Here is a picture of the other side of the pool. I couldn't figure out how to post two picture at the same time!
-Tracy

Here is a link that might be useful:

Congrats.. I hope that we get there SOON!!!! How long did it take you to get gunited after the dig was completed? Our dig was completed on Sept 25... we had to wait about 10 days for the plumbing gas, and equipment installation... now waiting for gunite... so far not on schedule... they say in about two more weeks.

It looks awesome! I love those rocks!!

PagsPool, Our dig was complete on Oct. 7th and we gunited on the 26th, so 3 weeks later. They have been moving fast. Today they are doing the drains, Yeah! It will be very nice to cover those ditches! We have alot of rock work to be done and they said that will take so time, but as long as they keep coming and doing something I'm happy. Good luck to you! The gunite is very exciting.

-Tracy

Your layout looks a lot like mine.

Just a slight concern about the waterslide. It looks like it is a little over the bench seat. You may want to ask the rock guys to make sure no one can hit the bench on the way down after splashdown. They can build a lip on the bottom if needed or form it to curve a little away from the seat. We also had an 18 inch sheer descent put in for the top of the waterslide to keep the entire slide wet and slippery when the kids slide.

I'm just an owner builder and it is probably fine, just questions I would ask. You and your kids will love the slide! How long is it?

Tracy,

Yeah! We got our gunite today! Very exciting, especially since I thought it wasn't going to happen for at least 10 to 14 days!!!
-Pags

Very Cool, Pags! I'm happy for you. That was an exciting day. You can really see what you got. Watering it was a little bit of a pain, thank goodness it has been cool. We were gunited a week ago and they were back today starting the rock/waterfall/slide work. They have so much "junk" in the pool that I can't water it any more so I hope 7 days is enough. Post Pics!

Mitch, I did talk to them about the slide and they are going to build a lip to clear the bench. Our slide is suppose to be 6' tall and 10' long. All I can say right now is I hope it turns out nice.

-Tracy

Good Tracy, I had the same problem with mine and they built a lip. Better safe than sorry. zzzzzzzzzzzzI had nightmares of kids landing on the bench in my pool. What are they using at the top of the slide for a water source? Our little sheer descent at the top they built in works awesome and looks cool too.

Thats a great idea, right now it is set-up for water to come out of both sides of the top of the slide (does that make sense?). We have a 2hp pump for the water features so it should put out enough water. They are building the forms for the steps up to the slide right now and there is not a whole lot of room. They need to build one side all the way against the wall in order to have a two foot wide step. We are hoping this is not going to cause a problem with the city. I can't see leaving a few inches between the wall and the steps. The builders are talking about putting a foam joint in or something like that. The slide/waterfall better turn out nice!

Looks like that should be plenty of water for the slide. We had the same situation and the mason built rocks along the side. We put up the latice on the back since the steps didn't go up the back like originally planned. I'll all turn out great.

Gunite day pictures....

Looks great,Pags! Your pool looks huge! What are your specs? We are only a few days apart in this process we can go through it together. How many weeks is your suppose to take? Our builder told us 11 weeks but I think we are ahead of schedule. Its been 4 now.
-Tracy

Tracy-

Our pool isn't all that big.... It's a free form, 36' X 22'at the widest point. 3 1/2' to 6' deep...Will have a 5' swim-in grotto and a 4' cantilever grotto... spa is raised 18", 7' diameter with seven jets.... going for flagstone coping (still trying to finalize the choice), NPTG Pietra Verde tile on the waterline and raised bond beam, and the Kerber mini-pebbletec (Carribean Blue or Tahoe Blue)... We're in South Orange County, CA.... builder is Mission Pools... Our contract says it'll be done by January 8th... I think that the rockwork and hardscape will be what will delay us, since the mason is super busy... Our PM is motivated though, since he gets a bonus for finishing at least two weeks early, and he took over for our first loser PM who got fired (long story) and he'll look like a hero for getting things straightened out...

Pags

Pagspool - it looks great! Where in South Orange County are you? We are in RSM. We never wound up interviewing Mission Pools as the designer was sick and had to reschedule for another week and in that time, we heard from here and there and everywhere that they would be overpriced anyway...did you find that to be the case? Anyway, we are just at the cusp of where you are - just finishing up plumbing. I'm really really hoping for gunite before Thanksgiving (so my dh can do a good lot of the watering while he's off). Our pre-gunite inspection was supposed to be on Wednesday but I'm not sure if that might be delayed a day or two because the plumbers are running behind (day FIVE tomorrow) and the forms have to be repaired again in one section. Maybe the guniters do that? I don't know.

Those steps look magnificent! How did they get them so perfectly round? This is our first pool (and our last, if we can help it!) and the process is fascinating - we are definitely learning as we go. My job site supervisor is very tolerant of my gazillion and one questions...lol.

Snookums - Thanks! I was amazed at how they made the stairs.. no forms or anything... they just shot a pile of gunite in that area and did the rest with a shovel and a squeegie thing-a-mabob... from time to time they'd shovel more gunite on top and then level it out again... I'm happy with them, but in retrospect wish I had made the first step a little wider to accomodate a little chair, but no biggie. If our backyard was bigger I would have gone for a baja shelf, but didn't want to sacrifice the play and swimming area.

We're in Lake Forest.

Overall, I'm happy with Mission so far, except for one guy (Our first P.M.). He seemed a little disinterested to me, and not so "customer friendly". I was on the verge of letting the management know about it, when voila - The manager showed up at my house to look at our progress and let me know that our P.M had been fired because they received one too many customer complaints about him. Anyway, they (Mission Pools) have more than made things up to me, and now the new PM is just what I expected from them.. I know that Mission has the rep of being a little more than other companies, but in reality their bid came very close to the other ones we got (Swan and California), and Mission's design was better (especially the hardscape plan - fireplace, ret walls). I toured about seven or eight of their projects nearby (Nellie Gail, Bear Brand, Mission Viejo) and was very impressed, especially with their mason that does rock-work....

Longwinded, sorry... but so far so good.. I'll keep you posted. Next step is for the mason to come in and start the grottos!

-Pags