Looking for some feedback, new build

[CarlD]

Why wouldn't the crushed limestone be fine come spring? I've had base sand sit all winter under a tarp and it was fine. It's probably not a good idea to install a liner this late in the season--you'll just lose a year of it's life for nothing. I'm planning on replacing mine after this season, but I'm not installing it until the spring. I want to get the other work out of the way, first.

[DennisP]

Yeah, I thought about the same thing, but it is a used pool anyways, so if I get two years out of it (say three winters) I will be happy... Since then I will just plan on replacing it with a same size, newer pool...

It is a new liner, a new ladder, newer equipment, etc... The pool itself is maybe 4-5 years old, but in really good shape, but not perfect...

I was just shocked that Wilbar won't sell touchup paint for the uprights... They want you to buy all new uprights... Crazy...

But, yeah, if we really like the Morada RTR (what we have) we may just replace it with another one if I can get it... If not I may go for an all resin pool so I have the option of going saltwater if I want, but will be doing the BBB method with a planned upgrade to a peristaltic pump and liquid chlorine injection next year...

[CarlD]

ANY chlorine system can work with the BBB method!

[DennisP]

Well, we got started as of yesterday... Everyone around here has been busting their butts getting stuff done...

Basically got the circle for the pool and walkway around it dug out yesterday... The guy working the skid steer is awesome, basically got it within a half inch everywhere... amazing really...

Then he came back with an excavator today and trenched for the PVC plumbing and the gas lines for the outdoor kitchen and oven areas... Only clipped the cable line and a power wire for the back lights/outlet... The cable line was a simple splice and fix and I found both ends of the power wire so that should be a simple splice as well...

Pulled out a "weed tree" that was out of place and overgrown, two burning bushes that someone poisoned before I bought the house, and another burning bush got clipped by the excavator and lost about half of it, so that one might have to come out... I actually have to check and see if I am just going to end up removing all the burning bushes and replace them altogether, otherwise it might look bad to just replace the dead ones and broken one...

Looks like some rain is coming, but I just heard I should have good enough weather to get the plumbing finished tomorrow morning and the trenches filled back in...

We will have to see if the weather will hold out and if I get some sun to put the pool up... Would really suck to go through all of this and have no pool up this year... Regardless if it would be only able to be used for a week or so, it would be enough to validate all the hard work for the kids...

[BigDave]

Good Luck!

[DennisP]

Good Luck!

Thanks!

Well, we got the rest of the gas line run as well as the electrical for the outdoor kitchen/oven areas, all before the heavy rain moved in...

So, I am just idling until things dry out here... When I can start back up I will finish off the pool plumbing and then get all of that filled back in fully and then I can actually consider putting the pool up once I get some of the crushed stone put down and compacted...

[DennisP]

Well, got another day down...

Got the rest of the plumbing for the pool done, all the lines tested and all the trenches filled in...

Depending on the weather it looks like tomorrow is final leveling, traffic bond, compacting, more traffic bond, more leveling, making sure everything is totally true and then the pool goes up...

But, again, depending on weather we may have to put it off until Sunday... Either way looks like the pool will be up and filled this weekend... At least the pool filling line I installed will work better than the hose, so the pool should fill quicker overall...

I will say, with the system test today that I am really glad I installed the pool heater, as it works great...

[DennisP]

Well, no such luck on more construction on the project... We got a ton more rain last night than expected and it was a complete mess today...

I did get the diverter valve for the skimmer/main drains done and in along with completing the bonding of the pump and heater, so the whole area at the equipment pad can be filled in and called done...

If I had to do it again, knowing now how much work it was to do the equipment the way I did, it was just a ton of work, I don't know if I would have decided to go this route or not... For my setup I don't think I would have wanted the heater out by the pool, so overall I still think this was the way to go... Just a lot of work to get it done... My arms/shoulders/wrists all hurt like heck from jamming PVC solvent connections tight as well as tightening and loosening 2" unions and 2" threaded PVC connections as well as gas lines...

Since we are getting rain for the next few days I get to take some time off and get other stuff done (like cleaning up tools)... I did plan out all the plumbing at the pool, so I have all the fittings and just need to cut piping for connection to the main drains, the skimmer and the returns...

Oh, I will say, regardless how "cheap" PVC seems... At the scale for a complete pool like this it is still an expensive proposition... I am finally "done" buying stuff I believe... Nothing like the kick in the butt you get when you have the last 2 or 3 "last trips" to the hardware store to buy final fittings and stuff... :P