The Big Squeeze - Central Florida Pool Build

[Bjohn]

Hello TFP!

First time pool owner here. Started the process of soliciting quotes around Thanksgiving last year. Every PB in this area (and most others) were slammed. We waited to get our last quote from one of the most established PB in our city. They spent the most time onsite, were better priced, and had the most confidence about integrating a new pool into our existing backyard features (summer kitchen/bar and fire pit), hence, the big squeeze. We signed our contract with them in early March with a goal of breaking ground May 2022.

Our existing back patio has a 15' diameter concrete fire pit and seating with stone veneer located 27' off the back of the house. Adjacent the house is an L-shaped summer kitchen with matching stone. The area is currently screened with pavers. To maximize pool size, the screen will be removed and we won't be adding one back. We're not in love with the existing red colored pavers so ~1100 sqft of those get the boot as well. House is plumbed for gas. Backyard has full southern exposure with no trees so FULL sun. Attached are some renders I made after we signed the contract and I got realllly excited playing with the software until the wee hours of the morning.

General specs and colors:

• Final pool size is 14' x 20' rectangle with an adjoining 10' x 10' sun shelf.
• Depth goes from 3' to 5'.
• Interior finish is SGM Diamond Brite Blue.
• Pavers will be Flagstone Pavers Panorama Demi in White/Pewter
• Waterline tile is 6" NPT PTL-37-9653 GRN-MULTI/GRANITO

Here's the equipment so far:

• Intellichlor +
• Easytouch 4 w/ QT II
• 400,000 BTU gas heater
• Intelliflo pump w/ CC RP 150 filter
• Poolmiser autofill and overflow
• Ecopool in-floor circulation
• Ozonator (not sure of brand yet)
• Globrite LED (1) in deep end
• Deck jets (2)
• Rollaway pool fence around entire pool

Things we're still mulling over:

• Bubbler in sunshelf - we're leaning this way. I'd like to go LED.
• Deck jet positioning - both firing into pool from deep end or the back long side?
• DB finish color - blue vs. super blue vs ...
• Robot vacuum?
• Additional pool light and positioning?
• Add attached pergola overhanging sun shelf - now or later?

More to come!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Well I have a few thoughts and they're important if you're looking to check the budget and get better equipment-

1) Lose the Infloor system. Half the folks who have them like them, the other half have nothing but trouble. No need for them in Orlando unlike the west (AZ, NV) that use them for the windy dust they deal with. And even then a cheaper robot would usually suffice.
2) No Ozone anything.... worthless
3) Lose the Globrites- they're trash. They break about every 3 years and they have a propitiatory fitting stuck in your pool wall which means you can only replace the broken light with another Globrite. Change this to the Microbrites instead.
4) Change that automation @Jimrahbe can advise you on that.
5) Get a good robot- we can tell you who to buy from which will be far cheaper than your builder.
6) A bigger filter! The bigger the filter the less often you have to clean it. 420 would be nice.
7) More pool if possible Deeper too (my preference)

Holler back with any questions

Maddie

 

[Bjohn]

Thanks Maddie. Good input. I'd started reading up on lighting and came across similar feedback for the Globrite, will inquire with PB.

Pool size is unfortunately limited by positioning and other features. We wanted the pool visible from inside the house while retaining the fire pit. Plan is to plumb fire pit for gas and convert during the dig phase. If we moved the pool outside the main patio area it would be hidden by the summer kitchen.

Will start doing more reading on the infloor, automation, and robot.

 

[Jimrahbe]

John,

You will have an IntelliChlor SWCG, so that is all you need.. Adding the Ozone does nothing for you except help the pool builder pocket more money while you gain nothing.

In-floor circulation is another money maker for the pool builder but has no benefits for you..

I assume your EasyTouch will come with ScreenLogic 2, not QT 11.. Assume just a typo.

Anyone buying an IntelliChlor and an EasyTouch should be looking at one of the packages that come with the EasyTouch, internal SWCG power center and the cell..

You really need to get the part number of the EasyTouch... You do NOT want to get the "lite" model of the EasyTouch.. It is a cheap imitation of a real EasyTouch with very limited functions. Kind of like Lite salad dressing that no one likes...

I have three EasyTouch systems and love them... That said, if I were building a new pool, I would install the new Pentair IntelliCenter... Here is a short list of why..

The EasyTouch (ET) has a max of 12 programs.. The New IntelliCenter (IC) has a max of 100
The ET has a black and white alphanumeric 3" LCD... The IC has a color touch screen like your phone.
The ET can only be upgraded by the dealer. The IC can get automated updates over the Internet, just like your PC
The Price for an ET plus ScreenLogic is just about the same as an IC which comes with a ScreenLogic-like system..
Etc, etc..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Bjohn]

Thanks Jim. Jotted down those questions to ask regarding automation. PB had a bunch of suggestions but I didn't and still dont have a good appreciation for the automation system. Will start learning more.

@YippeeSkippy Regarding filter size, the next size up (and largest?) in the CCRP series looks like 200 sqft. Should I be inquiring about a different filter altogether?

 

[Jimrahbe]

John,

For some reason most pools built in Florida have what I can "dinky" filters... I am not sure why, but maybe it is because a lot of Florida pools have screen rooms that keep most debris out.

For reference... I have a 17K pool and a Pentair CCP-520 cartridge filter..

The idea is that the bigger the filter the less often you have to clean it. You don't necessarily need a bigger filter, but your filter can never be too big.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[kimkats]

Florida in the house! HI!!!! My advice is to say "What Maddie and Jim said"! LOL They have it covered very well.

I LOVE the fire pit! That is going to be quite striking!

Kim

 

[Bjohn]

Thanks @Jimrahbe, that's good info on the filter, especially since we won't be putting the screen back. We have minimal leaves but major pollen.

@kimkats The fire pit is very nice and ties everything together. Wish the previous owners would have pushed it back a bit more from the house but I dont think they were thinking about a future pool. Fire pit has no ventilation from the bottom and smokes A LOT so I'm excited about converting to gas, even if that means punching holes through the stone and concrete...

 

[RonsPlc]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always assumed that the reason for all the screened in pools in Florida was due to the over abundance of bugs that can, and WILL chase you out of a pool.

 

[Newdude]

, but I always assumed that the reason for all the screened in pools in Florida was due to the over abundance of bugs that can, and WILL chase you out of a pool.

You mean the A-10 Thunderbolt II mosquitos that can also fire at a rate of 30 rounds per second ? BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT !!!

Same.

And also gator deterrence because it turns out they are lazier than us. ‘Sure i *could* go through that screen, but I could also *not*’.

 

[TampaKathy]

Yes, I am getting a screen to keep cats in and wildlife (alligators, turtles, raccoons, sandhill cranes, bugs, etc) out!

 

[Bjohn]

We've enjoyed our screen but it'll be nice not having to look at it. Our wildlife consists of frogs, snakes (black racer), and mosquitos. Our neighborhood doesnt have many mature trees and the lots are pretty open so the mosquitos aren't too bad. We'll see if im singing the same tune come next year!

 

[Bjohn]

Regarding the lighting, I plan to discuss switching from Globrite to Microbrite lights this week. I've read about others illuminating the sunshelf with a microbrite instead of an LED bubbler. The Microbrite manual shows a 4 inch minimum depth to the top of the light housing.

Is it possible to achieve a microbrite install in 6 inch water depth for the sunshelf or should we stick to an LED bubbler? Without dedicated sunshelf lighting, I'm worried it will be too dark given it's size and position relative to the rest of the pool.

 

[kimkats]

I like the led bubbler so long as you can turn on light separate from the bubbler if wanted/needed.

 

[Bjohn]

Well, we still have a reallllly long wait...but glad I called when I did. Equipment hasn't been ordered yet but we're in the next group.

Probably going with an LED bubbler in shelf since the 6" depth is right at the limit of Pentair's minimum depth for Microbrite when factoring in the fitting size.

Moved deck jet position to have both fire from the deep end.

PB is checking on price difference between Easytouch with screenlogic and Intellicenter. I declined screenlogic initially when we signed the contract (I knew nothing) but will add that at the minimum.

May keep the IFCS. Will only have three pop ups, no side sweeps and removing it would only knock off $500. Was told the pool could run without it. Do people use a hybrid system, IFCS and robot? Would having the IFCS result in having to use the robot less? Weekly compared to daily?

 

[TampaKathy]

I am not positive but the EcoPool system looks like it only helps with circulation, not cleaning. If you were actually getting an in-floor cleaner, I would expect more than 3 pop ups and more than $500 so you may want to confirm with the builder what you are getting.

 

[Bjohn]

I am not positive but the EcoPool system looks like it only helps with circulation, not cleaning. If you were actually getting an in-floor cleaner, I would expect more than 3 pop ups and more than $500 so you may want to confirm with the builder what you are getting.

I'll inquire. I need to learn more about the Eco pool system. Like you said, other IFCS I saw had dozens of pop ups so I was pleased to learn ours wouldn't have so many.

 

[Bjohn]

Spoke to PB today and confirmed we're getting an EasyTouch 4 and will add screen logic. For the size of our pool and features we'll have, the Intellicenter seems a little overkill.

Switching to Microbrite in the pool is no problem. We'll add one and move them to face away from the house.

Unfortunately, the LED bubbler requires Globrite as it doesn't accept Microbrite.

 

[panic_button]

The EasyTouch (ET) has a max of 12 programs.. The New IntelliCenter (IC) has a max of 100
The ET has a black and white alphanumeric 3" LCD... The IC has a color touch screen like your phone.
The ET can only be upgraded by the dealer. The IC can get automated updates over the Internet, just like your PC
The Price for an ET plus ScreenLogic is just about the same as an IC which comes with a ScreenLogic-like system..

You forgot to mention, when Pentair's servers go down (as the do often) you can not control your IC systems internally or externally via app, PC etc. With an ET system with SL you still can.

 

[rstrouse]

That is not correct you can control IntelliCenter over your local LAN or via the Pentair gateway. Just like ScreenLogic.