Newbie in the Hunt (DFW)

[Lateralus]

Cross posting, per the Mod Squad!

New member here, but I've been in and around pools my entire life, just got a new home and looking to install a new concrete pool for the family! About to begin wading into the tumultuous waters of PB bidding! (woot!)

All of my past experience has been with traditionally chlorinated water, and cartridge filter systems. Initially, the wife and I are looking to get raised/attached spa, with tanning pad, feeding into the rest of the pool. She also fancies a beach/zero entry v. descending stair for the sake of the kiddos and our dogs. Our lot shape (suburbs) is a long slender one. I am assuming we will be at 15' x 40' max., city codes pending. Looking to keep it modest, 15'x25'-ish, max depth of 7 to 6.5, min depth of 3.5 (excluding the tanning pad if we opt for it). We are looking to keep it around $50 K, but who knows where it will end up if we run away with features, etc.

Open to insights and suggestions on designs, spa, tanning pad, beach entry, etc.

Any one know of North Texas / NE Texas builders they would recommend?!

Thanks!

 

[Gladius Nova]

I would recommend asking others how often they use their attached spas. Many like the "look" of spas, but find them very uncomfortable vs. a traditional detached hot tub/spa. Beach entry/zero entry probably won't have a lot of fans also. You will need a lot more space considering the depth increase and descending slope. I would recommend using the tanning pad (6" depth) for pets and kids. I'm thinking you will be considerably above your $50k budget if you opt for a gunite/concrete pool considering the size you want. Add about $7k-10k for the attached spa. Any water features such as waterfalls, bubblers, etc.?

 

[d_red1]

Welcome. Not a put a damper on your plans but the pool you are describing is going to run a lot more thank 50k. I suggest contacting as many pool builders as possible. When I started my planning phase I emailed 8, got reply's and further correspond with 4 and only ended up with 2 quotes. It seems with all the rain we had this spring/early summer all the pool builders in our area are busy playing catch-up.

 

[Lateralus]

Thank you for the quick replies!

In regards to the spa, I don't particularly care one way or another. I have never had one, and been totally fine with just a pool my entire life. My wife would like to have one though, as she see herself using it frequently, even if it's just a soaking area that's at pool temp. sometimes. She doesn't want to get in the wake of the kids and dogs all the time!

Beach entry is not a deal breaker. A lot of the designs we have seen with the beach entry flagstone looked really nice. We want more of a 'lagoon' feel, than a 'lap pool' and the zero entry aesthetic lends itself more to the lagoon feel. If space does not permit, maybe we will have one step, then tanning pad area, maybe another step that begins flowing into the gradual decent of the pool.

I don't really want water features, as nice as they are. They seem to just add to your grand total. Also, it's just more components that can wear out and need to be replaced, etc. Based on some of the reading I have done around this site, it seems like aerating the water can lead to pH / chemistry issues, too, which I would prefer to avoid entirely.

Again thank you for the insight. $50k was just my gut guessing, I haven't been in touch with any PB for solid prices yet...but like you said, if we runaway with all these features we're easily looking at a $75k pool. We will keep researching and continue to re-evaluate wants/needs with respect to our desired budget.

Maybe I will need to wait another season or two if $50k won't get us most (if not all) of what we're looking for. =/

 

[Jimrahbe]

L,

My guess is that about 50% of spa owners love them, and the other 50% hate them.. Since they add $10 to $20K, to a pool build and make the plumbing more complex, it really makes sense to.. "try one, before you buy one".. They look nice, but they are not all that comfortable and often disappoint in the "spa action" category... My advice is just to make sure it is what you want, before you spend you money on something that might not get used at all, or only once or twice a year.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Lateralus]

Thank you! Dang, 2 words of caution about spas...I def. need to look into this more...any users out there like the spa? Or is it just a more expensive burden? =/

 

[kimkats]

I am in to watch/help this one! Kids and dogs??? oh yeah!!!

Kim

 

[JJ_Tex]

Thank you! Dang, 2 words of caution about spas...I def. need to look into this more...any users out there like the spa? Or is it just a more expensive burden? =/

I went with a spa/heater on our build mainly to increase the usability of it to year round. I'm sure we will use it a fair amount this winter, since our pool will not be ready until towards the end of September which leaves us only a few weeks of swim time. After that first winter, I hope we still use it a bunch but time will tell. I made sure that I can see the TV from the spa, so that will help lure people outside in the winter too.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

Please check in next year at this time and tell us how that is working out for ya..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[d_red1]

I went with a spa/heater on our build mainly to increase the usability of it to year round. I'm sure we will use it a fair amount this winter, since our pool will not be ready until towards the end of September which leaves us only a few weeks of swim time. After that first winter, I hope we still use it a bunch but time will tell. I made sure that I can see the TV from the spa, so that will help lure people outside in the winter too.

x2

Please check in next year at this time and tell us how that is working out for ya..

Challenge accepted (beware, I will spend my hard earned money and sit outside in freezing cold temperatures just to prove your wrong.)

I am also on a mission to contour/shape the spa seating to be more ergonomic and comfortable. Unfortunately, there is not much info regarding gunite spa seat shaping on the internet. A few random articles and that is about it. Sorry, for the thread hijack.

 

[Snikwah]

i'm also going spa/heater on mine. Get the spa, you'll use it a ton in the off months here in DFW. Don't listen to the naysayers

 

[kimkats]

I am also on a mission to contour/shape the spa seating to be more ergonomic and comfortable. Unfortunately, there is not much info regarding gunite spa seat shaping on the internet.

Looky what link I have!!! JetPaks - Paramount Pool and Spas

 

[richard-ssv]

To give you an idea for prices in the DFW area, we’re almost done with our build and it came in around $56k. The pool is 31x13 (main body) and is around 11k gallons. We’re in between Denton and Lewisville.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

At least here in Tucson the perimeter of the pool factors in the price and the pool builders really push lagoons and the like because they are high profit parts of the pool. Doing the zero entry will also take up a lot of space because there are maximum slopes you can have with code.

As for a spa. I am older, and I do love the spa (except for the last three weeks or so at 100F+ and monsoon humidity) but I found that gunite spas are for parties, not for relaxation. They literally are uncomfortable. So I bought a "portable" one with hydrotherapy jets. The pool is not going to be heated but the spa is with a much smaller electric heater. It was also less than half the price of a party spa attached to the pool, especially when considering the extra plumbing for a natural gas heater.

But honestly they suck for entertaining. So if it's for relaxation and therapy then a standalone is better, for entertaining the gunite.

Your pool as described would run about $65k here, less if you did the smaller one here in Tucson. I know of no one who spent less than $15k more on the attached spa. With the work I did myself including permits and taxes we were at about $7600 for our brand new standalone spa with all the bells and whistles... 250 gallons.. So a smallish one but it fit where I wanted to put it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Challenge accepted (beware, I will spend my hard earned money and sit outside in freezing cold temperatures just to prove you wrong.)

The problem is that I can't be wrong.. If you look at what I said, "... 50% of the people love them and 50% of the people hate them..." then you are just on the love them side..

My point was not to knock having a spa, it was just to make sure you know what you are getting before spending the cash and then end up being on the "hate them" side..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jtburf]

We put 8 jets in out 7.5' x 7.5' spa, we are averaging two usage's a week, granted it hotter than Hatties down here!!
Pool gets used almost daily, I will often just heat the spa and use it as a soaker for 30 min's or so. Not always about full blown high pressure jets!!

I will say this, it has greatly cut down on the number of massages I get for my lower back and knees. (2 spinal fusions)


John

 

[JRo]

You can get that with my pool builder in Rockwall without the spa and extras. I have a separate hot tub because they are more comfortable, it costs nothing to stay hot and I don’t have to run out in the freezing wind. My neighbors have a gunite one and rarely ever use it bc it’s like a gallon of propane an hour.