be a 'back East" kind of thing.. Can't hurt, but not necessary at all.

Polaris 3900 F6 ... If you like living in the 60's this is the perfect addition.. But, if you want to move up into this Century, I suggest a robot that does not use water power to clean your pool.. Like this one..

3 Jandy deck jets .. Make sure you go hear them working before going down this path.. They look cool but are very noisy..

You will love having a VS pump and a saltwater pool.. I too recommend a large cartridge filter..

You did not list the number of pool returns, but I suggest 4, one on each wall of the pool..

I would think about moving the stairs out of the swimming area and move them back as part of the lounger shelf..

 

[Nikilyn]

You’re plan reminds me of ours. Ours is also drawn on graph paper. Our house is very similar to yours but with the master and dining flipped and we have one more room on the right. Our pool is in the upper right corner to have a yard still. We put our equipment on the same side as yours but against the fence. You might want to think about moving it to the other side of the house so it isn’t by your bedroom, or up against the fence because it will be noisy.

 

[mastervic27]

Thank you for the input. We originally wanted the pool equipment on the opposite side of the house but our gas line is on the right side. Running gas line to the opposite would be very expensive.

I wonder if we can build something around the pool equipment to absorb some of the noise? Would that be more cost effective than running a gas line to the opposite side?

You’re plan reminds me of ours. Ours is also drawn on graph paper. Our house is very similar to yours but with the master and dining flipped and we have one more room on the right. Our pool is in the upper right corner to have a yard still. We put our equipment on the same side as yours but against the fence. You might want to think about moving it to the other side of the house so it isn’t by your bedroom, or up against the fence because it will be noisy.

 

[Nikilyn]

Gas line definitely is expensive to run. I don’t know if there is anything to put between the equipment and house for noise control. Can it not go against the fence then build an enclosure around it?

 

[mastervic27]

Gas line definitely is expensive to run. I don’t know if there is anything to put between the equipment and house for noise control. Can it not go against the fence then build an enclosure around it?

Good idea! Let me look into that.

 

[HermanTX]

Good idea! Let me look into that.

If you build an enclosure for pool equipment there are certain regulations for ventilation especially if you have heater. Just ensure you know what is required.

 

[Sollace]

And you don't want the gas / heater under a window. The plumbers will dig a line from your gas meter in your yard to your pool pad, wherever they put it.

 

[spd500]

I can't hear my pump running from inside the house unless it is running 100%. When we first started the pool I was concerned about the same thing because the builder had both pumps running 100% and we could hear it in the house. Now that the pool is established and running a normal schedule the only time the pumps run 100% is when they prime and they rarely prime both at one time. Running at 1500-1800 you can't hear the pumps from 8 feet away in the backyard

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I second Jim's deck jets comment about the noise. Go listen to some. I have deck jets, and the only time they are on, is if the kids are out there and ask for them. Or if I'm showing off to a friend who has not been over yet. I don't know if laminars are any quieter, but if you really want something like that, finding both and hearing them run may change your mind.

On my next pool, I will put the equipment as far away from the house as possible, to keep noise at bay. To me it would be worth the extra cost of getting the utilities out there.

--Jeff

 

[mastervic27]

I second Jim's deck jets comment about the noise. Go listen to some. I have deck jets, and the only time they are on, is if the kids are out there and ask for them. Or if I'm showing off to a friend who has not been over yet. I don't know if laminars are any quieter, but if you really want something like that, finding both and hearing them run may change your mind.

On my next pool, I will put the equipment as far away from the house as possible, to keep noise at bay. To me it would be worth the extra cost of getting the utilities out there.

--Jeff

Is the noise from the deck jet itself or from the pump? Or water crashing? We’re getting it mainly for the kids but there are two bubblers on the sun deck perhaps they won’t notice if we didn’t go with deck jets.

What are your thoughts about putting the pool equipment in the upper right corner of the yard? We sacrifice some yard space pergola/shed space in the future.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

The deck jet noise comes from the jets splashing down into the pool. That splashing is quite noisy. I also have bubblers in my sun ledge, and depending on how much I crank them up, they can be a very soothing babbling brook noise, to quite loud and 'splashy'.

I expected the kids would play in the deck jet streams more than they do. I would most likely not do them again, just for the kids.

The equipment pad noise I was talking about is just the general equipment noise, pumps, blower, heater, etc, are all noisy.

Where you have the equipment next to the house could be fine, as it is around the corner from the pool, so the noise would not be very evident when in the pool. Just depends on what rooms are on the other side of that wall. With regards to the equipment pad, I probably should have said, I would take into more consideration the noise from the equipment, and adjust accordingly. For my current configuration, that would be to move it away from the house. If I had a different house, it might be ok next to the house.

If moving it away from the house, the upper right part of your sketch is exactly where I would try and put it if I had that layout.

--Jeff

 

[johnywess]

@mastervic27 we have a very similar build. I kind of laugh to myself because so many of the questions you've asked are the same ones I've had. We decided to put the equipment in the back corner by the fence. Wish I could have put it in my future shed or behind the shed but it was too far away to work efficiently. I plan on building an enclosure over it once the pool is done. I'll be curious what you decide and what you decide with the deck jets.

 

[mastervic27]

The deck jet noise comes from the jets splashing down into the pool. That splashing is quite noisy. I also have bubblers in my sun ledge, and depending on how much I crank them up, they can be a very soothing babbling brook noise, to quite loud and 'splashy'.

I expected the kids would play in the deck jet streams more than they do. I would most likely not do them again, just for the kids.

The equipment pad noise I was talking about is just the general equipment noise, pumps, blower, heater, etc, are all noisy.

Where you have the equipment next to the house could be fine, as it is around the corner from the pool, so the noise would not be very evident when in the pool. Just depends on what rooms are on the other side of that wall. With regards to the equipment pad, I probably should have said, I would take into more consideration the noise from the equipment, and adjust accordingly. For my current configuration, that would be to move it away from the house. If I had a different house, it might be ok next to the house.

If moving it away from the house, the upper right part of your sketch is exactly where I would try and put it if I had that layout.

--Jeff

Thanks Jeff. It is an additional consideration for us. We did think about the equipment noise interfering with the pool usage.

 

[mastervic27]

@mastervic27 we have a very similar build. I kind of laugh to myself because so many of the questions you've asked are the same ones I've had. We decided to put the equipment in the back corner by the fence. Wish I could have put it in my future shed or behind the shed but it was too far away to work efficiently. I plan on building an enclosure over it once the pool is done. I'll be curious what you decide and what you decide with the deck jets.

This forum and its members are awesome. It really simplified the design process for us. We’ve decided to keep the deck jets still need to review the equipment placement options. We will keep this thread updated.

 

[gingrbredman]

We have two bubblers in my ledge, and they can provide a nice, quiet water flowing sound which can be quite serine in the morning out there with a cup of coffee. If I crank them for the kids to play, its like a water park splashing, but if the kids are playing, they are gonna be loud anyway. We thought about laminars as well, but we didn't go with them, not because of the sound, just because of the high cost and relatively low "rate of return".

I read a lot that the water features are "loud", but if they are used in conjunction with kids playing in them, the kids are likely going to be louder than the water features. The ability to control them, and use them when you want would be the key imo.

 

[mastervic27]

We have two bubblers in my ledge, and they can provide a nice, quiet water flowing sound which can be quite serine in the morning out there with a cup of coffee. If I crank them for the kids to play, its like a water park splashing, but if the kids are playing, they are gonna be loud anyway. We thought about laminars as well, but we didn't go with them, not because of the sound, just because of the high cost and relatively low "rate of return".

I read a lot that the water features are "loud", but if they are used in conjunction with kids playing in them, the kids are likely going to be louder than the water features. The ability to control them, and use them when you want would be the key imo.

Thanks for the input. The water sound could be nice white noise for us in the morning too. We’ve decided to keep them.