Newbie - need advice and help

[iamtexmax]

Hello all - Greetings from Austin, TX - we just signed a contract to build a pool (wife and kids have been on me for the last 5 years) - after signing the contract found out about this website and wished I had gone one here and asked questions before deciding on signing the contract with the pool builder - anyways this is what proposed by my builder - kindly critique and let me know if any changes need to be made:

Materials Selection Included in Price of Contract. (Allowances include applicable local taxes)
Selection Location Material Notes/Allowances
Tile Pool Trim Tile MASNL1131/Delorian
Underpinning Exposed concrete Walls Underpin Grey underpin
Coping/Spa Veneer Athena 3cm Travertine Travertine Marble 16x24
Deck finishes New Patio
Existing Patio
Innov Dove Grey
Marble 16x24
Plaster All Basins Pebblesheen L1 Blue Surf
Raised Back Beam Glass Tile MASNL1131/Delorian

Pool/Spa Equipment Included in Price of Contract
Item Vendor Brand/Description Warranty through Manufacturer
Control Pentair Easytouch Pool 4P 3 years
Remote Pentair Screenlogic 3 years
GFCI Pentair 20A GFCI 3 years
Pool Pump Pentair 2HP 3 years
Waterfall Pump Pentair share with Pool 3 years
Filter Pentair FNS DE 60 3 years
Cleaner Pump Pentair .75 HP Booster 3 years
Cleaner Pentair Racer LS 3 years


Sanitizer 1 Pentair Inline Chlorinator 3 years
Water Sheers Custom 3x12” 1 year
Pool Light Pentair 3 Color LED 3 years
Sanitzer 2 Pentair UV 3 years
Transformer Pentair 300W 3 years
Plaster Pebblesheen Blue Surf 5 years

Pool/Spa Specification
Length x Width Max Dimensions ~33.5’x18.5’ Max
Raised Wall Pool +12”+18”+12”
Pool Water Area ~493sqft
Depth Pool 3.5’-4’-6’

Other Construction Notes
Bubbler

General Construction Specifications
Excavation and removal of dirt and rock at the time of excavation Yes
Roots Removed by Athena when inside perimeter of pool Yes
Permits and Inspections (excludes any form surveys or engineering drawings) Yes
Additional Lot Grading No
Steel Reinforcement of Pool Structure ½” steel Yes
Pool Piping from Equipment Pad to Pool: Schedule 40 Yes
Waterproof Shell Intrusions Yes
Pool Shell Gunite Yes
Pool: Set of Steps per plan Yes
Pool: Suntan ledge per plan Yes
Pool Raised Beam per plan noted above Yes
Pool: Bench Yes

Plumbing/Water Feature Specifications
Piping from Equipment Pad to Pool Schedule 40 Yes
Anti-Entrapment Drains: Pool 1 / 1WF Yes
Number of Pool Returns 4 Yes
Dedicated Cleaner Line Yes
Skimmers: 2 Yes
Manual Water Level Yes
Water Features Yes
Overflow: Run to daylight only Yes
Bubbler: Yes
Umbrella Holder in Beach No
Other No

Concrete Flat Work
Total All Concrete Flat work 662 sqft new concrete flatwork yes
Masonry Specifications
Install and Provide Trim Tile as per the materials specifications (Attachment 1) Yes
Install and Provide stone as per the materials specifications (Attachment 1) Yes
Install and Provide Plaster as per the materials specifications (Attachment 1) Yes
Install and Provide finish as per the materials specifications (Attachment 1) Yes
Install Mastic Control Joint Between Pool Coping and Patio deck Yes
Install Grey Coat underpinning on all exposed backside areas of structures (Attachment 1) Yes

Questions I had after the very little time I have spent on the forum:
1. Do I really need the UV Pentair Sanitizer?
2. Should I ask my pool builder to install - Pentair IntelliChlor SWG - if so which model?
3. Should I buy my own cleaning Robot? (Doheny's discovery S200 or other)?

Any other suggestions or advice will be greatly appreciated

Best regards,
Max

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

1. NO. You get plenty of UV from the sun already
2. Yes .. if they will. Seems that TX builders are against SWGs for some reason. Size is dependent on your pool volume. Cell should be rated 2-3x the size of your pool
3. Robots are nice and you likely can get a better deal buying it for yourself. I can't offer any suggestions due to my lack of knowledge on the subject.

Make sure that the pump is at a minimum a 2-speed version or even better a VS pump.

 

[iamtexmax]

Attached is the design of the pool

 

[jblizzle]

BTW, since it looks like you are using travertine and not the typical flagstone that all the builders in TX seem to use ... the salt from the SWG should be less of a concern. I guarantee the builder will try to scare you off of the SWG and say the stone will all fall apart due to the salt. That is just not true.

 

[iamtexmax]

Thanks Jason for replying - I am using Travertine on the coping - the deck is not travertine - it is something similar to sundek or koolcote material (he called it something I forgot)

 

[jblizzle]

It is really the soft flagstone that is often the problem. We have members who have the flag with a SWG and no issues and then there are members with flag and NO SWG and it is flaking and falling apart. Really just depends on the stone and not fair to really blame the salt (which is really not that high in a pool).

 

[iamtexmax]

Yes you are right - when I initially talked to him about a Saltwater pool - he said - dont even go there - Saltwater pools corrode and have a lot of problems

 

[jblizzle]

I think they must get major kick-backs from the UV and Ionizer companies down there or something

- - - Updated - - -

I wonder if they realize that just using any other form of chlorine or adding acid to control pH adds salt ... and that it is fairly easy for the salt level to reach 2000ppm in a non-SWG pool. Where 3200ppm is usually what the SWGs require. And the ocean is 35,000 ppm of salt.

It is not even really fair to call water in a SWG pool "saltwater".

 

[Jimrahbe]

Max,

Pentair does not make a 2 HP Variable Speed pool pump. Anyone that installs a single speed pump, especially if planning on a SWCG is not making a very wise decision..

The only VS pump that the EasyTouch can control, is the 3 HP IntelliFlo style pump.. I run this pump 24/7 at 1200 rpm for less than $20 bucks a month. It just does not make sense to use any other pump for the main pool pump. No matter what, make sure the pump(s) that you get do NOT have the SVRS option.. This is a safety feature that is not required (no matter what they say) and is much more trouble than it is worth. And it costs more..

It looks like your PB does not plan to connect your overflow to some drain system.. Depending on your yard, it might not make a difference where the overflow dumps excess pool water, but it is something to think about...

I too would dump the UV in favor of the already too hot sun... I would not install a pressure side cleaner and booster pump system. I would buy a robot...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[iamtexmax]

I am going to ask my PB to:

Remove:
Cleaner Pump Pentair .75 HP Booster
Cleaner Pentair Racer LS 3
Pentair UV Sanitizer



Add:
3 HP IntelliFlo style pump
Pentair IntelliChlor SWG
Robot cleaner

Waiting to hear what he comes back with

Thanks!
Max

 

[iamtexmax]

Quick question - off topic - when I told my wife I was going to request this - she told me she does not like the taste of saltwater - how do I handle that?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I,

Explain to her it is not like the ocean... the water is just slightly salty.. about as the same as your tears...

For most people there is no salt taste at all..

You can also tell her that you don't feel like you have to shower or rinse off when getting out of a saltwater pool, the water just feels better.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ctrav]

Welcome to TFPC Max...I have SWG and thee is no taste at all, my two granddaughters (3/4) have sensitive skin and never once has there been an issue or complaint...in fact they now swim/play without goggles often. No issue with my flagstone although it has only been a year and I have no real concerns about that. I read on thread that it was said its all about the quality of the stone...

I am new to having a robot but I love it. There are many brands with different bells and whistles so just asking the PB for one without being specific may not be best. Im a homeowner like you and have no dog in the fight over which one you get but for me I decided on simplicity over lots of fancy stuff. I have the Dolphin S200 and highly recommend! Check this section of the forums: Pool Cleaners

Good luck

 

[iamtexmax]

Thank you so much for replying - have left a voice mail for my PB - is there anything else that needs to be changed etc (refer my first post)

Also will the SWG (Pentair IC40-520555-520556 IntelliChlor IC40 Complete Salt Chlorine Generator System with Power Center) and the pump (found it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Pentair-011018-IntelliFlo-Performance-Horsepower/dp/B007E4VWNO) - will this add substantially to my cost?

 

[jblizzle]

Those should be the correct SWG (would not hurt to go to the IC60 to be oversized) and pump. The cost increase just depends on the builders markup.

 

[iamtexmax]

I used the Pentair Pool Volume Calculator for a 33.5 x 18.5 pool - it gave me - 22078.59 gallons - do you think the Intellichlor IC40 will not suffice with a 3 HP Intelliflo Pentair VS Pump?

 

[jblizzle]

Whether the ic40 will be sufficient has nothing to do with your pump. It's more a matter of how long you will have to run the pump in order for the swg to generate enough chlorine. If you plan to just run the vs pump at a low speed at all times than the ic40 will have no problem keeping up. But if you want to save as much money on electricity as possible and run the pump for shorter periods of time than a larger swg would allow that to be more possible

 

[iamtexmax]

Understood - thank you for explaining

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Just my 2 cents, but if you're not 100% committed, take the time to research and browse some of the forums. You may run across some design ideas and equipment options that you haven't thought of. I'm happy with my pool but wish I would have found this site before I built. There are many build threads in the Under Construction section that may help in designing a pool that suits your lifestyle and needs.

Best of luck on the process and enjoy the new pool!

 

[iamtexmax]

Another question - my wife and I are debating - as you can see we have a 7" gap between the concrete deck panels (pic 1) - my wife likes the gaps to be filled with black polished pebbles (1.5" to
2") (pic2) while I am considering pebble tiles in the gaps (something like show in pic 3) - any suggestions will be greatly appreciated