SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Pools - What would you do differently? - Construction Started 3/9/23, Pool Filled 4/20/23 - Complete 4/30/23
Main Page The Lounge Pools - What would you do differently? - Construction Started 3/9/23, Pool Filled 4/20/23 - Complete 4/30/23Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
Member |
Having 2 pool builders out tomorrow for initial discussions. What do you wish you'd done differently, other than "not doing it at all"? We had a pool at our old house, but it was a tedious learning process, as we didn't design it & did our own maintenance & it didn't come with any guide/instruction. Salt v chlorine? Pump powered v electric (roomba-ish) cleaners? Anything else I should bring up?This message has been edited. Last edited by: P250UA5, The Enemy's gate is down. | ||
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| Speaks Bendablese |
You have many decisions before sanitation and a cleaner. Vinyl or concrete? If concrete, do you want a basic plaster, quartz finish, or pebble type? The cost of plaster finishes escalates very quickly. Pebble finishes offer greater longevity at the cost of a higher initial investment. Concrete or paver patio? Each has benefits and drawbacks. Invest in larger area now because it's really, really expensive to change your mind later. Lights? If so, how many and where? Most lights are LED now and rather expensive. Do you want basic controls or automation? Automation becomes significantly more useful when adding a saltwater generator, multiple lights, features, etc. Also, the cost of an automation system can offset some redundant costs for multiple independent controllers. Last and most important - find a trustworthy local builder that outsources as little work as possible. Good luck! | |||
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| Member |
Five of my neighbors put in pools about twenty years ago. ALL of them have been filled in. A friend of mine in the pool maintenance business was asked if he had a pool. He explained that he goes to the YMCA instead. Too much work. Besides maintenance there are liability issues and you must erect a fence. Sipping martinis by the pool on a sunny day is just a fantasy. | |||
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Member |
Salt is easier to maintain and easier on eyes/hair color. An electric cover keeps the pool clean and secure. | |||
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| It's pronounced just the way it's spelled |
Put in a hot tub, you can use it when too cold to use the pool. Steps into and out of the hot tub. A tanning shelf or baha shelf is nice (our dogs really like it). Automation & lights should be installed during construction if you want them, too expensive afterwards. Ditto for in pool cleaning system. A pool cover or lanai will keep a lot of crap out of the pool. A lanai keeps critters out of the pool. It’s hard to get covers for oddly shaped pools. We went with an upgraded pebble tech, it was the least expensive upgrade of any we put in. Do not use natural stone anywhere pool water could conceivably get on it, chlorine and acid will destroy the stone. Having had an unsheathed pool and a heated pool, go with the heated pool. Make sure the depth of the pool is specified in the contract. Get detailed, written directions on how to operate the pool controls, whatever level of automation you get. | |||
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| Member |
Thanks, gents, I'll add those to the list to discuss. Our old pool was pebbletec & seemed to hold a lot of dirt & built up algae a lot quicker than neighbors with different size pebbletec or plaster. Edit to add, we had a beach entry before & are going to try to pursue that over a sun deck. Hot tub is a must The Enemy's gate is down. | |||
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Facts are stubborn things |
I put one in three years ago: Concrete with PebbleTec Sun shelf Spa with spillover into the pool Chlorine not salt Heater for both spa and pool LED lights 2500 sq ft of concrete around it Mine is a free form concrete pool. Happy to email some pictures if you like. Didnt think I wanted a sun shelf, now I wish it was a little bigger. Mine is an 8' circle with three steps down into the pool. About 14" deep. I would build the spa a little deeper, when seated maybe 3" deeper. It really needs to be shoulder deep The umbrella sheath in the sun shelf is awesome. I also did two benches along the sides and put an unbrella sheath in each. Great for when you want to relax in the pool with a beverage, but need to get out of the sun. The spill over from the Spa is right next to the sun shelf. I would move it further away. I wanted salt water. The sales guy said it was $1k more than chlorine and he recommended chlorine. Salt is "popular" but really does not make a big difference. I cannot detect chlorine in the water without the test strips. If your only experience is a public pool, you will want salt. A private pool uses significantly less chlorine and I don't regret saving the $1k. You cant make it too big... mine is about 18,000 gallons. Would love for it to be 5' longer to facilitate swimming laps. But that extra 5' is expensive... As far as work goes, I spend about an hour per week now. But in the beginning you have to brush it every day or two. That takes some time. The chemical mix is easy and not that expensive. I have not regretted it a single day. Even in the winter, it is awesome to look at. Do, Or do not. There is no try. | |||
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Member |
I'm on my third house with a pool and my wife and I really enjoy it. I don't find it to be that much work. I prefer salt just because I like the ease of the controller. Most of the new residential pools being built in my area are salt. I also don't like DE filters and like a cartridge filter. Much easier to take care of. As mentioned before, LED lights are very expensive. They are an easy place to cut costs. My only regret is not having a heater installed when we built the pool. I plan on adding one. Someone else mentioned to go big on the concrete or pavers surrounding the pool. I regretted going the bare minimum on my last pool and made up for it on my new one. Probably the best decision I made on my most recent pool. | |||
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| Grandiosity is a sign of mental illness |
Not buy a house that once had an above-ground pool, removed before we bought the place. We're still dealing with problems from that thing. | |||
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paradox in a box |
shoevb nailed it really. My first pool was chlorine and my current pool is a salt water chlorine generator. A salt water pool is a chlorine pool. The chlorine is made from the salt by the generator. That being said I’d go salt every time. I had no idea how much easier it is. 3 seasons so far and not one day of green pool to deal with. Had to add acid a lot the first year but not since for some reason. I also skipped the expensive robot vacuum the first time but now I have one and would never go without. A good cover for winter is also a must. One of the tight safety covers. First time I thought a tarp would suffice. It was a mess every spring. New cover keeps leaves out of the pool. Just saw you are in Texas so that may not matter if it stays open. Learn to maintain it yourself in Trouble Free Pools website and the pool math app. Use a good test kit with liquid chemical tests, not test strips. Skip the ozone generator add one. Oh I had a diatomaceous earth filter and it was a pain. Cartridge filter has been much easier. Also we spent a ton on pavers, way more than the pool. But we had a difficult sloping yard. Hire a landscape designer if you can. It made a huge impact.  This message has been edited. Last edited by: frayedends, These go to eleven. | |||
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Member |
NEVER buy one again!!!! However, I live in Ohio and its only warm enough here to use it about 4 months a year. Pool chemicals/supplies probably cost me nearly $1,000 this year, previously $300-$400. If I were down south in the Sunbelt, I go with an in-ground unit with a hot tub built into it. If you go above ground, then you have a deck and even more annual maintenance. Either way, your flushing money down the drain, just know that. Also, check with your insurance carrier for added requirements before they jack up your rates. Most want a fence of certain height around it. Check for local ordances on the issue too as these will vary greatly. ---------- “Nobody can ever take your integrity away from you. Only you can give up your integrity.” H. Norman Schwarzkopf | |||
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| paradox in a box |
I disagree with the above post. I spent very little on chemicals with the salt pool. Salt is cheap and my pH is very stable. A bit of stabilizer after big rains diluted the water was about all I’d add. However the salt cell will need to be replaced at some point and they are pricey. These go to eleven. | |||
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| Member |
I would have got an above ground vs. in ground pool. Easier to get rid off and my in ground has now sat for 4 years without being opened. No one here but me now and I won't open it just to open it. Called and priced a fill in and it's not cheap. Gonna happen eventually though. If it was above ground, I'd drain it, rip it apart and be done with it. I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not. | |||
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| Member |
Pool builders in my area are booking 2 years out very big demand. Sig 556 Sig M400 P226 Tacops P229 Legion P320 X compact | |||
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| Member |
We use the heck out of our pool. I would definitely go salt over chlorine. I added the automation and love it, especially for warming the spa up remotely. It’s a nice convenience but not a must. I really wish I had passive solar (black pipes that run under a collector on the roof) because that would add 3 months to pool season at zero additional cost. The in ground cleaning system we have has been turned off for a year. It doesn’t help at all as far as I can tell. Buy cheap rafts and throw them away when it gets too cold. Intex has ones that are around $7 on Amazon. | |||
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| Member |
Our pool in Vegas had pebbletech and pop ups. No sweeper at all. Worked very well. Was also had chlorine. I considered changing it to salt water when the equipment needed replacement but was advised by local experts that the local water chemistry worked as well or better with chlorine. We also had solar heat incorporated which extended the season 2-3 months each year. | |||
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| paradox in a box |
I'm really curious of an explanation of this. It makes no sense to me. These go to eleven. | |||
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| Member |
I would agree on all points. Seriously think about spending 1500 or so on a Dolphin pool vac. You will not regret it. Take a sample of your water to the nearest Leslie’s, they will make your life easy. And they have parts/service for Dolphins. It ain’t that expensive to maintain. | |||
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Member |
Pump powered (waterflow) robot is doing just fine, as recommended by our pool re-builder three years ago. Salt pool is just as easy or easier to maintain than our chemical chlorine pool was. The hot tub he recommended was a great idea, can enjoy in colder weather without paying to heat the whole pool. We chose classic style travertine tiles on patio with 90 degree edges because, well, pretty; I would change that to rounded edges anywhere we lean back, like hot tub, steps and sun ledges. No permanent live planters for living plants within the screened area. We had them filled in with concrete for the old pool. ____________________ | |||
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Invest Early, Invest Often |
Lots of good replies, couple of things to ask. What brand of pool equipment does the Builder use ? How much of the work does the Builder do vs. subbing work out ? My Builder subbed out almost all of the work, so he / I were at the mercy of the subs. Our pool has 3 LED lights, 2 in the pool and 1 in the Hot Tub. Wish we could control the pool lights separately from the Hot Tub lights. We have a single, variable speed pump. Wish we had been offered the option of a second pump. | |||
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SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Pools - What would you do differently? - Construction Started 3/9/23, Pool Filled 4/20/23 - Complete 4/30/23
Main Page The Lounge Pools - What would you do differently? - Construction Started 3/9/23, Pool Filled 4/20/23 - Complete 4/30/23© SIGforum 2024