VA - Blue Ridge Pool (pics)

[DWSPool]

Wonderful site for a pool, and great design! Excellent photo documentation - if I were building a pool, I'd save these photos as an example.

With regard to the gaps in concrete block: I'm not sure it would be a structural problem, but with time, seepage of rainwater will enter and in the winter, will cause freeze-thaw expansion damage (does it freeze much there?) If they haven't already closed up the excavation I would have them seal those cracks - surprised they left it that way since it looks like they have done some excellent craftsmanship elsewhere (with the exception of the utility line cuts! )

 

[Bart]

Thanks DWS. They are going to seal up the back of the wall. I was worried about the freeze-thaw cycle that you mentioned. And yes! It freezes a lot where I am!!

 

[Bart]

Here's an update from August 6, 2010. Concrete forms and rebar are in place:

 

[Heckpools]

coming along great. Looking forward to more pics

 

[angelagus]

This is the first time I've looked at your thread and all of your build photos. It looks like you are going to have a stunning pool when you are finished. The views from your lot are amazing! Good luck with the next phases of your project.

Angela

 

[MNPoolDreamer]

I'm a novice at this. In your signature you have 700 sq feet. Is that the area of the pool?

It is absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see it with water in it!

 

[Bart]

Thanks for the nice words. Unfortunately construction has been stalled for 2 weeks or more because of issues between the builder and the county inspector.

700 sq ft. is the approximate surface area of the pool according to the drawing.

 

[shakenbake]

WOW! That is awesome! Please keep posting pics

 

[Bart]

Believe me, I'd love to, but we've been at a dead stop for a month now.

There was a problem with the county inspection of the pool/deck prior to the concrete deck being poured. Over 2 weeks ago, the builder promised me the civil engineering firm would be out there to do some tests to take care of the inspection problem. Well, the civil engineers showed up last friday. Two weeks late.

After talking with the guy, it was obvious that he had no idea he was so "late". It was just another example of my builder stringing me along with promises of things that will happen, "tommorow" or "later today" only to have no contact for a week or more and then getting another, "we should be ready to do XXXXX tomorrow" once again.

I'm really happy with the pool so far but horribly dissapointed with the builder and especially the lack of responsiveness to my calls and emails. At one point, I sent 3 emails over the course of a week just looking for an update on my "inspection" issue. I got no response to any of them so I called the guy and left a message. The message was basicially, "Could you please give me an update? Even if there is no progress, can you just let me know that?" Guess what I got? Nothing. No response at all.

If I did that at my job, I'd be fired.

Sorry if I sound bitter, it's just that I watched the entire month of August go by with no work being done and all I've received from my builder are lies and non-responses.

 

[Bart]

After a full two month delay because of a problem with the county inspection, we reached resolution. The solution was to lay down some more rebar. Rebar is probably too strong a word. It's more like concrete reinforcing wire. In fact, it's exactly like the concrete reinforcing wire I use for my tomato cages. They layed it flat on top of the gravel and only put it in the downhill areas of the deck. I can't imagine it will do much of anything as far as strength goes, but what do I know. I'm glad it's over, but I can't believe I watched 2 months of hottest summer on record go by waiting for this.

I'm not even sure if you can see the additional wire. It's the very thin stuff:

 

[Bart]

Six or seven weeks after they put the forms down, they were ready to pour the deck. This happened around September 23, 2010. Here's some shots of the complete deck:

 

[offgrid]

Wow - that's awesome. Can't wait to see it filled with water - you too I bet.

 

[Bart]

You're not kidding. We were hoping to be swimming on July 4. Then we were hoping for August 7th when we had friends in town. Then it was Labor Day. Now I'm just hoping for a chance to jump in just once this fall. I may be hoping against hope, but we have a full southern exposure and no trees blocking the pool and solar pannels installed, but I don't know if they can overcome the time of year.

 

[gsxrken]

I really like your pool and- as many have commented- the view from your property is stunning. My family is going over the winter with a gunite shell, so I know where you are coming from in terms of wishing to be able to use the pool. But hang in there, it will be done, and you'll enjoy the pool for years after the memory of a few weeks delay fades away.
What type of plaster are you going with, and can you post up the installation pics when they do? Thanks

 

[geomarq]

What kind of forms are those in the pictures? they make a nice strong radius. I'm going to be attempting my own deck in the spring.

 

[Bart]

The concrete forms?

They were some type of flexible plastic, I think. They looked sort of like the recycled plastic they make benches and "wooden" decks out of.

 

[Bart]

Finally, another update. October 6th was the plaster day.

The crew arrives and starts scraping and cleaning the pool and pumping out the deep end:

The next step is placing and securing the sunflower tile:

Here's a shot of some of the custom made special shoes they wear:

 

[Bart]

The next step was to apply the plaster. The amazing thing is only 2 minutes elapsed between the first photo and the last. TWO MINUTES!!!

And here's a close up of the special shoes they wore at this point:

Unfortunately that's all I could get because I had to go to work.

 

[Bart]

When I came home, the pool was full of water and I started brushing. A few days later most of the "dust" was gone and I could get some good shots of the clearing water. Here's a couple shots from down low and a few from up above:

 

[chessie6]

It is stunning - congrats and enjoy your new pool for many years to come!
Best,
Jan