PA builders / Philly area reccomendations

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Many of my neighbors are using gas as well and were glad in doing so. Utility bills don't seem too bad at all, especially if not used 24/7 from May-September.

Got two calls from PBs that had visited this week and last, expecting full quotes and some sketch/design info shortly!
 
Well, one of the PBs dropped out - perhaps too far from the job? Have one more (hopefully last) interview/visit coming up next Tuesday. Waiting on 3 of the remaining quotes/designs to come back and then we should be able to get moving. :)
 
I live in Phoenixville Chester County....on a rainy day, give Callahan's Pool Plastering in West Chester a shout and hit them up for recommendations. They've been around forever, and are super nice people. They don't do construction, but I bet they're plugged in to do the finishing work for the builders. We used them 10 years ago to rehab our 50 year old monster pool and they are absolute perfectionists.
 
jturie said:
I live in Phoenixville Chester County....on a rainy day, give Callahan's Pool Plastering in West Chester a shout and hit them up for recommendations. They've been around forever, and are super nice people. They don't do construction, but I bet they're plugged in to do the finishing work for the builders. We used them 10 years ago to rehab our 50 year old monster pool and they are absolute perfectionists.
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Thanks for the suggestion. I may have enough builders at this point (6 on the list) but will keep them in mind in case I need to dig up any more. :)

kimkats said:
But I hate waiting :mad: I want to spend your money NOW!!! LOL

Kim:kim:
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Me too! I know it's busy season for these guys so I'm trying to be patient. I think I'd have better luck with responsiveness if this were September or October. :) I'm hoping in the next week or so I get the rest of the quotes back.
 
Updates:

1) Met with my last PB on the list last night; got a good vibe and lots of information regarding equipment, let's hope the design and quote deliver! Hoping to hear back late next week.
2) Meeting with another builder on Saturday to review their design/proposal
3) STILL waiting on 2 other quotes from 2 weeks ago

I think we're getting really close in terms of equipment. Looking at an all Pentair setup with the following:

-Easytouch 8 w/ screenlogic
-2X bubblers in sunshelf
-3HP variable speed intelliflo pump 011018
-Pentair Quad DE 100 sq ft filter 188594 (could be convinced to switch to a cartridge filter for ease of maintenance)
-Pentair Superflo VS 1.5HP 342001 for water features (will this be needed?)
-IC60 salt cell
-2X intellibright multi color LED lights
-Maybe some feature lighting on sunshelf
-Pentair heat pump ~120k btu (at this point talked out of natural gas, although we still have plenty of time to swap at little to no cost to the project)
 

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Quick update:

Got most of the bids in - 5 out of the 6 PBs interviewed have responded with a quote and some type of design. Feel like I'm getting really close with 1 of them, just need to work on negotiating a few items as well as some design specifics. I have to thank everyone here to getting us to this point; it's safe to safe I've impressed the PBs with knowledge (design, build, and equipment specifics) I've gained here! With any luck, look for an upcoming build post from me shortly. We won't be breaking ground until Spring of 2018, that that means I've got the fall to nail down the design details, permits, and all of the engineering work our township makes us do.
 
:sun: see this smile? I am so glad we have been able to be with you while you talked to your PB. Let us know which design you go with. Make sure to to return, skimmer, and light placement so we can help tweak those as well.

Kim:kim:
 
Thanks Kim! Will do of course. Hoping to stake out the yard with the planned size this coming week (or the following) with our potential PB. Here's a preview as to what we're looking at:

Upsize pool (freeform) to 800 sq ft plus 80 sq foot sunshelf - roughly 24' width x 44' length planned
1/2 rebar all around, 12" spacing in shallow end, 6" in transition area over 20', 4" in deep end
8-9" wall thickness throughout
3 floor returns, 1 in sunshelf, 1 as part of water feature (waterfall), all solid PVC (need to confirm these are all home runs)
Dual drains
2 Skimmers
2 benches
3 X Intellibright LED full sized lights plus 1 X spa light in sunshelf
 
Potential PB came out today to spray out the layout. For some reason he used the (old) specs of 700 sq ft and not the 800 sq ft. The good news is we confirmed a few things:

1) We want to make the pool +100 sq foot for sure based on what was sprayed out
2) We want the sunshelf on the opposite side it was layed out, toward the house
3) We will probably shift the pool out a few feet from the house to give room for the stairs coming down from the front hill

The PB sent us another revision of his 3d design, which still needs a lot of work. Good news is we've got plenty of time to fix that over the fall. :)

Here's what needs clarification:

1) How steps will come down from the hill (Driveway) into the pool patio area
2) Exactly how the patio will be layed out. Sadly we are limited to a specific # of sq footage due to township regulations
3) The PB suggests using a raised beam leading up to the waterfall - how will this tie in?
4) Layout and placement of steps and sunshelf

IMG_2794.jpg
IMG_2792.jpg
 

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BIG movement! NICE!

One thing to keep a VERY close eye on is making sure EVERYONE has the most current copy of the pool. Like you just saw the old plans have a way of popping up!

Does your township count pavers in their "rules"? See they can be removed so.....................we have found some areas that will allow pavers for this very reason............worth asking about.

Kim:kim:
 
That one is tough. Our Township considers the pool impervious and requires a storm water management system for anything over 1,000 sq ft. We had to do a bunch of tests and are building a massive drainage basin.
 
oakridge said:
That one is tough. Our Township considers the pool impervious and requires a storm water management system for anything over 1,000 sq ft. We had to do a bunch of tests and are building a massive drainage basin.
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Ours is also > 1000sq ft requires stormwater management (Extensive) BUT luckily with the following exclusions:

1) They only count items added (via permit) after 2003. This allows me to exclude my front walkway, rear patio (stamped concrete), and deck.
2) They do NOT count the pool, coping (1 ft allowance) or 3ft of walkway around the pool which is great. Assuming the pool is something like 120 ft perimeter, this gives us an extra ~360 sq foot or so plus coping.

So when subtracting out my shed (as seen in the pic) it leaves us with about ~950-1000 sq foot of surfaces to work with without having to do any stormwater work at all. Should be able to work that into the decking and hard steps coming down the hill into the pool area.
 
Yeah, the pool should not really count. It's ridiculous that they do here. The pool holds the water. It is a storm water basin :) I bet if one tried hard enough one could get a variance. Oh well, I didn't bother.
 

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