Yes: Pools are worth it....

[Fudbelty 2788]

First critter of the season removed from pool.

Kids got home from activities and decided they wanted to get their first swim even though the water is still cold. Well, I was inside and head a commotion. Come out and they tell me there was an opossum in the pool. Guess they had been swimming and thought it was the pool vac not moving. Noticed the wife(no pics) had even posted a pic of the critter before they noticed.

[conVINCEd 21469]

Opossums can be mean mother fuckers.

[williemackgarza 1826]

But was he playin possum or really dead

[Elvis 3371]

My 12 year old pool is going South in numerous ways.  Pool heater has broken every year, and I think I will replace the whole thing.  Booster pump failed.  Chlorinator failed.  Main control system is messed up, but we're not sure if its the board or it lost it's programming.  Pebble finish failing.  Limestone deck failing in two places.  If I fix everything this could hit $20k.  

[Kennythetiger 9398]

9 minutes ago, Elvis said:

My 12 year old pool is going South in numerous ways.  Pool heater has broken every year, and I think I will replace the whole thing.  Booster pump failed.  Chlorinator failed.  Main control system is messed up, but we're not sure if its the board or it lost it's programming.  Pebble finish failing.  Limestone deck failing in two places.  If I fix everything this could hit $20k.  

Sounds like Priscilla needs to get in there and do some work…. 

[Kennythetiger 9398]

On 3/5/2022 at 7:51 PM, Fudbelty said:

First critter of the season removed from pool.

Kids got home from activities and decided they wanted to get their first swim even though the water is still cold. Well, I was inside and head a commotion. Come out and they tell me there was an opossum in the pool. Guess they had been swimming and thought it was the pool vac not moving. Noticed the wife(no pics) had even posted a pic of the critter before they noticed.

Y’all have a damn possum feeder 15 feet away from the pool!  

[Fudbelty 2788]

It’s actually a lot further than that looks.

[Poolflood 845]

9 hours ago, Elvis said:

My 12 year old pool is going South in numerous ways.  Pool heater has broken every year, and I think I will replace the whole thing.  Booster pump failed.  Chlorinator failed.  Main control system is messed up, but we're not sure if its the board or it lost it's programming.  Pebble finish failing.  Limestone deck failing in two places.  If I fix everything this could hit $20k.  

Don't sell your future reno short.  It could hit 25!

[Quagmire 2147]

6 months later it’s finally done. I

[Quagmire 2147]

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

Dumb Question Amnesty:

The lining to my pool has about 2-3 years left before needing redone.  The decking could be redone now.  Not sure what I'll do with the decking (overlay, complete redo) as I have not really educated myself in this area.

My question is, should I wait to do both projects, or does it even matter?  Are they related in any fashion?

Also, if you have any knowledge to share on types of decking (types, cost, pros/cons, time to install), I would be most appreciate.

-new pool owner

[Dutchrudder 11141]

Well, we are one week into construction and it looks good so far. Watering gunite twice a day now until it's ready for the next phase. Builder says we should be done with the pool around June 1st, which is about 8 weeks.  We are doing a covered outdoor kitchen with an attached bathroom too, but that will be about 10-12 weeks total. Still we are hopeful to have it all done before July. HOA approval is still not done for the kitchen and covered area, despite starting the app in early January. It's a dumb system of bureaucracy.

[williemackgarza 1826]

Ahhhh, light at the end of the under water tunnel.
Congrats sir.

[Elvis 3371]

23 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

Well, we are one week into construction and it looks good so far. Watering gunite twice a day now until it's ready for the next phase. Builder says we should be done with the pool around June 1st, which is about 8 weeks.  We are doing a covered outdoor kitchen with an attached bathroom too, but that will be about 10-12 weeks total. Still we are hopeful to have it all done before July. HOA approval is still not done for the kitchen and covered area, despite starting the app in early January. It's a dumb system of bureaucracy.

The kitchen and bath sounds great.  I wish I had room for a pool house.  I would have a bathroom, a small laundry with stacked washer/dryer for towels, put all of the pool equipment in an enclosed space, and plenty of cushion and floaty storage.  And a climate controlled TV room.

[Elvis 3371]

Also see my cry for help with finding a Pentair 520657 motherboard in this forum.

[Quagmire 2147]

Has anyone built an enclosure for their equipment ? Only issue would be the heater .


Was thinking of getting a prefab one from lowes

[Dutchrudder 11141]

I'm excited for this, can't wait to have a pool to go relax in every night!  We went through a few revisions of the designs throughout the process, but I'm pretty happy with what we got. We originally had the pool oriented horizontally, but decided we want to save as much of the left side of the yard for the kids to play, so we turned it to use more of the center of the yard.  Here are some more renderings of the final design, maybe it will give others some ideas. We went with a 7 x 7 Hot tub with an infinity water edge, and a 12 x 6 sun deck with 2 bubblers. Pool depth is 3.5 feet to 5.5 feet. The pool size is 34 x 26, with a total of 635 SF of surface area and 15,450 gallons including the spa. 

I hope the kitchen, covered patio and bathroom design get approved  by the HOA soon.  We wanted to build it all of it at once, and get it all out of the way now, rather than two big projects separately, but our builder wants to start the support columns for that kitchen, and we still don't have approval. I got a 3.99% loan for 15 years on the full value of the contract, which is pretty cheap money all things considered. Might as well get it all done under that single loan, rather than waiting. I believe interest rates are only going to go up from here. 

The 2 things that people told me they wished they had done when they built a pool were: add a bathroom outside, and finish the whole kitchen/grill/firepit/outdoor dining area.  I have two neighbors that only did blank large decks with no cover, and now they are pricing the cost to add all that. It's expensive to re-dig everything for utilities will cost a bunch more, because they can't use the deck as they have it. You need to cut out the corners to dig in the support posts for a roof, and you have to drill through it to add gas, water or electrical lines. You have to hope that they don't damage any other pipes along the way too, like your pool pipes and sprinklers. 

We should have this all done by  June 1st, so I'm looking forward to that. The pool should be done a little earlier, but you need a few days to fill it, and a week or two to let the water absorb chemicals and get balanced. There's still plenty of time to enjoy it this summer, and that firepit is gonna be awesome. I plan on doing some landscaping behind it, adding some fruit trees, flowers and mulch back there. It will be a nice spot to have some whiskey and a cigar when it's cool out, or make s'mores with the kiddos  

The bathroom is hidden behind the TV wall to make it blend in with the structure, which I really like. Kids will be less inclined to pee in the pool if there is a toilet nearby, and they won't get our house all wet and dirty running through it. The black stuff between the concrete pavers is river rock, not gravel. It's a bit more expensive, but I don't want gravel getting tracked into my pool. It will be a challenge to keep the kids from bringing them in the pool, but at least with them being larger, it will be easy to see and remove them. 

 Looking forward to grilling out there, watching football, jumping in the pool and having friends over to enjoy the outdoors. Gonna be a lot of good times here over the next 2 decades!

 

 

[TexasEd 8067]

2 hours ago, Quagmire said:

Has anyone built an enclosure for their equipment ? Only issue would be the heater .


Was thinking of getting a prefab one from lowes

I'm probably going to do a stone wall on one side and a fence on another for aesthetic reasons but make it so I can cover the top to insulate it from cold.  

[Quagmire 2147]

Looks good Dutch , if it were me I’d swap hot tub closer to the house .

[MonkeyDoughnut 10326]

2 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

I'm excited for this, can't wait to have a pool to go relax in every night!  We went through a few revisions of the designs throughout the process, but I'm pretty happy with what we got. We originally had the pool oriented horizontally, but decided we want to save as much of the left side of the yard for the kids to play, so we turned it to use more of the center of the yard.  Here are some more renderings of the final design, maybe it will give others some ideas. We went with a 7 x 7 Hot tub with an infinity water edge, and a 12 x 6 sun deck with 2 bubblers. Pool depth is 3.5 feet to 5.5 feet. The pool size is 34 x 26, with a total of 635 SF of surface area and 15,450 gallons including the spa. 

I hope the kitchen, covered patio and bathroom design get approved  by the HOA soon.  We wanted to build it all of it at once, and get it all out of the way now, rather than two big projects separately, but our builder wants to start the support columns for that kitchen, and we still don't have approval. I got a 3.99% loan for 15 years on the full value of the contract, which is pretty cheap money all things considered. Might as well get it all done under that single loan, rather than waiting. I believe interest rates are only going to go up from here. 

The 2 things that people told me they wished they had done when they built a pool were: add a bathroom outside, and finish the whole kitchen/grill/firepit/outdoor dining area.  I have two neighbors that only did blank large decks with no cover, and now they are pricing the cost to add all that. It's expensive to re-dig everything for utilities will cost a bunch more, because they can't use the deck as they have it. You need to cut out the corners to dig in the support posts for a roof, and you have to drill through it to add gas, water or electrical lines. You have to hope that they don't damage any other pipes along the way too, like your pool pipes and sprinklers. 

We should have this all done by  June 1st, so I'm looking forward to that. The pool should be done a little earlier, but you need a few days to fill it, and a week or two to let the water absorb chemicals and get balanced. There's still plenty of time to enjoy it this summer, and that firepit is gonna be awesome. I plan on doing some landscaping behind it, adding some fruit trees, flowers and mulch back there. It will be a nice spot to have some whiskey and a cigar when it's cool out, or make s'mores with the kiddos  

The bathroom is hidden behind the TV wall to make it blend in with the structure, which I really like. Kids will be less inclined to pee in the pool if there is a toilet nearby, and they won't get our house all wet and dirty running through it. The black stuff between the concrete pavers is river rock, not gravel. It's a bit more expensive, but I don't want gravel getting tracked into my pool. It will be a challenge to keep the kids from bringing them in the pool, but at least with them being larger, it will be easy to see and remove them. 

 Looking forward to grilling out there, watching football, jumping in the pool and having friends over to enjoy the outdoors. Gonna be a lot of good times here over the next 2 decades!

 

 

This looks awesome.  Adding to the 2 things people wish they had done (which I agree with) I'll add if you are going with a chlorine pool have them plumb in a dummy salt cell (can buy on amzn etc) that is just an empty PVC tube the size of the SWG that people use in cold climates to winterize their pool by pulling their salt cell.  Would maybe add $100 max to price and would allow easy DIY converting to salt system by just buying a salt cell/startup salt and programming (assuming you have newer automation system) if you decide later you want to go SWG.

Edited March 14, 2022 by MonkeyDoughnut

[Quagmire 2147]

Chlorine prices are insane now, would also recommend salt , almost 300 for a big bucket of chlorine

[Poolflood 845]

6 hours ago, Elvis said:

Also see my cry for help with finding a Pentair 520657 motherboard in this forum.

Just checked the 2 largest distributors and neither have in stock.  Will try check with contacts re alternatives in morning.  

[Elvis 3371]

14 hours ago, Poolflood said:

Just checked the 2 largest distributors and neither have in stock.  Will try check with contacts re alternatives in morning.  

Thanks!

[McFly 606]

13 minutes ago, Elvis said:

Thanks!

Tried this?

https://gprivate.com/5yl8d

Edited March 15, 2022 by McFly

[Dutchrudder 11141]

Looks good Dutch , if it were me I’d swap hot tub closer to the house .

Why exactly would you do that? I know the kids are gonna jump out of it and into the pool, so I put it on the deep end, which is away from the house. It's also in a good spot close to the fire pit and has a good view of the kitchen and TV.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10326]

46 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

17 hours ago, Quagmire said:

Looks good Dutch , if it were me I’d swap hot tub closer to the house .

Why exactly would you do that? I know the kids are gonna jump out of it and into the pool, so I put it on the deep end, which is away from the house. It's also in a good spot close to the fire pit and has a good view of the kitchen and TV.

Hot tube will be used year round... when it gets cold out it's nice to not have a long walk back to the house after soaking.

(Also better TV viewing from your setup)

Edited March 15, 2022 by MonkeyDoughnut

[Quagmire 2147]

Right that’s what I was gonna say as well . Made sure I put my close to house where I could see tv and have a quick walk out in the cold

[Quagmire 2147]

Right that’s what I was gonna say as well . Made sure I put my close to house where I could see tv and have a quick walk out in the cold

[Elvis 3371]

You might want something like this for your pool house too....

 

https://www.woodlanddirect.com/61-1-4-6000-watt-infratech-dual-heater/118147.html

 

[Elvis 3371]

Also, outdoor ceilling fans are a neusance.  If they are off then they attract birds.  Then birds shit on your furniture.  So you have to keep then spinning all the time to keep birds from roosting.  They also sag and fail quickly resulting in frequent replacement.  

 

I replaced patio fan with a wifi extender like the one below.  That outdoor living space is pretty far from the house, and you will want good wifi out there for TVs, ipads, phones, music, etc.

 

https://store.ui.com/products/uap-nanohd-us

[Quagmire 2147]

You might want something like this for your pool house too....
 
https://www.woodlanddirect.com/61-1-4-6000-watt-infratech-dual-heater/118147.html
 

A douche bag with a guitar ?

[Elvis 3371]

1 hour ago, Quagmire said:

A douche bag with a guitar ?

You just called a little girl a douche bag.

[Dutchrudder 11141]

What are you guys doing for sound?  I was thinking of adding a sound bar below the TV and controlling it via WiFi.

[Dutchrudder 11141]

Thinking of getting 2 of these 72" fans for the patio area. Builder recommended a 24" drop. They will install it and put a switch on one of the posts.  

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fanimation-Studio-Collection-Slinger-v2-72-in-Matte-Black-LED-Indoor-Outdoor-Ceiling-Fan-with-Light-Kit-and-Remote-9-Blade/1000423921

I'm planning on using HUE light bulbs for the sconces on the posts so I can control the lights, colors and timers fromy phone.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

On 3/16/2022 at 9:53 AM, Elvis said:

Also, outdoor ceilling fans are a neusance.  If they are off then they attract birds.  Then birds shit on your furniture.  So you have to keep then spinning all the time to keep birds from roosting.  They also sag and fail quickly resulting in frequent replacement.  

I replaced mine with nicer fans as soon as we moved in and they are going on 9 years without any of these issues. I believe what you say, just counting my luck I don’t have to deal with any of that. 

[Dutchrudder 11141]

Just get your kid a BB gun for his birthday and let him loose in the backyard. Won't be no birds to sit on your fans.

[fattyflattie 4639]

2 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

Just get your kid a BB gun for his birthday and let him loose in the backyard. Won't be no birds to sit on your fans.

Won’t have that outdoor tv for long, either. 

[Dutchrudder 11141]

3 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Won’t have that outdoor tv for long, either. 

That's also a good question. Are y'all planning on leaving the TV out there hung on the wall year round, or bringing it in after pool time is over for the winter?  

[fattyflattie 4639]

Just now, Dutchrudder said:

That's also a good question. Are y'all planning on leaving the TV out there hung on the wall year round, or bringing it in after pool time is over for the winter?  

I leave mine year round.  Bought a decent cover for the crazy storms, but assume it’ll be the humidity that eventually gets it. I figure a few hundred bucks every couple years is not much in the grand scheme. 

[Brew 3049]

On 3/16/2022 at 8:47 AM, Elvis said:

You might want something like this for your pool house too....

 

https://www.woodlanddirect.com/61-1-4-6000-watt-infratech-dual-heater/118147.html

 

We had ours laid out with 4 overhead gas heaters but when it came time to run the gas we decided against it. We have three open sides and after talking with everyone involved, no one believed they would actually provide enough heat to justify the cost involved because of the size of the room plus the ceiling height. Everyone is just going to have to put on a sweatshirt when it cools off and huddle around the fire place.

Still waiting on travertine. First order came in screwed up, but they hope to have it in next week. This has been the longest f-ing project ever.

[Elvis 3371]

$325 50” Roku Tv going on 4 years. Just sayin. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

Had to replace the patio tv once.  Upgraded one of the bedroom tvs and put the older one on the patio.  Been going strong for 5 years with a cheap Vizio out there.  We stick it in the garage if there is major weather incoming, but sometimes we’re out of town, or drunk, or whatever and it has survived.

[Elvis 3371]

On 3/18/2022 at 9:10 AM, Dutchrudder said:

Just get your kid a BB gun for his birthday and let him loose in the backyard. Won't be no birds to sit on your fans.

So I got sick of birds watering themselves and their grubs in my spa spillways.  I bought a pellet gun.  
 

I would be prone about 6 feet inside the house pointing out the back door. 
 

Yes that was necessary. The birds would fly if they heard the door or me. 
 

It was great fun until I shot one.  Flipping and flopping and bleeding and dying in my hot tub.  
 

Also, I heard a window break about 90 yards away.  I returned the gun that day. 

[Elvis 3371]

Damn that could be a country song.  Where’s Blake Shelton when you need him.  

[Dutchrudder 11141]

Making progress...

[Quagmire 2147]

That's also a good question. Are y'all planning on leaving the TV out there hung on the wall year round, or bringing it in after pool time is over for the winter?  

I do, been thru 2 in about 10 years . First one lasted 5 then crazy storm blew rain sideways and got it wet . Next one bought a cover , crazy windstorm blew it sideways and bumped into column due to swivel mount . Still works just has some lines on the screen .

They are so cheap no a days not a big deal. As long as you can keep it from getting wet

[Delta Charlie 150]

My Kreepy Krauley pool robot motor finally bit the dust.  I'm in the market for an upgrade.  If you were to buy a new one right now, what would you guys recommend or stay away from?  The ones I've looked at thus far:

Polaris 9550

Dolphin Nautilus

If any one is looking for parts off a Kreepy Krauley (filter cartridge, caddy, power supply, impeller, etc), let me know.

 

 

[TexasEd 8067]

1 hour ago, Delta Charlie said:

My Kreepy Krauley pool robot motor finally bit the dust.  I'm in the market for an upgrade.  If you were to buy a new one right now, what would you guys recommend or stay away from?  The ones I've looked at thus far:

Polaris 9550

Dolphin Nautilus

If any one is looking for parts off a Kreepy Krauley (filter cartridge, caddy, power supply, impeller, etc), let me know.

 

 

I have the Polaris Alpha IQ+ which I think is the same as the 9550.  Been using it since August and I love it.  Easy to clean and have a program mode to tell it which days to clean and which mode (Smart clean, bottom only, tile only, or deep clean).  Connects to the network and controllable by the iAqualink app so you can drive it from your phone.  Basket filters really fine particles.

[Storm the Field 5296]

Supposed to hit High 80's on Sunday. Gonna be tempting to hop in the pool....then immediately get out, teeth violently chattering as water temp will still be <70.

[Poolflood 845]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:23 PM, Delta Charlie said:

My Kreepy Krauley pool robot motor finally bit the dust.  I'm in the market for an upgrade.  If you were to buy a new one right now, what would you guys recommend or stay away from?  The ones I've looked at thus far:

Polaris 9550

Dolphin Nautilus

If any one is looking for parts off a Kreepy Krauley (filter cartridge, caddy, power supply, impeller, etc), let me know.

 

 

Both are fine.  The KK robots haven't been around for that long.  Is it past warranty?  Typically 3 years.