OB in Gilbert AZ

[Wildling]

Hi TFP, I accepted a loan contract through light stream and have decided to go through BYOP Arizona. Have to hear back from byop first but I have a rough idea what I want. I previously got quotes from two different builders for 32-35k, for a smaller pool than what I want (14x26, 14x28, 3-4-5) with features (bubbler 2 lights, raised beam with 4” waterfall, and a small Baja deck, in floor cleaning) . Hoping to stay in the same ball park with better features.

what I want:
14 x 30-32 shotcrete rectangle modern
7.5 Baja deck for the length of the pool with a small step into the deck and steps into the pool 12 inch deep to hopefully include 2 ledge loungers, umbrella hole, led bubbler.
Slant from 3.5 to 6.5-7 (not sure how realistic this is with length)
Two led lights
Raised beam with water fall
2 deck jets
Bench in deep end
Pebble (want darker)
SWG
Heater/chiller
Deck will be on the smaller side due to very large concrete patio, hoping to get travertine but willing to explore other options.
dolphin robot
Pentair automation

All advice appreciated!

 

[Jimrahbe]

W,

Did you just change your mind??? You say you want an in-floor cleaning system (IFCS) at the top, and then you have a Dolphin robot at the bottom.. I would recommend that you steer clear of any IFCS.

I personally like Pentair equipment.. I would recommend the new IntelliCenter, with built in SWCG power supply, IC 40 or IC60, and an IntelliFlo pump..

The SWCG needs to be rated for 2 x the volume of the pool, especially in AZ.

The IntelliFlo style pump is the only pump that Pentair automation can control.

I like simple and have the Dolphin S200.. It has no Bells and Whistles, but cleans the same.. If you like more expensive "noise" then get the S300 or S300i.

You will find that deck jets are very noisy and they tend not to be used often.. Great for showing off, but not actual use.

From an automation point of view, you need to understand exactly how you want your water features to work and plumb for that.. If you want to be able to individually turn on, or shut off, each one, then you will need a Jandy for each one.. Each Jandy valve will need an actuator.. The stock IntelliCenter only comes with 2 user programmable actuator ports, so you will have to add more. If you want to individually control the lights, then each one will need a relay and external transformer.

The darker the plaster the hotter the pool will be. Great in the winter, no so great in the summer.

I am sure other member will have more inputs..

Good luck with your new pool build,

Jim R.

 

[Wildling]

W,

Did you just change your mind??? You say you want an in-floor cleaning system (IFCS) at the top, and then you have a Dolphin robot at the bottom.. I would recommend that you steer clear of any IFCS.

I personally like Pentair equipment.. I would recommend the new IntelliCenter, with built in SWCG power supply, IC 40 or IC60, and an IntelliFlo pump..

The SWCG needs to be rated for 2 x the volume of the pool, especially in AZ.

The IntelliFlo style pump is the only pump that Pentair automation can control.

I like simple and have the Dolphin S200.. It has no Bells and Whistles, but cleans the same.. If you like more expensive "noise" then get the S300 or S300i.

You will find that deck jets are very noisy and they tend not to be used often.. Great for showing off, but not actual use.

From an automation point of view, you need to understand exactly how you want your water features to work and plumb for that.. If you want to be able to individually turn on, or shut off, each one, then you will need a Jandy for each one.. Each Jandy valve will need an actuator.. The stock IntelliCenter only comes with 2 user programmable actuator ports, so you will have to add more. If you want to individually control the lights, then each one will need a relay and external transformer.

The darker the plaster the hotter the pool will be. Great in the winter, no so great in the summer.

I am sure other member will have more inputs..

Good luck with your new pool build,

Jim R.

thanks for the suggestions! The top part is what the builders quoted me taking in mind some of my wants. I didn’t really want the in floor but it was a “special” the PB was doing for the month to be included with the pool quote.

I’m good without the deck jets but the kid might appreciate it, it’s definitely on the list of things to cut if I need to cut back on budget. same with the bubbler. Ideally I would want automation so that I can control all the lights and water features individually.

 

[Jimrahbe]

W,

Especially with an owner build, you really need to figure out how you want the plumbing to work.. If the plumber does not know how it should work, he will plumb it how he wants it to work, and I can guarantee that will be the simplest way possible..

My house is a good example.. I would have plumbed it with an individual 2-way Jandy valve for Skimmer 1, Skimmer 2, Main Drain, and Vac Port. What I got was a series of 3-way Jandy valves that "kind of" let you do the same thing, but not really. I have seen this set up in many of the construction pics, so it must be a common design.. Not bad enough to rip it out, but not the way I would have done it. It just does not give me the flexibility that I would have liked. My pool was build about 6 years ago and it still bothers me, even though it is not all that important..

My fault because I did not really know any better..

I suggest that you get your ducks in a row, before you start...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[spd500]

Jim is 100% right on the automation. I initially had no plans for automation at all, but my wife wants the lights to be on automation and that adds the full automation system to the build. Now we are negotiating with the builder on exactly what that means and finding that if we want completely automated they will have to make provisions. As an example, I want automation to not only allow me to turn on water features but to choose which ones I want to run individually, the builder was going to put them all on one circuit. Also in our care we are adding a separate pump to run the water features when we are in spa mode, but want to be able to use the VS pump for them when in pool mode, so that adds more complexity to the plumbing. I never would have thought it could become so complicated, but planning will make a huge difference on this

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Most definitely listen to what Jim and spd said about the plumbing. I, like Jim, didn't know any better and unlike Jim, I have completely re-plumbed my equipment pad to work as I thought it should. The only bad thing I will say about my PB is that I wish they had a plumbing plan that they worked from and I could have seen ahead of time. It was a napkin sketch the morning of the day they set the equipment. For my next pool, if I am not doing it myself, I would require a plumbing plan be submitted for approval.

I know the in-floor systems are not hugely popular with the crowd around here. I also know that they are very prevalent in Arizona. I have one and I really like it, although I am still in the honeymoon phase with mine; pool isn't even 1 year old yet. One Phoenix AZ build on here installed the IFCS just for resale value of the home, since everyone else in the area had one. The one thing I will say about the in-floor, if you get one, ensure that you have it plumbed so that you can completely shut it off, and only use the wall returns, so that if anything goes wrong with it, or you just want to stop using it, you can.

--Jeff