Quote Originally Posted by JohnT View Post
If you are remotely considering a robotic cleaner, life will be far easier for you with a sand filter.

As to other things to consider, whatever hardware you might need for an automatic cleaner should be installed during the build. At least the plumbing.
We have a robotic cleaner and are very happy with it. I'm amazed that I only need to backwash the sand filter once a month at most.

I also plumbed for an automatic cleaner just in case we didn't like the robotic cleaner. It is cheap and can be used for a return if one breaks in the long future. As of right now, I connected my water to it so I can add water to the pool without dropping in a hose.

My other advice, have plans on hand so that you and your builder know what you are thinking. Every time you walk out to check on the work, carry the plans so that all the workers see that you checking against plans. I was so tired of arguing and having to watch the forman call our builder. Plans will say it right up front.

We were one of those March-April builds that didn't end up getting started until June. April to September is they busy season. I wish we would had waited until Fall or Winter because our crews were so busy during the March to August season that they didn't finish our pool until September anyway. We had a mess in our yard all summer long and still didn't get to swim. If your builder doesn't think he will get started until April, possibly May, I would consider waiting until September because if the crews are in a hurry, you have to watch them twice as close. Also, delays in the Winter are now big deal because you can't swim anyway. We love our pool, but most of my complaints are from mistakes they made because they were in a hurry. And we didn't get to swim anyways.

All builders will say from six to ten weeks, but what you should instead ask is how many pools are they doing while they are building yours and how many crews they have to do them. Our builder had one crew doing three pools at once and it was all he could do to keep up. Our build took basically 14 weeks.

Also, remember your pool builder builds pools. He may not understand landscaping, drainage, or even the complete cost of electrical. Before they start to dig, have a professional landscaper and electrician look at your plans. We spent $3500 to fix our yard drainage so water didn’t flow into the pool. If we had known, were could have saved that money by moving the pool a few feet or having the pool digger do some things differently. You got a big tractor out there to dig, he might be able to make your landscaping job easier with a few scoops dirt move around.

And the electrical? Well, I wanted my equipment at the back of the pool to reduce noise by the house. That put the equipment 100 ft from the house. Of course our pool guy said it was no problem. After the pool was dug, the electrician came by and estimated it was going to cost me at least $8000 more just to put the equipment at the back of the pool because of the wire and trenching required. I would have saved at least $8000 keeping the equipment by the house. Had I known that before we started, I might have done things differently.

Enjoy your pool.

Beary