New Build w Retaining Wall- NC -decking complete (?)

[Pleinjane]

After many years of wanting a pool, and months of lurking here, I’ve decided to take the “plunge”. I was originally thinking of fiberglass due to the time it takes to install. However, I’m now thinking concrete since I can customize and have a deeper pool. My kids are 13 and 15, with one being a gymnast. She’s going to be the dare devil, so I want to make sure she stays safe. Anyone else’s kid wants to jump in the pool from a trampoline? Just typing that makes my pulse quicken. My son just wants to be able to kick a soccer ball from one end to the other into a goal.

No matter the material, I plan to have a rectangular pool with tanning deck and attached spa at the same level. I’m thinking of a 18/20’x 40’. I’m wondering if that’s too big? LOL- I’ve read posts where people say there’s never a complaint of a pool being too big... but it’s just me and my teenage kids (widow). I’m nervous I’m taking on a project too much for us/ me.

I’m still getting quotes and I’m surprised at how the concrete and fiberglass quotes are coming in at the same price. I need to get a few more concrete quotes just to even it out and decide which way to go. Regardless, I know to upgrade to SWG and a VSP... the others I have saved as reference when tweaking the plans. I’m hoping to sign by next weekend, as long as the quotes aren’t delayed.

 

[kimkats]

Oh this is going to be fun!!!

First off a diving board for the girl child. The depth needs to be at least 8 feet for a board.

For the boy child is there any way you can do a L shaped pool? The foot of the L could be the soccer field.
Check out the watermelon ball game. They will BOTH love that!

I can't wait to see your thoughts on my ideas!

Kim

 

[GosuPaintballer]

bouncing off a trampoline into a pool, i'd want a lot deeper than 8 feet. A trampoline sounds fun, (thought about that myself when i decide to build a pool), but i'd want like a 10 foot deep end. The spring coming off a trampoline + the height of it already above the pool itself would make for a deep plunge into the water. Just curious, but why are you not considering a vinyl lined pool? You could do probably double the depth and a bigger pool size for a lot less vs going concrete or fiberglass. Just curious on your thoughts is all???

 

[sktn77a]

Check in with member "Paddle". He built a gorgeous pool in Chapel Hill.

 

[Pleinjane]

Oh this is going to be fun!!!

First off a diving board for the girl child. The depth needs to be at least 8 feet for a board.

For the boy child is there any way you can do a L shaped pool? The foot of the L could be the soccer field.
Check out the watermelon ball game. They will BOTH love that!

I can't wait to see your thoughts on my ideas!

Kim

Thanks Kim - I'll definitely have to get that watermelon ball once the pool is done! I l already see that for DAY 1 - thanks for telling me about that!

I didn't think a diving board would be a entertaining enough since they aren't big into diving, but I'll have to reconsider that. I can see them at least jumping off and maybe even trying to remember their swimming lessons when they were younger.

The L shape... something to consider, I suppose it would be a shallow area like a tanning shelf/ whatever it's called? He plays soccer wherever he can, so he would definitely take advantage of that!

 

[Pleinjane]

bouncing off a trampoline into a pool, i'd want a lot deeper than 8 feet. A trampoline sounds fun, (thought about that myself when i decide to build a pool), but i'd want like a 10 foot deep end. The spring coming off a trampoline + the height of it already above the pool itself would make for a deep plunge into the water. Just curious, but why are you not considering a vinyl lined pool? You could do probably double the depth and a bigger pool size for a lot less vs going concrete or fiberglass. Just curious on your thoughts is all???

I know... the trampoline is a bad idea but I haven't told her no yet. She's giving me all ideas including a zipline from the 2nd floor window, to a treehouse deck, to a slide from the deck to a trampoline. I think she's just having fun with these imaginative ideas and not really planning to do them. At least I don't plan to install a zipline and we don't have a slide from the tree house. So I may instead plan on a diving board like Kim suggested...maybe.

I'm not thinking of a vinyl pool since I don't want to restrict my dogs. My kids are going to include those crazies as much as they can, and I've read dogs and vinyl pools don't do well. My brother's girlfriend has a vinyl pool and she gets furious anytime their dogs get in because she doesn't want them to tear it. Is that really a valid concern or have I just read the wrong sources?

Thanks Kim - I'll definitely have to get that watermelon ball once the pool is done! I l already see that for DAY 1 - thanks for telling me about that!

I didn't think a diving board would be a entertaining enough since they aren't big into diving, but I'll have to reconsider that. I can see them at least jumping off and maybe even trying to remember their swimming lessons when they were younger.

The L shape... something to consider, I suppose it would be a shallow area like a tanning shelf/ whatever it's called? He plays soccer wherever he can, so he would definitely take advantage of that!

 

[Pleinjane]

Check in with member "Paddle". He built a gorgeous pool in Chapel Hill.

OK - going into search mode now. Thanks!!

 

[kimkats]

The L shape... something to consider, I suppose it would be a shallow area like a tanning shelf/ whatever it's called? He plays soccer wherever he can, so he would definitely take advantage of that!

Here is a purrfect example of what I am thinking for your pool. Note how the foot part is all one depth. I would have it 4' deep for max fun.

18 x 43 x 28 L Shaped Pool Kit With Tanning Ledge Step

Our DIY 18 x 36 Rectangle In-ground Swimming Pool Kit comes with installation instructions and free shipping. Let Pool Warehouse design your dream pool!

www.poolwarehouse.com

Diving board-they are for more that just diving! She can do handstands and cartwheels from it into the pool! Diving includes a lot of gymnastics in it.

Is that really a valid concern or have I just read the wrong sources?

Here is the person to talk about dogs and vinyl pools:

Build thread: Vinyl in-ground, 18x40, Fastlane, Autocover.

So here's where the pool/pool house are going. Pool house construction has started, and we're going to dig in a couple weeks! The red X marks the sunroom where we usually hang out in the house --- drinking morning coffee, reading, hanging around before dinner. The little red dot shows the...

www.troublefreepool.com

I will also ping her @lazygirl1978 can you please give them input?

Kim

 

[Pleinjane]

Thanks for the inspiration! I'm thinking of something similar, but a spa that's right next to the shallow end (in place of those steps you showed, would be a spa). I have some inspiration photos and photos of my mess of a backyard... I'll post once I figure out how to resize them so they aren't too large.

 

[l1ltaral1l]

Re: dogs and a liner.

We have a dog, foster for two rescues and have a dog boarding business in our home. So we have a lot of dogs! LOL. Our pool was just installed this past fall, so we haven't used it yet. However, after a lot of research, it seems the biggest issues with dogs and a liner is steps or a tanning ledge. Those areas are where a dog could reach and apply pressure to their toes to make their nails 'dig'. Since you want a tanning ledge, that might concern be with the dogs. If your dogs are trainable and you want to put in the effort, you could still do it and teach them the exit (fiberglass steps, perhaps). We don't have the luxury of time to train with our boarders, so I knew this wasn't an option for us. We did a straight rectangle with walk out steps on each end.

 

[Pleinjane]

I added a sketch onto an older landscape plan. I never had the guy do anything other than the retaining walls. And yes, I did everything backwards since I have a screened porch, deck, and retaining wall that pushes out the pool further - and up into the backyard. Decking is all up in the air until I get some sketches from the PBs.

.

And here's some inspiration- this is a a Leisure fiberglass pool (but I'm thinking to make it deeper and with the idea of moving the spa a little bit)

 

[Pleinjane]

Re: dogs and a liner.

We have a dog, foster for two rescues and have a dog boarding business in our home. So we have a lot of dogs! LOL. Our pool was just installed this past fall, so we haven't used it yet. However, after a lot of research, it seems the biggest issues with dogs and a liner is steps or a tanning ledge. Those areas are where a dog could reach and apply pressure to their toes to make their nails 'dig'. Since you want a tanning ledge, that might concern be with the dogs. If your dogs are trainable and you want to put in the effort, you could still do it and teach them the exit (fiberglass steps, perhaps). We don't have the luxury of time to train with our boarders, so I knew this wasn't an option for us. We did a straight rectangle with walk out steps on each end.

I read your build post- gorgeous pool!! I'm sure I'll have another retaining wall or at least some boulders/ rocks...

I'll have to thinking about the liner and ask if that's even an option with some of these builders. We have 2 dogs, one is a little 25 pounder and the other 55 pounds. I trim their nails somewhat regularly but I'm not good at softening those edges after. That's a good idea to have something else for the steps and ledge... I imagine our dogs will hang out / lay down there regularly...

 

[l1ltaral1l]

Dremling the nails is a fabulous option - but I work in a vet office and understand the anxiety that comes with dogs and their feet. LOL!

I honestly don't know if there is a fiberglass type ledge (like the stairs). Hmmmm!

 

[Pleinjane]

Oh yeah... one of our dogs is a known howler when it comes to his nails (Shiba Inu), and the dremel was a huge fail. For some reason, he can deal with the dog clippers better. He's such a mischievous dog... finding any opening he can to get free of the yard. Maybe the pool will be too enticing for him to leave.

 

[l1ltaral1l]

He sounds like a typical SI! LOL!

 

[lazygirl1978]

Lazygirl is here! I have two boys (now 8 and 11), and I don't regret the "bigger" sized pool at all. Even when it's the three of us, and they're not big kids, I'm glad for the space. We've had 17 people in the pool at once! I might have gone fiberglass (it's less expensive than concrete here), but I wanted a bit wider than fiberglass could go. I'm glad we're not 2' more narrow, but some wouldn't mind. I love the 40' length! You won't regret going for 40' of length.

I DO worry about the 60-lb dog's nails tearing the vinyl. We only have the one dog, and I'm not very interested in having other dogs visit. So far, there has been no trouble. We keep his nails dremeled, and we direct him to the steps (which are vinyl-lined, but they're textured, and I sort of think that helps). But...if money were no object, I would have gone with concrete. I built our poolhouse for what gunite would've cost here, and I'm super glad we did. I love having a pool bathroom and an outdoor shower! We went with a freestanding spa. It's comfortable and I like that it's separate from the pool given our climate, but the spas that are attached to the pools are beautiful.

Can't wait to see how your project progresses!

 

[Pleinjane]

Lazygirl is here! I have two boys (now 8 and 11), and I don't regret the "bigger" sized pool at all. Even when it's the three of us, and they're not big kids, I'm glad for the space. We've had 17 people in the pool at once! I might have gone fiberglass (it's less expensive than concrete here), but I wanted a bit wider than fiberglass could go. I'm glad we're not 2' more narrow, but some wouldn't mind. I love the 40' length! You won't regret going for 40' of length.

I DO worry about the 60-lb dog's nails tearing the vinyl. We only have the one dog, and I'm not very interested in having other dogs visit. So far, there has been no trouble. We keep his nails dremeled, and we direct him to the steps (which are vinyl-lined, but they're textured, and I sort of think that helps). But...if money were no object, I would have gone with concrete. I built our poolhouse for what gunite would've cost here, and I'm super glad we did. I love having a pool bathroom and an outdoor shower! We went with a freestanding spa. It's comfortable and I like that it's separate from the pool given our climate, but the spas that are attached to the pools are beautiful.

Can't wait to see how your project progresses!

Thanks for your take on the vinyl pool - and size! It looks so huge when I drew it out, but I think you're right in that we won't regret it once it's in place. I'm floored that the fiberglass and concrete are coming in at around the same price, but we'll see once I get the official quotes from the concrete pools. It's all been "it'll be around $$ for this, this, and this". I might quickly go back to fiberglass after I pick my jaw off the floor. Or... cut the size in half

 

[Pleinjane]

OK, I'm signing today! There's one more quote due tonight, but I'm probably signing with this PB because of how they've worked with me so far. I've had 2 zoom meetings and one in person meeting. The designer and project manager came over yesterday since I wasn't comfortable with no one seeing my property in person until I signed. I also wanted to meet the manager of the build since I've been through a few projects already and while I might like the 1st person I meet, they always sub-contract, or have someone else on the property that might not be the best fit.

All other PBs either just sent me their quote with no follow up and no sketches, or gave me their a la carte pricing assuming I'd add it all up. One PB who does both gunite and fiberglass took it upon himself to revert to fiberglass once they heard my budget (they said their gunite pools start at 110k).

Here's the design so far... I have a screened-in porch and deck that meets this retaining wall


This is the view from the decking and tanning ledge and spa side:


This the first design, but I've moved the spa to the wall side so people can rest their back if they want to sit outside the spa with just their feet in.


and finally, this is what I could pull from the contract. I'm following up to get more details on some of the equipment, and some are so basic, I know I'll purchase additional items later (pool cleaner for one).
NOTE: This does NOT include any decking since they recommended I save money and either use their recommended landscaper or use someone else for that. Their recommended guys charges $7 sq ft brushed concrete. The contract is contingent on financing and acceptable decking quote, to allow for an easy excuse to get out of the contract and all money (minus the permit once pulled) will be refunded.

Dimensions: 19'6"x 36'2" (I know it's odd... I can't remember why it's this way, but is it a big deal to be an odd dimension?)
Sq Ft: 650 sq ft, 3.5-7.5' deep, ~23,000 gallons
coping: travertine
Tile: 6"x6" waterline
Interior Finish: PebbleTec Caribbean Blue
Steps/Benches: sunshelf 98 sq ft, 10" deep, 2 umbrella sleeves, 1 set concrete steps
Raised Bond Beam: 38' of 36" bond beam, stone veneer on water side facing
Swim out/ Deep end : 4' long built-in swim out
Waterfalls/ Sheer Descents: 2 2' sheer descents
Filter: cartridge pool filter sized for 650 sq ft
Pump: Jandy 2.7 hp variable speed
Sanitizer: Nature 2 Fusion Mineral Salt
Maintenance Kit: 16ft telescopic handle, heavy duty nylon wall and floor brush with leaf skimmer, pH and chlorine test kit, vacuum hose and vacuum head
LED Lights: 3 in pool, 1 in spa
Electronic Controls: Jandy RS-PS16, I Aqua Link, Additional actuator for sheer descents
Heater: 399k Raypac
Spa: 40 sq ft, 6 jets, 2 HP air blower

 

[GosuPaintballer]

One PB who does both gunite and fiberglass took it upon himself to revert to fiberglass once they heard my budget (they said their gunite pools start at 110k).

WHAT!!! If their gunite pools start at $110K for only 650 sq ft. he's smoking crack!

 

[kimkats]

I like what I see and like how and why you moved the spa! Well done!!

Sanitizer: Nature 2 Fusion Mineral Salt

NOPE!! The minerals will build up over time and cause problems such as staining down the road. You need a SWG that is rated for 2x the size (gallons) of your pool.

LED Lights: 3 in pool, 1 in spa

For the placement of the light make sure they are placed so they will not shine in eyes where seating is like the patio by the house. You DO want to light up the shelf and steps into the pool.