We looked at 9 pool builders, 4 of which came highly recommended on many forums, with no complaints on the BBB or Angie's List. Of those 9 bids, 3 builders did not submit a bid. All bids came within 6k of each other. In the end we went with Atlantis Pools and Spas. The owner (Kelly) came out and looked over the property (he was the first and only builder to mention that I needed to call the gas company to upgrade my meter). He is highly approachable and down to earth. Considering other pool builders recommend him, he builds beautiful pools, and has been in the industry forever, it sealed the deal.

After talking with Kelly we modified the original design a little bit.

14'x28' inground pool
4'-5'-4.5' depths
Raised bond wall along length height 6"-12"-6"
7' spa centered opposite raised bond wall level with pool
sunshelf bench shelf to the right (south) of Spa
3-4 stairs to the left (north) of the Spa
3-4 volleyball umbrella holders
White marble plaster
700 sq ft of decking - choice of peagravel or brushed concrete with 4" drains
12" bullnose brick coping (we later upgraded this)
Water line tile
2 skimmers - 2" sch40 lines from the skimmer
3/4" fan sprayers on the bond wall
Overflow and area drains plumbed to the street

Skimmer and main drain lines run separately.
weather proof junction box
French drain to the street - to deal with my yard not draining properly

8" oc for rebar #3
pneumatically applied concrete - per code
All Electrical run
Continuous run poly gas line to the heater
3/4" sch 40 fill line
2 Main Drains - 2" suction
2 - 300 watt lights in the pool
1 - 100 watt light in the spa
light conduit - 3/4" sch40
Aqualink PDA PS 6 Radio Remote
460 Jandy cartridge filter
PHPM 2hp Jandy plus HP pump
400k LXi Jandy heater
All Jandy Valves
Rainbow 320 3" tablet Erosion clorinator (though I'm going to try the BBB method)
1.5 qt 240v commercial grade blower
8 hydroair jets

Polaris 280 w/ booster
Initial Startup service and instructions
Cleaning kit - leaf skimmer, test kit, thermometer
16' telescoping pole

Due to HOA BS we didn't get to start until April 21,
but here is our build. I'd like to add that all the subcontrators and crews that have been out to work have respectful and very professional.

This is the yard before everyone came

Unloading the bobcat

Ripping out the fence

Dealing with a tight squeeze

Laying out the pool - with an audience (Kelly in the background)

Almost finished with the dig

Honestly, we were quite surprised at how much destruction a little bobcat can wreak. Our side yard became trenched due to the many passes. They smoothed it all out in the end but now it's a mass of clay. Our poor neighbor's front yard is terminal where the bobcat turned around (yeah we'll be buying them new sod and are inviting them over for dinner when all is said and done).

Although all the crews have done a great job cleaning up after themselves, our yard is still a construction zone during the build. I mention this only because when seeing all the pictures, you tend to ingnore the wreck a small yard turns into.

Rebar, Baby! These guys are FAST!

Spa Plumbing

Pool Plumbing

We Have Gunnite!

Kelly figuring out the dimensions for the stairs

Water several times a day - note the spa has multi level seats to deal with my husband who's 6'4" while I'm only 5'3".

Coping and tile - This travertine is SOOO PRETTY - so glad Kelly talked us into it.

Picking out tile

Pools not finished but we still go out just to sit and look at the tile

Pool Equipment (another really TIGHT squeeze)

Start of the deck (this poor crew was screwed by the concrete vendor)

They finished at 10pm at night because the concrete that was promised at 11am didn't show till 5pm

And that's where we are at.
So far this has been a very cool experiance.

Tell him we miss him here!

Scott

I hope you love your aggregate as much as I love mine. We did a mixture of pavers and agg. The agg sparkles in the sun and is so pretty. Yes, a little rough on the feet at first but we definitely got used to it.

Oh and for refrence the plaster is Diamond Brite Oyster Quartz

Spa pumped out, toe tiles being put in.

toe tiles on the steps

Dumping the plaster in

They have to work fast because it was 90 out today and the plaster dries fast.

Like frosting a cake

Smoothing out and rounding corners

It looks like a pool! well, almost

Pretty

Filling

For example a day after filling, the water was clear and sparkling but was green tinged. You'd take the brush and this cloud of "dust" would turn the water to milk, when everything settled, the area you brushed was more "blue". right now it's like a cyan or aqua color.

Still it looks pretty, can't wait to swim.

It's 7pm when I took them with a crapy cell phone camera.

Deep End 5 foot

Spa

Shallow end 4 foot

I still think it's cloudy due to plaster dust, but it's pretty.