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Waist Deep
03-22-2007, 05:21 PM
Anybody ever undertake this task?
I'm looking for a smaller pool with nothing too extravagant.

Waist Deep
03-22-2007, 05:36 PM
If you're in construction and know a little bit about different stuff, can it be done?

Mandelon
03-22-2007, 05:39 PM
Check with Roz.

USCFAN
03-22-2007, 05:48 PM
If you're in construction and know a little bit about different stuff, can it be done?
Almost done with my project, would never do it again. I don't know anything about construction, but will say it takes an awful lot of your time trying to manage it.

Screemy1
03-22-2007, 06:03 PM
I saw one built from scratch on a movie.... it ended up great, but he found a cave dude and chic...... it was ENCINO MAN..... hey Buuuuuuudddy!!:D

bchbum
03-22-2007, 06:04 PM
I'm doing it right now , hired a good contractor off contract . He had the plans & structural drawn , he sets up the subs . I pay all the subs myself ,hope to save some $ this way . so far we're happy

Tom N
03-22-2007, 06:04 PM
I put this little pool in 4 years ago...25K including the screen
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/thomasnelson217/house/PDR_0042.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/thomasnelson217/house/PDR_0044.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/thomasnelson217/house/PDR_0048.jpg

Say10
03-22-2007, 06:11 PM
Is that your boat in your sig. line???? BALLER :eek: :eek: :eek:

boatnam2
03-22-2007, 06:20 PM
had one built last year by a pool builder,if i ever do it again i will do it myself. design and plans cheap, just need a few contacts.the gunite,plaster,steel everyone uses the same guys so no biggie just find a eletric guy and plumber and thats about it.i think i may have had 7-9 days total labor in my 20x40 foot pool and 3000sq ft or so of slab.i know a guy who is building his and the pumps and stuff are so marked up its not funny.

Tom N
03-22-2007, 06:21 PM
Not mine, sorry to say...I just liked the paint job.
It is owned by an offshore racing team team in Sarasota...Muscle Racing.

boatnam2
03-22-2007, 06:26 PM
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6dd08b3127cce8858edd7a04b00000016108AZMmLNw1Yt2
payed 65k for this thinking 50 would of got it done by myself.

RT21
03-22-2007, 06:37 PM
Tom, Is that typical in Tampa homes, to not have backyard fences?

Xlration Marine
03-22-2007, 06:41 PM
It's a piece of cake. But make sure you hire peple that build pools. The digging, the cool deck, plumbing, electrical. ShotCrete is a no brainer, look for the pump. Don't forget the rebar. Basicly dig the pool, plumb it, rebar and call for an inspection. That would be the "pre gunite, shotcrete" shoot the pool then decking. Put up fencing or other code requirements for safety. Call for another inspection, "pre plaster". Once the plaster or pebbletech is done get the fittings put on and fill with water of choice. Did mine in 8 weeks with a 2 week rain delay. Piece of cake. Now I going to build a new house, and yet another pool. I'm going to do a beach front this time. That way I can back my boat into it.
Oh yea the plans as well, freaking 1/4 graph paper. Lay out the house walls or lot line and show where the pool will sit, and then you will need some rebar spec's ($50.00). Submit those for a permit. Here in az anyway. Retail on mine was $30,000.00, added a 30 square foot water fall and did it all for $14,000.00. Huge filter (DE) sucker stands 5' high.

Wheeler
03-22-2007, 06:45 PM
Anybody ever undertake this task?
I'm looking for a smaller pool with nothing too extravagant.
Call Jeff Kerber Pool Plastering, he is an old speed skier and his family has been doing this for quite some time.
He's my ex brother in law

Tom N
03-22-2007, 06:59 PM
Tom, Is that typical in Tampa homes, to not have backyard fences?
I cases where you have a neighbor directly behind the house, most homes have backyard fences. In the case of my house, which backs up to a wooded convervation lot very few residents have put up fences.

Fire Angler
03-22-2007, 07:17 PM
You might as well do it yourself!
You'll spend more time and effort trying to manage the job that your PB should be doing. I had a friend be the general on my pool, it was a mistake. I still ended up taking several days off work making sure his mistakes were getting fixed properly.
My pool did come out Great, but it could have been an easier experience.
The pool ended up costing 75k, I know I could have done it for less than 60k.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/135012-8-07a.jpg

76ANTHONY
03-22-2007, 08:25 PM
hire a good plumber, hire a good digger, hire a good rebar team, hire a good, well you get the picture. general it yourself, check out a couple pools and ask people what they like about thier equipment, pools are simple to build, was in the buis for about 5 years. and find a good maint guy to do the start up if your using plaster, especially if your using colored plater, the marbling gets ugly. if you use pebbletech or something like it, do the startup yourself. it really isnt that hard to do, find a pool plumber and ask him about after hours work, you'll have an entire team there on a sunday and they will get it done in a day or two. :D

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 06:13 AM
I saw some company with pre-fab fiberglass pools on the way down the 5 and that got my thinking cap working.
The only problem I saw with those was you definitely need access for a crane to get the damn thing in the yard.
I read a review before on DIY and it looked like the hardest part was all the plumbing lines. The pipes were scattered everywhere.
Thanks for the insight.
The digging is easy. I dug up the yard last year to fix a old clay sewer pipe that had been leaking for years by the way the soil smelled.

76ANTHONY
03-23-2007, 06:24 AM
I saw some company with pre-fab fiberglass pools on the way down the 5 and that got my thinking cap working.
The only problem I saw with those was you definitely need access for a crane to get the damn thing in the yard.
I read a review before on DIY and it looked like the hardest part was all the plumbing lines. The pipes were scattered everywhere.
Thanks for the insight.
The digging is easy. I dug up the yard last year to fix a old clay sewer pipe that had been leaking for years by the way the soil smelled.
fiberglass is tough ta take care of, you use a whole different chemical set-up when servicing it. call around and get prices for a real plaster pool.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 06:28 AM
So the pumps, chemicals are a different can of worms?
I just doesnt seem that difficult to dig a hole, shape it and go from there.
If I'm decent with rebar, would I be able to do it myself, or are there too many curves to do it on site?

Mr. C
03-23-2007, 06:29 AM
We did ours ourselves,(or should i say the wife) went and got all the permits at once, hired from various pool co. digging. rebar, plaster plumbing. etc. We were given a price of about 40k for a pool place to do it, pool is 32 x 15
We did it for about 25k including heater, pumps etc.( not the hardscape)
I have heard many horror stories as far as contracters not showing up when they say but we got very lucky, only one day the person doing the rebar didn't make. At least he called though.
If you have someone who can be home and over see and answer questions i say do it yourself.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/wake6/698236430_l.jpg

mmered8299
03-23-2007, 06:31 AM
Hire licensed contractors.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 06:32 AM
Mr. C, the pool looks great. BTW, I like the shot from McIntyre as well.

Mr. C
03-23-2007, 06:35 AM
thanks 21D,
The pool works really well for us not over the top or anything. Just a nice place to kick it. Of course after it was done we thought of all kinds of different things we could of should of done.
can't wait to get my boat back, its almost 3 years since i've been to blythe.

PHX ATC
03-23-2007, 06:36 AM
I've built 3 of my own pools at my own houses and ran a simple side business "helping" others do their own pools too.
It's simple, but does take some time, mostly on the phone.
You'll save some money, but it does come with risks.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 06:58 AM
The big thing I see is having the plumbing lines in correctly before the gunite. I guess thats where the plumber comes in.

Xlration Marine
03-23-2007, 07:04 AM
Yea hire a good? Don't hire a guy that digs footings for a living, don't hire a guy that puts rebar in those footings for a living nor the guy that does the plumbing after those footings and stem are poured. I watched a flat work crew (house slabs) doing cool deck. I asked the finisher "whats that pipe for"? Um I duno. It's for the airator you bone head, do not finish the concrete around it, make a channel for it cuz you just screwed it up. Now a company that does pool decking day in and day out would have come in cut the PVC and put a 45 on it and set the forms around it. Then the plumber will put the fitting on it when he comes back for the rest. And for diigging, you will want some one that diggs pools, not all of them are good. If you get a bunch of break out that will cost you more when it comes to filling it in with Shotcrete. And if you start the job now you will find that you don't matter a whole buch to these people, sorry. They know who butters their bread. Winter is the best time, they get hungy around Xmas and New years, thats their slow time and starts to pick up right about now. It's not a tuff task and when you get done you will see where you could have improved things. I've cought several people who are using one of these build your own pool outfits making some big mistakes. Stairs not wide enough or the pitch is all wrong so you get a mud flow into the pool. Yea some of these guys are just out for the $$$$$ and once the job is done thay are gone like a shot. Just make sure they have a Licence and will warrenty the work and the equipment, basiclly the pool pump and plumbing and the concrete work. The best place to look that I have found is in new home subdivisions. I ran into a guy that was doing rebar. Well I hit the jack pot, the one sone did the dig the father did the rebar and the other son did the plumbing. They did one step after the other was done. Piece of cake. Should I be charging for this???

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 07:08 AM
No Charge. At least I don't remember seeing a consultation fee. Although, it seems you have seen some pretty bad DIY stuff.
Thanks for the honesty.

Desert Rat
03-23-2007, 08:45 AM
I put this little pool in 4 years ago...25K including the screen
looks like you might live down the street from my brother-in-law. House looks VERY familiar... Of course to use a pool back there in the evening i'm told you NEED the screen room!

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 09:16 AM
I did a little project in the backyard:
http://riverracerx.com/pool/
http://riverracerx.com/pool/images/DSC00171.jpg

Mr. C
03-23-2007, 09:20 AM
That looks really nice. One question though, Isn't it fock'n loud when all the waterfalls are on? I know someone with less then yours and it seems loud when they are all on.

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 09:27 AM
Huh? What did you say?
Yes, it can get loud. It is 40' across of waterfalls that drop 8'.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 09:27 AM
Say What?
Nice LITTLE project.
Build it yourself?

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 09:29 AM
I had a great GC that did all the work front to back. Owner/builder then had him sub it all out.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 09:34 AM
I would assume thats a little big to do for your first pool. I like the pool layout and size though.
Looks Great. Alot of good shots in the gallery.

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 09:45 AM
I am used to it now, but it is a BIG pool. I kept drawing it bigger in the dirt and my contractor was like "are you sure"?
It is 40'x22' plus the baja shelf is 12'x12'. It is 8' deep so you can jump off the top rock, which is 11'6" from the surface of the water. The spa is 11'x7'.
It was my first pool. I designed the whole thing, my GC just made it happen.

Rock-A-Bye-Baby
03-23-2007, 10:06 AM
I am used to it now, but it is a BIG pool. I kept drawing it bigger in the dirt and my contractor was like "are you sure"?
It is 40'x22' plus the baja shelf is 12'x12'. It is 8' deep so you can jump off the top rock, which is 11'6" from the surface of the water. The spa is 11'x7'.
It was my first pool. I designed the whole thing, my GC just made it happen.
Sweet pool. If I can ask, what is the tab (estimate is fine) for a job that size?

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 10:10 AM
If I could guess, I'd say about 95K

TOBTEK
03-23-2007, 10:18 AM
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/medium/135CRASH_AND_BURN_005.jpg
we hired a pool company to build our pool last year.... NEVER AGAIN! Id contact Roz here on the boards and do a owner/builder. do your researce and save yourself about 30% or more. Would have been quicker and better if I contracted it myself!

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 10:21 AM
Let's just say it was more than getting a new boat.
But it included hardscape and landscape for a new yard front to back, with the BBQ house, a patio cover, fire pit, sprinklers, 175' of retaining walls (covered in stone in front) and an ass load of stamped/stained concrete.
If anyone has priced out fake rock you will know how insane it can be. (Unless you do it half ass).
They price it really fun: Take a 12x12" sheet of paper. That is your sq. foot. Now crumple it all up (to form a rock). Now cover the area you want to cover. Takes about 4-5 times more sq. footage to cover the area you want to cover. That is how they price it out to you. That is installed and stained.

Waist Deep
03-23-2007, 10:29 AM
Tob,
You got any pictures of the full pool layout?

TOBTEK
03-23-2007, 11:02 AM
Tob,
You got any pictures of the full pool layout?
yeah, BUT they aren't here on the office computer. Send me your email addy and I'll send you some if you like. We only made two mistakes when building this pool. its only 8' deep, so when you jump off the waterfall rocks the bottom comes up on ya really fast. And the baja shelf should have been larger for the kids..like RRX's. His is over the top bitchen....we have the Jr Baller version.

riverracerx
03-23-2007, 02:04 PM
Thanks for the compliment Tob.. Yours is sweet as well!
It might be my Havasu this year if the boat sells. (much shorter drive too)

cxr133
03-23-2007, 03:25 PM
i came across this a few years ago on the internet: http://www.howibuiltmyownpool.com/index.php
i saved the address just in case i ever got the balls and decided to try and be my own contractor
this guy outlines the process pretty well

John.
03-24-2007, 08:48 AM
watched one of my neighbors build his own pool. He hired all the subs and laborers. Took 6+ months to complete. In the meantime, watched another neighbor hire a regular pool building company and had his pool start to finish done in maybe a month or so. for the money you spend on a pool and the risks associated, I think you're better off to hire a professional.

ROZ
03-24-2007, 10:37 AM
watched another neighbor hire a regular pool building company and had his pool start to finish done in maybe a month or so.
This is not the norm down here. My guess is that the blue haven in Sactamanto doen't build nearly the amount of pools as the blue haven in the inland empire in SO cal... 30-60 pools per month and they use a lot of the same subs as other builders. Then there's the inspectors :D
Good subs will net a homeowner an excellent pool. The pool business is not run at 20% profit. The better companies get 30-40%... and don't think they don't have problems, either...lol
Gotta go grout(tile) a pool now....

boatnam2
03-24-2007, 10:45 AM
That looks really nice. One question though, Isn't it fock'n loud when all the waterfalls are on? I know someone with less then yours and it seems loud when they are all on.
Not sure about loud but im thinking expensive.we only run the pool pump not pumps 3 hours a day and i have not had under a 350 electric bill yet..this is the last few month with out running ac or heat.during the summer the pool puts you way over baseline and it goes up quick.We pay about 700 in summer with the pump on 6 hours and not much a/c.

boatnam2
03-24-2007, 10:52 AM
freind of mine has one going like rrx's it is a little bit bigger with about the same rock work,has a 25ft slide.his backyard is a hill so the rock work goes up pretty high.huge grotto,forget the depth but it is deep 5 pumps.he is doing it himself but some of the subs are the same guys my pool builder used.he has 60k or so in it.i will say for his 60k he got way more then i got for my 60k.

Partycattin
03-24-2007, 12:46 PM
watched one of my neighbors build his own pool. He hired all the subs and laborers. Took 6+ months to complete. In the meantime, watched another neighbor hire a regular pool building company and had his pool start to finish done in maybe a month or so. for the money you spend on a pool and the risks associated, I think you're better off to hire a professional.
My experience has been opposite. I went the owner/builder route and had my pool done in about 5 weeks. Could have been done sooner except I did a couple things myself which caused delays. Friends of mine that have also gone this route had there pools done in about 6 weeks.
Others that I know that have gone the "Pool Contractor" route, have taken 3+ months.
It all depends on which Pool Contractor you use and how good you are at being a project manager
I thought the owner builder process was easy. Just choose good subs and get everything in writing before hand. Negotiate a little bit. Seems that every contractor I got bids from, dropped their price a bit for "Cash" or if they knew I was getting other bids.

Seasday
03-24-2007, 04:27 PM
Anybody ever undertake this task?
I'm looking for a smaller pool with nothing too extravagant.
Let me know if I can help. In the pool business 18 years in OC and can help you with finding a "good" builder or setting you up with "really good" subs.
Their are risks, and rewards for that fact, but as others have said, finding and dealing with the subs is the key.
PM me if you want any assistance.
Robert

ROZ
03-24-2007, 06:49 PM
Not sure about loud but im thinking expensive.we only run the pool pump not pumps 3 hours a day and i have not had under a 350 electric bill yet..this is the last few month with out running ac or heat.during the summer the pool puts you way over baseline and it goes up quick.We pay about 700 in summer with the pump on 6 hours and not much a/c.
wow, electricity must the expensive where you are... My pump also runs 3 hours, we do (DID) a lot of laundry, and our bill is about 220.00....

boatnam2
03-25-2007, 04:54 AM
wow, electricity must the expensive where you are... My pump also runs 3 hours, we do (DID) a lot of laundry, and our bill is about 220.00....
im telling you it is some kind of scam,i had them come out and check my meter.i check the meter also myself and it is always what they say it is.we have 5 people all adults so the laundry is always going maybe that is part of it. our house is brand new and has pretty good insulation so im not sure what the problem is then,i know once you go over your baseline 100 200 and 300% part adds up quick.not looking foward to the summer rip off by sce.