Retaining wall / sheer descent placement questions

[Doctormario]

Hi TFP,

Brand new member here and plan to be a long time reader. We have a new fiberglass pool construction being planned for the winter. Our yard is sloped, and we are planning to replace these unused flower beds and (leaky old) garden fountain with the 12x27 San Juan "Biloxi" flat bottom model. Our PB offered us two options for a retaining wall with sheer descents - one is to incorporate three descents into the back end of the pool that stick up 18" off the patio / 24" off the water line. My wife is adamantly opposed to this as it will block the view of the back yard while in the pool and our kids' swing-set is back there. The other option is to put the waterfalls on the property line / fence side, do a little bit of patio off the back, and put up a rail to make the retaining wall adhere to code. The retaining wall will be around 3.5-4 feet high. Any thoughts on this situation? My PB prefers the waterfalls at the far end as he thinks it will look better from the deck and be incorporated into the retaining wall more concisely. I could go either way. I suppose if the waterfalls are on the side we could use the bench while the waterfalls are running.

Thanks!!!

DM

 

[kimkats]

Hi and welcome to TFP!!!

Do you HAVE to have retaining wall?? That is my first question. More will follow.

I will say I agree with your wife. You do NOT want to block any views.

Kim

 

[Doctormario]

Hi Kim, thanks for your reply! The retaining wall is needed because my wife also doesn't want to cut down any trees or uproot any garden plants in order to grade out the sloped landscape.. the garden is very old and formal and I'm trying to squeeze a big old rectangle in there haha. I have attached a revised drawing with the fountains on the side and a cable rail where the retaining wall is. I just didn't know if anyone had experience with retaining walls and pools as well as railings over them etc.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Yay!! Another Georgian in the house! Welcome DoctorMario

Maddie

 

[Doctormario]

Yay!! Another Georgian in the house! Welcome DoctorMario

Maddie

Thanks! We're in Athens - for some reason pools aren't very popular out here, not sure why.. lord knows it's hot enough. I can't wait to build mine!

 

[kimkats]

So you are saying the wall HAS to be at the end of the pool due to the slope? How high does it have to be?

 

[Doctormario]

So you are saying the wall HAS to be at the end of the pool due to the slope? How high does it have to be?

Yeah, if I’m to put it where I was planning and also appease my wife’s plans not to mess up the garden behind it I think I need a wall. PB says 3’5” tall.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Take a look at my pool build- link in siggy. We had a slope to deal with and put a short wall up also.

Maddie

 

[kimkats]

So where is the playset? Show us more of the yard please.

 

[Doctormario]

So where is the playset? Show us more of the yard please.

Sure!! Will attach a picture of the back garden from our deck. The pool will end right where the fountain on the far right goes. You can see a view of the garden beds (soon to be pool) in my initial post. Thanks for the input! The pool is very close to our property line.

 

[kimkats]

What a pretty yard!!! Bet you hate the leaf fall time! Well you are going to hate it even more when you get a pool! Are you going to do a cover?

I get your wife's point about not being able to see the kid's playset when you are in the pool. That is a valid concern. I would go with child safety aka being able to see what they are up to LOL I would work with that in mind and go from there.

How old are the kids? Do you have plans about child/pool safety?

Kim

 

[Doctormario]

I’m definitely planning a manual cover.. the automatic cover is just so freaking expensive

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Check out the quasi-electric version that opens/shuts using a rechargeable hand drill. You can run the tracks on top of your deck- they don't stand out and are quite unobtrusive. That might cut the cost a lot!

Maddie