doug mills

You should have no problems with flagstone coping if installed properly. You will get a much nicer look with flagstone coping as well. I would stick with Pebble Tec or a Pyramid brand Pebble finish. Our experience is that we get a more consistent finish with either of those two Pebble finishes.

Pathfinder is correct. Jandy and Pentair are both quality products. You may even consider asking about Hayward (Goldline) equipment as it is just as reliable, but costs less than both Jandy and Pentair. Although I would insist on Jandy NeverLube valves regardless of which equipment package you choose. A 2hp pump should be fine for your pool. If you are adding a spa, or other water features, they should have their own dedicated pump(s).

Really depends on the value of your home. If your home-value is on the lower end of the spectrum then fiberglass may be ok. Any home with a value above the average for the area is probably better off with a gunite pool. Better construction for a pool, better return on investment, and a definitely a more attractive finished product. The cost of a gunite pool is higher than a fiberglass pool, but it is more than worth it if your home value lends itself to installing a gunite pool.

Stop the project asap! If your Mother walked into the showroom, and walked out with a contract, that means the PB didn't even visit her home to view the site conditions. Any PB that would do business that way does not have your Mother's best interests in mind. Have your Mother find 2 PB's (she should scratch the current PB from her list) who will visit her home, review the site, draw up a design, and give her a list of specifications including what equipment (brand and model) will be included. Building a pool is not like dropping a hot tub in the backyard, and can't be treated as such. It's a good thing you posted here, because it sounds like your Mother walked into the wrong pool store. Please let us know if we can be of any additional help.

I hope everything works out well for you. Although you seem t have made it through the process in one piece, I would advise building your own pool is not a good decision for most people. The subcontractors who work for our company are great people, and would probably try and help an owner-builder as well, but I can assure you that no owner-builder would get the same level of commitment to quality that we do because there is no ongoing relationship. Also, there are a lot fo things that can go wrong when attempting to build your own pool. I sincerely hope you didn't experince any major issues. But for an owner-builder that does have a serious issue during the constrction of their pool, it can be a very scary and potentially financially disastrous situation. Please don't hesitate to post any questions if you have any follow-up questions as everyone here is actually willing to help, although they may not sound encouraging at times, but that's just because they know the potential hazards that face people who decide to build their own pool instead of having a professional pool contractor build it. Best of luck to you.

Skip the in-floor cleaning system (a simple Polaris 280 or 380 will work just fine), Pebble-Tec finish is worth every cent, buy the lights you like best, and go with a salt-based chlorination system. Cartridge filters are superior to sand in my opinion, and the difference between a DE filter is not noticeable enough to spend the extra money. Any filter I have to backwash is not a filter I'm interested in having. Best of luck to you.

The best course of action, if your pool builder won't respond and try to correct the problem, is to hire a leak detection firm to identify the source of the leak. This isn't the sort of problem you want to handle with a DIY attitude. Have a leak detection firm identify the source of the leak, and ask them for a referral for a competent swimming pool builder to repair the problem. You will be much better off having professionals fix this right the first time.

I'm not sure why that particular company seems to be pushing copper-chlorinators. I would recommend a salt-based chlorination system personally. If your pool is maintained properly (cleaned), you should not have any residue issues. Jandy AquaPure is the most highly-regarded, but the Hayward (Goldline) AquaRite system works just as well, and is less expensive. I would also get a very detailed list of the brand and model of all the equipment that is to be installed with your pool from any builder who wants your business. My personal recommendation is that you also speak with a reputable local pool builder before signing a contract with any of the big national, or regional pool builders. Best of luck to you.