Small Yard, Big Pool Dreams - New Build - Lakewood, California

[Dirk]

Dirk - you're gonna have to hold the BP responsible for this - no time lapse of us laying out the tiles! Our project manager failed to inform us last Friday that the masons would be at our house working on Saturday!!! (No work had ever been done on Saturday before.) So the tiles were delivered Friday and we thought we were gonna have a relaxing Saturday evening project laying them out. Then at 8am on Saturday - we were thankfully awake but not really up - the doorbell rang. SURPRISE - we're here to do the water line tiles. So I did not have my usual time-lapse cameras charged or anything and we had to jump out of bed get dressed and run out and start laying out tiles.

No worries. Hopefully it was worth the effort, and you got to arrange them in a way appealing to you. Or maybe that was all overkill and didn't matter. Either way, you got to have a crack at it...

Looking forward to pics and vids. It's what we live on, here at TFP!

 

[riley00dog]

Glad there has been progress! Work really gets in the way while you’re building a pool! There should be some sort of paid leave of absence (like newborn leave) if you ask me. Looking forward to pics.

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

We are T-Minus 5 Days 'til plaster which is happening Tuesday. We've been dealing with a LOT of issues with our PB and the sub-contractors which is making everything super crazy on top of an already busy schedule right now. But here are a few pics from the last couple of weeks to tie you over until I can post more vids and stuff:











Would love any specific input on preparing for the Plaster - of course I have the links to the docs from earlier - gotta read up on that stuff and go buy chemicals and stuff this weekend.

 

[kimkats]

Sorry to hear there have been issues Hoping things even out some now!

Here is a set of links I put together to help you get the best, longest lasting plaster you can hope to:

How to set up to have the best plaster job: A Plastering 'Watch List' | Professional Watershaping | Watershapes

Brief snap shots of different start ups: Pool School - Start-up New Plaster

Full run down on the best BUT hardest start up: A Bicarb Start-up guide for TFP members

Next best start up BUT it leaves out to NOT put water in the pool right away. Wait at least 6 hours after plaster is put in before putting water in! The back of the card is what you want: Start-up Cards - National Plasterers Council

Make sure to share this info with your pool builder!

Kim

 

[Dirk]

There you are! Looking good. I like the way your colors are coming together. I like the two colors of tile and planter wall together. Deck looks fantastic.

We shared the meter trick, right? And the "don't stop the fill once it starts" warning? You have your test kit in hand already? (I'm always amazed so many here wait until the last minute to buy their kit!) Have you tested your fill water? Have you practiced a few time with your kit, so Day One of your new pool will not be the day you start to get comfortable with water testing?

If you are to manage the fill, do you know exactly where to stop it? Especially important if you're going to use the meter trick. And speaking of which, a few here that had intended to use the meter trick got foiled by the PB, who started the fill without their knowledge, and then there was no initial meter read. Talk with your PB about the meter and your fill plan.

Kim has given you great info about the startup, but unless your PB is onboard, he may have a completely conflicting plan. If it were me, knowing I'll only get one shot at this, I'd have a sit-down with the PB to discuss the fill, and the startup, and be crystal clear on everybody's expectations and responsibilities. PBs can take this for granted (they do hundreds of these a year), and can steamroller the process, one that might not match your goals, or the "TFP Way" if you've decided to give that a go. There are plenty of stories here where no such effort was made, and the PB does his thing, sometimes to the detriment of the pool surface. One guy had his PB pour in salt on day one or two (a "no-no"). Stuff like that. A little forethought, and conversation, can go a long way to a successful startup.

 

[LeighHop]

It's looking great and will all be worth it.

Get ready to brush! I'm in the brushing phase (PebbleSheen) and Ive found it useful to have a little hand held scrub brush for the nooks and crannies. It's tough to brush the "crease" of the steps with the big pool brush. After a couple of weeks of brushing, everything is looking pretty great except for those tough areas. I'm going to continue to focus on them with my hand-held.

Along with your test kit, splurge on the speed stirrer! It's my new favorite toy. It makes testing that much easier.

 

[Brentr]

Don’t forget to get your new swimsuit ready[emoji482]

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

Well, it looks like it's T-Minus 7 now... Just got word that plaster is happening on Friday. I guess the head PB is fed up with the Project Manager (he has not been managing much of anything with our build which is what has led to most of the problems we've had) so he's taking over the remainder of our build and will be there to make sure everything happens correctly.

It looks like the plan is to plaster next Friday but not acid wash and fill until Saturday - so I guess that fits the "Wait at least 6 hours..." Otherwise, I do have the test kit including the SpeedStir. Will start testing water this weekend to get use to the process and know what we'll be starting with when we fill our pool.

Yep - I got the meter trick and am ready to go on that. We'll be there the entire time for plaster and the following "fill day" so we'll be able to get a precise measurement on gallons.

Already confirmed that the salt will stay in the bags until 30 days after the fill.

I'm all ready to brush - I got the Whale Tail Brush - I assume that's a good brush for post plaster, right? Good idea on having a smaller hand brush for the crevices and such!

 

[Dirk]

Yep, mine was plastered then washed and filled next day. Sounds good.

My meter obsession... If you think about it, take a meter reading first thing Saturday, or even Friday night as you go to bed. Several here have been ready for the meter read, and have been caught off guard by an ambitious worker who started the fill early. Owner comes out to get things going only to find a large puddle already well along in the deep end. If you check the meter well before, then at least you have a "backup" read, from which you'd only have to subtract a few toilet flushes or a shower or two. If you don't get this meter thing done correctly and get your perfect number, I'm not going to be able to eat or sleep, and this is, after all, all about me!!

I wish I had thought about the hand brush idea. Though I filled in October and brushed all through the winter. No way I was getting in to brush the crevices. Sounds like a good idea, though.

I'm excited for you!

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

I'm excited for you!

Part of me is super excited and the other part just can't wait to be through with the build. We're both so over all the issues we've encountered.

But I know once it's done and I can float in the pool drinking a Mai Tai, it'll all be worth it!

Question for everyone - so, we have to wait 30 days after plaster before adding salt. Is it okay to swim in the pool before that 30 day time limit? I know we gotta do the twice daily brushing for at least 14 days after plaster. Is it then okay to swim after that point?

 

[Dirk]

Whatever anyone here tells you, be sure it matches with what you're told by whoever is holding the warranty on the finish. They have the final say on when you can get in.

That said, I know how many days I'd be able to wait!!

 

[kimkats]

PB and his warranty wins no matter what we say.................we have had some PB write in their directions "jump in as soon as the water is halfway up the skimmer face" Others say "wait until the water is balanced" Other say "seven days". Me???? CANNON BALL asap!!! LOL

Kim

 

[Brentr]

Like Kim says follow what your PB says. I was in our pool as soon as the fill started up. My PB said that I would not hurt it but not to be too aggressive as the plaster was still soft. Here is our time line, plaster in the morning and waited a couple of hours then they acid washed and started filling the pool after the acid wash. All was done in one day.

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

Well after some last minute changes... The tiles we had on the steps didn't seem to be adhering strongly enough - they are super thin tiles. So ended up switching to different tiles and PB is redoing them today. also some other final finishes and clean-up. Then TOMORROW (FRIDAY) IS PLASTER!

I thought this day would never come! So, just to confirm, I got the Wall Whale brush - that is a good/appropriate brush for the twice a day 10-14 days post-plaster brushing, right?

Everything else seems to be lined up - and so far it sounds like the head guy is very much right in line with TFP on the care and chemical stuff so that's one thing they seem to have right.

Fingers crossed there should be water in the pool by the weekend which at this point feels like a miracle after everything we've been through. I'll keep you posted and have pics coming.

 

[Dirk]

Everything else seems to be lined up - and so far it sounds like the head guy is very much right in line with TFP on the care and chemical stuff so that's one thing they seem to have right.

Sorry to be the doomsdayer! What the "head guy" says or thinks about anything is not always the same as the guy that actually executes his instructions (which you must know by now, having just built a pool!!). Knowing what I now know about startup and pool maintenance, from doing it and reading about it, I would be all over the pool guy. I'd assume he's going to do it wrong, and then be pleased when he does it right. Not the other way around. I'd want all his test results, and I'd want a say in anything that's about to go in the pool, before it goes in. (And if it wasn't one of chlorine, MA, CYA or sequestering agent, I wouldn't allow it until I was satisfied it was absolutely necessary, which it probably wouldn't be.) This will likely offend somebody, but frankly I wouldn't care. They'll be gone in a day, or a week, or a month, and whatever they do or don't do in that span of time can affect your pool's appearance, comfort and longevity for decades to come. So offend away, I say.

I would lay down my expectations to both the "head guy" and the actual pool guy and expect them to comply. This is not their [$50-100K] pool, it is yours, and you have a right to a perfect startup.

Kim and I have been involved with builds where the pool guy skips visits, uses test strips, forgets to bring chlorine on his truck, etc. Crazy stuff. A very watchful eye is mandatory at this stage of your pool's life, don't assume that's anybody's eye but yours.

 

[kimkats]

Oh don't forget dump the test right back into the pool! sigh.......

What about the guy who RAN into the back yard. Threw a puck into the skimmer then RAN back out. The PO was paying to once a week testing, dosing, AND vacuuming!!! The pool guy did not know the PO was working from home that day so was watching as he had a feeling (pool did not look good) something was not quite what it should be..........BUSTED!

 

[Dirk]

How about the guy that dumped in salt on day two of a brand new plaster pool, before the owner even knew about it, or could stop it!?! So much for a proper cure.

The worst part, some missteps during startup won't be immediately obvious. A poor startup might not manifest itself for years, when the plaster starts to feel rough, or fall apart, years before it should have. Conveniently years after the warranty has expired, and the pool guy that messed up your pool has moved on to a more rewarding, lucrative career in the fast food industry. Or maybe that is the group of guys from which Leslie's hires its summer help! (Oh, no he di-ant!)

 

[hollywoodfrodo]

It's Friday and........... NO Plaster! The PB let us know yesterday evening that it had to be pushed to Saturday because the plaster guy had too much going on today. So, barring another last minute change, plaster is going in tomorrow morning - crew arrives at 7am. I'm both excited and nervous as heck!

 

[kimkats]

Man your neighbors are going to hate you!!! LOL

Kim

 

[Dirk]

Oh man, that's like Santa leaving a note on your hearth: "Sorry, be back tomorrow night!"