Looking for some feedback, new build

[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

[DennisP]

Well, got lucky and got about 2/3 the crushed limestone down for the pool and walkway around it...

I just pulled the tarp and am hoping we can get the remainder of the pool area done today...

If so, then I might have a chance in the next two days of putting the pool up... we shall see... Even though I am of the mind it might just be better to wait until next spring...

[DennisP]

Well, got 92-95% of the pool area done... some areas were about 6" of crushed limestone fill.

I will say, the pipes for the pool seem like they are set in concrete the stuff has compacted so solid.

Tomorrow morning I will finish off the last little area, pull the forms, fill them in, compact them, then go around and add a little crushed limestone on top of everything (like 1/4 to 3/8 inch total), level it all, then go hrough and hand compact it all and I should be set to put the pool up...

I did notice I totally forgot to run any sort of wiring for a set of pool lights, but I figure I can dig a channel in the crushed limestone and run the cable in there... I will be using low-voltage pool lighting in any case, so I won't have any real depth issues to worry about...

Also bonding the pool all aorund it should go pretty easy considering I will just need to dig a 2" deep channel in the crushed limestone for the bonding wire to sit in since I will have over 2" of pavers sitting above that point as a walkway around the pool...

[DennisP]

Well, turns out I got the entire pool area prepped today... Got it leveled out, reskreeded, tamped, pulled the forms, filled and tamped those, etc, etc...

Here is the pool area in all it's glory, ready for a pool to be built:



Now, to see if I can get a pool up and start being filled within 12 hours... Sounds like a lot of time, but I have to install a main drain, get the foam bottom cut, apply the foam to the walls, etc...

I am going not going to worry about the plumbing from the piping to the skimmer/return/main drain until after the pool is up and being filled...