Pool Quotes - Raleigh, NC

[darceync]

This morning we went up to SCP to look at all of our tile options and finally made selections!
Travertine: Country in French Pattern (it looks darker/cooler in this photo b/c of the fluorescent lighting)
Finish: Wet Edge Signature Matrix Tahoe
Waterline Tile: NPT Safari Multicolor 6"
Spa Tile: NPT Meridian Sea Green 1"x1"

The spa tile was an upgrade from our standard, but hubby knew that I wanted something with a little flash/sparkle (but still porcelain) around such a dramatic focal point. The way it reflects the sunlight and how the water will flow over it is just gorgeous.

 

[Gladius Nova]

A few more changes made today - we extended the shallow end by 6’ to account for the grade required to go from 4’6” to 8’ - the crew onsite did some additional shaping to help it flow and match the pool shape on both ends. Next is stub plumbing and rebar! The dark pic is my husband and his best friend checking out the deep end tonight with a beer and to show scale.

Love to see the enjoyment of people's faces during a pool build. For most people, it is a lifelong dream to have their very own pool in their backyard....and now it is pure joy to make that dream a reality!

 

[kimkats]

Love, love, love you pics!!!!! All so pretty!

What color of grout will you use for smaller tiles? I am thinking something medium dark. NOT white.

Now I want you to keep an eye out when that tile shows up. Especially the bigger tile. There is going to be quite a bit of variation in the color and "design" on each tile. I would open up the crate and go through them. Pick out the really pretty ones to put on the sight line part of the pool aka where your eyes fall when you walk out to the pool. Put aside the ugly ones. Hide them so there is no way they can be used hehe. Me? I would lay them out the way I wanted them put up on the wall. Yeah I do have control issues but it makes me happy so it is all good! One build the tilers put all of the light tiles together and all of the dark tiles together. It looks awful The PB came by to look and agreed so had them removed and replaced but it care had been used in the first place they would not have had to do that gurrrrrrrr

Kim

 

[darceync]

Love, love, love you pics!!!!! All so pretty!

What color of grout will you use for smaller tiles? I am thinking something medium dark. NOT white.

Now I want you to keep an eye out when that tile shows up. Especially the bigger tile. There is going to be quite a bit of variation in the color and "design" on each tile. I would open up the crate and go through them. Pick out the really pretty ones to put on the sight line part of the pool aka where your eyes fall when you walk out to the pool. Put aside the ugly ones. Hide them so there is no way they can be used hehe. Me? I would lay them out the way I wanted them put up on the wall. Yeah I do have control issues but it makes me happy so it is all good! One build the tilers put all of the light tiles together and all of the dark tiles together. It looks awful The PB came by to look and agreed so had them removed and replaced but it care had been used in the first place they would not have had to do that gurrrrrrrr

Kim

Oh I ? intend to be involved with as much of that tile picking process as possible. Hubby is also a former graphic designer, so has quite an opinion on the look of things as well. And for the grout, likely picking medium gray after talking w/ the PB - it will almost look like the grout and plaster are the same color from what he was showing us.

We also got a call from our PB who had the owner up overseeing the pool last week when the stone guy also came out. They decided to rework the grotto area and are instead building the whole thing like an extra tanning ledge to set the rock work into the bond beam and submerge it into the pool to give it a more organic effect and even more structural integrity. No charge to us (woo-hoo!), but they really want to make ours a showpiece. So the construction crew has been tearing out and re-doing forms the last two days. On the upper left end of the pool, you can see where they moved the wall back from where it was previously at the edge of the deep end dig. All of that will be concrete, rocks and eventually waterfall with the side closest to us being our jump rock.

 

[darceync]

It’s gunite day!! Crew showed up just before 7:30 and started shooting by 8:30. They mentioned it might be a 2-day shoot, as they’re going to need 12 trucks-worth of material.

This is so exciting!

 

[darceync]

Day 1 of 2 done and just before the storm rolled in. They shot 8 trucks today, and I was really happy watching the crew. They scooped out all of the rebound and took their time measuring and leveling and just did good work.

 

[kimkats]

That looks awesome! It is really looking like a pool now! They did GREAT work!! SWEET!

It is time for YOUR set of links! It is a lot of info but so worth it!!!
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Trouble Free Pool

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Also ask your PB what test kit he will provide. Let us know so we can fill in any holes!

Kim

 

[darceync]

Pics from yesterday’s shoot and then the re-grading of our entire backyard today. It looks soooo different!

 

[kimkats]

WOW!!!! It DOES look different!!! SWEET!

Kim

 

[RMcGirr83]

we were thinking about adding an outdoor camera system as part of future security/liability stuff but also to time-lapse video of our build

Look into Lorex. You'll have your own DVR and it can be a wired or wireless type of system even with remote capabilities. Cost is roughly the same for 4 rings but is infinitely better IMHO as there are no monthly fees to store your logs.

 

[bmoreswim]

That rock feature change was a massive upgrade to your project! You hit the lottery there since they wanted to create a marketing showpiece (my interpretation of them wanting to create a showpiece). Sometimes the pool gods shine on people. Yes, you may have to endure hoards of adoring potential customers visiting your property, but that change may be a game-changer to the project appearance. I was looking at the rebar pictures trying to figure them out before I went back and read your message about the owner's proposed change. Again, what good fortune.

The only small challenge or downside, may be that that the rocks may be submerged into the newly created tanning ledge and sometimes rock in contact with the waterline has a tendency to show white at the water line on the rocks. But who cares with that upgrade! I can't wait to see this move forward!!

 

[poolnoobgrandma]

We had webcams several places, and it was great for the time-lapse but also incredibly important when some things weren't done correctly, and had to be redone (e.g., no footers poured under patio roof uprights). We will always have webcams for any future work.

 

[darceync]

Been a minute since I had a project update...
In the last 3 weeks, we’ve:

• Added plumbing and regraded the dirt
• Moved the equipment pad location to behind the grotto (not to scale on the drawing, it is pulled aside for plumbing layout)
• Poured the grotto roof structure (all of the above just in time for hurricane Dorian to sideswipe us with a bunch of rain)
• Redesigned the deck layout to include additional travertine at the base of our existing wooden deck (dark gray shading in the design) and to rework the firepit section to fit within our fence plan
• Selected rock for the grotto
• Began forms for the deck layout today

 

[kimkats]

What a BIG minute that has been!!! NICE! LOVE those huge rocks!! So pretty!

 

[bmoreswim]

Yes, looking great!

Is your fire pit going to be wood burning?

 

[darceync]

Yes, looking great!

Is your fire pit going to be wood burning?

It will be gas - my husband doesn’t love the mess of firewood/charcoal unless it’s in his kamado.

 

[bmoreswim]

It will be gas - my husband doesn’t love the mess of firewood/charcoal unless it’s in his kamado.

Haha, nice!

 

[darceync]

I just realized I never posted final pics! These aren’t final-final (we’ve stained the new stairs and added furniture, fans and a hanging tv to the pavilion), but this shows the pool in some of my favorite light.

 

[Newdude]

Sweet !!!

 

[kimkats]

WOWZER!!! That is SO pretty! LOVE how wide you made the new stairs. That all came out great!

How is the water care going?

Kim