Virginia Newb Build Thread

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Ematicic

Active member
Oct 10, 2019
39
Spotsylvania, Virginia
Well it has been months in the planning, quotes from 3 companies and we finally have the basics selected. The wife was more proactive in the decision than I was. I have taken plenty of pre-build pictures. We just had some trees pulled to so we wont need the loggers back there after the build, and yeah, more sun. Plenty of great reading here so thanks! The entire process has been more expensive than anticipated as we just bought a new home that was 30 years old but it got us out of suburbia. One main question I have, the builder does not seemed too concerned with is water drainage. The pool will be the drop in shell about 15x30 (more specifics will follow). After the December - January being so wet we had some obnoxious water build up in our crawl space, and the pool will be behind the house at a lower elevation but I fear the pool dig may hit the water table. The builder says they will simply make a sump pump drain under it and it should not be an issue. I hope he is right.

Does any one have drainage guidance, questions to ask that might prevent bad surprises?

Additionally, the back yard is mainly clay covered with moss and water sits in the back yard. We have a landscaper that will be building a dry bed to channel the water away from the house and pool area and I feel pretty good about the entire process so far. Again, pictures to come, I know it is hard to get a good visual. I just can't connect my phone to my work computer.
 
Hey there Ematitic :handwave: So you're talking about a fiberglass pool, right?

Yeah, my fiberglass pool is sitting on a bed of gravel with gravel as the entire backfill. Underneath the pool is a dry point which is a large PVC tube that we can drop a sump pump down in to *if* needed to drain water from under the pool.

So far its always been dry, but we also had our pool built on ground built up to make an area for the pool on our sloped yard.

Have you considered building up your pool space? I would hate to hear that bad rains caused run off *into* your pool.

How about pics of the area?

Maddie :flower:
 
I did take pictures and will get some thrown up! Great to know this has been addressed and my builders calmness on the matter looks justified :) I need to get the build folder when I get home and get the stats and pictures up. They are supposed to break ground in a few weeks, getting super stoked.
 
Second from a different angle. The pool will go long ways with the house. There is not much down grade and the drainage will be routed into the wooded area. We have to build around the buried gas tank but shouldnt be an issue. Would any other angels be useful? We have plenty of room to adjust.20200220_174403.jpg
 
Your pool is the same size as mine... except I don't have a tanning ledge. Mine is a deep sparkly blue which we love.

Please see about changing that pump to a Variable Speed (VS) pump. You'll save beaucoup dollars in electricity.

What kind of cleaner is he offering? Generally we can suggest a good robot which clean far, far better than any pressure or suction side cleaner out there.

When you say the pool will be lengthwise to the house, is that the area the kids are playing in the leaves? Where is this gas tank that needs moving?

Maddie :flower:
 
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He is throwing in a free robot cleaner instead of a traditional military discount. The gas tank is in the top picture. The round black circle. Will ask about the VSP, less electricity is always good! And yes, the pool will roughly replace the leaf pile. From leaf's to about where the green chairs are and run long ways with the house.
 
As we get closer to breaking ground, I would appreciate some ideas on 2 changes we are considering:
1. Auto Cover instead of hard cover.... I know about the price change just curious as to any thoughts..
2. Brushed concrete, we are considering pavers and bull nose now. In addition to the pool we are having paver walkway and patio area. Are there any functional downsides to the pavers around the pool? We did hear pavers may be more slippery, that is why we went with brushed concrete. Our priorities are 1. safety 2. aesthetics 3. low yearly upkeep, then cost.
 

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Well, I love our autocover. I live down south so don't "close" the pool as folks up north do. So this one cover serves us well for safety as well as keeping debris out of the pool. Yeah, its pricey but it also saves on water evaporation, chemical use and loss and possibly home owners insurance if they consider it a worthy barrier to the pool.

Our cover was put in after the pool, so our tracks are on the deck surface. Absolutely no problem or complaint with them being there. Very low profile, you can sit on them and not feel a thing. I am guessing this method is cheaper than the in-pool tracks but I don't know for sure? Either on deck or in pool track covers can use an inground crypt to hold the cover or a bench type cover for the end of the pool if its above ground.

If you go this route I would strongly suggest getting the key opening pad instead of the push button pad, as that push button one seems to have problems at times. The key is a short key and you just turn it left or right to engage the motor and cause the cover to open. Takes about 30 seconds to open.

Pavers have one particular advantage over concrete in that if you need to get to the plumbing underneath you pull them up and dig it out. Then they go down again. Easier obviously, but more costly. Possibly more slippery, but I imagine that depends on which ones you pick?

Maddie :flower:
 
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I went with brushed concrete and would go with pavers if I could get a do over. Pavers offer the ability to seamlessly expand on the original deck footprint should you wish to in the future. If you try to make a concrete deck larger, there can be problems getting the new concrete to match the old. And as stated above, you can get to plumbing much, much easier.
 
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Pavers are the same as concrete in slipness, they are precast concrete pieces. Some if the modern sleek ones can be very smooth but you dont see that too often on average homes. If you have ground water have him dig a permanent sump pump pit next to the pool with a lid. A 12" PVC standpipe surrounded by gravel in fabric with a 1.5" line out to daylight somewhere. This in addition to whatever he plans wont take long to do and cheap materials. Very cheap insurance policy with a fiberglass pool install
 
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Really appreciate all the advice so far! I was told that the pavers are set in the poured concrete so not just stones laid on the sand. Everything is in the back of the house so we are trying really hard to consider all possibilities so once the pool and hardscapes are done in the back we should not need any more heavy machinery in the back for a long time. We are considering incorporating the existing Koi pond and building that back up but we have a hawk and owl that are always picking out the frogs, so I doubt some pretty fish would survive long lol.
 
Regular concrete pavers should be set over sand. If you read any manufacturers literature it states to never wet set them. Everybody has different ways but that's not a good way. Put a proper base down and follow the directions. You also cant use polysand if you mortar pavers down. Once the concrete cracks, the crack comes up right thru the paver and you cant replace easily of fix. I've torn out several installs like this it's just not a good practice at all
 
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Awesome thanks! So 2 weeks to dig time. We are getting a rectangle. Torn as to where to put the equipment. 2 questions..
1. PB said to have a 5x8 space for the equipment. Should this be concrete slab, wood platform, other?
2. Should it be covered from the elements? Virginia winters aren't terrible but figure it should be better to have the space more like an enclosed shed.
PB just said no more than 20 feet from the pool and we have space to spare.
 
He wants it close to save pipe and labor. You put it where you want it. Best is a concrete pad. 4" is what I do. I rarely install inside a pool house. 90% of pool equipment is outside to the elements. I use covers for heaters and bring pumps indoors for winter. Filters stay out. Some people cover filters too. Majority just leave them outside uncovered
 
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