Our South Carolina Build with Photos....IT's ON!!!!!

[sqerlygirlsc]

​To flickr by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

I am starting my official build thread....oh my, I sound so serious!

Anyway, we signed our contract a month ago. I interviewed 3 builders and ended up going with the first one because he completely got me and what we are going for. He also owns a landscape design firm so our plan includes all the plantings. We will be doing most of the landscaping ourselves due to budget. AT least that's what I'm saying now....I may change my mind

I will add pictures soon of our yard as it is now...we are on over 4 acres so we have plenty of room.

This week we are having the existing 700sf patio covered with midnight blue flagstone. We have been removing trees and getting ready for our dig date of 11/20!!

I am looking forward to sharing with everyone and learning more and more!!

 

[Jimrahbe]

sg,

I wish I could find something that I could nit-pick, but I can't...

Looks like a great setup to me.

Oh... makes sure that they plumb it so that you can turn your waterfall on and off with your EasyTouch. You will find that water features cause aeration and will drive your pH through the roof. The ability to turn it on/off with ScreenLogic will make it easy to only use it when you want.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

Grotto by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

This is a grotto our PB built....I told him to please copy it as closely as possible Love it!!

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Hi Jim

I have followed your advice to the T so this a huge compliment! You are my pool master!!

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

Patio by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

poollocation by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

This is what we are working with: A small patio off our back door, a deck with pergola that will house a small outdoor kitchen next year, a large soon to be flagstone patio with a fire pit and hot tub.

Also, a photo of where the pool will be located. We will have about 800 sf of decking so in total with our other seating areas, we are looking at about 2000 sf total. We also have a shop that we will convert part of into a pool house in the next year or two.

We have been in our house for 19 years and I have planned everything around the idea of having a pool someday. When our PB saw the yard he said it's like it was made to be and I said "It really was!" Lol

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2017-10-06_12-09-16 by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

2017-10-06_12-36-12 by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

Patio around around gas fire pit in the process of having flagstone applied.

 

[kimkats]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and oh so jelly!!!! hehe It looks like you planed this LOL

Okay, How many skimmers? Where?

How may returns? Where?

How many lights? kind? where?

Your siggy says 4' to 6' but the plans have 3.5'..........make sure you have the correct plans out for all to see! Someone will get a hold of the old ones then......uh oh!

Kim

 

[jimim]

following along. very cool layout overall! good luck!

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and oh so jelly!!!! hehe It looks like you planed this LOL

Okay, How many skimmers? Where?

How may returns? Where?

How many lights? kind? where?

Your siggy says 4' to 6' but the plans have 3.5'..........make sure you have the correct plans out for all to see! Someone will get a hold of the old ones then......uh oh!

Kim

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the reply! And noticing my mistake in the signature...I changed it to 3.5'

We are getting 2 skimmers and 2 returns...is that enough for a pool our size?

We are getting 2 Intellibrite LED lights...one in the shallow end and one in the deep end (facing away from the house ,of course lol)

I have learned so much from you...you are a Pool Rock Star!!!

Charlene

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following along. very cool layout overall! good luck!

Thanks so much! Glad you will be following!

 

[Jimrahbe]

sg,

I don't think 2 returns is enough.. I would think 4 would give you much better circulation. It can't cost much to install two more..

If the pool were square, I'd have one on each wall... I would use the same general concept for your pool..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[kimkats]

Okay here ya go! X=skimmer O=return

I did put in three skimmers. Two are labeled SA and one is labeled SB. The one labeled SB I also said could be a return. I want to give you choices but think skimmers SA are the best placement.

The reasons for the return placement are.........the one on the shelf will help keep it clean The one between the the shelf and skimmer will help move stuff into the skimmer. The return right by the grotto will help keep it clean. The return at SB will help the bench clean and move stuff into the other skimmer.

Now measure yourself. Where does 3.5' hit you? Where does 4' hit you? Also think about along the lines of the slope from 3.5' to 6' or 4' to 6'. Think about doing a crawl stroke. Do you think someone might scrape their hands in the 3.5' depth? Just giving you food for thought with the depths.

I would think about putting a small, dim light in the grotto. Just enough to make it glow.

Kim

 

[Nursenini]

Hi Charlene!

Love your design and your yard is just lovely! You have a wonderful setup for your backyard oasis.
Just a thought to share with you on depth. I’m short (under 5 ft) and we have 3 1/2 - 5 1/2 - 4 and I wish we would have not gone with 3 1/2, and I wish our deep part was at least 6’. The 3 1/2 is really quite shallow for swimming, even for me, and the 5 1/2’ is just shy of being safe for jumping. My grandchildren spend ALL of their time jumping in and getting back out to jump back in. We have taught them to jump to the middle and tuck their legs. In hindsight, 4 - 6 or 6 1/2 - 4 1/2 would have been ideal of us.
Another thing to think about is your steps and their heights. I believe most pool steps are 10-12”. This is fine unless anyone has mobility issues. It looks like you have space to add another step if you want to reduce the step heights, and, depending on how deep your tanning ledge is, you might consider a small step down onto the ledge as the one step can be quite high.
I had 2 corner steps added to my ledge and made my pool steps the same height as the steps leading into my home. They are both very comfortable to use by the very young as well as the mobility challenged.

Blessings!

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me so much great information! Now that I think about it, I will be using the pool to swim laps and 3.5 does sound like it won't work. I will see about making that change this week.

I have to admit I hadn't given the height of the steps too much thought....I will have those changes made also.

Thanks again!

Hi Charlene!

Love your design and your yard is just lovely! You have a wonderful setup for your backyard oasis.
Just a thought to share with you on depth. I’m short (under 5 ft) and we have 3 1/2 - 5 1/2 - 4 and I wish we would have not gone with 3 1/2, and I wish our deep part was at least 6’. The 3 1/2 is really quite shallow for swimming, even for me, and the 5 1/2’ is just shy of being safe for jumping. My grandchildren spend ALL of their time jumping in and getting back out to jump back in. We have taught them to jump to the middle and tuck their legs. In hindsight, 4 - 6 or 6 1/2 - 4 1/2 would have been ideal of us.
Another thing to think about is your steps and their heights. I believe most pool steps are 10-12”. This is fine unless anyone has mobility issues. It looks like you have space to add another step if you want to reduce the step heights, and, depending on how deep your tanning ledge is, you might consider a small step down onto the ledge as the one step can be quite high.
I had 2 corner steps added to my ledge and made my pool steps the same height as the steps leading into my home. They are both very comfortable to use by the very young as well as the mobility challenged.

Blessings!

 

[jimim]

one of the things i would have changed wit hey pool was return locations. i didn't know enough at the time. i have 2 skimmers. but 1 of my returns is facing in the opposite direction of the other ones so i can spin my water to the 1 skimmer and what that one misses the next will catch. what i do is spin water of 2 returns to 1 skimmer and then the other return to the other skimmer in opposite direction. next time i would have made sure each return can be positioned to spin water all CW or CCW. i know eyeballs move but the 1 return that is messed up id to sweep steps and its on a wall that i can't reposition it to sweep steps and circulate in the direction needed. so next time it would be on opposite side to steps to sweep and push water in dir of other returns.

on of the members here taught me that one night! thanks cliff. you the man!

in the end is it fine ya. but you are not there yet so you can make it all perfect which will cost no money. just thinking before hand. i have 4 returns. 1 in the deep end floor. my pool is 36x23x20 free form. would i add more. maybe 1, but in general i run my pump 24/7 at 1500 RPM and not much drops to bottom and my top is always clean or if not clean by the time i get home what was on one side is now by skimmers so i know it's skimming.

jim

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

Hi Kim!!

Wow, another pool Superstar is taking time to help me out!! Thank you so much!!

I am sending your diagram to my builder and making sure he is placing skimmers and returns where they will be the most efficient. I also am changing the shallow end to 4' based on your and Nursenini's suggestions. I feel like I will have exactly what I want due to everyone's help!

[QUO

TE=kimkats;1349442]View attachment 69751

Okay here ya go! X=skimmer O=return

I did put in three skimmers. Two are labeled SA and one is labeled SB. The one labeled SB I also said could be a return. I want to give you choices but think skimmers SA are the best placement.

The reasons for the return placement are.........the one on the shelf will help keep it clean The one between the the shelf and skimmer will help move stuff into the skimmer. The return right by the grotto will help keep it clean. The return at SB will help the bench clean and move stuff into the other skimmer.

Now measure yourself. Where does 3.5' hit you? Where does 4' hit you? Also think about along the lines of the slope from 3.5' to 6' or 4' to 6'. Think about doing a crawl stroke. Do you think someone might scrape their hands in the 3.5' depth? Just giving you food for thought with the depths.

I would think about putting a small, dim light in the grotto. Just enough to make it glow.

Kim[/QUOTE]

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Thank you Jim! Yes, this is the perfect time to make changes and get everything as close to perfect as possible. I sent an email to my PB with lots of changes this morning. He will probably be in shock. This is the first time I have contacted him since we signed the contract. He probably thought he was going to get off easy Lol!

Thanks again for all the great info!!

Charlene

one of the things i would have changed wit hey pool was return locations. i didn't know enough at the time. i have 2 skimmers. but 1 of my returns is facing in the opposite direction of the other ones so i can spin my water to the 1 skimmer and what that one misses the next will catch. what i do is spin water of 2 returns to 1 skimmer and then the other return to the other skimmer in opposite direction. next time i would have made sure each return can be positioned to spin water all CW or CCW. i know eyeballs move but the 1 return that is messed up id to sweep steps and its on a wall that i can't reposition it to sweep steps and circulate in the direction needed. so next time it would be on opposite side to steps to sweep and push water in dir of other returns.

on of the members here taught me that one night! thanks cliff. you the man!

in the end is it fine ya. but you are not there yet so you can make it all perfect which will cost no money. just thinking before hand. i have 4 returns. 1 in the deep end floor. my pool is 36x23x20 free form. would i add more. maybe 1, but in general i run my pump 24/7 at 1500 RPM and not much drops to bottom and my top is always clean or if not clean by the time i get home what was on one side is now by skimmers so i know it's skimming.

jim

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

This is the ugly concrete patio our handy man is covering with Midnight blue flagstone. Believe it or not, this super human guy is doing the entire job by himself! When it is done , he will have mixed 185 80 lb bags of mortar and laid 8 tons of stone. It is so hard to find good people...I am blessed to have found him. Believe me, I am keeping him happy with Gatorade and snacks! Oh yeah, And CASH! LOL!

Flagstone Patio In Progress by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

I found these loungers on sale at Amazon and had to get 2 even though I am about 6 months early! They arrived Tuesday and look even better in person. So if anyone is in the market for loungers, these are $359 for two. I highly recommend them!

Lounger by Charlene Shirley, on Flickr

 

[kimkats]

on how much he is doing and doing on his own! Please tell me he has a mixer for the mortar! Where/how did you find him? Is your job his only job right now?

Kim

 

[sqerlygirlsc]

I found him on a app called NextDoor. He had great references so I took a chance even though I had made the mistake of hiring some turned out to be fruitloops off Craigslist in the past.

First he just came over to paint my deck and put out pinestraw. Then I called my masonry man after I had already order ALL the 8 TONS of stone and found out he was having a knee replacement. So then I'm about to have a heart attack because all this rock is on my future baja shelf!LOL!! Anyway, handyman to the rescue. Turns out he has tons of past experience with masonry work and showed me photos of his past work....I was sold!!

He does EVERYTHING by himself...the mixing, laying, pointing, etc... AND gets my mail everyday! LOL I am one BLESSED woman...my hubby may even be a little jealous!!

I am his only client until he is done...I had to wait one month to get him in the first place because in his neighborhood, he does practically all the upkeep. Now that I have him, he may not get away LOL....I keep coming up with jobs for him to do!

I can't even tell you how cheap his hourly rate is.....it is that low. I give him LOTS extra and food/drink etc... He's just the nicest guy ever...other than my hubby (of course)

Again, I am blessed in so many ways. The past 2 years have been rough and I am grateful everyday for this much needed break from adversity.

on how much he is doing and doing on his own! Please tell me he has a mixer for the mortar! Where/how did you find him? Is your job his only job right now?

Kim

 

[kimkats]

It does sound like the tide is turning in your favor now with him in your life!

Kim