They got off to a good start yesterday, added another 5 rows, but then it started pouring at noon, so that was it for the day. They will be back for more today.
Oh no, the wall is bowed in! Repair and waterfall install {w/PICS}
- Thread starter poolnoob.ca
- Start date
Thanks, zombie! Tuesday, the two guys finished the front layer up to 12 rows, which is now full height at about 2.5 feet. Then they did about 9 rows on the back layer. The pipes for the water fall go through openings they left and/or cut in the stones in the back layer. As i mentioned they inserted some mesh under the top row which will tie the two layers together.
Today, Wednesday the main guy is here to finish the last 3 rows of the back layer, then he's going to Michigan for the Nascar race this weekend, so wont be back until Monday, when the waterfalls will be in stock at the supplier, and they can start plumbing them in, and cutting the notches in the stones to accomodate them. Then finally they will add the top row of coping stone, and finish cutting in the last couple pieces of pool coping on each side.
Today, Wednesday the main guy is here to finish the last 3 rows of the back layer, then he's going to Michigan for the Nascar race this weekend, so wont be back until Monday, when the waterfalls will be in stock at the supplier, and they can start plumbing them in, and cutting the notches in the stones to accomodate them. Then finally they will add the top row of coping stone, and finish cutting in the last couple pieces of pool coping on each side.
Sorry, no updates for a while!
As i mentioned above, no action from Thurs Aug 13 to Sun Aug 16. Then we were on a short summer vacation to the NY Finger Lakes area and returned on Wed Aug 19. When we returned they had installed the water fountains. Got an email from the main contractor that they werent working properly as my cartridge filters were very dirty so the pressure wasnt right, which is still a continuing issue as they are so hard to clean thoroughly.
No action Thurs or Friday, waiting for top cap stones to come in (supplier sent wrong stone). It's been one delay after another, waiting for things to come in. I don't know why everything wasnt ordered weeks ago? I guess that ties up cash flow? On the weekend we tidied up the patio as there was still stuff all over the place that couldve been removed weeks ago, so the patio is now usable again.
After vacuuming up all the dirt and gravel in the pool on saturday, so we could use it last weekend, my filter went up to 30psi and the water flow stopped. After cleaning, the pressure was about 25 but kept climbing. I hosed them 4 times with the jet nozzle, but even then when i open the pleats there is still tons of debris. Will need to keep working on that. But then when i switch the jandy 3-way valve to the waterfalls it drops to 13? Still diagnosing and investigating the pressure problems.
No action Thurs or Friday, waiting for top cap stones to come in (supplier sent wrong stone). It's been one delay after another, waiting for things to come in. I don't know why everything wasnt ordered weeks ago? I guess that ties up cash flow? Anyway, sub was supposed to come Saturday to install top cap but his truck broke down so no action. Monday they had to start a dig for a new pool elsewhere so sub arrived on Tuesday (yesterday). Came home at lunch to check progress, it wasnt what we were expecting, we thought it would be long slabs, but it is 2 foot pieces laid sideways from from to back. I called contractor and she said those are the stones in the catalogue, and the longest ones, which was true. Somehow we have never discussed what the top cap would actually be comprised of. I had an idea of laying them lengthwise so the 2 foot long sides are along the front, but the areas with the waterfalls will not support the stones laid like that, only from front to back.
The contractor is seeing what other options are available. If nothing we'll have to go with those stones, the sub said he will get his mason to grout between them. Currently they are sitting in place, not glued down, also there's a bit of a hump that needs to be grinded down. Also yesterday they laid 3 remaining patio stones that hadnt been installed yet, and ran the wires for the LED lights to the shed. Remaining now: install the transformer and LED controller, sand in some polymeric sand in the patio, cut in coping stones between the wall and the coping, and complete the top cap.
Wall with waterfalls installed.
Top view of waterfalls.
Closeup of front of waterfalls.
The falls in action! (finally!)
The wall with the top cap in place.
As i mentioned above, no action from Thurs Aug 13 to Sun Aug 16. Then we were on a short summer vacation to the NY Finger Lakes area and returned on Wed Aug 19. When we returned they had installed the water fountains. Got an email from the main contractor that they werent working properly as my cartridge filters were very dirty so the pressure wasnt right, which is still a continuing issue as they are so hard to clean thoroughly.
No action Thurs or Friday, waiting for top cap stones to come in (supplier sent wrong stone). It's been one delay after another, waiting for things to come in. I don't know why everything wasnt ordered weeks ago? I guess that ties up cash flow? On the weekend we tidied up the patio as there was still stuff all over the place that couldve been removed weeks ago, so the patio is now usable again.
After vacuuming up all the dirt and gravel in the pool on saturday, so we could use it last weekend, my filter went up to 30psi and the water flow stopped. After cleaning, the pressure was about 25 but kept climbing. I hosed them 4 times with the jet nozzle, but even then when i open the pleats there is still tons of debris. Will need to keep working on that. But then when i switch the jandy 3-way valve to the waterfalls it drops to 13? Still diagnosing and investigating the pressure problems.
No action Thurs or Friday, waiting for top cap stones to come in (supplier sent wrong stone). It's been one delay after another, waiting for things to come in. I don't know why everything wasnt ordered weeks ago? I guess that ties up cash flow? Anyway, sub was supposed to come Saturday to install top cap but his truck broke down so no action. Monday they had to start a dig for a new pool elsewhere so sub arrived on Tuesday (yesterday). Came home at lunch to check progress, it wasnt what we were expecting, we thought it would be long slabs, but it is 2 foot pieces laid sideways from from to back. I called contractor and she said those are the stones in the catalogue, and the longest ones, which was true. Somehow we have never discussed what the top cap would actually be comprised of. I had an idea of laying them lengthwise so the 2 foot long sides are along the front, but the areas with the waterfalls will not support the stones laid like that, only from front to back.
The contractor is seeing what other options are available. If nothing we'll have to go with those stones, the sub said he will get his mason to grout between them. Currently they are sitting in place, not glued down, also there's a bit of a hump that needs to be grinded down. Also yesterday they laid 3 remaining patio stones that hadnt been installed yet, and ran the wires for the LED lights to the shed. Remaining now: install the transformer and LED controller, sand in some polymeric sand in the patio, cut in coping stones between the wall and the coping, and complete the top cap.
Wall with waterfalls installed.
Top view of waterfalls.
Closeup of front of waterfalls.
The falls in action! (finally!)
The wall with the top cap in place.
Thanks guys and gals! My across the street neighbour came by to look, i said "hopefully it wont bother the neighbours", he said "how could it!". i guess there are a lot worse noises than a nice waterfall LOL
It is beautiful! I think the cap stone looks great. Nothing more relaxing than the sound of a waterfeature.
I hooked up the LED lights to make sure they are all working fine, and last night we had our first LED waterfall nightswim!
I made our 2 existing LED pool lights approximately the same colour so the entire pool looked blue
I made our 2 existing LED pool lights approximately the same colour so the entire pool looked blue
Thanks Kim, i'm glad you like it!
As far as the top wall cap goes, we told the contractor on Tuesday we didn't like it, and the sub-contractor also thinks they are the wrong brick for that application. Contractor said she will bring samples tomorrow (Tuesday). By the time we pick something, she orders it, wait for it to get delivered, it will be another week. We want this wrapped up this week, so my wife went ahead and ordered four 5-foot long x 24 inch wide slabs, something like this:
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They will be much easier to install, just 4 pieces instead of 20, will just need a couple of cuts to fit. Since we are paying for the new stone we will get the old stone taken off the final payment. New stones will be delivered tomorrow.
As far as the top wall cap goes, we told the contractor on Tuesday we didn't like it, and the sub-contractor also thinks they are the wrong brick for that application. Contractor said she will bring samples tomorrow (Tuesday). By the time we pick something, she orders it, wait for it to get delivered, it will be another week. We want this wrapped up this week, so my wife went ahead and ordered four 5-foot long x 24 inch wide slabs, something like this:
They will be much easier to install, just 4 pieces instead of 20, will just need a couple of cuts to fit. Since we are paying for the new stone we will get the old stone taken off the final payment. New stones will be delivered tomorrow.
You go wife! Nice job finding it and having it brought in so fast! The old stone is pretty but does look choppy---kind of like piano keys. The long ones will look "cleaner".
Kim
Kim
What kind of stone is it?? That is SO neat looking! Will you cut it down? NICE!
kim
kim
I believe it is sandstone. They will likely be trimmed on the joining sides so they will butt up closely together, but the ends will stay uncut, as they have a texture on them.
Very cool! This turned out real nice.
BTW,
when you turn the 3way to divert water to the waterfalls, then not as much water flow is going through the filter, so its normal for teh psi to drop when you do that.
BTW,
when you turn the 3way to divert water to the waterfalls, then not as much water flow is going through the filter, so its normal for teh psi to drop when you do that.
I can't believe how much of a difference the wall has made to the look of the area. Really nice! (even without the proper cap).
Well, the new stone arrived, and it's still sitting in the driveway 
The project has gone south (no offense to the south lol) and come to a standstill. Our plan to speed up the completion was to get the new stone delivered and ask for the old unused stone to be removed from the bill. I thought it was a reasonable request and would speed up the process for her, us and the subcontractor. I sent an email to the contractor with the proposal, she said she would need to see the stones. Then my wife went ahead and ordered the new stone anyway.
When we got the original quote for the wall, it was for plain unilock bricks, but we had a second contract for an upgrade to the bricks we used in the wall. The original contract spelled out the construction of the wall, front and back face, capping, waterfalls, etc. The second contract stated the upgrade to the new bricks without reference to the structure. Contractor emailed this past Tuesday that the wall cap stones werent included in the contract, which it clearly was. An excuse to try to get out of the deduction. Also in researching brick prices we found that the cost difference for the upgrade was about $1000. She charged us $2450 for the upgrade, which we should have researched at the time to confirm, but we still trusted her at that time that it was reasonable and correct. My wife emailed contractor asking for an explanation on Thursday, havent heard back from her yet.
My wife also caller her lawyer to get his thoughts on the situation, and actually got some free advice! So things have gone from "almost finished" to "sitting in limbo"...
The project has gone south (no offense to the south lol) and come to a standstill. Our plan to speed up the completion was to get the new stone delivered and ask for the old unused stone to be removed from the bill. I thought it was a reasonable request and would speed up the process for her, us and the subcontractor. I sent an email to the contractor with the proposal, she said she would need to see the stones. Then my wife went ahead and ordered the new stone anyway.
When we got the original quote for the wall, it was for plain unilock bricks, but we had a second contract for an upgrade to the bricks we used in the wall. The original contract spelled out the construction of the wall, front and back face, capping, waterfalls, etc. The second contract stated the upgrade to the new bricks without reference to the structure. Contractor emailed this past Tuesday that the wall cap stones werent included in the contract, which it clearly was. An excuse to try to get out of the deduction. Also in researching brick prices we found that the cost difference for the upgrade was about $1000. She charged us $2450 for the upgrade, which we should have researched at the time to confirm, but we still trusted her at that time that it was reasonable and correct. My wife emailed contractor asking for an explanation on Thursday, havent heard back from her yet.
My wife also caller her lawyer to get his thoughts on the situation, and actually got some free advice! So things have gone from "almost finished" to "sitting in limbo"...