Pool Finally Filled! - Austin, TX BYOP

acue180

Well-known member
Aug 1, 2019
48
austin texas
Going the BYOP route through local Austin branch. I intend on updating this thread every step of the way with plenty of pictures. Any/all feedback is appreciated!
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Current All-In Cost: $67,000 (Quoted 77k-82k by big builders for same specs and inferior equipment)

I have already changed depth from 4-5-4 to 3'6"-5-4. So we will lose the bottom step at entry point. Also equipment pad will be on side of house opposite master bedroom.

We are a family of four with kids ages 6 and 7. Activity type pool desired. We will have a portable basketball hoop, portable SRS Smith slide, and possible volleyball net if I can figure a way to get the raised beam side right.

POOL DETAILS
1.) Pool Area: 500 sq. ft.
2.) Pool Perimeter: 100 ft.
3.) Pool Gallons: 15,000* (est.)
4.) Pool Size: 15 x 30 (water)
5.) Pool Shell: Gunite
6.) Ledge Size: 5 x 10 (water)
7.) Water Depth(s): 3'6"’ x 5’ x 4’
8.) Ledge Depth (Water): 10”
9.) Plaster: CL Industries: Majestic Isle
10.) Coping: Gray Leuder Stone (12”)
11.) Decking: Brushed concrete with Gray Kool Deck Coating
12.) New Deck Area: 530 sq ft
13.) Exis. Deck Area to be Covered: 210 sq ft
14.) Raised Beam: 18” x 32’
15) Beam Face: Chopped White/Cream Leuderstone
16.) 2 Skimmers / 4 Returns

WATER / OTHER FEATURES
1.) LED Bubblers: (1) at Ledge
2.) Sheer Descents: (3) at Raised Beam
3.) Umbrella Sleeve: (1) at Ledge center, (2) in deck on each side of pool
4.) Auto Fill: Add’l plumb. req’d

POOL EQUIPMENT
1.) Pump: Pentair Intelliflow Variable Speed Pump
2.) Filter: Pentair Clean & Clear 520 Cartridge
3.) Heater/Chiller: Pentair UltraTemp 4120 H/C
4.) Cleaner: Pentair (Robot) Prowler 920
5.) Control Box: Pentair EasyTouch P4
6.) Remotes: Screen Logic Bundle (adapter & wireless kit)
7.) Sanitizers: In-Line Chlor (It will only be used on vacations, I will be adding liquid by hand using TFP method)
8.) Pool Lights: (2) Pentair IntelliBrite 5g Color LED 12v

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Looks good. ET4 only has 3 relays for your use. If you want to control each light independently that will take two relays. Consider that.

Install the ET with SWCG built in now. Otherwise once you get tired of adding liquid chlorine every day to the pool you will have to install the SWCG separately with an additional power unit.
 
Thanks for the P4 info. It should be fine since I'm good with them working together. I'm hesitant on Salt system as it puts us significantly over budget but will look into it more. I know everyone here swears by it! Thanks for your feedback.
 
Just waiting on City of Austin now after paying fee. But 1 quick question in the meantime. Do the returns and skimmers look ok on this build draw? I have read people saying to put a return in the ledge (ours is 10 inches) but ours doesn't currently have one. Also, is the return/skimmer at the top left positioned ok? Facing the same direction there, would the return potentially be pushing debris AWAY from that skimmer? The build draw is right above this post.
 
After a couple days excavation is complete! They will be back tomorrow to put up forms. The kids had a blast watching them excavate but got so worried the bobcat had no way out from the bottom. "Daddy hes stuck can you go help him out???"

Good news is I saved $1900.00 from the bid! Saved $1100 since they didn't hit rock, and another $800 because access was good and they got their large equipment inside easily. I'm sure the wife will put that $$ towards some pool furniture very soon though :)

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Is that a layer of plastic in the ground under your yard? Was that a surprise or is that common in your area?
 
Is that a layer of plastic in the ground under your yard? Was that a surprise or is that common in your area?
I was surprised to see that too. Its about 18 inches under grade. My only thought is that this subdivision didn’t exist 18 months ago so maybe they did that when clearing out/grading the area? Not entirely sure but it is very consistent throughout.
 
That does seem strange. Do you know what was there before the subdivision? Can you check with the subdivision contractor to ensure your area is not on a large fill area? You could also ask your excavation contractor if he is confident that the bottom of the dig was in Virgin soil.
 

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WOW! Congrats! So, this is in Austin? I am in shock. Excavation on ours (Austin) was just completed last week after nearly two weeks, rain, and two different machines, and solid rock the entire way from less than a foot down clear to the bottom, including a super hard kind of rock that took painstaking little drills every couple of inches... through layers... for days. By the time it was finished, it felt like the pool should almost be ready, and I was joking about pool builds who get through excavation with just dirt and how it would then seem like just the beginning of the process (whereas to us, it seemed like it should be nearly the end). One thing my gut just knew would happen is that wildlife would fall into the pit, and while my concern was primarily for a bunny who visited us nightly for several months until excavation began, it was, instead, an armadillo who fell in with a thud early this morning, crawling through multiple layers of steel, looking for its escape. Seems we are just one step ahead of you. Will be fun to keep posted on the progress. :)
 
WOW! Congrats! So, this is in Austin? I am in shock. Excavation on ours (Austin) was just completed last week after nearly two weeks, rain, and two different machines, and solid rock the entire way from less than a foot down clear to the bottom, including a super hard kind of rock that took painstaking little drills every couple of inches... through layers... for days. By the time it was finished, it felt like the pool should almost be ready, and I was joking about pool builds who get through excavation with just dirt and how it would then seem like just the beginning of the process (whereas to us, it seemed like it should be nearly the end). One thing my gut just knew would happen is that wildlife would fall into the pit, and while my concern was primarily for a bunny who visited us nightly for several months until excavation began, it was, instead, an armadillo who fell in with a thud early this morning, crawling through multiple layers of steel, looking for its escape. Seems we are just one step ahead of you. Will be fun to keep posted on the progress. :)
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they went through that clay like butter! When the owner came by one of his guys went down and grabbed a chunk to show him how soft it was. It was crazy. We did have to reacue a neighbors dog from the hole today. Poor fella got through the temp fence. We ended up having to put two loads of gravel since they said the clay was too soft.
 
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Steel finished up this morning. Saved 7% on the invoice by paying cash! Funny enough, the excavator was on his way to check a couple Cody/Anthony Sylvan excavations right after mine. We discussed BYOP process merits and he was surprised more people don’t do it.

Next up is plumbing. Excavator said he is confident about the soil. Appears to be fill above the plastic layer but he stated that below looked good once they added the extra load of gravel over clay.

Also told him I’m posting photos here and he was genuinely interested in feedback from the community. He asked me to screenshot things people here say about their work-good and bad lol. It was more lighthearted than anything else.

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Plumbing finished up two days ago. They are coming by today to fix a part on the LED bubbler. Honestly not sure what I'm looking at to determine if its a good job or not, but pressure has been holding up just fine on both gauges. Electrician should be coming out within the next few days. Gunite/shotcrete is running 3-6 weeks out everywhere in Austin, which is a bummer, but really its more like 10-14 days after I get pre-gunite inspection so its not AS bad. Shooting for completion between September 15th and October 5th (my birthday!). Any thoughts on plumbing?

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They finished shooting the pool about an hour ago. The plumber will have to come back out and redo the led bubbler as it was set too high.

They told me to water twice a day for ten days. Do I start tonight or in the morning?

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They finished shooting the pool about an hour ago. The plumber will have to come back out and redo the led bubbler as it was set too high.

They told me to water twice a day for ten days. Do I start tonight or in the morning?

You can't put enough water on it. The more water the better the cure. So yes tonight. There recommend schedule would be a minimum. If you have the time you can water more often, especially on the sunny hotter days.
 
After waking up this morning I’m a bit concerned. Is it normal for plumbing pressure to go down after shooting concrete? Two of the three gauges that had been holding pressure went down to zero. I noticed one of the skimmers that was all taped up had water coming out into the pool. I’ll have to add picture late because Im in the country now with no reception.

Is it normal to lose pressure that had been holding after shooting?
 

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