Using a PB in Vegas

Thank you so much for the photos, hotrodbones! So helpful!

Some additional questions to all:

- I have been reading up on AquaBrite, and I was totally all in when I arrived at "flame-thrower." My 7-year-olds will be staying home from school on flame-thrower day. Just to be sure before I email my PB about the availability to use this product, it is suitable for a saltwater pool - correct?I hope you let the kids stay home for all of the "big" events like gunite shoot and plaster or aqua bright. Aquabright is very suitable for a salt water pool.

- Does anyone have any comments with respect to the depths I should consider? Would 4 feet to 6 feet be acceptable? Or should I have a middle depth?I say go to some recent pool builds from last summer and ask them how they feel about their depths.

- Does having a saltwater pool automatically mean that I get a SWG? Or is that one of these "upgrades" that are blowing my budget already? I know I need one, but I was just curious if it is an inherent part of most saltwater systems? I will ask my PB for clarification, but I don't want to seem like an idiot.Pull out your contract. Tell us what it says. When you say saltwater pool in one of your first posts it is very general. It SHOULD be a SWG but it could be that he pours salt in the water. You can ask him what kind and size of SWG you will be getting.

And here are some other tidbits I've collected along the way. Before I sent this list to the PB, I want to make sure these all make sense and are reasonable:

1. All fittings need unionized ends. 2.5-3" PVC to be used. Every pipe with a separate valve. Stat what kind of valve! Go for the good ones! Jandy neverlube valves.


2. I want to make sure that the salt water chlorine generator is sized way up from what I need; around 40,000 gallons. And I want to be sure that the plumbers put in 12" of pipe before and after the generator. YES!

3. Will the pool heater have a bypass?YES!

4. Dedicated vacuum port, not tied to the skimmer.

5. Equipment must be well-spaced for access, and labeled. (Does my PB need to give me an actual pad? It seems that most of my Vegas friends have equipment that is not installed on a pad.)what is their equipment put on? the ground?


Anything glaringly missing? Boy was I wrong when I thought forking over the money for the pool would be the hard part - lol!

My answers are in purple. I couple I am not sure of so did not answer.

Kim:kim:
 
I see you started digging so pictures would be great [emoji2]
Also if your interested in aquabrite bdavis is the one to talk too, he sent me information as well as a quote so I'm pretty sure he can do the same for you.
What other progress have the made on your pool and who are you using? Guessing from the equipment it's A&S or Breck?


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I see you started digging so pictures would be great [emoji2]
Also if your interested in aquabrite bdavis is the one to talk too, he sent me information as well as a quote so I'm pretty sure he can do the same for you.
What other progress have the made on your pool and who are you using? Guessing from the equipment it's A&S or Breck?

You are so rotten, Big Will! I see you tattling on IMAZ and now me! For shame! ;)
I've been silently stalking all the Vegas builds, including yours, but I've been a bad TPFer and haven't updated my own thread. I'll get to it soon, promise! Don't tell Kim on me.
And you are good - we went with Breck.
 
Too late Mama! He has tattled all over the place! You are just lucky I have so many builds to spend money on that you have been getting a pass! Share what you can when you can and IF they just happen to include a picture of a cute kid or two then all the better!

:hug:

Kim:kim:
 
Lol Twin! My friend IMAZ started it all .
But quiet as kept I know that with your PB he is good and FAST so if you started digging I know you are moving along . He usually has a 30 day build time but don't worry I won't tell anyone that you did the dig and probably gunite and you haven't shared a picture . Your secret is safe with me [emoji56]
Looking forward to you sharing your secret
A special friend
Will


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Thanks for pushing me to update, Big Will! :hammer:

Funny story. My husband and I have been discussing adding a pool for years, and last year I finally said NEXT YEAR. Well, naturally, both of our immediate neighbors have newborns. One was born in January and the other was born just a couple weeks ago. I'm sure they are HATING us right now. I have the best timing! :rolleyes: We are planning on writing some nice thank you notes and giving them a each restaurant gift card, along with pool party invites of course!

We started our project last week on 3/21. The PB assumed it would take 1/2 a day to demo the existing yard, but it took the entire day - yikes. The palm stumps and roots were really a pain. We also hit a snag because the footer of the back wall comes out farther than it should, so they had to remove some of it to get the pool to fit properly. I'm sure that was loud! The contractor accidentally hauled off a few large boulders that we wanted to save, but the PB immediately offered to replace them with 3 of my choosing at the end of the build. Happy camper! The second day is when the action really started. My boys were in heaven sitting in those tiny little machines and playing around in the dirt. I must say, the contractors have all been super sweet to my curious kiddos.

Day 2: First Day of Digging

Peeking out of the window:



Peeking around the corner:



Surprise!



Progress after the first day of digging:



They dug on the 2nd and 3rd days, and then finished the morning of the 4th day. Lots of work for those little machines back and forth. Here's the big ole hole in my backyard:



We had to wait for the soil inspection, which occurred a week after the project started. If you don't pass the visual test, you have to get a sample test, report, etc., which could add as much as 3 weeks to the project. Luckily, we passed! We are scheduled for plumbing tomorrow, assuming the contractor finishes his other project today. The winds are really bad in Vegas today, so we might get pushed to Saturday. All of the equipment has been delivered, so we're just waiting for the next step.

Here is the tile/grout we chose. I like the pattern because the next group of tile is laid out differently, so you get a bit of texture.



And here's the bling (KIM!). We are doubling up on the rows and placing this on the spa, steps, tanning ledge, bench, etc. It's hard to get a good picture, but we did rip off some of the sample and put it in a water bucket to make sure it will work.



We ended up with 4-5-6 depths, and we did increase the size of the tanning ledge a bit. We also are going with regular spray deck over concrete, with a 12" border around the pool in a darker color than the rest of the deck (thanks again for the inspiration, BeachHead). Colored plaster, with dreams of upgrading to AquaBright down the road. The tanning ledge is 16" deep, so now we have 1 step from the deck into the pool, down to the tanning ledge, and then a step into the shallow end.

Equipment: Jandy Pro Series JXi Pool and Spa Natural Gas Heater (400,000 BTU), Jandy Pro Series Aqua Pure SWG (up to 40,000 gallons; we are at about 12,000), Jandy Pro Series Variable Speed Pump, Jandy Pro Series Large Tank Filters, Hayward Skim-Master.
I promise to be a better TFPer and update after plumbing. :angel:

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How did I get dragged into this?

:stirpot:
 
How did I get dragged into this?

Guilty by association!

Mama wow what progress!!! So sweet the guys are being so good with the boys! Love the pics! Thanks!

Love, love love your pics!!!

With that glass tile make sure to check on mastic....what color do you want them to use.....Gray or white?

Grout will also be a big thing....one person just did a light gray and it looked awesome....but I also saw white grout and loved it. How do you pick????

Kim:kim:
 
Guilty by association!

Mama wow what progress!!! So sweet the guys are being so good with the boys! Love the pics! Thanks!

Love, love love your pics!!!

With that glass tile make sure to check on mastic....what color do you want them to use.....Gray or white?

Grout will also be a big thing....one person just did a light gray and it looked awesome....but I also saw white grout and loved it. How do you pick????

Kim:kim:

Be sure to talk through your marker tile grout selection with your PB. Ideally they wouldn't grout them and instead let the plaster or pebble (if you are doing small pebble like pebble sheen) fill in the voids.


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Nice clean looking dig! The tractors are fun and I'm grown so I know how the boys felt, I got to drive ours and I also let each one of my kids take a scoop.
Love the waterline tile and how it will give the pool different looks going around it. Never seen something like it so looking forward to seeing it done
Thanks for the pics, we love updates lol


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Cool...another vegas hole in the ground..:) Glad to see you making progress. Your marker tiles look very familiar. Are they also master tile brand? They will really make your pool "bright". I like the water line tiles too. I think they are going to look great.

Keep those pictures coming...:)
 
Be sure to talk through your marker tile grout selection with your PB. Ideally they wouldn't grout them and instead let the plaster or pebble (if you are doing small pebble like pebble sheen) fill in the voids.

If I am understanding my PB correctly, he said that the marker tile will be inset into the plaster, so this means no grout. He also stated that they will have me come out and discuss with the setter the look I want and they won't make anything "permanent" until I give it the green light. If the marker tile is installed directly into the plaster, I don't worry about grout, but what about mastic? Sorry, I'm such a newbie!

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Cool...another vegas hole in the ground..:) Glad to see you making progress. Your marker tiles look very familiar. Are they also master tile brand? They will really make your pool "bright". I like the water line tiles too. I think they are going to look great.

Keep those pictures coming...:)

Thanks, Beach! Yes, the tile is all Master Tile brand. Good eye!
 
The plumbers came bright and early on Saturday, and much to my surprise the steel guys showed up mid-morning yesterday and finished their work by 5:00. So, we have a few tweaks happening to the steel today (the tanning ledge and bench were too small), and the plumbing finishing up tomorrow (including the remaining items in the spa), electrical on Thursday, and inspection on Friday. Assuming everything goes according to plan, of course. ;)

The equipment pad is a real nightmare. The installation is cramped and the access is not there. I spoke to the PB about it today, and he agreed. The plumber is going to make some changes tomorrow to correct the issues. I'll refrain from posting the ugly pictures of its current state.

I also became a TFP supporter today, so I'm waiting for my email so I can order my test kit. THIS POOL IS REALLY HAPPENING! I'm starting to get excited instead of anxious. Now, for pictures!

Here's the view from the balcony:



Here's a closeup of the tanning ledge. They are going to extend it on the right side a bit more to give some extra space, without interfering with the swim lane.



Here's a closeup of the spa:



Here's a closeup of the deep end/drains:



If you all see anything that needs my attention, please advise! :hug:

Question (Especially to Vegas projects): How long does the PB need to wait between gunite and plaster? I think mine wants to do it pretty quickly; they may have been speaking in terms of a few days. I'm not going to let it progress that fast, but how long is acceptable to wait between gunite and plaster? From reviewing the forum, it seems like 7 days at a minimum and 30 days at a maximum. I'm interested in waiting "enough" time, but not "too much" time. Thoughts?
 
It seems as if you have already done "your job" at this time-checking the size of everything! NICE!

Love seeing the pretty badge by your name! THANKS!

Now mama you KNOW we want to see the nightmare!!! That is what makes this fun! before and after pics! It will help others learn and know what is good and what is not.

:hug:

Kim:kim:
 
Question (Especially to Vegas projects): How long does the PB need to wait between gunite and plaster? I think mine wants to do it pretty quickly; they may have been speaking in terms of a few days. I'm not going to let it progress that fast, but how long is acceptable to wait between gunite and plaster? From reviewing the forum, it seems like 7 days at a minimum and 30 days at a maximum. I'm interested in waiting "enough" time, but not "too much" time. Thoughts?

Glad to see the progress! My PB said minimum wait time to install tile was 3-5 days, and that he likes to wait at least two weeks between gunite and plaster. Talking to the gunite company owner, he said the gunite will reach maximum strength after 28 days (which is what I remember for regular concrete in my previous life as well). After going through the whole process with my PB, I personally would be comfortable with the two weeks, but I have a feeling that simply due to the various steps along the way between gunite and plaster, it will be a real challenge to hit "only" two weeks between the two.
 
Glad to see the progress! My PB said minimum wait time to install tile was 3-5 days, and that he likes to wait at least two weeks between gunite and plaster. Talking to the gunite company owner, he said the gunite will reach maximum strength after 28 days (which is what I remember for regular concrete in my previous life as well). After going through the whole process with my PB, I personally would be comfortable with the two weeks, but I have a feeling that simply due to the various steps along the way between gunite and plaster, it will be a real challenge to hit "only" two weeks between the two.

It's so funny because I feel like everything is moving SO fast. Our demo started on 3/21, and we're already to electrical. My PB likes to move quickly, so I'm going to have to put my foot down to make sure things don't happen too fast after gunite. I think most clients are in RUSH mode right now, but I'd rather take it slower to ensure quality. My game plan is to ask for tile after 5 days, and plaster after 2 weeks. Hopefully they won't fight me too hard (like the pressure I got when I took the in-floor off the tab...!).
 
Now mama you KNOW we want to see the nightmare!!! That is what makes this fun! before and after pics! It will help others learn and know what is good and what is not.

Ok, here they are. But I feel like these pictures should come with a warning. WARNING: Not for your viewing PLEASURE: :sad:









So many problems. The space is small, but I envisioned the equipment spread out on the side of my house, not toward the block wall. They put the equipment on 2 pads, and I'm hoping they can add a 3rd to give it more room against the house. I wasn't able to get past the pipes, mostly because the trenches, but even when flat, I would barely be able to squeeze by to get to the other side. Not only is that not going to work for servicing the equipment and cleaning the filters, but also it blocks access/service to my A/C units. Which, by the way, should I be worried about all that dirt piled up by my units?

Now my PB is saying the plumber will come back out to fix the equipment after our inspection on Friday because they won't have time to fix it before and they don't want to delay. Does the inspector look at equipment pads at all? This is our "Footing-Rebar-Layout" inspection, so I'm not sure if equipment is looked at during this inspection, during a future inspection, or not at all?
 
I have looked and looked at the dirt by the AC units. If I am seeing it correctly it is not touching to AC units. It is piled up by them but so long as there is room for the units to "breath" it should be okay.

That is a MESS of piping! They could do MUCH better if they tried or cared! :(

They can have the pipes come up at the end of the pad to give you a ghost of a chance of getting through there.

Kim:kim:
 

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