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j_royall

New North Dallas Modern

j_royall
12 years ago

Love this site! Any question I've had- I've typed into Google have invariably been led here. Also great to see so many local DFW folks being vocal on the site.

We're building a Los Angeles style modern architecture pool to replace the oversized koi pond that was located in the courtyard of our mid-century modern house. Basically, you walk up to what you assume is the front door to our house, and when you step through it, you aren't in the house yet, but a large courtyard that then leads you to the real front door. Rather than sticking a large pool in the back yard, we wanted a smaller pool (oversized hot tub?) in this courtyard so that it greets us when we come home, and we can see it through the large window in our living room.

Here are the concept drawings:


And our "Before" pic with the Koi pond still on place...

We've already had the dig, plumbing, electrical, and gunite. Now we're in the watering/curing phase, and naturally things have ground to a halt, so I should have plenty of time to waste on here!

JR

Comments (78)

  • nylsor107
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dear j _royall,
    I have been following your thread since they very beginning. I have watched as your excitement and enthusiasm during the early days gave way to anger and despondency as the concrete work fell far short of your expectations. Once again, you became hopeful...and now this! I am so very, very sorry for all of your troubles. We completed our Poolscape last fall with a highly respected Pool Builders whose subs...are employees! There were several ocassions where the work was acceptable to my husband and me, but not to him! He would have them do it over -- on his dime, not ours. Now that we are enjoying our first summer, with our flawlessly operating pool, we realize that he has become a cherished friend for life. I truly wish the same for you. Is it possible to reclaim your funds spent to date, and move on to another PB? Please keep posting...you are not alone!

  • stewart7795
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have trouble understanding why the bill for the redo's is relevant to anyone but your PB. You contracted for one thing and they delivered the wrong thing. You should not be fiscally responsible for their errors.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nylsor- The only good thing happening in this whole deal is the PB being on our side, and making subs come back to redo work. Unfortunately, it's happening way more often than we'd like. But- in his defense, he keeps making them redo things. Even today, he had them pull all the fire-brick out of the fire pit and made them redo it because it wasn't up to his standard.

    Stewart- I was being dramatic when I said that. I don't know for a fact that they're going to make us pay for any of these redo's. In fact, we have over $20K worth of "credits" with this company due to all the stuff that's gone wrong. As long as we stay within twenty thousand dollars, I don't think they'll try to upcharge us for anything. And if they do try, good luck. My wife is a tax accountant. She LIVES for going over items line by line and finding discrepancies. You should have seen her take 30 mins to read the entire contract before we signed it, while all parties sat around twiddling their thumbs.

    Work continues today. There is still a very good chance that all the planter walls and firepit are completed on schedule (as it were) by tomorrow. Next week the paver guy starts. Yes, instead of letting the concrete company pour anything, we are going with large, architectural pavers. He came out to survey the site today, and he's ordering our gray color this afternoon. Fingers crossed, we could be done with this whole thing in a week and a half.

    I'm not hopeful though!

  • banana_fanna
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Fingers crossed for ya.

  • brentr_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Don't forget to post pics please.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I will absolutely post pics as soon as there's anything worth showing! Right now it's just a messy courtyard again with white dust all over everything as these subs saw pieces of our calico white stones! Hopefully when I get home today, they will have finished the planter walls and firepit.

  • Steph2011
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I totally feel your pain that no one here gets it that we all don't want a kidney shaped with a grotto and flagstone. We interviewed 4 pool builders and most of them told me that I really didn't want that. That I wouldn't be happy with it. Alas I found 2 builders that got it. We went with Robertson who did an amazing job on their workmanship. Our pool is a formal rectangle with a square spa separated and raised. Travertine decking/coping and pavers in between the pool and spa. Ours is more of a classic look than a modern (to me) with all grass surrounding. At any rate, I felt like with the products we selected and their workmanship making sure every single angle was perfect that our pool couldn't look better.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of my poolbuild

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steph- What a great looking pool! Love the concrete pavers in the grass.

    Ok, so step one- the dream team (ahem) came in last week and jackhammered the ugly adobe walls and coping. GONE.



    Step 2- For the last 5 days, the stone guys have been putting up the cut stone (Calico) for the planter walls and coping. It's an amazing improvement, and for the first time in a long time, I'm actually kind of excited about this project again. Of course, experience tells me that this just means I'm due for a staggering downfall any minute now...

    Just look at those smooth, clean lines!

    They were supposed to have this done by Tuesday. Well, it's Wednesday and they're still working on it. No surprise there. As soon as they get this done, the decking can begin. Large gray square concrete pavers. Then the courtyard will start looking livable again.

    Sidenote: because they've been cutting this white stone for 5 days in my enclosed courtyard, everything is covered in white dust. Trees, windows, chairs, you name it. As soon as they finish this stone- hopefully today- I will be taking a water hose to the whole area! :)

  • banana_fanna
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMGosh What a difference! It looks amazing!

    Like me, just keep reminding yourself..."One of these days it'll all be worth it."

    It's the mantra I repeat to my reflection every morning as I prepare for the legion of landscapers, fence guys, cement pourers, irrigation installers, etc. that have become like family. /sarcasm (Honestly, they're been wonderful people, I just want 'em done.)

    And the dust? Gurrrrrrl.....my windows are so dusty/dirty that from the kitchen, it looks like the fog has rolled in.

    The end is in sight.

  • shellip
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    j royall,
    Love the follow up pics. So glad things are back on track for you.
    PB here has been busting out the whole pool a little at a time since July 6!! Hope to one day get to your stage, but it looks for now we are on our way to the attorneys.
    Keep us updated on progress.
    Good Luck,
    shelli

  • nylsor107
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What an astounding transformation! I am so relieved for you and hope that things will continue to progress smoothly,

    Take care,
    Roz

  • llcp93
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    J_Royal

    I have followed your thread in the beginning but off for some time. Catching up, I am so sorry to hear about all the mess you have been going through and having to deal with.

    Natural_Ones photos are what comes to mind when I think Modern. I could sense your utter disappointment in what was built for you.

    It looks like things are coming along nicely now. The cut stone is beautiful and elegant. Your modern spool will be dynamite in the end, I'm sure.

    Pool building is kinda like a birth, I think. Takes some pain, a few curse words, and in the end, a beautiful result.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for all the kind words, everyone. TODAY, the stone mason is supposed to "finish" all the stone work. The sad thing is, there are only like 5 cut stones that need to be placed, and despite that, I doubt he'll finish today. His guys are the slowest on the planet.

    Funny story, yesterday the wife and I were having a meeting with the PB at their office. Another customer of theirs came in, looking not-too-happy, and said he needed an update on his pool situation. I thought, "Oh Lord, what did they mess up on this guy's site?" But his question was "What's taking so long with the PERMITS?"

    Wow, he's not even past the permit stage yet! Poor b@stard has NO IDEA what he's in for!

    Anyway, supposedly we finish the stone today and do the decking next week. The material we chose for our waterfall wall is a black, water-blasted granite. It's freaking gorgeous, but will take 4 weeks for delivery. That puts us well into September, which is unnacceptable. We asked if they could just go ahead and finish off the pool so we could start swimming (the Texas heat is crippling) and then install the granite when it comes in later. He said they could definitely do that. They would either put up some scaffolding so the guys could instal the granite while sitting above the waterline, or they would drain the pool, have them install it, and then fill it back up quickly.

    Does this worry anyone? The PB says it won't be a big deal either way. Shouldn't hurt the plaster, etc at all. What do YOU think, Pool Forumers?

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Quick update- the stone mason is FINISHED! It only took him 3 1/2 weeks! Wouldn't have been so bad if only he hadn't promised to have it done in one week. Pool Builders, it's all about setting the correct expectations!

    Concrete pavers start tomorrow. Then it will finally look like a patio again, rather than an awful dirt hole with some cut stone placed here and there.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    SPOKE TOO SOON! Tuesday morning, the paver guys showed up and said that they'd be finished by Tuesday evening or Weds evening. When I got home from work at 4pm on Tuesday, they had only prepped half of the courtyard, and had apparently taken off early. Sure, why not? You've done half a day's work. It's Miller Time!

    It wasn't until I got home from work on Weds that I became furious again. They hadn't even SHOWN UP on Weds. So, to recap, they were supposed to be stone cold finished, and they still hadn't even prepped half of my courtyard. This morning, when it got to be 9am and they STILL hadn't shown up, I called the PB. "Oh, we're having issues getting the pavers delivered to your house." Something about an Excel spreadsheet mixup between the pool company and the paver company. I said, "That doesnt' explain why my courtyard hasn't been touched in two days! Even if you delivered the pavers now, we wouldn't be able to install them, because the courtyard isn't prepped!" To me, that means there is still a full day's work to do before we can even THINK about installing pavers. Or if experience has taught me anything, more like TWELVE days work. Considering how slow these subs all are.

    I am freaking FURIOUS. This pathetic, hack pool company and their complete inability to communicate even the most basic of directions with their subs has put me over the edge. The only thing left to do is finish the pavers (or START the pavers) and plaster the pool. IF this were any other pool company I'd say we have about a week's worth of work left. But with these vapid morons, I'd say we're easily looking at another month.

  • shellip
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    j royall,

    Just to make you feel better, we paid our first draw in March. PB did not get out to start till May. Only had plaster and coping left, so 90% paid. Found out pool wrong elevation and size, so busting entire pool out and starting over. Have 90% paid, and 80% busted out....4 months and counting and only a big muddy hole in the yard!!
    Keep your chin up!
    s

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Shellip- That's horrible! I can't even imagine how frustrated and angry you must be feeling. We both thought we'd have a pool finished in time to cool off this summer. As it stands, we'll be luck if we swim Labor Day weekend!

    We had another in a long line of big meetings yesterday where we stand around the unfinished pool and make plans for what's next. Supervisor came out and brought the paver guy and another crew whose job it will be to fix various things around the courtyard. Everyone came to an agreement, and knew exactly what was coming next, and as always, I went inside my house feeling confident and ready for the next phase. And, like always, I woke up this morning to find that somewhere in the last 10 hours, everyone had totally forgotten what was agreed upon the night before.

    They were supposed to be at my house at 8am, starting work. As I left just before 9, still nobody there. That's way past stupid right? I mean, even a genuinely stupid guy can write down and remember a time, right? This is all the way past stupid, and heading straight into "intentionally fraudulent" wouldn't you say? Anyway, hopefully they will have actually shown up and done some work for a change by the time I get home tonight.

    PB says we'll be swimming by next weekend. I'm not exactly holding my breath on that one.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, the excruciating grind continues. Talked to the paver guy last Thursday, as you know. He said they'd be done by Tuesday. Let me dispel the suspense for you right off- it's Tuesday today, and there's no way they finish.

    Friday came and went without a visit from his crew. Saturday- not a sign of them anywhere. Sunday, obviously nobody does work, so that's a bust. Monday rolls around (yesterday). I worked from home so that I could see what happened. The crew rolled up around 1pm, worked for a solid four hours, and then split. In that four hours, they managed to lay down ELEVEN pavers. You heard me right- eleven. There are 9 pallets of pavers sitting in my driveway, and they haven't even used up all of the first one yet.

    My wife stayed home today to see what time they show up. She said she'd call me when the crew got to the house. It's almost 10am, and no call. This pool company and ALL of their subs are the worst business I've ever dealt with in my 37 years of walking the planet. Furious.

    My awesome 11 pavers:



    One day this courtyard will look amazing. I just hope I'm still alive to see it, and also not in prison for murder.

  • stewart7795
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sympathies. My pool building experience was awful as well- 8 months from contract execution to completion. The pool company was absolutely the worst business partner I've ever had. Low life losers with absolutely zero regard for service. I know how frustrated you are- I'm still pissed and my project is completed and looks great!

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stewart- I doubt my project will ever be finished OR look great.

    The paver boss showed up today, and he's making the work crew start all over completely. All the pavers are being pulled up and reset. First of all, the completely inept crew made tons of mistakes setting them down. You can see in the pic above, the huge "valley" that the pavers make in the middle. The whole courtyard is a complete clusterF once again, and we have lost another week on this project for NO REASON WHATSOEVER other than the fact that the crews NEVER have any supervision. SUPERVISION. It's critical. When you send 3 guys to my house in the morning on day one, and don't even TELL THEM WHY THEY'RE GOING THERE- then your business SUCKS. Period. You are a horrible businessman.

    Thankfully my wife speaks fluent spanish, so we're able to tell the guys what their idiot boss SHOULD have told them. But we also have jobs, so we can't be at home every day of the week. Not that being there every day would matter because the crews don't even bother to show up most days.

    No amount of enjoyment I can possibly get from this pool will ever be able to make up for the sickening amount of anger and depression that I've had to put up with for the last 4 solid months. I wish we had never started this project.

  • banana_fanna
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    j...

    I know there are bigger and worser (worser?) things in life to be depressed about but that doesn't negate our feelings of deep disappointment over our respective pool projects. (We dug last October and it's been a constant headache.)

    I hope things start going in the right direction for you soon. I've built 2 houses from the ground up and haven't been this frustrated and upset. Hang in there.

    Keep posting if you have the werewithal because I believe there are people here who are interested in our projects and want to share information and support if they can. I haven't posted lately because I'm so sad and wiped out over what's going on in my own backyard but felt the need to respond to your post to let ya know you're not alone.

    I hope next summer we're both posting pictures of our projects complete and in good working condition. With all our hair. A little money left in our pockets. And marriages intact....

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Banana- I might have some hair left, and I might have some money in my pocket, but I doubt it'll be both! :)

    Ok, they were supposed to come and finish the deck this past Saturday. It was going to be the last day of decking. Then cleanup, and then plastering this week. Those of you in the DFW area know full well that Saturday, for the first time in months, it rained here. Rained and rained and rained! So now we're off schedule again.

    The good news is that the decking crew did show up this morning to finish the job. And it's 99% finished anyway. They just need to level some stuff out and fix one or two things. HOPEFULY, they are done with that as of today. I don't count on it, but it would be nice. I've had patio furniture sitting in my living room for months now, and I'd love to get it outside where it belongs!

    I hope to be showing you pics by friday. We'll see!

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The decking actually got finished. I couldn't even believe it when I walked into the courtyard yesterday. Not only that, it actually looks good. PB still says we are on track to plaster and fill by the end of the week. I truly hope so. Then it's just a matter of the landscaping and lights, and finishing the fire pit.

    The empty drain holes will be filled with polished black river rocks...


    What really freaks me out is that it's actually starting to look like the original sketch!

  • brentr_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It is really looking great. Sorry you had so many obstacles.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is exactly why I never get excited when my PB starts saying things like "You'll be swimming by this weekend!"

    When I last posted, it was Tuesday. On Monday night, by PB said that he would be out to sand and seal the white stonework on Tuesday. Cleanup and prep would happen weds/thurs, and we would be plastering the pool before the weekend. It's now Thursday afternoon, and he still hasn't shown up for TUESDAY'S work.

    Look PBs, I understand that you can't get to stuff as quickly as your customers would always like, but for the love of GOD, man- don't make promises you have no intention of keeping! It's bad business, it ruins your credibility, and worst of all, it's just unnecessary! Set realistic expectations, and I'll be with you every time. Promise me something for the next day, and then don't bother doing it, or contacting me to tell me WHY you haven't done it two days later? That's just stupid.

  • msujohn
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Can you tell us who your builder is so we can stay away from them?

  • sonepi
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi jRoyal. Just catching up with your threads. I am so sorry you did not get the straight-edged concrete of the original design, but I think what you have now with the cut stone and pavers is very beautiful, classic and modern-looking.

    I am in Plano and I know you are wishing that you could be relaxing in that pool right now, but your time is coming and from the looks of your photo, it should be pretty soon now.

    You are right, the free-form, flagstone edged pools are common here but you DO expect a company to be honest in their dealings and realistic in their time lines. I have to say our pool company was very specific on how long everything would take. I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, so even though they gave me a time frame, I added 3 weeks to their completion date, just so I would not be frustrated if the time frame was not met. Luckily, they were right on target.

    It does sound like your PB is working hard to make you happy, BUT I do think part of his job is to make sure that any subs he uses can actually perform the work and not put that added aggravation and stress on you, the customer. That being said, your pool is beautiful and I love the modern, Zen-like vibe of your pool and patio. It looks like an optimal place to just relax and de-stress.

  • sonepi
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi jRoyal. Just catching up with your threads. I am so sorry you did not get the straight-edged concrete of the original design, but I think what you have now with the cut stone and pavers is very beautiful, classic and modern-looking.

    I am in Plano and I know you are wishing that you could be relaxing in that pool right now, but your time is coming and from the looks of your photo, it should be pretty soon now.

    You are right, the free-form, flagstone edged pools are common here but you DO expect a company to be honest in their dealings and realistic in their time lines. I have to say our pool company was very specific on how long everything would take. I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, so even though they gave me a time frame, I added 3 weeks to their completion date, just so I would not be frustrated if the time frame was not met. Luckily, they were right on target.

    It does sound like your PB is working hard to make you happy, BUT I do think part of his job is to make sure that any subs he uses can actually perform the work and not put that added aggravation and stress on you, the customer. That being said, your pool is beautiful and I love the modern, Zen-like vibe of your pool and patio. It looks like an optimal place to just relax and de-stress.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Four months and two days since we started digging, they plastered the mother yesterday. Then, with fresh plaster curing, the pb shows up, turns on the pump, and blows dirt and rocks out of the returns to settle on the bottom. There are already stains, and the plaster isn't even 24 hours old yet! I don't have a vacuum hose or I would have immediately sucked that stuff up. Oh well- hopefully the startup process will take care of some of those dark brown dirt stains. I'm not hopeful, but maybe...

    The plaster crew did every single thing the diamondbrite manual and other posters on this and many other forums said repeatedly NOT to do. They did an acid wash of the diamondbrite, which causes tons of streaks in dark colored plaster (the color is Diamondbrite "Steel Blue" which is 3 parts Tahoe Blue and 3 parts Onyx). They left the metal garden hose dangling from the side which puts lots of water pressure on the new plaster. They didn't put a rag or sock around the end of the hose, leaving the metal hose tip in heavy contact with the plaster. Etc and so on. I called him out on every single one of these, and the plaster guy had some reason why our pool was an exception to that rule. Whatever.




    So here we are. We have a plastered pool. The black granite for the waterfall wall is still one month away from being delivered, so that's not in place yet, and the plants and landscape lighting haven't been put in place yet, so the project is a good long way from being done. Whatever- my wife and I spent last night floating in a nappy pool full of hose water, just to cool off. Being extremely careful not to touch the plaster!! It was more stressful than relaxing, but at least for once in this awful Texas summer, we weren't sweating outside!

    Here is a comparison pic of the original design, and where we're at so far. I'd say we're pretty much on track with the larger design...


  • brentr_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats, it looks very classy with clean lines.

  • poolguynj
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Watch you pH. New DB raises the pH quite quickly as it cures. Test it 2x a day for the 1st couple weeks and add acid as needed.

    They could add the black stone to the drains and planter now, I suppose. That will further the setting some.

    Scott

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Our pH is sky high! I keep adding acid slowly, but the pH is still so high its color doesn't even appear on the test kit. It's such a small body of water (2700 gallons), I'm afraid to add too much acid! Yes, I've been using the calculators, but it's still intimidating! The guy sent by the pool company to do our startup is clearly insane. We had the system circulating 24 hours a day, as is recommended, but he scheduled it to only run for 7 hours a day. And this TWO days after the plaster! I killed his schedule and set it back to run 24 hours. Naturally, I'm terrified that we're going to ruin the plaster.

    Thanks for the compliment Brentr. We're still a month away from being finished with the project, but at least we can get in and cool off now.

  • poolguynj
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Add a quart at a time, waiting an hour between testings to allow it to do its thing.

    What pump do you have? Two speeds and variables should be run slow to avoid aerating the water which drive pH up.

    Scott

  • womanowned
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good grief! Are all you folks having similar problems to J Royall in Dallas? Makes me think I should open a branch there! Your time line was horrific. Your PB did the right thing apparently but not in the right time frame. I always give my buyers a two page expectations sheet before they sign and again before we start. Then as the PB I have to meet or exceed those expectations. Normally I exceed them. Leave them smiling!

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Anybody know of good umbrellas to use in umbrella sleeves in your pool? We bought an umbrella, had it in our umbrella sleeve for a day. Took it out, put it on the pavers to dry overnight- rusty water came out and stained the living CRAP out of my not-even-two-weeks-old pavers. Naturally, I'm devastated, especially because for the first time, I can't blame someone else for screwing up my project. This is all my fault.

    I need an umbrella that goes in the water and doesn't rust up on the inside!!!!!!!

  • nylsor107
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have five Treasure Garden rust proof cast aluminum umbrellas situated throughout our poolscape. They are expensive but worth it. Ours do not sit in water so I would make sure that they are approved for this use. Good luck and I am so happy you now have a pool and pavers in need of a quality umbrella:)

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've been begging the pb to seal the white stone coping for weeks now. It's been sitting out there in the elements for over a month. It's getting more yellow every day, like freaking tooth decay. Last night, some kind of raccoon or possom walked thru mud, and then spent the entire evening walking around the perimeter all over my white coping. I spent half an hour scrubbing it today, and I still see paw prints.

    I'm done. I'm taking a motherf***** sledgehammer to the whole courtyard. I wish we had never started this idiotic project.

  • airborne101
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You poor guy. Barb here again. So nice to see you are almost done, it looks gorgeous. About the stone, yes it needs sealed of course. Hubby prefers a penetrating one, it doesn't give the stone the tacky shiney look, unless you like that look.... the stone can be cleaned. Try some powdered dishwasher powder on one, hopefully a spare. Wet the stone, put the dw powder on and scrub it, then rinse. It has chlorine so it will bleach it, but please use a test piece first. The umbrella needs an aluminum pole, there are some nice Sunbrella ones at Pottery Barn, aluminum poles, on a nice sale right now. Hope this helps. b

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Barb, the one that rusted on us was aluminum. It rusted on the INSIDE of the pole, which I guess wasn't protected. The packaging for the umbrella simply said "Aluminum pole" and didn't mention anything about "inside" or "outside" so now, we're naturally terrified because any pole claiming to be "aluminum" could have the same exact issue. I have no idea how to proceed.

    That said, we went to the stone yard this weekend and bought (quite literally) ONE TON of Texas black gravel. I shoveled one ton of gravel into our planters and basins on Saturday and Sunday. We sank the plants and are now completely landscaped. I should have gotten pics for you guys but quite honestly I was too exhausted, and too angry. The SECOND I finished the landscaping, the winds picked up, blowing tons of leaves and garbage all over the deck, and the temperature plummeted. It's now too cold to swim in the pool.

    AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stupid @#%!$^!$% mother nature.

  • airborne101
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yea do post pix. I have seen this tip for umbrellas on here too...... get a piece of aluminum pipe, sink a screw into each side well above water line and then put the umbrella in toward the top of the pipe, not underwater, the screws will hold it up.Its gonna raise the umbrella quite a bit. Or just add the aluminum pipe permanently to the bottom of the umbrella. Stay safe down there. b

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ok, here are some low-rez pics now that the planters are full. I tried to take these at Dusk to get the pool light in there too. It messed with the pic quality...




    In that last pic- You can see black glass in the firepit that wraps around our brick column under the covered portion of the courtyard. They finally let us heat the pool a little- not too much- but enough to make it warm and bearable. This lets us swim despite the chilly evenings. It'll be another couple of weeks before we can do full hottub mode. The only thing left now is the black wasabi granite that will cover the waterfall wall.

  • paradigmdawg
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have had the best luck with the umbrellas from Albertsons. They have Dupont material and poles are all alum. 39 bucks or 29 when on sale. We replaced our $260 "nice" umbrellas with these since the expensive ones broke or rusted after a year.

  • shellip
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    j royall,
    SSSoooo excited for you! We had to have ours torn out too, but had to do the pool and all, just getting the replacement in and they are working on the tile now. Been a long time since our first draw in March!
    Had the same prob. as you with the concrete.....no one here can do it either. Glad to see you were able to find a stone that gives you a similar effect. It looks great!! Can't wait to see the finish prod.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The masabi granite for the waterfall wall arrived yesterday. It will be installed over the next week, at some point, probably, maybe. At that point, we will be done with the actual construction of the pool and courtyard.

    I had the landscape lighting installed yesterday, and it really looks amazing out there at night now. Very dreamlike to sit outside and see it all. I took the last week off to finally relax and enjoy the pool, and of course the temperatures stayed pretty low and it rained a ton.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just checking in. The granite for my waterfall wall is STILL sitting in the garage. The white limestone STILL has not been cleaned and sealed, and is more yellow than white at this point. They just redid several pavers yesterday because water was puddling under the door from the driveway to the courtyard. No end in sight. At least we got two weeks of swimming before the weather turned cold. Now we have to heat it.

  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Today the PB finally begins the almost-last-phase of my job- putting the black Masabi granite on the waterfall wall of the pool. We just had brand new doors installed in the courtyard entrance, and also on the house. The plants are planted, the landscape lights are lighted, so this granite wall will go a long way towards making the project feel done.



  • j_royall
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Checking in again. The Granite got installed on the waterfall wall... finally. And of COURSE in the act of doing so, they slung black crap all over my white stone. The black crap has now been sitting on the white stone for about a month. The PB says they can try to sand it off and seal it, but it might "stain the stone" at this point.

    Now remember, I have been BEGGING these ineffectual losers to sand and seal my white stone for over THREE MONTHS now. If they had done if before the granite was installed, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. So the fact that they tell me now that it might be too late is INFURIATING to me as a human being with the common sense god gave the common DOG.

    There are also a large number of "odd jobs" that need to be taken care of by the pool company like fixing the fence they wrecked on day one, replacing water main covers, etc and so on, which I have no doubt will never get done. In one week we will be entering month SEVEN of this project. I have never been more dissatisfied or angry.

  • stereotypeq
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You should name the PB... seriously - even if he's a nice, sympathetic guy who is trying to make this right for you - he has the worst subs in the history of pool building and people need to stay away. And honestly - not sealing the stone isn't a subs fault - the PB should have hired someone for this job.

    Other than paying more money to work w/ someone else.. I guess you have to see it out w/ this guy. (assuming he's messing up and then paying for all these 'fixes')

    But I have complete stress and worry on a pool build that's going relatively smoothly.. i can't imagine one like this. I might get an ulcer.

  • loves2read
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So read all your thread and can't believe you didn't throw that PB under the bus where he belonged long before the end of the thread...
    How has the pool/pavers held up over the last year+
    and who jerked you around so badly...
    they should have paid you stress and trauma recompense...

  • melvalena
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would love to see some photos of how it finally turned out and hear the 'rest of the story'.

    My husband (The Architect) would love this project/pool!

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